South Shields is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. It has been represented by Emma Lewell of the Labour Party since 2013.
The seat was created by the Reform Act 1832 as a single-member parliamentary borough.
The current constituency covers the area of South Shields in the South Tyneside district of Tyne and Wear.
Constituency profile
South Shields is a constituency in Tyne and Wear in North East England, within the borough of South Tyneside. It covers the large town of South Shields and the outlying villages of East Boldon, Cleadon and Whitburn.
South Shields is a coastal port town that forms part of the Tyneside urban area, located around east of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the same distance north of Sunderland. South Shields grew from the shipbuilding and coal mining industries, although these have now disappeared. The town is also a popular tourist destination for its beaches and cliffs. South Shields experienced high unemployment after the deindustrialisation of the late 20th century and the town is still highly-deprived, although the suburban villages of East Boldon and Cleadon are affluent. Residents of South Shields town centre mostly live in dense flats or terraces whilst the suburban areas are largely made up of semi-detached properties. House prices across the constituency are generally similar to the rest of North East England, but the average price is around half the UK average.
South Shields has a below-average proportion of young adults and a large retired population. Residents have low rates of income, average levels of homeownership, and the child poverty rate is high. They have low levels of education and a high proportion work in the health, education and public sectors. The percentage of residents claiming unemployment benefits is high. White people made up 93% of the population at the 2021 census.
Most of the constituency is represented by Reform UK at the local borough council, with some Green Party councillors elected in East Boldon, Cleadon and South Shields town centre. Voters across the constituency strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 61% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%.
Boundaries and boundary changes
Historic
1832–1918 Under the Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832, the contents of the borough were defined as the Respective Townships of South Shields and Westoe.
See map on Vision of Britain website.
1918–1950 The County Borough of South Shields.
Expanded to be coterminous with County Borough.
1950–1951 As prior but with redrawn boundaries.
Expanded southwards, including the communities of Harton, transferred from Houghton-le-Spring.
1951–1983 As prior but with redrawn boundaries.
1983–1997 The Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside wards of All Saints, Beacon and Bents, Cleadon Park, Harton, Horsley Hill, Rekendyke, Tyne Dock and Simonside, Westoe, West Park, and Whiteleas.
Minor changes to take account of ward boundaries of the newly formed metropolitan borough, including the transfer of Biddick Hall to Jarrow.
1997–2010 The Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside wards of All Saints, Beacon and Bents, Biddick Hall, Cleadon Park, Harton, Horsley Hill, Rekendyke, Tyne Dock and Simonside, Westoe, West Park, and Whiteleas.
Biddick Hall gained back from Jarrow.
2010–2024
The Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside wards of Beacon and Bents, Biddick and All Saints, Cleadon Park, Harton, Horsley Hill, Simonside and Rekendyke, Westoe, West Park, Whitburn and Marsden, and Whiteleas.
Boundary changes for the 2010 general election transferred the community of Whitburn into the South Shields constituency from the neighbouring Jarrow seat.
Current Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency was expanded to bring the electorate within the permitted range, by adding the South Tyneside ward of Cleadon and East Boldon, transferred from the abolished Jarrow constituency.
Taking into account the local government boundary review which changed some ward names, the constituency comprises the following wards of the Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside from May 2026:
Beacon & Bents; Biddick & All Saints; Cleadon Park & Harton Moor; Cleadon Village & East Boldon; Harton; Horsley Hill & Westoe Crown; Simonside & Rekendyke; West Park; Westoe; Whitburn & Marsden; and Whiteleas.
Members of Parliament The seat was held from 2001 to 2013 by David Miliband, who served as Foreign Secretary from 2007 until Labour's general election defeat of 2010. On 26 March 2013 Miliband announced his resignation from Parliament in order to take up a post as the head of the International Rescue Committee in New York City.
ElectionMemberParty 1832 Robert Ingham 1834 1841 John Wawn 1852 Robert Ingham 1859 1868 James Cochran Stevenson 1895 William Robson 1910 by-election Russell Rea 1916 by-election Cecil Cochrane 1918 by-electionHavelock Wilson Coalition Liberal 1922 National Liberal 1922 Edward Harney 1929 Chuter Ede 1931 Harcourt Johnstone 1935 Chuter Ede 1964 Arthur Blenkinsop 1979 David Clark 2001 David Miliband 2013 by-election Emma Lewell
With two exceptions (Arthur Blenkinsop and Emma Lewell) every South Shields MP since 1929 has been a cabinet member at some point in their career. However, Blenkinsop was a junior minister, and Lewell has been a shadow minister. Two of them have held one of the Great Offices of State while MP for South Shields: Chuter Ede was Home Secretary and Miliband became Foreign Secretary.
The Open Spaces Society in 2013 observed that there has been a tradition of South Shields MPs, from Chuter Ede onwards, promoting the cause of public access and common land.
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
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
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1860s
Elections in the 1850s
Elections in the 1840s
Elections in the 1830s
See also Parliamentary constituencies in Tyne and Wear History of parliamentary constituencies and boundaries in Tyne and Wear History of parliamentary constituencies and boundaries in Durham Parliamentary constituencies in North East England
References Specific
General Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. .
External links South Shields UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK South Shields UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK South Shields UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK