Peterborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Peterborough is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
, formally styled The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. It elects one Member of Parliament
by the first past the post system of election.
The serving Member is the Conservative
, Stewart Jackson
MP. He defeated Labour's
Helen Clark
in the 2005 general election
, and was re-elected in 2010, when Peterborough was 48th on Labour's list of target seats.
formed a parliamentary borough
returning two members in 1541. The rest of the Soke
was part of Northamptonshire
parliamentary county, except the area south of the River Nene
in the historic county
of Huntingdonshire
and Thorney in the Isle of Ely
, which was considered part of Cambridgeshire
. Until 1832 when the whole of the parish
of Saint John the Baptist was encompassed, the boundary, as far as is known, excluded the villages of Longthorpe, Dogsthorpe and Newark
with Eastfield
. The Great Reform Act did not affect the borough, while the rural portion of the Soke was included in the northern division of Northamptonshire. New Fletton was transferred from Huntingdonshire in 1868 and in 1918 the parliamentary borough was abolished and replaced with a new division of the parliamentary county of Northampton with the Soke of Peterborough,
including the whole of the Soke and neighbouring parts of the administrative county
of Northamptonshire, extending down to and beyond Thrapston
and Corby
. This became a county constituency under the 1948 revisions, when the boundaries of the constituency were adjusted to correspond to those of the Soke and they remained much the same until 1970. Peterborough became a borough constituency in 1974.
Following their review of parliamentary representation in Cambridgeshire
in 2005, the Boundary Commission for England made minor alterations to the existing constituencies to deal with population changes. The electoral wards
used to create the modified Peterborough constituency fought at the 2010 general election are: Bretton North, Bretton South, Central, Dogsthorpe, East, Eye
and Thorney
, Newborough
, North, Park, Paston
, Ravensthorpe
, Walton
, Werrington North, Werrington South, and West. These changes increased the electorate from 64,893 to 70,640. On the enumeration date of 17 February 2000, the electoral quota for England was 69,934 voters per constituency.
The Peterborough wards of Barnack, Fletton, Glinton
and Wittering
, Northborough
, Orton Longueville, Orton Waterville, Orton with Hampton
, Stanground Central, and Stanground East form part of the North West Cambridgeshire constituency created in 1997 from parts of Peterborough and Huntingdon
constituencies. The serving member for North West Cambridgeshire is the Conservative, Shailesh Vara MP, who succeeded Sir Brian Mawhinney
, former Secretary of State for Transport
and Chairman of the Conservative Party
, in 2005. Mawhinney, who had previously served as Member of Parliament for Peterborough from 1979, was created Baron Mawhinney, of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire in 2005. Eye and Thorney was previously included in the North East Cambridgeshire (prior to 1983 Isle of Ely
) constituency.
In the unreformed House of Commons
in order to be either a candidate or an elector for a county seat, a man had to own (not rent) freehold property valued for the land tax at two pounds a year (women could neither vote nor stand for election). This was known as the 40/- freehold
. The franchise for borough seats varied enormously. Originally in Peterborough the dean and chapter had claimed the franchise and held that only residents of Minster Precincts were burgesses. By the interregnum
, the city was one of 37 boroughs in which suffrage
was restricted to those paying scot and lot
, a form of municipal taxation. In 1800 there were 2,000 registered voters in Northamptonshire and 400 in Peterborough. By 1835 this was 576, or about one per cent of the population. Bribery was general until the introduction of the secret ballot
under the Ballot Act 1872
. Votes were cast by spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings, erected on the Market Place (now Cathedral Square).
In 1832 the Great Reform Act enfranchised those who owned or leased land worth £10 or more and the Second Reform Act extended this to all householders paying £10 or more in rent per annum, effectively enfranchising the skilled working class
, so by 1868 the percentage of voters in Peterborough had risen to about 20% of the population. The Third Reform Act
extended the provisions of the previous act to the counties and the Fourth Reform Act
widened suffrage further by abolishing practically all property qualifications for men and by enfranchising women over 30 who met minimum property qualifications. This system, known as universal manhood suffrage
, was first used in the 1918 general election
. However, full electoral equality wouldn't occur until the Fifth Reform Act
ten years later.
According to the 2001 census
, the population count of Peterborough constituency is 95,103 persons, comprising 46,131 males and 48,972 females. 67.56% of those aged 16–74 are economically active, including 5.92% umemployed; a further 12.26% are retired and 3.08% students. Of a total 39,760 households, 63.80% are owner occupied, fewer than the regional (72.71%) and national (68.72%) averages. Turnout at the 2005 general election was 41,194 or 61.0% of those eligible to vote, below the regional (63.6%) and national (61.3%) figures.
, many were relatives of the clergy; then for two hundred years after the restoration
there was always a Fitzwilliam, or a Fitzwilliam nominee, sitting as member for Peterborough, making it a Whig stronghold. Representation was reduced to one member under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
. From the formal merger of the breakaway Liberal Unionists with the Conservatives in 1912 and the absorption of rural North Northamptonshire
in 1918, Peterborough has been predominantly Conservative. The growth in the New Town
from 1967 may in part account for Labour's victory here in 1974. Since its formation in 1997, North West Cambridgeshire has been one of the safest Conservative seats in the country. At the election which followed, Peterborough was ranked 93rd in the Conservatives's one hundred most vulnerable seats (the ones which the other parties must take if there is to be a change of government) and 73rd on Labour's target list.
In 1966, the closest poll in the city's history, Sir Harmar Nicholls
held the seat by three votes after 17 recounts. Nicholls was the Conservative member from 1950 to 1974, when he lost in the October election
of that year to Labour's Michael Ward, having held on by just 22 votes in the election
eight months earlier. After he lost his seat he was created Baron Harmar-Nicholls, of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire and served, from 1979 to 1984, as Member of the European Parliament
for Greater Manchester South. David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter
, winner of 400m hurdles at the 1928 Summer Olympics
, member of the International Olympic Committee
for 48 years and chairman of the organising committee of the 1948 Summer Olympics
, was the Conservative member from 1931 to 1943. Lord Burghley, as he then was, succeeded the socialist writer and illustrator
, Frank Horrabin, who was born in the city and elected under the leadership of Ramsay MacDonald
in 1929.
The most recent Labour MP for Peterborough, Helen Clark
(née Brinton), won the seat in 1997
. She was defeated at the 2005 general election
, following which it was widely reported that Clark was planning to defect to the Conservative Party, an announcement which was not popular locally. However, by early June it emerged that while she had left the Labour Party, she had not in fact joined the Conservatives and did not intend to.
One of the earliest incumbents, Sir Walter Mildmay
, member for Peterborough from 1553 to 1554, subsequently became Chancellor of the Exchequer
from 1559 to 1589. Later, in the nineteenth century, William Elliot, Whig member from 1802 until his death in 1819, was Chief Secretary
to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
between 1806 and 1807; the Hon. William Lamb
(later the 2nd Viscount Melbourne
), Whig member from 1816 to 1819, became Home Secretary
in 1830 then Prime Minister
from 1834 to 1841; and Sir James Scarlett
(later the 1st Baron Abinger
), Whig member from 1819 to 1830, was, from 1827, Attorney General for England and Wales
.
) and Whigs (or Petitioners) originated in the Court and Country parties that emerged in the aftermath of the civil war, although it is more accurate to describe them as loose tendencies, both of which might be regarded as conservative in modern terms. Modern party politics did not really begin to coalesce in Great Britain
until at least 1784.
and Peelites, into the Liberal Party. In opposition to Irish home rule
, the Liberal Unionists ceded from the Liberals in 1886, aligning themselves with the Conservatives. The Labour Party was later founded, as the Labour Representation Committee, in 1900.
of Peterborough was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918
, and the name was transferred to a division of the new parliamentary county of Northampton with the Soke of Peterborough. The Peterborough division became a county constituency in 1950.
. Successors of the historic parliamentary boroughs, the spending limits for election campaigns are slightly lower in borough constituencies.
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, formally styled The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. It elects one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
by the first past the post system of election.
The serving Member is the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, Stewart Jackson
Stewart Jackson
Stewart James Jackson is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he is the Member of Parliament for Peterborough.-Early life:...
MP. He defeated Labour's
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Helen Clark
Helen Clark (UK politician)
Helen Rosemary Clark, previously known as Helen Brinton, is a politician in the United Kingdom...
in the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, and was re-elected in 2010, when Peterborough was 48th on Labour's list of target seats.
Boundaries
The City of PeterboroughPeterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
formed a parliamentary borough
Parliamentary borough
Parliamentary boroughs are a type of administrative division, usually covering urban areas, that are entitled to representation in a Parliament...
returning two members in 1541. The rest of the Soke
Soke of Peterborough
The Soke of Peterborough is an historic area of England that is traditionally associated with the City and Diocese of Peterborough, but considered part of Northamptonshire...
was part of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
parliamentary county, except the area south of the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
in the historic county
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
and Thorney in the Isle of Ely
Isle of Ely
The Isle of Ely is a historic region around the city of Ely now in Cambridgeshire, England but previously a county in its own right.-Etymology:...
, which was considered part of Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely
Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely was, from 1965 to 1974, an administrative county of England. In 1974 it became part of an enlarged Cambridgeshire.-Formation:...
. Until 1832 when the whole of the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Saint John the Baptist was encompassed, the boundary, as far as is known, excluded the villages of Longthorpe, Dogsthorpe and Newark
Newark, Peterborough
Newark was a hamlet of the parish of Saint Mary the Virgin in the Soke of Peterborough in the United Kingdom. One mile and a half north-east-by-east from the city centre; a portion was incorporated with the municipal borough in 1874...
with Eastfield
Eastfield, Peterborough
Eastfield is a residential area of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. For electoral purposes it comprises the main part of Peterborough East ward. As of 2001 this has a resident population of 8,424...
. The Great Reform Act did not affect the borough, while the rural portion of the Soke was included in the northern division of Northamptonshire. New Fletton was transferred from Huntingdonshire in 1868 and in 1918 the parliamentary borough was abolished and replaced with a new division of the parliamentary county of Northampton with the Soke of Peterborough,
including the whole of the Soke and neighbouring parts of the administrative county
Administrative county
An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....
of Northamptonshire, extending down to and beyond Thrapston
Thrapston
Thrapston is a small town in Northamptonshire, England. It is the headquarters of the East Northamptonshire district, and in 2001 had a population of 4,855. By 2006, this was estimated to be over 5,700....
and Corby
Corby
Corby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure...
. This became a county constituency under the 1948 revisions, when the boundaries of the constituency were adjusted to correspond to those of the Soke and they remained much the same until 1970. Peterborough became a borough constituency in 1974.
Following their review of parliamentary representation in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
in 2005, the Boundary Commission for England made minor alterations to the existing constituencies to deal with population changes. The electoral wards
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
used to create the modified Peterborough constituency fought at the 2010 general election are: Bretton North, Bretton South, Central, Dogsthorpe, East, Eye
Eye, Cambridgeshire
Eye is a village in the unitary authority area of Peterborough in England, south of Crowland and Eye Green. It was formerly in the Soke of Peterborough in Northamptonshire....
and Thorney
Thorney, Cambridgeshire
Thorney is a village about 8 miles east of Peterborough in the City of Peterborough unitary authority, England, on the A47. Historically it was part of the Isle of Ely, which was considered part of Cambridgeshire but was transferred into the former county of Huntingdon and Peterborough and...
, Newborough
Newborough, Cambridgeshire
Newborough is a ward and civil parish in the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom.The village lies within the Peterborough constituency represented by the Conservative Member of Parliament, Stewart "Tito" Jackson....
, North, Park, Paston
Paston, Peterborough
Paston is a residential area and electoral ward of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. The area was mainly built and developed in the 1970s and 1980s...
, Ravensthorpe
Ravensthorpe, Peterborough
Ravensthorpe is a residential area and electoral ward of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom.Ravensthorpe County Primary School is located in the area; secondary pupils attend nearby Jack Hunt School in Netherton....
, Walton
Walton, Cambridgeshire
Walton is a residential area and electoral ward of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. Manufacturers of industrial machinery, Peter Brotherhood Limited, relocated here from London in 1906....
, Werrington North, Werrington South, and West. These changes increased the electorate from 64,893 to 70,640. On the enumeration date of 17 February 2000, the electoral quota for England was 69,934 voters per constituency.
The Peterborough wards of Barnack, Fletton, Glinton
Glinton, Cambridgeshire
Glinton is a village to the north of the City of Peterborough, England, United Kingdom.It has a population of 3130 and consists of about 1200 dwellings....
and Wittering
Wittering, Cambridgeshire
Wittering is a village in the Soke of Peterborough, now in Cambridgeshire formerly in Northamptonshire, in the east of England. The neighbouring land is predominantly arable farming and Forestry Commission respectively...
, Northborough
Northborough, Cambridgeshire
Northborough is a small village near the city of Peterborough in the East of England.It has a pub, a shop, a school and a small castle.Northborough is around seven or eight miles practically due north of Peterborough....
, Orton Longueville, Orton Waterville, Orton with Hampton
Hampton, Peterborough
Hampton is a newly developing township in Peterborough, England. There are currently two neighbourhoods within Hampton - Hampton Hargate and Hampton Vale, still growing...
, Stanground Central, and Stanground East form part of the North West Cambridgeshire constituency created in 1997 from parts of Peterborough and Huntingdon
Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)
Huntingdon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituencies. The serving member for North West Cambridgeshire is the Conservative, Shailesh Vara MP, who succeeded Sir Brian Mawhinney
Brian Mawhinney
Brian Stanley Mawhinney, Baron Mawhinney PC is a British Conservative Party politician. He was a member of the Cabinet from 1994 until 1997 and a Member of Parliament from 1979 until 2005.-Early life:...
, former Secretary of State for Transport
Secretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
and Chairman of the Conservative Party
Chairman of the Conservative Party
In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of the Conservative Party is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. When the Conservatives are in power, the Chairman is usually a member of the Cabinet being given a sinecure position such as Minister without Portfolio...
, in 2005. Mawhinney, who had previously served as Member of Parliament for Peterborough from 1979, was created Baron Mawhinney, of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire in 2005. Eye and Thorney was previously included in the North East Cambridgeshire (prior to 1983 Isle of Ely
Isle of Ely (UK Parliament constituency)
Isle of Ely was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, centred on the Isle of Ely in Cambridgeshire...
) constituency.
Franchise
Unreformed House of Commons
The unreformed House of Commons is the name generally given to the British House of Commons as it existed before the Reform Act 1832.Until the Act of Union of 1707 joining the Kingdoms of Scotland and England , Scotland had its own Parliament, and the term refers to the House of Commons of England...
in order to be either a candidate or an elector for a county seat, a man had to own (not rent) freehold property valued for the land tax at two pounds a year (women could neither vote nor stand for election). This was known as the 40/- freehold
Forty Shilling Freeholders
Forty shilling freeholders were a group of landowners who had the Parliamentary franchise to vote in county constituencies in various parts of the British Isles. In England it was the only such qualification from 1430 until 1832...
. The franchise for borough seats varied enormously. Originally in Peterborough the dean and chapter had claimed the franchise and held that only residents of Minster Precincts were burgesses. By the interregnum
English Interregnum
The English Interregnum was the period of parliamentary and military rule by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the Commonwealth of England after the English Civil War...
, the city was one of 37 boroughs in which suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
was restricted to those paying scot and lot
Scot and lot
Scot and lot is a phrase common in the records of English medieval boroughs, applied to householders who were assessed for a tax paid to the borough for local or national purposes.They were usually members of a merchant guild.Before the Reform Act 1832, those who paid scot and bore...
, a form of municipal taxation. In 1800 there were 2,000 registered voters in Northamptonshire and 400 in Peterborough. By 1835 this was 576, or about one per cent of the population. Bribery was general until the introduction of the secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
under the Ballot Act 1872
Ballot Act 1872
The Ballot Act 1872 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that introduced the requirement that parliamentary and local government elections in the United Kingdom be held by secret ballot.-Background:...
. Votes were cast by spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings, erected on the Market Place (now Cathedral Square).
In 1832 the Great Reform Act enfranchised those who owned or leased land worth £10 or more and the Second Reform Act extended this to all householders paying £10 or more in rent per annum, effectively enfranchising the skilled working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
, so by 1868 the percentage of voters in Peterborough had risen to about 20% of the population. The Third Reform Act
Representation of the People Act 1884
In the United Kingdom, the Representation of the People Act 1884 and the Redistribution Act of the following year were laws which further extended the suffrage in Britain after the Disraeli Government's Reform Act 1867...
extended the provisions of the previous act to the counties and the Fourth Reform Act
Representation of the People Act 1918
The Representation of the People Act 1918 was an Act of Parliament passed to reform the electoral system in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes known as the Fourth Reform Act...
widened suffrage further by abolishing practically all property qualifications for men and by enfranchising women over 30 who met minimum property qualifications. This system, known as universal manhood suffrage
Universal manhood suffrage
Universal manhood suffrage is a form of voting rights in which all adult males within a political system are allowed to vote, regardless of income, property, religion, race, or any other qualification...
, was first used in the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
. However, full electoral equality wouldn't occur until the Fifth Reform Act
Representation of the People Act 1928
The Representation of the People Act 1928 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This act expanded on the Representation of the People Act 1918 which had given some women the vote in Parliamentary elections for the first time after World War I. It widened suffrage by giving women...
ten years later.
According to the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the population count of Peterborough constituency is 95,103 persons, comprising 46,131 males and 48,972 females. 67.56% of those aged 16–74 are economically active, including 5.92% umemployed; a further 12.26% are retired and 3.08% students. Of a total 39,760 households, 63.80% are owner occupied, fewer than the regional (72.71%) and national (68.72%) averages. Turnout at the 2005 general election was 41,194 or 61.0% of those eligible to vote, below the regional (63.6%) and national (61.3%) figures.
Members of Parliament
Peterborough sent two members to parliament for the first time in 1547. Before the civil warEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, many were relatives of the clergy; then for two hundred years after the restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
there was always a Fitzwilliam, or a Fitzwilliam nominee, sitting as member for Peterborough, making it a Whig stronghold. Representation was reduced to one member under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
. From the formal merger of the breakaway Liberal Unionists with the Conservatives in 1912 and the absorption of rural North Northamptonshire
North Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Northamptonshire was a county constituency in Northamptonshire, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Boundaries :...
in 1918, Peterborough has been predominantly Conservative. The growth in the New Town
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
from 1967 may in part account for Labour's victory here in 1974. Since its formation in 1997, North West Cambridgeshire has been one of the safest Conservative seats in the country. At the election which followed, Peterborough was ranked 93rd in the Conservatives's one hundred most vulnerable seats (the ones which the other parties must take if there is to be a change of government) and 73rd on Labour's target list.
In 1966, the closest poll in the city's history, Sir Harmar Nicholls
Harmar Nicholls
Harmar Harmar-Nicholls, Baron Harmar-Nicholls , known as Sir Harmar Nicholls, 1st Baronet, from 1960 to 1975, was a British Conservative Party politician.-Early life and career:...
held the seat by three votes after 17 recounts. Nicholls was the Conservative member from 1950 to 1974, when he lost in the October election
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
of that year to Labour's Michael Ward, having held on by just 22 votes in the election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
eight months earlier. After he lost his seat he was created Baron Harmar-Nicholls, of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire and served, from 1979 to 1984, as Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for Greater Manchester South. David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter
David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter
David George Brownlow Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter KCMG , styled Lord Burghley before 1956 and also known as David Burghley, was an English athlete, sports official and Conservative Party politician...
, winner of 400m hurdles at the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
, member of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
for 48 years and chairman of the organising committee of the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, was the Conservative member from 1931 to 1943. Lord Burghley, as he then was, succeeded the socialist writer and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, Frank Horrabin, who was born in the city and elected under the leadership of Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
in 1929.
The most recent Labour MP for Peterborough, Helen Clark
Helen Clark (UK politician)
Helen Rosemary Clark, previously known as Helen Brinton, is a politician in the United Kingdom...
(née Brinton), won the seat in 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. She was defeated at the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, following which it was widely reported that Clark was planning to defect to the Conservative Party, an announcement which was not popular locally. However, by early June it emerged that while she had left the Labour Party, she had not in fact joined the Conservatives and did not intend to.
One of the earliest incumbents, Sir Walter Mildmay
Walter Mildmay
Sir Walter Mildmay was an English statesman who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer of England under Queen Elizabeth I, and was founder of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.-Early life:...
, member for Peterborough from 1553 to 1554, subsequently became Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
from 1559 to 1589. Later, in the nineteenth century, William Elliot, Whig member from 1802 until his death in 1819, was Chief Secretary
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
between 1806 and 1807; the Hon. William Lamb
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
(later the 2nd Viscount Melbourne
Viscount Melbourne
Viscount Melbourne, of Kilmore in the County of Cavan, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland held by the Lamb family. This family descended from Matthew Lamb, who represented Stockbridge and Peterborough in the House of Commons. In 1755 he was created a Baronet, of Brocket Hall in the County of...
), Whig member from 1816 to 1819, became Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
in 1830 then Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
from 1834 to 1841; and Sir James Scarlett
James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger
James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger was an English lawyer, politician and judge.-Background and education:...
(later the 1st Baron Abinger
Baron Abinger
Baron Abinger, of Abinger in the County of Surrey and of the City of Norwich, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 12 January 1835 for the prominent lawyer and politician Sir James Scarlett, the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Lord Abinger was succeeded by his...
), Whig member from 1819 to 1830, was, from 1827, Attorney General for England and Wales
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
.
MPs 1547–1660
| Election | Senior Member | Junior Member |
|---|---|---|
| 1542 | Sir Thomas Moyle | |
| 1547 | Sir Wymond Carew Wymond Carew Sir Wymond Carew was a sixteenth-century courtier and politician.Carew was born by 1428, the son of John Carew of Anthony in Cornwall... |
Richard Pallady |
| 1553 | Sir Walter Mildmay | Sir William FitzWilliam |
| April 1554 | John Gamlin (Gamblin, Gamlyn) | Giles Isham |
| Nov. 1554 | William Liveley | Gilbert Bull |
| 1555 | Maurice Tyrell | John Mountsteven |
| 1558 | Sir William FitzWilliam | Robert Wingfield, Jr. |
| 1562 | John FitzWilliam | |
| 1572 | Hugh FitzWilliam | Humphrey Mildmay |
| 1584 | Sir William FitzWilliam William Fitzwilliam (Lord Deputy) - Early life :FitzWilliam was born at Milton, Northamptonshire, the eldest son of Sir William and grandson of William Fitzwilliam , alderman and sheriff of London, who had been treasurer and chamberlain to Cardinal Wolsey and who purchased Milton in 1506... |
James Scambler |
| 1586 | Thomas Hacke | |
| 1588 | Sir Thomas Reede | Thomas Howland |
| 1592 | Thomas Hacke | |
| 1597 | John Wingfield | Sir Richard Cecil of Wakerley Wakerley Wakerley is a linear village and civil parish in the English county of Northamptonshire.Forming part of the district of East Northamptonshire, Wakerley is close to, and south of, the River Welland that forms the boundary with Rutland; its nearest neighbour, Barrowden, is in that county and... |
| 1601 | Nicholas Tufton | Goddard Pemberton |
| 1603 | Sir Richard Cecil Richard Cecil (died 1633) Sir Richard Cecil was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1593 and 1622.... of Wakerley Wakerley Wakerley is a linear village and civil parish in the English county of Northamptonshire.Forming part of the district of East Northamptonshire, Wakerley is close to, and south of, the River Welland that forms the boundary with Rutland; its nearest neighbour, Barrowden, is in that county and... |
Edward Wymarke Edward Wymarke Edward Wymarke was an English mibor official and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1597 and 1614.Wymarke was the only son of Edward Wymarke of Luffenham, Rutland and his wife Margaret Dudley, daughter of William Dudley of Clopton, Northamptonshire.He was a fringe official who... |
| 1614 | Sir William Walter | Roger Manwood |
| 1620 | Mildmay Fane Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland was an English nobleman, politician, and writer.-Life:One of seven sons of Francis Fane by his wife Mary, granddaughter of Sir Walter Mildmay, Mildmay Fane was born in Kent and educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge . He became MP for Peterborough in 1620... |
Walter FitzWilliam |
| 1623 | Sir Francis Fane Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland, KB head of the Fane family, of Mereworth in Kent, and then of Apethorpe in Northamptonshire, was first a Member of Parliament and then an English peer... |
Laurence Whitaker Laurence Whitaker Laurence Whitaker was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1653.Whitaker was born in Somerset. He matriculated from St John's College, Cambridge in around 1593 and was awarded BA in 1597 and MA in 1600. He was incorporated at Oxford University in... |
| 1624 | Sir Christopher Hatton | |
| 1625 | Mildmay Fane, Lord Burghersh Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland was an English nobleman, politician, and writer.-Life:One of seven sons of Francis Fane by his wife Mary, granddaughter of Sir Walter Mildmay, Mildmay Fane was born in Kent and educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge . He became MP for Peterborough in 1620... |
|
| The Short Parliament Short Parliament The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks.... (April–May 1640) |
||
| April 1640 | David Cecil David Cecil, 3rd Earl of Exeter David Cecil, 3rd Earl of Exeter was an English peer and member of the House of Lords.-Life:David Cecil was the son of Sir Richard Cecil of Wakerley, Northamptonshire. He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge, and admitted at Lincoln's Inn in 1627. In 1640, he sat for Peterborough in the Short... |
William FitzWilliam, 2nd Baron FitzWilliam William FitzWilliam, 2nd Baron FitzWilliam William Fitzwilliam, 2nd Baron Fitzwilliam was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England between 1640 and 1653.... |
| The Long Parliament Long Parliament The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and... (1640–1648), the Rump Parliament Rump Parliament The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason.... (1648–1653) and the Barebone's Parliament (1653) |
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| Nov. 1640 | William FitzWilliam, 2nd Baron FitzWilliam William FitzWilliam, 2nd Baron FitzWilliam William Fitzwilliam, 2nd Baron Fitzwilliam was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England between 1640 and 1653.... |
Sir Robert Napier, 2nd Baronet Sir Robert Napier, 2nd Baronet Sir Robert Napier, 2nd Baronet , of Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire, was an English Member of Parliament.He was the eldest son of Sir Robert Napier, 1st Baronet, and succeeded to the baronetcy on 22 April 1637, having already been knighted in his own right on 23 April 1623. He was educated at Exeter... |
| The First Protectorate Parliament First Protectorate Parliament The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House.... (1654–1655); one member only |
||
| 1654 | Col. Alexander Blake | |
| The Second Second Protectorate Parliament The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons... (1656–1658) and Third Third Protectorate Parliament The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons... (1659) Protectorate Parliaments |
||
| 1656 | Col. Alexander Blake | Francis St John Francis St John Francis St John was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1698.... |
MPs 1660–1883
The Tories (or AbhorrersAbhorrers
Abhorrers, the name given in 1679 to the persons who expressed their abhorrence at the action of those who had signed petitions urging King Charles II of England to assemble Parliament....
) and Whigs (or Petitioners) originated in the Court and Country parties that emerged in the aftermath of the civil war, although it is more accurate to describe them as loose tendencies, both of which might be regarded as conservative in modern terms. Modern party politics did not really begin to coalesce in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
until at least 1784.
| Election | First Member | 1st Party | Second Member | 2nd Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Rump Parliament Rump Parliament The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason.... recalled (1659) and the Long Parliament Long Parliament The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and... restored (1660) |
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| 1660 | Sir Humphrey Orme Humphrey Orme Humphrey Orme was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654 and from 1660 to 1671.Orme was the son of Humphrey Orme of Peterborough and his wife Mary Orme, daughter of Humphrey Orme of Compton Dundon, Somerset... |
Court Cavalier Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration... |
Charles Fane, Lord le Despencer Charles Fane, 3rd Earl of Westmorland Charles Fane, 3rd Earl of Westmorland was a British peer and member of the House of Lords. Before succeeding to the peerage, he had been a Member of Parliament for Peterborough from 1660 to 1666.... |
Country Roundhead "Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings... |
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| 1666 | Edward Palmer | Whig | ||||
| 1667 | William FitzWilliam, 3rd Baron FitzWilliam | Whig | ||||
| 1671 | Sir Vere Fane Vere Fane, 4th Earl of Westmorland Vere Fane, 4th Earl of Westmorland KB , known as Sir Vere Fane from 1661 to 1691, was a British peer and Member of Parliament for Peterborough and Kent.He was Lord Lieutenant of Kent... |
Whig | ||||
| Feb. 1679 | Francis St John Francis St John Francis St John was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1698.... |
Whig | ||||
| Aug. 1679 | Charles Orme | Whig | ||||
| 1681 | William FitzWilliam, 3rd Baron FitzWilliam | Whig | ||||
| 1685 | Charles FitzWilliam | Whig | Charles Orme | Whig | ||
| 1688 | Gilbert Dolben | Whig | ||||
| 1689 | Sir William Brownlow, 4th Baronet Sir William Brownlow, 4th Baronet Sir William Brownlow, 4th Baronet was a British Member of Parliament.-Life:Brownlow was the younger son of Sir Richard Brownlow, 2nd Baronet, and Elizabeth Freke. He was educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge... |
Whig | ||||
| 1698 | Hon. Sidney Wortley-Montagu | Whig | Francis St John Francis St John Francis St John was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1698.... |
Whig | ||
| 1701 | Sir Gilbert Dolben, 1st Baronet | Whig | ||||
| 1710 | John FitzWilliam, Viscount Miltown | Whig | Charles Parker | Tory | ||
| 1722 British general election, 1722 The British general election of 1722 elected members to serve in the House of Commons of the 6th Parliament of Great Britain. This event took place following the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election was fiercely fought, with contests taking place... |
Hon. Sidney Wortley-Montagu | Whig | ||||
| 1727 British general election, 1727 The British general election, 1727 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 7th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election was triggered by the death of George I; at the time elections... |
Sir Edward O'Bryan, 2nd Baronet | Tory | ||||
| 1727 | Hon. Sidney Wortley-Montagu | Whig | ||||
| 1728 by-election | Joseph Banks | Whig | ||||
| 1729 by-election | Charles Gounter-Nicoll | Whig | ||||
| Jan. 1734 by-election | Armstead Parker | Tory | ||||
| April 1734 British general election, 1734 The British general election, 1734 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. Robert Walpole's increasingly unpopular Whig government lost ground to the... |
Sir Edward Wortley Montagu Sir Edward Wortley Montagu Sir Edward Wortley Montagu was British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, husband of the writer Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and father of the writer and traveller Edward Wortley Montagu.... |
Whig | ||||
| 1741 British general election, 1741 The British general election, 1741 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 9th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707... |
William FitzWilliam, 3rd Earl FitzWilliam William Fitzwilliam, 3rd Earl Fitzwilliam William FitzWilliam, 3rd Earl FitzWilliam was a British peer.He was the son of John Fitzwilliam, 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam by his wife Anne, daughter of John Stringer of Sutton cum Lound, Nottinghamshire... |
Whig | ||||
| 1742 by-election | Armstead Parker | Tory | ||||
| 1747 British general election, 1747 The British general election, 1747 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 10th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election saw Henry Pelham's Whig government increase its majority and... |
Sir Matthew Lamb, 1st Baronet Sir Matthew Lamb, 1st Baronet Sir Matthew Lamb, 1st Baronet was a British barrister and politician. He was the grandfather of Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne.... |
Whig | ||||
| 1761 British general election, 1761 The British general election, 1761 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707... |
Armstead Parker | Tory | ||||
| March 1768 British general election, 1768 The British general election, 1768 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 13th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707.-Summary of the Constituencies:... |
Matthew Wyldbore | Whig | ||||
| Nov. 1768 by-election | Henry Belasyse, Viscount Belasyse | Whig | ||||
| 1774 by-election | Richard Benyon | Whig | ||||
| 1780 British general election, 1780 The British general election, 1780 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 15th Parliament of Great Britain to be held after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707... |
James Farrel Phipps | Whig | ||||
| 1786 by-election | Hon. Lionel Damer | Whig | ||||
| 1796 British general election, 1796 The British general election, 1796 returned members to serve in the 18th and last House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain to be held before the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801... |
Dr. French Laurence French Laurence French Laurence was an English jurist and man of letters, a close associate of Edmund Burke whose literary executor he became.-Life:... |
Whig | ||||
| 1802 United Kingdom general election, 1802 The United Kingdom general election, 1802 was the election to the 2nd Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was the first to be held after the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland... |
William Elliot William Elliot (MP) William Elliot was an Irish politician who sat in the Irish House of Commons before its abolition. After the Act of Union he sat as a Whig in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.... |
Whig | ||||
| 1809 by-election | Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford KG, PC , styled Marquess of Tavistock from 1802 to 1839, was a British peer and Whig politician.-Background and education:... |
Whig | ||||
| 1812 United Kingdom general election, 1812 The election to the 5th Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1812 was the fourth general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland.... |
George Ponsonby George Ponsonby George Ponsonby PC , was a British lawyer and Whig politician. He served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1806 to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents.-Background and education:... |
Whig | ||||
| 1816 by-election | Hon. William Lamb William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics... |
Whig | ||||
| Feb. 1819 by-election | Sir James Scarlett James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger was an English lawyer, politician and judge.-Background and education:... |
Whig | ||||
| Nov. 1819 by-election | Sir Robert Heron, 2nd Baronet Sir Robert Heron, 2nd Baronet Sir Robert Heron, 2nd Baronet was a British Whig politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1812 to 1847, with a break in 1818–1819.-Early life:... |
Whig | ||||
| Aug. 1830 United Kingdom general election, 1830 The 1830 United Kingdom general election, was triggered by the death of King George IV and produced the first parliament of the reign of his successor, William IV. Fought in the aftermath of the Swing Riots, it saw electoral reform become a major election issue... |
Charles Wentworth-FitzWilliam, Viscount Milton Charles Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 5th Earl FitzWilliam Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 5th Earl Fitzwilliam KG was a British nobleman. He was three times President of the Royal Statistical Society .... |
Whig | ||||
| Nov. 1830 by-election | John Nicholas Fazakerley John Nicholas Fazakerley John Nicholas Fazakerley was a British Whigpolitician. He sat in the House of Commons for most of the period from 1812 to 1841.He was elected at the 1812 general election as a Member of Parliament for Lincoln,... |
Whig | ||||
| 1841 United Kingdom general election, 1841 -Seats summary:-Whig MPs who lost their seats:*Viscount Morpeth - Chief Secretary for Ireland*Sir George Strickland, Bt*Sir Henry Barron, 1st Baronet-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987... |
Hon. George Wentworth-FitzWilliam George Wentworth-FitzWilliam -Background:Wentworth-FitzWilliam was a younger son of Charles Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 5th Earl FitzWilliam, and Mary, daughter of Thomas Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas... |
Whig | ||||
| 1847 United Kingdom general election, 1847 -Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *... |
Hon. William Cavendish William Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham William George Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham was a British Liberal politician.A member of the Cavendish family headed by the Duke of Devonshire, Chesham was the son of Charles Compton Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham and Lady Catherine Susan Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 9th Marquess of Huntly... |
Whig | ||||
| 1852 United Kingdom general election, 1852 The July 1852 United Kingdom general election was a watershed election in the formation of the modern political parties of Britain. Following 1852, the Tory/Conservative party became, more completely, the party of the rural aristocracy, while the Whig/Liberal party became the party of the rising... |
Hon. Richard Watson | Whig | ||||
| 1852 by-election | George Hammond Whalley George Hammond Whalley George Hammond Whalley was a British lawyer and Liberal Party politician.He was the eldest son of James Whalley, a merchant and banker from Gloucester, and a direct descendant of Edward Whalley, the regicide... |
Whig | ||||
| 1853 by-election | Thomson Hankey Thomson Hankey Thomson Hankey was a British merchant, a banker and a Liberal Party politician.Hankey was the son of Thomson Hankey from Portland Place in London, and his wife Martha, the daughter of Benjamin Harrison from Clapham Common... |
Whig | ||||
| 1859 United Kingdom general election, 1859 In the 1859 United Kingdom general election, the Whigs, led by Lord Palmerston, held their majority in the House of Commons over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives... |
George Hammond Whalley George Hammond Whalley George Hammond Whalley was a British lawyer and Liberal Party politician.He was the eldest son of James Whalley, a merchant and banker from Gloucester, and a direct descendant of Edward Whalley, the regicide... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1868 United Kingdom general election, 1868 The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom... |
William Wells William Wells (1818–1889) William Wells was an English Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1852 to 1857 and from 1868 to 1874.... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1874 United Kingdom general election, 1874 -Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *... |
Thomson Hankey Thomson Hankey Thomson Hankey was a British merchant, a banker and a Liberal Party politician.Hankey was the son of Thomson Hankey from Portland Place in London, and his wife Martha, the daughter of Benjamin Harrison from Clapham Common... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1878 by-election | Hon. John Wentworth-FitzWilliam John Wentworth-FitzWilliam William John Wentworth-FitzWilliam , was a British Liberal politician.Wentworth-FitzWilliam was the fifth son of William Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl FitzWilliam, and his wife Lady Frances Harriet, daughter of George Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1880 United Kingdom general election, 1880 -Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *... |
George Hampden Whalley | Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1883 by-election | Sir Sydney Buxton Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton Sydney Charles Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton GCMG, PC was a British Liberal politician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Background and education:... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... |
representation reduced to one member | |||||
MPs 1885–1918
In 1832 the Tory Party evolved into the Conservative Party and in 1859 the Whig Party evolved, with RadicalsRadicals (UK)
The Radicals were a parliamentary political grouping in the United Kingdom in the early to mid 19th century, who drew on earlier ideas of radicalism and helped to transform the Whigs into the Liberal Party.-Background:...
and Peelites, into the Liberal Party. In opposition to Irish home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
, the Liberal Unionists ceded from the Liberals in 1886, aligning themselves with the Conservatives. The Labour Party was later founded, as the Labour Representation Committee, in 1900.
| Election | 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... | Hon. John Wentworth-FitzWilliam John Wentworth-FitzWilliam William John Wentworth-FitzWilliam , was a British Liberal politician.Wentworth-FitzWilliam was the fifth son of William Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl FitzWilliam, and his wife Lady Frances Harriet, daughter of George Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton... |
Independent Liberal / Liberal Unionist Liberal Unionist Party The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule... |
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| 1889 by-election | Sir Alpheus Cleophas Morton Alpheus Cleophas Morton Sir Alpheus Cleophas Morton was a British architect and surveyor, and a Liberal Party politician. He was active in local government in London from the 1880s until his death, and sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1889 and 1918.- Career :Morton was the son of Francis Morton, and was... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1895 United Kingdom general election, 1895 The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery... |
Sir Robert Purvis Robert Purvis (MP) Sir Robert Purvis LL.D was an English barrister and Liberal Unionist politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1895 to 1905 as the Member of Parliament for Peterborough.- Early life :... |
Liberal Unionist Liberal Unionist Party The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule... / Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1906 United Kingdom general election, 1906 -Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**... |
Sir Granville Greenwood Granville Greenwood Granville George Greenwood was an English lawyer, politician and strenuous advocate of the Baconian theory of Shakespearean authorship. Greenwood once played cricket for Hampshire, and was Member of Parliament for Peterborough from 1906 to 1918.-Life:Greenwood was the son of John Greenwood... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1918 United Kingdom general election, 1918 The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did... |
parliamentary borough abolished | |||
County Constituency
The parliamentary boroughParliamentary borough
Parliamentary boroughs are a type of administrative division, usually covering urban areas, that are entitled to representation in a Parliament...
of Peterborough was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918
Representation of the People Act 1918
The Representation of the People Act 1918 was an Act of Parliament passed to reform the electoral system in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes known as the Fourth Reform Act...
, and the name was transferred to a division of the new parliamentary county of Northampton with the Soke of Peterborough. The Peterborough division became a county constituency in 1950.
MPs 1918–1974
| Election | 1918 United Kingdom general election, 1918 The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did... | Sir Henry Brassey, 1st Baronet Henry Brassey, 1st Baron Brassey of Apethorpe Henry Leonard Campbell Brassey, 1st Baron Brassey of Apethorpe DL , known as Sir Henry Brassey, 1st Baronet, from 1922 to 1938, was a British Conservative politician.-Biography:... |
Coalition Conservative | |
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| 1929 United Kingdom general election, 1929 -Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***... |
James Francis Horrabin | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
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| 1931 United Kingdom general election, 1931 The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the... |
David Cecil, Lord Burghley David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter David George Brownlow Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter KCMG , styled Lord Burghley before 1956 and also known as David Burghley, was an English athlete, sports official and Conservative Party politician... |
Conservative and Unionist Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1943 by-election | John Hely-Hutchinson, Viscount Suirdale John Hely-Hutchinson, 7th Earl of Donoughmore John Michael Henry Hely-Hutchinson, 7th Earl of Donoughmore , known until 1848 by his courtesy title Viscount Suirdale, was a British politician who later sat as a hereditary peer in the House of Lords.... |
Conservative and Unionist Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1945 United Kingdom general election, 1945 The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to... |
Stanley Tiffany Stanley Tiffany Stanley Tiffany CBE was an English Labour Co-operative politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1945 to 1950.He was the son of Alert Tiffany from Rothwell in the West Riding of Yorkshire... |
Labour Co-operative Labour Co-operative Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties.... |
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| 1950 United Kingdom general election, 1950 The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five... |
Sir Harmar Nicholls, 1st Baronet Harmar Nicholls Harmar Harmar-Nicholls, Baron Harmar-Nicholls , known as Sir Harmar Nicholls, 1st Baronet, from 1960 to 1975, was a British Conservative Party politician.-Early life and career:... |
Conservative and Unionist Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| Feb. 1974 United Kingdom general election, February 1974 The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,... |
county constituency abolished | |||
Borough Constituency
Peterborough was redefined as a borough constituency with effect from the February 1974 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
. Successors of the historic parliamentary boroughs, the spending limits for election campaigns are slightly lower in borough constituencies.
MPs since 1974
| Election | Feb. 1974 United Kingdom general election, February 1974 The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,... | Sir Harmar Nicholls, 1st Baronet Harmar Nicholls Harmar Harmar-Nicholls, Baron Harmar-Nicholls , known as Sir Harmar Nicholls, 1st Baronet, from 1960 to 1975, was a British Conservative Party politician.-Early life and career:... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| Oct. 1974 United Kingdom general election, October 1974 The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of... |
Michael John Ward | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
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| 1979 United Kingdom general election, 1979 The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats... |
Sir Brian Stanley Mawhinney Brian Mawhinney Brian Stanley Mawhinney, Baron Mawhinney PC is a British Conservative Party politician. He was a member of the Cabinet from 1994 until 1997 and a Member of Parliament from 1979 until 2005.-Early life:... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997 The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general... |
Helen Rosemary Brinton, Mrs. Clark | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
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| 2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160.... |
Stewart James Jackson | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
2010–2019
2000–2009
1990–1999
1980–1989
See also
- List of Parliamentary constituencies in Cambridgeshire
- North West Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency) 1997–date
- North Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)North Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)North Northamptonshire was a county constituency in Northamptonshire, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Boundaries :...
1832–1919