Leeds East is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Richard Burgon of the Labour Party.
The constituency was represented by Denis Healey from 1955 to 1992. Healey served as Defence Secretary from 1964 to 1970, and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1974 to 1979 and latterly as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.
Constituency profile Leeds East is a constituency in West Yorkshire. It covers the eastern neighbourhoods of the city of Leeds (including Harehills, Gipton, Seacroft, Whinmoor, Cross Gates and Colton), the outlying town of Garforth and village of Swillington. Leeds is one of the United Kingdom's largest cities and grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution as a centre for textile manufacturing, especially wool. Today the city has a diverse economy and is the largest legal and financial centre in England outside of London. Garforth and Swillington have a history of coal mining. Most of the Leeds neighbourhoods have high levels of deprivation and fall within the top 10% most-deprived areas in England; Seacroft is one of the largest council estates in the country. In comparison, Colton and Garforth are affluent and suburban. House prices across the constituency are similar to the rest of Yorkshire and lower than the national average.
In general, residents of Leeds East have low levels of education, income and homeownership. Few residents work in professional occupations and a high proportion work in business administration. White people made up 74% of the population at the 2021 census. Asians, predominantly Pakistanis, were the largest ethnic minority group at 14% and Black people were 7%. The non-White population were concentrated in Harehills and Gipton where they made up more than half the population. Most of the constituency is represented by the Labour Party at the local city council with independent councillors elected in Garforth and Swillington. An estimated 60% of voters in Leeds East supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum compared to the nationwide figure of 52%.
History The constituency was created in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and was first used in the general election of that year. Leeds had previously been represented by two MPs (1832–1868) and three MPs (1868–1885). From 1885 it was represented by five single-member constituencies: Leeds Central, Leeds East, Leeds North, Leeds South and Leeds West. The constituencies of Morley, Otley and Pudsey were also created in 1885.
The constituency was abolished in 1918. After the 1918 general election, Leeds was represented by Leeds Central, Leeds North, Leeds North-East (created 1918), Leeds South, Leeds South-East (created 1918), and Leeds West.
The constituency was recreated in 1955. After the 1955 general election Leeds was represented by Leeds East (created 1885, abolished 1918, recreated 1955), Leeds North East, Leeds North West (created 1950), Leeds South and Leeds South East. There were also constituencies of Batley and Morley (created 1918) and Pudsey and Otley (created 1918, replacing Pudsey).
Labour's Denis Healey held the seat for 37 years (1955–1992) and was Chancellor of the Exchequer during part of this time.
Boundaries
1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Leeds ward of East, and parts of the wards of Central, North, and North East.
1955–1974: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Burmantofts, Crossgates, Halton, Harehills, and Osmondthorpe.
1974–1983: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Gipton, Halton, Osmondthorpe, Seacroft, and Whinmoor.
1983–2010: The City of Leeds wards of Burmantofts, Halton, Harehills, and Seacroft.
2010–2024: The City of Leeds wards of Cross Gates and Whinmoor, Gipton and Harehills, Killingbeck and Seacroft, and Temple Newsam.
2024–present: The City of Leeds wards of Cross Gates & Whinmoor, Garforth & Swillington, Gipton & Harehills, Killingbeck & Seacroft, and Temple Newsam (part). To bring the electorate within the permitted range in accordance with the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the Garforth & Swillington ward was added from the abolished constituency of Elmet and Rothwell. To partly compensate, parts of the Temple Newsam ward (polling districts TNA, TND, TNE, TNH, TNI, TNJ, TNK and TNL) were transferred out to the re-established Leeds South seat.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1885–1918 Leeds prior to 1885
ElectionMemberParty 1885 Richard Dawson Conservative 1886John Gane Liberal 1895 Thomas Leuty Liberal 1900 Henry Cautley Conservative 1906 James O'Grady Labour 1918 constituency abolished
MPs since 1955
Leeds North East and Leeds South East prior to 1955
ElectionMemberParty 1955 Denis Healey Labour 1992 George Mudie Labour 2015Richard Burgon Labour2024Independent2025Labour
Elections Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s 2019 notional result Party Vote % Labour 20,879 47.0 Conservative 18,156 40.8 Brexit Party 2,601 5.9 Liberal Democrats 1,626 3.7 Green 946 2.1 Others 243 0.5Turnout44,45159.0Electorate75,330
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 1910s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1880s
See also List of parliamentary constituencies in West Yorkshire List of parliamentary constituencies in the Yorkshire and the Humber (region)
Notes
References
External links Leeds East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK Leeds East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Leeds East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK