Dudley (UK Parliament constituency)

Dudley is a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Dudley in Worcestershire (now in the West Midlands). It returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

The constituency existed between 1832 and 1974 and was re-established by the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for the 2024 general election. The new constituency is based on the abolished Dudley North, with the addition of one ward from the also abolished Dudley South constituency.

Boundaries
1918–1950: The County Borough of Dudley, and the parish of Dudley Castle Hill.

1950–1974: The County Borough of Dudley, and the Borough of Stourbridge.

2024–present: The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley wards of Brockmoor & Pensnett, Castle & Priory, Gornal, St James's, St Thomas's, Sedgley, and Upper Gornal & Woodsetton.

The seat comprises the whole of the previous Dudley North constituency with the addition of the Brockmoor and Pensnett ward from Dudley South (abolished), thus bringing the electorate within the permitted range.

History
The borough of Dudley returned two members to Parliament in 1294, Benedict Andrew and Ralph Clerk de Duddlegh, but not to any subsequent one.

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election. It was abolished for the February 1974 general election, when it was replaced by the new Dudley East and Dudley West constituencies, which expanded beyond the town's historic boundaries to include Coseley and part of Sedgley in Dudley East (previously in the old Bilston constituency), as well as Kingswinford, Brierley Hill, and the remainder of Sedgley in Dudley West. All of these areas had been incorporated into the Dudley borough in 1966.

In the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was recommended that Dudley should return as a constituency, replacing Dudley North.

MPs since 2024
Dudley North prior to 2024

Elections in the 2020s

 * This is a new seat. Marco Longhi (Conservative) was the incumbent MP for Dudley North before the seat's abolition as part of the 2023 boundary review.

Elections 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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
 * Conservative: Dudley Joel
 * Labour: Leonard Freedman

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;
 * Unionist: Arthur Griffith-Boscawen
 * Liberal: Gilbert Beyfus

Elections in the 1900s




Elections in the 1870s
The election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s
Benbow's death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1840s
Hawkes resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1830s
Campbell was appointed as Attorney General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.