Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997–2010
53°51′47″N 2°54′50″W / 53.863°N 2.914°W / 53.863; -2.914
Blackpool North and Fleetwood was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1997 to 2010, it elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be re-established for the next general election.[1] Its boundaries will be similar to those of the 1997-2010 version and will largely replace Blackpool North and Cleveleys.
Boundaries
The Borough of Blackpool wards of Anchorsholme, Bispham, Claremont, Greenlands, Ingthorpe, Norbreck, and Warbreck, and the Borough of Wyre wards of Bailey, Bourne, Cleveleys Park, Jubilee, Mount, Park, Pharos, Rossall, Victoria, and Warren.
The so-called "Golden Mile" of Blackpool and the fishing port of Fleetwood were paired in this seat. Those against the move at the time tried to argue that Fleetwood was a genteel place that had little, if anything, in common with its noisy neighbour to the south; then, as now, the Boundary Commission disagreed with the idea that Blackpool was a "den of vice", as one local Fleetwood newspaper claimed.
This seat was abolished for the 2010 general election, when Fleetwood was linked with Lancaster to create a new seat of Lancaster and Fleetwood. Meanwhile, the town of Thornton Cleveleys was split to create Blackpool North and Cleveleys.
Blackpool is a Unitary Authority but does not have enough electors to create two valid constituencies on its own without using electoral wards from Lancashire.
Proposed
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the re-established constituency will be composed of the following wards (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
- The Borough of Blackpool wards of: Anchorsholme; Bispham; Greenlands; Ingthorpe; Norbreck.
- The District of Wyre wards of: Bourne; Carleton; Cleveleys Park; Jubilee; Marsh Mill; Mount; Park; Pharos; Pheasant’s Wood; Rossall; Stanah; Victoria & Norcross; Warren.[2]
The constituency will comprise the majority of, and replace, the constituency of Blackpool North and Cleveleys, extending northwards to include the town of Fleetwood from Lancaster and Fleetwood (to be abolished). It will also be expanded to include the whole of the Thornton-Cleveleys conurbation, together with the village of Carleton, currently part of Wyre and Preston North (also to be abolished).
