Lincoln is a constituency [ n 1] in Lincolnshire , England represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Hamish Falconer of the Labour Party .[ n 2]
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%.
Boundaries
1885–1918 : The existing parliamentary borough, and the parish of Bracebridge.[ 2]
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.
2023–present : Following a local government boundary review in the District of North Kesteven which came into effect in May 2023,[ 3] [ 4] 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.[ 5]
The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies , which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.[ 6]
The constituency, as its name suggests, covers the cathedral city [ n 3] 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 .[ n 4] Lincoln became the oldest constituency in the country in 2010 when the City of York constituency was divided.
Constituency profile
The seat includes the University of Lincoln . From 1945 to 1972 Lincoln was continuously held by the Labour Party, often as a safe seat . The city has good transport links with Nottingham , Leeds , Sheffield and Hull . Lincoln was a bellwether constituency from October 1974 to 2015 , voting for the party which would form the government in each election. In 2017 Labour took the seat despite being the 2nd largest party nationwide.
Members of Parliament
Year
Member[ 7]
Party
1307 (January)
Hugh Skarlet [ 8]
Independent
1307 (June)
Henry de Windsor [ 8]
1369
John Sutton [ 9]
1372
1373
1381
Robert Sutton [ 10]
1377 (July)
John Sutton [ 9]
1377 (October)
1382 (May)
Robert Sutton [ 10]
1382 (December)
1383
Robert Saltby [ 11] [ 12]
1384 (August)
1384 (November)
Robert Sutton [ 10]
1385
1386
1388 (February)
John Sutton [ 9]
1388 (September)
Gilbert Beesby [ 12]
Robert Harworth [ 12]
1390 (January)
Nicholas Werk [ 12]
1390 (November)
Robert Peck [ 12]
1391
Robert Sutton [ 10]
Robert Ledes [ 12]
1393
Thomas Thornhagh [ 12]
John Belasise [ 12]
1394
Robert Sutton [ 10]
Robert Messingham [ 12]
1395
Robert Harworth [ 12]
Robert Ledes [ 12]
1397 (January)
Robert Sutton [ 10]
Robert Appleby [ 12]
1397 (September)
Seman Laxfield [ 12]
John Thorley [ 12]
1399
Robert Sutton [ 10]
William Blyton [ 12]
1401
Robert Harworth [ 12]
Gilbert Beesby [ 12]
1402
John Balderton [ 12]
William Blyton [ 12]
1404 (January)
Seman Laxfield [ 12]
William Dalderby [ 12]
1404 (October)
Nicholas Huddleston [ 12]
Robert Appleby [ 12]
1406
Thomas Forster [ 12]
1407
Richard Worsop [ 12]
1410
Richard Bell [ 12]
1411
John Bigge [ 12]
1413 (February)
John Belasise [ 12]
1413 (May)
John Dalderby [ 12]
1414 (April)
Thomas Forster [ 12]
1414 (November)
John Ryle [ 12]
Thomas Teryng [ 12]
1415
Thomas Archer [ 12]
Thomas Forster [ 12]
1416 (March)
John Bigge [ 12]
1416 (October)
Hamon Sutton [ 12]
1417
Thomas Archer [ 12]
1419
Robert Walsh [ 12]
1420
John Bigge [ 12]
1421 (May)
Hamon Sutton [ 12]
1421 (December)
William Leadenham [ 12]
1423
Robert Walsh [ 12]
1425
Hamon Sutton [ 12]
1426
1459
Thomas Fitzwilliam [ 13]
1510
Robert Alanson [ 12]
1512
Richard Clerke [ 12]
1515
John Halton [ 12]
1523
Richard Clerke [ 12]
1529
William Sammes [ 12]
1536
Vincent Grantham [ 12]
Thomas Moigne [ 12]
1539
Robert Dighton [ 12]
Anthony Missenden [ 12]
1542
William Alanson [ 12]
1543
William Yates [ 12]
George St Poll [ 12]
1545
1547
Thomas Grantham [ 12]
Robert Farrar [ 12]
1553 (March)
1553 (October)
George St Poll [ 12]
1554 (April)
William Rotheram [ 12]
1554 (November)
George St Poll [ 12]
Robert Farrar [ 12]
1555
1558
George St Poll [ 12]
Francis Kempe [ 12]
1559
Anthony Thorold [ 12]
1562
Robert Monson [ 12]
1563
1571
Thomas Wilson[ 12]
1572 (February)
1572 (May)
John Welcome [ 12]
1584
Stephen Thymbleby [ 12]
John Joye [ 12]
1586
John Savile [ 12]
Thomas Fairfax [ 12]
1588
George Anton [ 12]
1589
Peter Eure [ 12]
1593
Charles Dymoke [ 12]
1597
Thomas Grantham [ 12]
George Anton [ 12]
1601 (August)
1601 (October)
Francis Bullingham [ 12]
1604
Sir Thomas Grantham [ 12]
Sir Edward Tyrwhitt [ 12]
1614
Edward Bash[ 12]
1621
Sir Lewis Watson, (1st Baronet) [ 12]
Sir Edward Ayscough [ 12]
1624
Thomas Hatcher [ 12]
1625
Sir Thomas Grantham [ 12]
Sir John Monson [ 12]
1626
Robert Monson[ 12]
1628
Sir Edward Ayscough [ 12]
1629
1640 (April)
Thomas Grantham [ 12]
John Farmery [ 12]
1640 (November)
John Broxholme [ 12]
Thomas Lister [ 12]
1654
William Marshall[ 12]
Original Peart [ 12]
1656
Humphrey Walcot[ 12]
1659
Robert Marshal[ 12]
Thomas Meres [ 12]
1660
John Monson [ 12]
Sir Thomas Meres [ 12]
1661
Sir Robert Bolles, Bt [ 12]
1664
Sir John Monson [ 12]
1675
Henry Monson [ 12]
1679 (March)
1679 (October)
1681
Sir Thomas Hussey, Bt [ 12]
1685
Henry Monson [ 12]
1689 (January)
1689 (May)
Sir Christopher Nevile [ 12]
Sir Edward Hussey, Bt [ 12]
1690
Sir John Bolles, Bt. [ 12]
1695
William Monson [ 12]
1698
Sir Edward Hussey, Bt [ 12]
1701 (January)
Sir Thomas Meres [ 12]
1701 (December)
Sir Edward Hussey, Bt [ 12]
1702
Sir Thomas Meres [ 12]
1705
1708
1710
Richard Grantham [ 12]
1713
John Sibthorpe [ 12]
Thomas Lister [ 12]
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 [ a]
1774
George Lumley
1780
Sir Thomas Clarges, Bt
1783
Robert Vyner
1784
John Fenton-Cawthorne [ b]
1790
Richard Lumley-Savile
1796 (May)
Robert Hobart [ c]
1796 (July)
George Rawdon
1802
Humphrey Sibthorp
Tory [ 14]
Richard Ellison
1806
William Monson
Independent
1807
John Savile
1812
Sir Henry Sullivan
1814
John Nicholas Fazakerley
Coningsby Waldo-Sibthorp
Tory [ 14]
1818
Ralph Bernal
Whig [ 14]
1820
Robert Percy Smith
1822
John Williams
Independent
1826
John Nicholas Fazakerley
Whig [ 14]
1830
John Fardell
Tory [ 14]
Charles Sibthorp
1831
George Heneage
Whig [ 15] [ 16] [ 14] [ 17] [ 18]
1832
Edward Bulwer-Lytton [ d]
1835
Charles Sibthorp
Conservative [ 14]
1841
William Rickford Collett
1847
Charles Seely [ 19]
Radical [ 15] [ 20] [ 21] [ 22] [ 23] [ 24]
1848 by-election
Thomas Hobhouse
1852
George Heneage
Whig [ 14] [ 15] [ 16]
1857
1856 by-election
Gervaise Sibthorp
Conservative
1859
1861 by-election
Charles Seely
Liberal
1862 by-election
John Bramley-Moore
Conservative
1865
Edward Heneage [ 25]
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
Dick Taverne
1955
1959
1962 by-election
1964
1966
1970
1973 by-election
Democratic Labour
February 1974
October 1974
Margaret Jackson
Labour
1979
Kenneth Carlisle
Conservative
1983
Gillian Merron
Labour
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
Karl McCartney
Conservative
2015
2017
Karen Lee
Labour
2019
Karl McCartney
Conservative
2024
Hamish Falconer
Labour
Elections
Lincoln election results 1983-2024
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;
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
Roberts
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;
Roberts
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.[ 46]
Elections in the 1830s
See also
Notes
References
^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands" . Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 2 July 2024 .
^ "Chap. 23. Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885". The Public General Acts of the United Kingdom passed in the forty-eighth and forty-ninth years of the reign of Queen Victoria . London: Eyre and Spottiswoode. 1885. pp. 111 –198.
^ LGBCE. "North Kesteven | LGBCE" . www.lgbce.org.uk . Retrieved 9 April 2024 .
^ "The North Kesteven (Electoral Changes) Order 2021" . www.legislation.gov.uk .
^ "New Seat Details – Lincoln" . www.electoralcalculus.co.uk . Retrieved 9 April 2024 .
^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023" . Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 3)
^ a b Members of Parliament 1213–1702 . London: House of Commons. 1878.
^ a b c "SUTTON, John I (d.c.1391), of Lincoln" . History of Parliament. Retrieved 10 June 2017 .
^ a b c d e f g "SUTTON, Robert (d.1414), of Lincoln" . History of Parliament. Retrieved 9 June 2017 .
^ "SALTBY, Robert, of Lincoln" . History of Parliament. Retrieved 30 July 2014 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj "History of Parliament" . Retrieved 19 September 2011 .
^ Payling, S. J. (2006). "Fitzwilliam, Sir Thomas, Speaker of the House of Commons" . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi :10.1093/ref:odnb/92985 . Retrieved 1 December 2011 . (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844–1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 202–204 . ISBN 978-0-900178-13-9 .
^ a b c Hill, Francis (1974). Victorian Lincoln . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 17 , 74. ISBN 978-0-521-20334-0 . Retrieved 19 May 2018 .
^ a b "North Lincolnshire Election" . Lincolnshire Chronicle . 23 July 1852. p. 5. Retrieved 19 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc . p. 141. Retrieved 24 November 2018 .
^ Simpson, Roger (Fall 1997). "The Nannau Oak: Bulwer Lytton and his Midsummer Knight at the Westminster Round Table". Arthuriana . 7 (3): 124– 136. doi :10.1353/art.1997.0008 . JSTOR 27869279 . S2CID 154206973 .
^ The election in 1847 of Charles Seely was declared void on 10 March 1848
^ Dod, Charles Roger ; Dod, Robert Phipps (1847). Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Volume 15 . Dod's Parliamentary Companion . p. 232. Retrieved 19 May 2018 .
^ Seely, Bob . "About Bob Seely" . Bob Seely MP . Retrieved 19 May 2018 .
^ "Pratt to Seely" . It's About Lincoln . Angelic Aromas. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018 .
^ "General Elections" . Berkshire Chronicle . 29 July 1837. p. 1. Retrieved 14 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ "Domestic Intelligence" . Dundee, Perth, and Cupar Advertiser . 21 March 1848. p. 1. Retrieved 14 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ Edward Heneage was later ennobled as Baron Heneage
^ "Lincoln - General election results 2024" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
^ "Lincoln Parliamentary constituency" . BBC News . BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^ "Full list of Lincoln candidates for the 2017 general election" . The Lincolnite . 12 May 2017. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2019 .
^ "Election Data 2015" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015 .
^ "Lincoln parliamentary constituency" . BBC News . Retrieved 8 May 2015 .
^ "Election Data 2010" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015 .
^ "Election 2010: Lincoln result" . BBC News . Retrieved 24 July 2023 .
^ "Election Data 2005" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
^ "Election Data 2001" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
^ "Election Data 1997" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
^ "Election Data 1992" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
^ "Politics Resources" . Election 1992 . Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010 .
^ "Election Data 1987" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
^ "Election Data 1983" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons . 1950.
^ a b c d e f g h British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
^ a b c d e f g h British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Craig, F. W. S. , ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3 .
^ "Election Intelligence" . Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser . 14 June 1884. p. 5. Retrieved 3 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ "Kentish Gazette" . 14 March 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 24 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ "Imperial Parliament" . Freeman's Journal . 13 March 1848. p. 4. Retrieved 24 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ "Lincoln Election" . Lincolnshire Chronicle . 28 July 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 16 April 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ "To the ELECTORS of the NORTHERN DIVISION of the COUNTY of NORTHAMPTON" . Stamford Mercury . 14 July 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 16 April 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ "Nomination for the City of Lincoln" . Stamford Mercury . 9 January 1835. p. 2. Retrieved 16 April 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive .
^ a b Fisher, David R. "Lincoln" . The History of Parliament . Retrieved 16 April 2020 .
Sources
Guardian Unlimited Politics (Election results from 1992 to the present)
Politicsresources.net – Official Web Site ✔ (Election results from 1951 to the present)
Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-900178-26-9 .
Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-900178-27-6 .
Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-900178-06-1 .
External links
Authority control databases: People
53°14′N 0°32′W / 53.23°N 0.54°W / 53.23; -0.54