Blackburn
Borough
Parliamentuk
Year1955
Elects howmanyOne
PreviousBlackburn East and Blackburn West
Population107,246 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate70,586 (2023)[2]
MpAdnan Hussain
PartyIndependent
RegionEngland
CountyLancashire
EuropeanNorth West England
TownsBlackburn
Year 21832
Abolished 21950
Type 2Borough
Previous 2Lancashire
Next 2Blackburn East
Blackburn West
Elects howmany 2Two
Caption 2Boundary of Blackburn in North West England

Blackburn is a constituency[n 1] in Lancashire, England, which is represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament[n 2] by independent politician Adnan Hussain. From 2015 to 2024 it was represented by Kate Hollern of the Labour Party and, from 1979 to 2015, by Jack Straw who served under the Labour leaders of Neil Kinnock and John Smith and the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Constituency profile

The Blackburn constituency is located in Lancashire and contains the large town of Blackburn. The town has an industrial heritage in textile manufacturing,[3] especially cotton weaving.[4] Coal mining also took place in the town.[5]

Compared to national averages, house prices and household income in Blackburn are low and deprivation is high. Residents are less likely to be degree-educated and to work in professional jobs.[6] The constituency is ethnically diverse; White and Asian people each make up 48% of the population. Asian residents primarily declared Pakistani (24%) or Indian (21%) origin,[7] and almost all are Muslims.[8]

The town is politically divided. At the most recent borough council election in 2024, residents in the north-eastern, predominantly Asian wards of the town elected independent councillors, whilst the mostly White wards of the south and west of the town were won by Conservative or Labour Party candidates. It is estimated that 55% of voters in the constituency favoured leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, slightly higher than the national figure of 52%.[6]

Boundaries

Historic

1832–1885: The township of Blackburn.[9]

1885–1918: The existing parliamentary borough, and so much of the municipal borough of Blackburn as was not already included in the parliamentary borough.[10]

1918–1950: the county borough of Blackburn.[11]

1955–1974: The county borough of Blackburn wards of Park, St. John's, St. Jude's, St. Luke's, St. Matthew's, St. Michael's, St. Paul's, St. Silas's, St. Stephen's, St. Thomas's and Trinity.[12]

2010–2024: The district of Blackburn with Darwen wards of Audley, Bastwell, Beardwood and Lammack, Corporation Park, Ewood, Higher Croft, Little Harwood, Livesey with Pleasington, Meadowhead, Mill Hill, Queen's Park, Roe Lee, Shadsworth with Whitebirk, Shear Brow and Wensley Fold.

Following the 2007 review of parliamentary representation in Lancashire in the run up to the 2010 United Kingdom general election, including the unitary authority of Blackburn with Darwen, the Boundary Commission for England made minor boundary changes to the existing constituency.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following wards of the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • Audley & Queen’s Park; Bastwell & Daisyfield; Billinge & Beardwood; Blackburn Central; Blackburn South East; Ewood; Little Harwood & Whitebirk; Livesey with Pleasington; Mill Hill & Moorgate; Roe Lee; Shear Brow & Corporation Park; Wensley Fold.[13]
Minor changes to reflect changes to local authority ward structure.

The constituency encompasses the town of Blackburn in the North West of England. It borders four other constituencies: Ribble Valley to the north, Hyndburn to the east, Rossendale and Darwen to the south and Chorley to the west.

History

See also: Blackburn#Politics

Blackburn was first enfranchised by the Reform Act 1832, as a two-member constituency, and was first used at the 1832 general election. It was abolished for the 1950 general election, replaced by two single member constituencies, Blackburn East and Blackburn West.

Blackburn was re-established as a single-member constituency for the 1955 general election, partially replacing Blackburn East and Blackburn West. After its re-establishment, the constituency was initially a marginal, but Blackburn was later considered to be a Labour Party stronghold prior to the 2024 general election—up until that point, it had only elected Labour MPs since its recreation in 1955. In 2024 Blackburn was won by Adnan Hussain, an independent candidate who campaigned largely on the issue of the genocide of Palestinians during the Gaza war. Three other previously safe Labour seats saw similar results at that election, all of which had large Muslim populations.

The constituency of Blackburn has been represented by two prominent frontbenchers in the Cabinet: Barbara Castle, a First Secretary of State (amongst other roles) who stood down from this seat to become a Member of the European Parliament, and Jack Straw, who served as Home Secretary and then Foreign Secretary in the Blair government.

1997 general election

Jack Straw's Conservative challenger in the 1997 general election, Geeta Sidhu-Robb, was filmed with a megaphone during the election campaign, exclaiming in Urdu or Gujarati: "Don't vote for a Jew, Jack Straw is a Jew. If you vote for him, you're voting for a Jew. Jews are the enemies of Muslims." [clarification needed] Sidhu-Robb said that this was in response to racist campaigning by the Labour Party, who she accused of claiming that she was "against Islam". She felt that Labour were "making it personal", and she took particular umbrage as her husband was Muslim. Sidhu-Robb later said she wished she had not made those comments about Straw, saying she did so because she was "furious" and that she "didn't want racism and bigotry to play a part in anything that [she] had anything to do with."[14] Nonetheless, her comments regarding Straw's religion resurfaced over 20 years later, when Sidhu-Robb was competing to be nominated as the Liberal Democrat candidate in the 2021 London Mayoral election, causing the Liberal Democrats to remove her from consideration for their candidacy.

2005 general election

Blackburn's then MP, Straw, was primarily challenged in the 2005 general election by the Conservative Party, but the former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, also stood for election in the seat as an Independent. Murray said: "I've been approached by several people in the Asian community who are under huge pressure from Labour activists [talking up the BNP's chances] to apply for a postal vote rather than a ballot vote and then hand their postal vote over to the Labour party." Over 50% more people used postal votes in the 2005 general election in Blackburn than in 2001.[15] The BNP had not stood in the previous two elections, but this time had a candidate, who polled 5.4% of the vote, and beat Murray to come fourth. Both were outperformed by the Liberal Democrats in third place, and the Conservatives, who remained second. Straw held on comfortably, albeit with a reduced majority; his winning vote share of 42% was the smallest since the seat became a single-member constituency until the 2024 result.

2015 general election

In August 2011, Jack Straw claimed that he had no plans to retire, despite turning 65 earlier that month.[16] Two years later, on 25 October 2013, Straw announced that he would stand down as Blackburn's MP at the next election.[17] In March 2014, Kate Hollern was selected, via an all women shortlist, as the candidate for Labour for the 2015 general election, and held the seat.

Members of Parliament

Two-member constituency (1832–1950)

ElectionFirst member[18]

First party[19]

[20][21]

Second member[18]Second party
1832William FeildenWhig[22][23][24]William TurnerWhig[22][25][26]
1841Conservative[22][23][24]John HornbyConservative[22]
1847James PilkingtonWhig[27][28][29]
1852William EcclesRadical[27]
1853 by-electionMontague Joseph FeildenWhig[27]
1857William Henry HornbyConservative
1859Liberal
1865Joseph FeildenConservative
1869 by-electionHenry FeildenConservativeEdward HornbyConservative
1874William Edward BriggsLiberal
1875 by-electionDaniel ThwaitesConservative
1880Sir William CoddingtonConservative
1885Sir Robert PeelConservative
1886William HornbyConservative
1906Philip SnowdenLabour
1910Sir Thomas BarclayLiberal
1910Sir Henry NormanLiberal
1918Percy DeanCoalition ConservativeCoalition Liberal
1922Sir Sidney HennConservativeNational Liberal
1923John DuckworthLiberal
1929Thomas GillLabourMary HamiltonLabour
1931Sir George EllistonConservativeSir WD SmilesConservative
1945John EdwardsLabourBarbara CastleLabour
1950constituency abolished: see Blackburn East and Blackburn West

Single member constituency (1955–present)

ElectionMember[18]Party
1955Barbara CastleLabour
1979Jack StrawLabour
2015Independent
2015Kate HollernLabour
2024Adnan HussainIndependent

Elections

Elections in the 1950s

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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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

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Elections in the 1930s

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Elections in the 1920s

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Elections in the 1910s

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Elections in the 1900s

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Elections in the 1890s

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Elections in the 1880s

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Elections in the 1870s

  • Caused by Feilden's death.

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Elections in the 1860s

  • Caused by the 1868 election being declared void on petition after "undue influence by those who held the position of agents in the canvass".[30]

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Elections in the 1850s

  • Caused by Eccles' election being declared void on petition, due to bribery.[31]

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Elections in the 1840s

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Elections in the 1830s

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See also

Notes

  1. ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

  1. ^ "Blackburn: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. 14 April 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  3. ^ Beattie (1992), p. 49.
  4. ^ Burrow, J. & Co. (Eds.) (1960), p. 8.
  5. ^ "Coal mining in Blackburn with Darwen". Cotton Town. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Archived from the original on 17 June 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2006.
  6. ^ "Seat Details - Blackburn". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  7. ^ "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  8. ^ "2021 census results: Religion in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  9. ^ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament.". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 300–383. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ Mayer, Sylvain (1918). Representation of the People Act 1918 and the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918. London: Waterlow and Sons Limited. p. 152.
  12. ^ No. 14. 5 January 1955. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  13. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  14. ^ "Exclusive: A Lib dem Prospective Mayoral Candidate Was Filmed Urging Voters Not to Vote for a Jewish Candidate During a Failed Election Bid". 13 September 2020. Archived 14 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ^ Could the election be won by fraud?, Robert Winnett and Abul Taher, The Sunday Times, 10 April 2005
  16. ^ "Jack Straw has no plans to retire despite hitting 65". Lancashire Telegraph. 14 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  17. ^ "Jack Straw to step down as Labour MP for Blackburn". BBC News. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  18. ^
  19. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989 [1977]). British parliamentary election results 1832–1885. 2nd ed. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 49–50. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  20. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989 [1974]). British parliamentary election results 1885–1918. 2nd ed. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 76. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.
  21. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1983 [1969]). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949. 3rd ed. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 92. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  22. ^ Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973 [1844–1850]). The parliaments of England, from 1715 to 1847. 2nd ed. Craig, FWS (ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 175–176. ISBN 0-900178-13-2. – via Archive.org.
  23. ^ Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 88.
  24. ^ Dutton, HI & King, JE (1981). Ten Per Cent and No Surrender: The Preston Strike 1853–1854. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 92. ISBN 0-521-23620-7.
  25. ^ "Scandal gripped the nation". Lancashire Telegraph. 19 June 2003. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  26. ^ Lewis, Brian (2001). The Middlemost and the Milltowns: Bourgeois Culture and Politics in Early Industrial England. Stanford: Stanford University Press. p. 544. ISBN 0-8047-4174-3.
  27. ^ Pink, William Dumcombe & Beavan, Alfred B. (1889). The Parliamentary Representation of Lancashire (County and Borough) 1258–1885 with Biographical and Genealogical Notices of the Members. London: Henry Gray. p. 317. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  28. ^ "The General Election". The Spectator. 31 July 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 14 April 2018. (subscription required)
  29. ^ "The Diary of Charles Tiplady". Cotton Town. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  30. ^ "Blackburn Election Petition". Preston Chronicle. 20 March 1869. p. 2. Retrieved 28 January 2018. – via British Newspaper Archive
  31. ^ "Blackburn Election". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 26 March 1853. p. 5. Retrieved 14 April 2018. – via British Newspaper Archive