Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license.
Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat.
We can research this topic together.
1950–1955: The County Borough of Birmingham Wards of Northfield, Selly Oak, and Weoley.
1955–1974: The County Borough of Birmingham wards of King's Norton, Northfield, and Weoley.
1974–1983: As above less King's Norton, plus Longbridge
1983–1997: The City of Birmingham wards of Bartley Green, Longbridge, Northfield, and Weoley.
1997–2010: The City of Birmingham wards of Longbridge, Northfield, and Weoley (as they existed on 1 June 1994).
2010–2018: The City of Birmingham wards of King's Norton, Longbridge, Northfield, and Weoley (as they existed on 12 April 2005).
2018–2024: Following a local government boundary review, which did not effect the parliamentary boundaries, the contents of the constituency were as follows with effect from May 2018:
The City of Birmingham wards of Allens Cross, Frankley Great Park, King’s Norton North, King’s Norton South, Longbridge & West Heath, Northfield, Rubery & Rednal, a majority of Weoley & Selly Oak, and a small part of Bourneville & Cotteridge.
The City of Birmingham wards of: Allens Cross; Frankley Great Park; King’s Norton North; King’s Norton South; Longbridge & West Heath; Northfield; Rubery & Rednal; Weoley & Selly Oak (excluding a small area included in Birmingham Selly Oak).
Minor changes reflecting the new ward structure.
Constituency profile
Among the area's largest features is the Longbridge Town shopping area built on the site of the now demolished MG Rover Group factory which for decades had been a major employer in the constituency but which was closed down in the run up to the 2005 general election, two hospitals, Northfield Shopping Centre and the now also closed North Worcestershire Golf Course.
History
Summary of results
From its creation in 1950 until 2019, Labour Party MPs were elected and served the seat, with the exception of the period from 1979 to 1992, which was whilst the Conservative Party were in government, with a one-year gap caused by a Labour win at a 1982 by-election. From 1979 to 1982, the MP was Jocelyn Cadbury, a member of the influential and large Cadbury family.
Despite the closure of the Longbridge Motor works the Labour MP at the time, Richard Burden was returned in the 2005 general election with his majority reduced by 5.6%. He was re-elected with his majority further reduced by 14.1% in 2010. In 2015, Burden was re-elected with a majority of 2,509 votes and a vote share of 41.6%, which made Northfield the most marginal seat in Birmingham and gave the seat the 26th-smallest majority of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority. Two years later at the 2017 snap election, Burden increased his majority to 4,667 votes and his vote share to 53.2% on an overall turnout of 44,348 voters.
At the 2019 general election, the seat was won by the Conservative candidate Gary Sambrook with a majority of 1,640 votes. The Conservatives therefore held the Birmingham Northfield seat for the first time in 27 years. This result was reversed when Laurence Turner of the Labour Party recaptured the seat at the 2024 general election with a majority of 14.3%.
Opposition parties
The Conservative candidate for 2015, MacLean, came within 5.9% of winning the seat. UKIP's swing nationally was +9.5% in 2015; here it was 13.5%, enabling a third place, having been fifth-placed in the previous election. The other two candidates, standing for parties other than Labour on the left, narrowly forfeited their deposits. In 2024, Reform UK came third with 21.0% of the vote.
Turnout
Turnout has ranged between 84.7% in 1950 and 50.8% in 2024 (which was below the percentage of the 1982 by-election).
Going into the 2015 general election, this was the 121st most marginal constituency in Great Britain, the Conservatives requiring a swing from Labour of 3.3% to take the seat (based on the result of the 2010 general election).
Boundary of Birmingham Northfield in West Midlands region
3.6
10.7
