North Yorkshire Parliamentary Constituencies and Boundary Changes

The political landscape of North Yorkshire is defined by its parliamentary constituencies—the specific geographical areas represented by a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons. Over the last decade, these boundaries have undergone significant revisions to ensure equitable representation as populations shift.

The most recent changes stem from the 2023 review by the Boundary Commission for England, which redrew the map ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election. These adjustments not only renamed existing seats but also created cross-county boundaries, linking parts of North Yorkshire with West Yorkshire.

Key Facts

• Recent Redrawing: The 2023 review combined North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire into a single sub-region of the Yorkshire and the Humber Region.
• New Cross-County Seats: The Selby and Wetherby and Easingwold constituencies now include wards from the City of Leeds.
• Renaming: The former Richmond (Yorks) constituency was renamed Richmond and Northallerton.
• York Representation: The city of York is divided into two distinct seats: York Central and York Outer.

The 2024 Electoral Landscape

Following the latest boundary reviews, North Yorkshire's representation is characterized by a mix of Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat MPs. The electorate sizes across these constituencies generally range between 74,000 and 80,000 voters.

Current Parliamentary Representation in North Yorkshire (2024)

Constituency	Member of Parliament	Party	Electorate	Majority
Harrogate and Knaresborough	Tom Gordon	Liberal Democrat	77,955	8,238
Richmond and Northallerton	Rishi Sunak	Conservative	73,886	12,185
Scarborough and Whitby	Alison Hume	Labour	74,558	5,408
Selby	Keir Mather	Labour	78,043	10,195
Skipton and Ripon	Julian Smith	Conservative	79,251	1,650
Thirsk and Malton	Kevin Hollinrake	Conservative	78,468	7,550
Wetherby and Easingwold	Alec Shelbrooke	Conservative	74,314	4,846
York Central	Rachael Maskell	Labour	79,557	19,154
York Outer	Luke Charters	Labour	76,228	9,391

Evolution of Boundaries: 2010 to Present

The 2010 Review

Under the fifth periodic review, the Boundary Commission maintained eight constituencies for North Yorkshire but implemented extensive redrawing in the south-east. This was done to ensure two seats were located entirely within the unitary authority of York. Key changes included:

• The abolition of the Vale of York and the creation of York Outer.
• The renaming of City of York to York Central.
• The transition of Ryedale into Thirsk and Malton.
• The renaming of Selby to Selby and Ainsty.

The 2023 Review and 2024 Implementation

The most recent changes introduced cross-county boundaries to optimize electoral parity. The Boundary Commission for England integrated North Yorkshire with West Yorkshire as a sub-region. This led to the creation of two specific cross-boundary seats:

1. Selby: Formed primarily from the abolished Selby and Ainsty constituency, now including the Kippax and Methley wards from the City of Leeds.
2. Wetherby and Easingwold: A new constituency incorporating the Harewood and Wetherby wards from the City of Leeds.

Additionally, the Richmond (Yorks) seat was officially renamed Richmond and Northallerton.

Constituency Composition by Ward

The current constituencies are composed of electoral wards from various local government districts. The distribution is as follows:

• Craven: Represented in Skipton and Ripon.
• Hambleton: Split between Richmond and Northallerton, Thirsk and Malton, and Wetherby and Easingwold.
• Harrogate: Represented in Harrogate and Knaresborough, Skipton and Ripon, and Wetherby and Easingwold.
• Richmondshire: Represented in Richmond and Northallerton.
• Ryedale: Represented in Thirsk and Malton.
• Scarborough: Represented in Scarborough and Whitby and Thirsk and Malton.
• Selby: Represented in Selby (which extends into the City of Leeds) and Wetherby and Easingwold.
• York: Divided between York Central and York Outer (which also includes parts of the City of Leeds).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a parliamentary constituency?

A parliamentary constituency is a geographically defined area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent the people of that area in the House of Commons.

Which constituencies in North Yorkshire cross into West Yorkshire?

The Selby and Wetherby and Easingwold constituencies are cross-boundary seats that include wards from the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire.

How did the 2023 review change the Richmond constituency?

The 2023 review resulted in the renaming of the Richmond (Yorks) constituency to Richmond and Northallerton.

How is the city of York represented in Parliament?

The city of York is split into two constituencies: York Central and York Outer.

Who is the MP for York Central and what was their majority?

The MP for York Central is Rachael Maskell (Labour), who won with a majority of 19,154 votes.