Reading North was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency covered an area in and around the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire.
History The Reading North parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. These constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency for the 1955 general election.
The Reading North constituency was recreated in 1974, when it was won for the Conservative Party by Tony Durant. In 1983 the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West. Tony Durant went on to hold the Reading West constituency until 1997.
In both its incarnations, the constituency included Reading town centre.
Boundaries
1950–1955 The County Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Battle, Castle, Caversham East, Caversham West, Tilehurst, and Victoria.
It was then abolished and absorbed into the re-established constituency of Reading, with the exception of the Tilehurst ward, which was transferred to Newbury.
1974–1983 The County Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Battle, Castle, Caversham, Katesgrove, Minster, Norcot, Thames, and Tilehurst.
The Tilehurst and Norcot wards were transferred back from Newbury; the remaining wards were previously part of the abolished constituency of Reading.
The constituency was abolished again for the 1983 general election, with the majority forming the basis of the new county constituency of Reading West, whilst northern areas, including Caversham, formed part of the new county constituency of Reading East.
Members of Parliament MPs 1950–1955 ElectionMemberParty 1950 Ronald Mackay Labour 1951 Frederic Bennett Conservative 1955 constituency abolished: see Reading
MPs 1974–1983 ElectionMemberParty Feb 1974 Tony Durant Conservative 1983 constituency abolished: see Reading East & Reading West
Elections Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1970s 1970 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 24,400 52.6 Labour 21,200 45.7 Others 800 1.7Turnout46,40072.5Electorate64,021
See also List of parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire
References