Tamworth (UK Parliament constituency)

Tamworth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, based on the town of Tamworth in Staffordshire, England. The seat is currently represented by Sarah Edwards of the Labour Party, following a by-election in October 2023. It was previously held by Chris Pincher of the Conservative Party, who held the seat from 2010 to 2023, when he resigned. He had been suspended from the party since July 2022.

Boundaries
1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Birmingham, the Sessional Divisions of Birmingham and Solihull, part of the Sessional Divisions of Atherstone and Coleshill, and part of the Municipal Borough of Tamworth.

1918–1945: The Municipal Borough of Sutton Coldfield, the Rural Districts of Meriden and Solihull, and part of the Rural District of Tamworth.

1997–2010: The Borough of Tamworth, and the District of Lichfield wards of Bourne Vale, Fazeley, Little Aston, Mease Valley, Shenstone, Stonnall, and Tame.

2010–2024: The Borough of Tamworth, and the District of Lichfield wards of Bourne Vale, Fazeley, Little Aston, Mease and Tame, Shenstone, and Stonnall.

2024-present: By the decision of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency composition is following:
 * The District of Lichfield wards of: Bourne Vale; Fazeley; Little Aston & Stonnall; Mease Valley; Shenstone; Whittington & Streethay (polling districts JA, YA, YB, YC, ZA and ZB).
 * The Borough of Tamworth.

Minor adjustments to the boundary with Lichfield.

History
The present Tamworth Constituency, a county constituency, replaced the old South East Staffordshire constituency for the 1997 general election.

A previous Tamworth constituency existed from 1563 until it was abolished for the 1945 general election. It was a borough constituency that elected two MPs until the 1885 general election, when it was reincarnated as a single-MP constituency in the county of Warwickshire by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.

Political history
Since its 1997 recreation the seat has been a bellwether, reflecting the largest party in terms of seats in the House of Commons with the largest share of the vote for the candidate locally. However, the seat has heavily trended towards the Conservatives in the most recent general elections, with majorities in excess of 10,000 in both 2015 and 2017 and almost 20,000 in 2019.

In the October 2023 By-Election caused by the resignation of Chris Pincher Conservative, Sarah Edwards Labour was Elected. The results were videoed. Whilst it was a 24% swing to Labour, the turnout was a competitively low 35%. Sarah Edwards's full speech was videoed.

Prominent members
The Prime Minister and leader of the breakaway Tory group, the Peelites, Sir Robert Peel, represented the area for a long period 1830–1850, as did his father, brother and son at different periods. His father and son, also named Robert, also shared the baronetcy gained by his father, which gave them the automatic right to the style "Sir".

Constituency profile
Income and wealth are around average for the UK. The area voted strongly for Brexit in 2016.

The constituency is convenient for all of the West Midlands conurbation and has considerable local employment. Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.9% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.

MPs 1885–1945
Tamworth was reduced to having one member in 1885.

The seat was abolished in 1945.

MPs since 1997
South East Staffordshire prior to 1997

Elections in the 2020s

 * Eddie Hughes (Conservative) ― Incumbent MP for Walsall North

Elections in the 1930s
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: John Mellor
 * Labour: Michael Patrick Fogarty

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: Francis Newdegate
 * Liberal:

Elections in the 1870s

 * Caused by Hanbury's resignation in order to contest the 1878 North Staffordshire by-election.


 * Caused by John Peel's death.


 * Caused by Butler's elevation to the peerage, becoming Lord Dalling and Bulwer.

Elections in the 1860s
Caused by Townshend's succession to the peerage, becoming 5th Marquess Townshend.


 * Caused by Peel's appointment as Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Elections in the 1850s

 * Caused by Townshend's elevation to the peerage, becoming Marquess of Townshend


 * Caused by Peel's appointment as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty.


 * Caused by Robert Peel's death.

Elections in the 1840s

 * Caused by William Yates Peel's resignation by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds


 * Caused by Peel's appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and First Lord of the Treasury