Lincoln (constituency)

Lincoln is a constituency in Lincolnshire, England represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Hamish Falconer of the Labour Party.

Since the split of the City of York seat with effect from the 2010 general election, Lincoln has been the oldest constituency in continuous existence in the UK – established in 1265. Lincoln was a bellwether between October 1974 and 2017. The seat bucked the national Conservative victory in 1970 by electing a Labour MP, as it did in 2017. In 2019 and 2024, Lincoln followed the national result, electing a Conservative MP in 2019 and a Labour MP in 2024.

The seat has been considered, relative to others, an ultra-marginal seat, as well as a swing seat. From 2005 until 2024, its winner's majority had not exceeded 6.9% of the vote since the 12.5% majority won in 2005 and the seat had changed hands three times since then. However, in 2024, Hamish Falconer secured the seat with a majority of 20.8%.

Constituency profile Lincoln is a constituency in Lincolnshire, covering the city of Lincoln and the nearby villages of Bracebridge Heath, Waddington and Skellingthorpe. Lincoln is a historic cathedral city that dates back to at least the Roman era when it was known as Lindum Colonia, from which the modern name originates. The city is known for its cathedral, once the tallest building in the world, and its university which has around 20,000 students. The city has average levels of wealth; there are high levels of deprivation in the St Giles and Ermine estates which have a high quantity of council housing, whilst the west of the city and the outlying villages are more affluent. House prices in Lincoln are lower than the national and East Midlands averages.

In general, residents of Lincoln are young and have average levels of education. Household income and homeownership rates are low, and a high proportion of residents work in the health sector. The city's rate of child poverty is higher than the national figure. The city is politically mixed at the local council level; the west of the city is represented by Labour Party councillors, the east by Liberal Democrats, the south around Bracebridge by Reform UK and the outlying villages mostly by Conservatives. An estimated 58% of voters in Lincoln supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 52%.

Boundaries

Historic 1885–1918: The existing parliamentary borough, and the parish of Bracebridge.

1918–1950: The County Borough of Lincoln, and the Urban District of Bracebridge.

1950–1974: The County Borough of Lincoln.

1974–1983: As prior but with redrawn boundaries.

1983–1997: The City of Lincoln, and the District of North Kesteven wards of Bracebridge Heath, North Hykeham Central, North Hykeham North, North Hykeham South, Skellingthorpe, and Waddington West.

1997–2010: The City of Lincoln, and the District of North Kesteven ward of Bracebridge Heath.

2010–2023: The City of Lincoln, and the District of North Kesteven wards of Bracebridge Heath and Waddington East, and Skellingthorpe.

Current Following a local government boundary review in the District of North Kesteven which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following:

The City Of Lincoln. In the District of Kesteven: the Bracebridge Heath ward; the majority of the Skellingthorpe & Eagle ward; and the majority of the Waddington Rural ward. The 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.

The constituency, as its name suggests, covers the cathedral city of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, and most of its directly adjoining villages.

History

Lincoln first sent Members to Parliament in 1265, thirty years before the first all-over coverage of cities and qualifying towns was introduced in the Model Parliament, and has done so ever since, although no records exist from before the end of the 13th century. The early elections were held at the Guildhall and the burgesses elected were usually officials of the borough.

The representation, originally two Members ("burgesses"), was reduced to one Member in 1885.

The seat was represented for five years by former Cabinet minister Margaret Jackson, later Margaret Beckett. Lincoln became the oldest constituency in the country in 2010 when the City of York constituency was divided.

Members of Parliament

Year Member Party 1307 (January) Hugh Skarlet Independent 1307 (June) Henry de Windsor 1369 John Sutton 1372 1373 1381 Robert Sutton 1377 (July) John Sutton 1377 (October) 1382 (May) Robert Sutton 1382 (December) 1383 Robert Saltby 1384 (August) 1384 (November) Robert Sutton 1385 1386 1388 (February) John Sutton 1388 (September) Gilbert Beesby Robert Harworth 1390 (January) Nicholas Werk 1390 (November) Robert Peck 1391 Robert Sutton Robert Ledes 1393 Thomas Thornhagh John Belasise 1394 Robert Sutton Robert Messingham 1395 Robert Harworth Robert Ledes 1397 (January) Robert Sutton Robert Appleby 1397 (September) Seman Laxfield John Thorley 1399 Robert Sutton William Blyton 1401 Robert Harworth Gilbert Beesby 1402 John Balderton William Blyton 1404 (January) Seman Laxfield William Dalderby 1404 (October) Nicholas Huddleston Robert Appleby 1406 Thomas Forster 1407 Richard Worsop 1410 Richard Bell 1411 John Bigge 1413 (February) John Belasise 1413 (May) John Dalderby 1414 (April) Thomas Forster 1414 (November) John Ryle Thomas Teryng 1415 Thomas Archer Thomas Forster 1416 (March) John Bigge 1416 (October) Hamon Sutton 1417 Thomas Archer 1419 Robert Walsh 1420 John Bigge 1421 (May) Hamon Sutton 1421 (December) William Leadenham 1423 Robert Walsh 1425 Hamon Sutton 1426 1459 Thomas Fitzwilliam 1510 Robert Alanson 1512 Richard Clerke 1515 John Halton 1523 Richard Clerke 1529 William Sammes 1536 Vincent Grantham Thomas Moigne 1539 Robert Dighton Anthony Missenden 1542 William Alanson 1543 William Yates George St Poll 1545 1547 Thomas Grantham Robert Farrar 1553 (March) 1553 (October) George St Poll 1554 (April) William Rotheram 1554 (November) George St Poll Robert Farrar 1555 1558 George St Poll Francis Kempe 1559Anthony Thorold 1562 Robert Monson 1563 1571 Thomas Wilson 1572 (February) 1572 (May) John Welcome 1584 Stephen Thymbleby John Joye 1586 John Savile Thomas Fairfax 1588 George Anton 1589 Peter Eure 1593 Charles Dymoke 1597 Thomas Grantham George Anton 1601 (August) 1601 (October) Francis Bullingham 1604 Sir Thomas Grantham Sir Edward Tyrwhitt 1614 Edward Bash 1621 Sir Lewis Watson, (1st Baronet) Sir Edward Ayscough 1624 Thomas Hatcher 1625 Sir Thomas Grantham Sir John Monson 1626 Robert Monson 1628 Sir Edward Ayscough 1629 1640 (April) Thomas Grantham John Farmery 1640 (November) John Broxholme Thomas Lister 1654 William Marshall Original Peart 1656 Humphrey Walcot 1659 Robert Marshal Thomas Meres 1660 John Monson Sir Thomas Meres 1661 Sir Robert Bolles, Bt 1664 Sir John Monson 1675 Henry Monson 1679 (March) 1679 (October) 1681 Sir Thomas Hussey, Bt 1685 Henry Monson 1689 (January) 1689 (May) Sir Christopher Nevile Sir Edward Hussey, Bt 1690 Sir John Bolles, Bt. 1695 William Monson 1698 Sir Edward Hussey, Bt 1701 (January) Sir Thomas Meres 1701 (December) Sir Edward Hussey, Bt 1702 Sir Thomas Meres 1705 1708 1710 Richard Grantham 1713 John Sibthorpe Thomas Lister 1715 Richard Grantham Sir John Tyrwhitt, Bt Whig 1722 Sir John Monson Independent 1727 Charles Hall Tory 1728 Sir John Tyrwhitt, 5th Bt Whig 1734 Coningsby Sibthorp Tory 1741 Charles Monson Independent Sir John Tyrwhitt, 6th Bt 1747 Coningsby Sibthorp Tory 1754 George Monson Independent John Chaplin 1761 Coningsby Sibthorp Tory 1768 Thomas Scrope Independent Constantine Phipps 1774 George Lumley 1780 Sir Thomas Clarges, Bt 1783 Robert Vyner 1784 John Fenton-Cawthorne 1790 Richard Lumley-Savile 1796 (May) Robert Hobart 1796 (July) George Rawdon 1802 Humphrey Sibthorp Tory Richard Ellison 1806 William Monson Independent 1807 John Savile 1812 Sir Henry Sullivan 1814 John Nicholas Fazakerley Coningsby Waldo-Sibthorp Tory 1818 Ralph Bernal Whig 1820 Robert Percy Smith 1822 John Williams Independent 1826 John Nicholas Fazakerley Whig 1830 John Fardell Tory Charles Sibthorp 1831 George Heneage Whig 1832 Edward Bulwer-Lytton 1835 Charles Sibthorp Conservative 1841 William Rickford Collett 1847 Charles SeelyThe election in 1847 of Charles Seely was declared void on 10 March 1848 Radical 1848 by-election Thomas Hobhouse 1852 George Heneage Whig 1857 1856 by-election Gervaise Sibthorp Conservative 1859 1861 by-election Charles Seely Liberal 1862 by-election John Bramley-Moore Conservative 1865 Edward HeneageEdward Heneage was later ennobled as Baron Heneage Liberal 1868 John Hinde Palmer 1874 Edward Chaplin Conservative 1880 John Hinde Palmer Liberal 1884 by-election Joseph Ruston 1885 1886 by-election Liberal Unionist 1886 Frederick Kerans Conservative 1892 William Crosfield Liberal 1895 Charles Seely Liberal Unionist 1906 Charles Roberts Liberal 1906 1910 (January) 1910 (December) 1918 Alfred Davies Coalition Conservative 1922 1924 Robert Arthur Taylor Labour 1929 Walter Liddall Conservative 1931 1935 1945 George Deer Labour 1950 Geoffrey de Freitas 1951 1955 1959 1962 by-election Dick Taverne 1964 1966 1970 1973 by-election Democratic Labour February 1974 October 1974 Margaret Jackson Labour 1979 Kenneth Carlisle Conservative 1983 1987 1992 1997 Gillian Merron Labour 2001 2005 2010 Karl McCartney Conservative 2015 2017 Karen LeeLabour 2019 Karl McCartney Conservative 2024 Hamish Falconer Labour

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

Election in the 1940s

General Election 1939/40

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Conservative: Walter Liddall Labour: George Deer Liberal: British Union: E. H. Adams

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1914/15

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Liberal: Charles Roberts Unionist: J. Foster

Seely stood as a 'Liberal Unionist in support of Free Trade'.

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1880s

Caused by Palmer's death.

Elections in the 1870s

Elections in the 1860s

Caused by Heneage's resignation.

Caused by Sibthorp's death.

Elections in the 1850s

Caused by Sibthorp's death.

Elections in the 1840s

Caused by Seely's election being declared void on petition, due to bribery by his agent, on 10 March 1848.

Elections in the 1830s

Lincoln (constituency)

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