Under the Local Government Act 1972, which came into effect on 1 April 1974, the boundaries of the historic/administrative county were significantly altered with the south-east of the county, comprising more than half the electorate, being transferred to the new metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear. These changes were reflected in the following redistribution of parliamentary seats which did not come into effect until the 1983 general election, resulting in a reduction in the county's representation from 10 to 4 MPs.
Number of seats
The table below shows the number of MPs representing Northumberland at each major redistribution of seats affecting the county.
Year
County
seats1
Borough
seats1
Total
Historic County
Prior to 1832
2
6
8
1832-1885
4
6
10
1885-1918
4
4
8
1918-1950
3
7
10
1950-1974
3
7
10
Current County
1974-19832
3
1
4
1983–2024
3
1
4
2024–present3
4
–
4
1Prior to 1950, seats were classified as County Divisions or Parliamentary Boroughs. Since 1950, they have been classified as County or Borough Constituencies.
2Approximate equivalent number of constituencies. Prior to the redistribution coming into effect for the 1983 general election, two constituencies were split between Northumberland and Tyne and Wear and two were wholly within the reconfigured county.
3Includes two cross-county border constituencies shared with Tyne and Wear.
Under the Boundary Act 1868, the boundaries of Morpeth were further extended to include the townships of Cowpen and Newsham (which incorporprated the town of Blyth).[8][9] There were no other changes.
The County Division of Tyneside was abolished and its contents distributed as follows:
the majority of the electorate, comprising the municipal borough of Wallsend and the urban districts of Gosforth, Longbenton and Weetslade formed the new Parliamentary Borough of Wallsend;[14]
A new borough constituency named Blyth was established, which included the towns of Blyth and Bedlington, previously part of Morpeth. Wansbeck was abolished with its contents distributed as follows:
There were no changes resulting from the Second Periodic Review, which came into effect for the February 1974 election.[18]
1974 (Apr)
Shortly after the Second Periodic Review came into effect, the county was subject to a major reconfiguration under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972. As a result, with effect from 1 April 1974, the four Newcastle upon Tyne constituencies and those of Wallsend and Tynemouth1, together with small areas of Hexham and Blyth, became part of the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear.
The next change to parliamentary constituency boundaries, following the recommendations of the Third Periodic Review, reflected the change in county boundaries and reorganisation of local government authorities in 1974.[19] This review did not come into effect for a further nine years, at the 1983 general election, and resulted in the following changes:
Morpeth was abolished and, with the exception of northern rural areas which were transferred to Berwick-upon-Tweed, its contents formed the bulk of the re-established constituency of Wansbeck (which had very little in common with the original constituency);
Blyth was renamed Blyth Valley, with Bedlington being included in Wansbeck; and
the small areas of Blyth (Earsdon and Backworth) and Hexham (part of Castle Ward rural district) which had been absorbed into the new county of Tyne and Wear were transferred to Wallsend and Newcastle upon Tyne North respectively.
1997
There were no changes under the Fourth Review.[20]
2010
At the Fifth Review there were only minor changes due to the revision of local authority ward boundaries.[21][22]
^Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884. p. 170.
^Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884. p. 124.
