Kingston upon Hull East is a borough constituency for the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) at least once every five years by the first-past-the-post electoral system. Karl Turner has represented the constituency since 2010; originally elected as a Labour Party MP, he currently sits as an independent politician after his party whip withdrawn in March 2026.
Constituency profile The Kingston upon Hull East constituency is located in the East Riding of Yorkshire and covers the eastern parts of the city of Kingston upon Hull, more commonly known as Hull. This includes the neighbourhoods of Victoria Dock, Southcoates, Summergangs, Marfleet, Stoneferry, Sutton-on-Hull and parts of Bransholme. Kingston-upon-Hull is an industrial city based at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber estuary and has been an important port city for around 800 years. The city has been described as an "up and coming" place to live. This constituency has high levels of deprivation and is the least wealthy of the city's three constituencies. Bransholme and Marfleet contain mostly social housing and fall within the top 10% most-deprived areas in England, whilst Sutton Ings and the Garden Village are generally affluent, middle-class suburbs. House prices in the constituency are lower than the rest of Yorkshire and the average house price is less than half the national average.
In general, residents of the constituency have very low levels of education, household income and homeownership. Few work in professional occupations and a very high proportion work in manufacturing. White people made up 96% of the population at the 2021 census. At the city council, the wealthier areas closer to the city centre are represented by Liberal Democrats whilst the more deprived areas in the east and north elected Labour Party councillors. Voters in the constituency overwhelmingly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 72% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the nationwide figure of 52%, with Electoral Calculus ranking the constituency as the seventh-highest Leave vote out of 650 constituencies across the country.
History In the early years of the constituency, it continually changed hands between the Conservative Party and the then-Liberal Party. Kingston upon Hull East has returned Labour MPs since 1935, and from 1945 to 2010 was represented by only two members, former seamen, Harry Pursey and John Prescott (who became Deputy Prime Minister, at the time in charge of town and country planning policy).
Boundaries
1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Hull wards of Alexandra, Beverley, Drypool, Sutton, and part of Central.
1918–1950: The County Borough of Hull wards of Alexandra, Drypool, and Southcoates.
1950–1955: The County Borough of Hull wards of Alexandra, Drypool, Marfleet, Southcoates, Stoneferry, and Sutton.
1955–1974: The County Borough of Hull wards of Alexandra, Drypool, East Central, Marfleet, Myton, Southcoates, Stoneferry, and Sutton.
1974–1983: The County Borough of Hull wards of Bransholme, Drypool, Greatfield, Holderness, Longhill, Marfleet, Stoneferry, and Sutton.
1983–2010: The City of Kingston upon Hull wards of Drypool, Holderness, Ings, Longhill, Marfleet, Southcoates, and Sutton.
2010–2024: The City of Kingston upon Hull wards of Drypool, Holderness, Ings, Longhill, Marfleet, Southcoates East, Southcoates West, and Sutton.
2024–present: The City of Kingston upon Hull wards of Drypool, Holderness, Ings, Longhill & Bilton Grange, Marfleet, North Carr, Southcoates, and Sutton. Seat expanded to bring its electorate within the permitted range by adding the North Carr ward from Kingston upon Hull North.
Members of Parliament Kingston upon Hull prior to 1885
ElectionMemberParty 1885 William Saunders Liberal 1886 Frederick Brent Grotrian Conservative 1892 Clarence Smith Liberal 1895 Thomas Firbank Conservative 1906 Thomas Ferens Liberal 1918 Charles Murchison Conservative 1922 Roger Lumley Conservative 1929 George Muff Labour 1931 John Nation Conservative 1935 George Muff Labour 1945 Harry Pursey Labour 1970 John Prescott Labour 2010 Karl Turner Labour2026Independent
Elections Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s 2019 notional result Party Vote % Labour 14,134 41.6 Conservative 11,639 34.3 Brexit Party 5,710 16.8 Liberal Democrats 1,685 5.0 Green 785 2.3Turnout33,95346.8Electorate72,622
The turnout of 49.3% in Kingston upon Hull East was the lowest in any constituency in the United Kingdom at the 2019 general election, and was the only instance of a seat where fewer than half of the eligible electorate voted. It was also the seat with the lowest number of votes for a winning candidate in England.
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1880s
See also List of parliamentary constituencies in Humberside List of parliamentary constituencies in the Yorkshire and the Humber (region) List of areas in Kingston upon Hull
References
External links Kingston upon Hull East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK Kingston upon Hull East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Kingston upon Hull East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK