North West Cambridgeshire is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2024 by Sam Carling of the Labour Party. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Constituency profile North West Cambridgeshire is a constituency in Cambridgeshire in the East of England. It covers the southern half of the city of Peterborough, that being the areas south of the River Nene, and the settlements to the south and west of the city including the town of Ramsey and the villages of Yaxley, Stilton, Wittering and Glinton.

Peterborough is a historic cathedral city that was an important national centre for the brickmaking industry during the 20th century. The city was designated a new town in 1967 leading to large-scale suburban development south of the River Nene which continued into the 21st century. Ramsey is centred on Ramsey Abbey which made the town a significant ecclesiastical centre. This constituency has average levels of wealth overall; there is some deprivation in the suburbs of Fletton and Orton whilst the rural towns and villages are more affluent. House prices across the constituency are generally lower than the regional and UK averages.

North West Cambridgeshire has an above-average proportion of working-age adults and low proportions of young adults and retirees. Residents have average levels of homeownership and high rates of household income. The child poverty rate is in line with the UK-wide figure. Residents generally have average levels of education and a high proportion work in the retail, transport and technology sectors. The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is similar to the rest of the country. White people made up 87% of the population at the 2021 census. Residents of non-British origin made up 25% of the population, including large Polish and Lithuanian communities.

At the local council level, the Peterborough suburbs are represented by a mixture of Reform UK, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green Party and independent councillors. Ramsey elected Reform UK representatives. Voters in North West Cambridgeshire strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 60% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%.

History The seat was won upon its creation in 1997 by Sir Brian Mawhinney, former Conservative MP for Peterborough (which was gained at the same election by the Labour Party). He retired from the House of Commons in 2005 and was created Baron Mawhinney, of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire. The Conservative Shailesh Vara represented the constituency from the 2005 general election until 2024. The seat changed hands to Labour's Sam Carling in the 2024 general election.

Withdrawn candidates in 2019 Liam Round was selected to be the Brexit Party candidate, but he withdrew on 10 November. Peterborough City Councillor Ed Murphy was chosen as the Labour Party candidate, but was deselected by the party on 14 November after it was alleged, but not proven, that he had published tweets vilifying Israel.

New political makeup There are 33 council seats across the revised constituency, 25 Unitary Authority Councillors (Peterborough), 8 Huntingdonshire Councillors.

Conservative 17 (9 in Peterborough, 8 in Huntingdonshire); Labour 2 (both in Peterborough); Liberal Democrat 3 (all in Peterborough); Green 3 (all in Peterborough); Independent 9 (8 in Peterborough, 1 in Huntingdonshire).

Boundaries and boundary changes

Historic

1997–2010 The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Bury, Earith, Elton, Farcet, Ramsey, Sawtry, Somersham, Stilton, Upwood and the Raveleys, Warboys, and Yaxley; and The City of Peterborough wards of Barnack, Fletton, Glinton, Northborough, Orton Longueville, Orton Waterville, Stanground, and Wittering.

The constituency was formed primarily from northern, rural parts of the Huntingdon constituency, including Ramsey, together with parts of Peterborough, comprising residential areas to the south of the River Nene (wards of Fletton, Orton Longueville, Orton Waterville and Stanground).

2010–2024 The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Earith, Ellington, Elton and Folksworth, Ramsey, Sawtry, Somersham, Stilton, Upwood and the Raveleys, Warboys and Bury, and Yaxley and Farcet; and The City of Peterborough wards of Barnack, Fletton, Glinton and Wittering, Northborough, Orton Longueville, Orton Waterville, Orton with Hampton, Stanground Central, and Stanground East.

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, including a small further gain from Huntingdon. There were also marginal changes to take account of the redistribution of City of Peterborough wards. These changes increased the electorate from 69,082 to 73,648. On the enumeration date of 17 February 2000, the electoral quota for England was 69,934 voters per constituency.

Current

Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency, previously the highest populated in the United Kingdom, was downsized. This was also due to population growth in the middle and south of Cambridgeshire, necessitating the creation of the new St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire seat, with the Huntingdon constituency absorbing many of Huntingdonshire District Council wards.

From the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following wards (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

Peterborough City Council: Barnack (one councillor), Fletton & Stanground (three councillors), Fletton & Woodston (three councillors), Glinton & Castor (two councillors), Hargate & Hempsted (three councillors), Hampton Vale (three councillors), Orton Longueville (three councillors), Orton Waterville (three councillors), Stanground South (three councillors) and Wittering (one councillor). Huntingdonshire District Council: Ramsey (three councillors), Stilton, Folksworth & Washingley (two councillors) and Yaxley (three councillors).

Members of Parliament ElectionMemberPartypart of Huntingdon and Peterborough prior to 1997 1997 Brian Mawhinney Conservative 2005 Shailesh Vara Conservative2024Sam CarlingLabour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s 2019 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 28,201 60.0 Labour 11,169 23.7 Liberal Democrats 5,173 11.0 Green 2,464 5.2 Brexit Party 25 0.1Turnout47,03263.9Electorate73,556

Elections in the 2000s 2005 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 23,953 45.8 Labour 13,238 25.3 Liberal Democrats 12,321 23.6 UKIP 2,777 5.3Turnout52,28961.7Electorate84,808

Elections in the 1990s

1992 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 32,170 62.4 Labour 13,361 25.9 Liberal Democrats 4,503 8.7 Others 1,559 3.0Turnout51,59378.6Electorate65,640

See also Parliamentary constituencies in Cambridgeshire Parliamentary constituencies in the East of England Peterborough Huntingdon

References

External links United Kingdom Parliament Boundary Commission for England North West Cambridgeshire UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK North West Cambridgeshire UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK North West Cambridgeshire UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK