BBC Profile:
This constituency has a long history of continuous Labour representation. The current seat is similar to the old seat of Chester-le-Street, which was won by Labour in the election of 1906 and never lost. The journalist and ex-GMB union official Giles Radice became MP in 1973, and remained in the seat for 28 years. Kevan Jones succeeded him in 2001.

Mr Jones had a majority of almost 17,000 in 2005, after polling 64% of the vote.

One minor boundary change in this election means that North Durham gains part of Tanfield ward from North West Durham. To find out what might have happened had this boundary change been in force at the last election, see a notional - or estimated - result below.

A largely rural area, North Durham stretches from the village of Bournmoor, on the outskirts of the old market town of Chester-le-Street in the east, to Stanley in the west.

It borders North West Durham to the west, Tyne and Wear to the north and east, and the Durham City constituency to the south and is, as such, a commuter constituency. Use of private cars is higher than average in the region.

The closure of Consett steel works and the downsizing of the Royal Ordnance factory at Birtley have accelerated the rate of industrial decline.

Much employment within the constituency is now in the education and the local government sectors. Despite the expanses of countryside between pit villages, there is little agricultural activity, but there is tourism, with the famo

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BBC Profile:
This constituency has a long history of continuous Labour representation. The current seat is similar to the old seat of Chester-le-Street, which was won by Labour in the election of 1906 and never lost. The journalist and ex-GMB union official Giles Radice became MP in 1973, and remained in the seat for 28 years. Kevan Jones succeeded him in 2001.

Mr Jones had a majority of almost 17,000 in 2005, after polling 64% of the vote.

One minor boundary change in this election means that North Durham gains part of Tanfield ward from North West Durham. To find out what might have happened had this boundary change been in force at the last election, see a notional - or estimated - result below.

A largely rural area, North Durham stretches from the village of Bournmoor, on the outskirts of the old market town of Chester-le-Street in the east, to Stanley in the west.

It borders North West Durham to the west, Tyne and Wear to the north and east, and the Durham City constituency to the south and is, as such, a commuter constituency. Use of private cars is higher than average in the region.

The closure of Consett steel works and the downsizing of the Royal Ordnance factory at Birtley have accelerated the rate of industrial decline.

Much employment within the constituency is now in the education and the local government sectors. Despite the expanses of countryside between pit villages, there is little agricultural activity, but there is tourism, with the famous open air museum at Beamish a popular attraction.

Rallings & Thrasher Notional:
Lab 23,932 (64.09%)
LD 7,151 (19.15%)
C 6,258 (16.76%)

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