{{Short description|UK Parliament constituency (1950–1955, 1974–1983)}} {{Use British English|date=October 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox UK constituency main |name = Reading North |parliament = uk |image = 120px|alt=Outline map |caption = Boundary of Reading North in Berkshire, boundaries 1974–83 |year = 1950 |abolished = 1955 |type = Borough |previous = Reading |next = Reading |year2 = 1974 |abolished2 = 1983 |type2 = Borough |previous2 = Reading |next2 = Reading East and Reading West |region = England |county = Berkshire |towns = Reading }}
'''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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972 |last=Craig |first=Fred W.S. |date=1972|publisher=Political Reference Publications|isbn=0900178094|location=Chichester|oclc=539011}}</ref>
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.<ref name=":0" />
''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 === {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Election!!Member!!Party |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | 1950 | Ronald Mackay | Labour |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | 1951 | Frederic Bennett | Conservative |- | | 1955 |colspan="2"| ''constituency abolished: see Reading'' |}
=== MPs 1974–1983 === {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Election!!Member!!Party |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Feb 1974 | Tony Durant | Conservative |- | | 1983 |colspan="2"| ''constituency abolished: see Reading East & Reading West'' |}
==Elections== ===Elections in the 1950s=== {{Election box begin no change| |title=General election 1950: Reading North }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Kim Mackay |votes = 15,681 |percentage = 46.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Sir John Stanley Vincent Marling |votes = 15,154 |percentage = 44.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = J Michael Derrick |votes = 3,238 |percentage = 9.5 }} {{Election box majority no change| |votes = 527 |percentage = 1.5 }} {{Election box turnout no change| |votes = 34,073 |percentage = 86.8 }} {{Election box registered electors no change| | reg. electors = 39,261 }} {{Election box new seat win no change| |winner = Labour Party (UK) }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin| |title=General election 1951: Reading North }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederic Bennett |votes = 17,378 |percentage = 50.4 |change = +6.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Kim Mackay |votes = 17,076 |percentage = 49.6 |change = +3.5 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 302 |percentage = 0.9 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 34,454 |percentage = 86.8 |change = +0.0 }} {{Election box registered electors| | reg. electors = 39,681 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Labour Party (UK) |swing = +1.2 }} {{Election box end}}
===Elections in the 1970s=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="4" | 1970 notional result<ref>{{cite web |title=1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dX47DuTxmFg6SXaizeo3TQwvlEEOKPdCWQCTABWyN40/edit?gid=0#gid=0 |author1=Michael Stead |publisher=BBC |access-date=18 March 2025 }}</ref> |- ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | % |- | {{party color cell|Conservative Party (UK)}} | Conservative ||align=right| 24,400 ||align=right| 52.6 |- | {{party color cell|Labour Party (UK)}} | Labour ||align=right| 21,200 ||align=right| 45.7 |- | {{party color cell|Independent politician}} | Others ||align=right| 800 ||align=right| 1.7 |- |colspan="4" bgcolor="#EAECF0"| |- |colspan="2"|'''Turnout''' |align=right|46,400 |align=right|72.5 |- |colspan="2"|'''Electorate''' |align=right|64,021 |} {{Election box begin| |title=General election February 1974: Reading North }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Tony Durant |votes = 19,984 |percentage = 39.4 |change = –13.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = M. J. Denby |votes = 17,615 |percentage = 34.7 |change = –11.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = J. Burnett |votes = 13,137 |percentage = 25.9 |change = ''New'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 2,369 |percentage = 4.7 |change = –2.2 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 50,736 |percentage = 79.4 |change = +6.9 }} {{Election box registered electors| | reg. electors = 63,943 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = –1.1 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin| |title=General election October 1974: Reading North }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Tony Durant |votes = 18,734 |percentage = 40.2 |change = +0.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = M. J. Denby |votes = 18,266 |percentage = 39.1 |change = +4.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = K. Watts |votes = 9,064 |percentage = 19.4 |change = –6.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = National Front (UK) |candidate = P. Baker |votes = 594 |percentage = 1.3 |change = ''New'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 468 |percentage = 1.1 |change = –3.7 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 46,658 |percentage = 72.4 |change = –7.0 }} {{Election box registered electors| | reg. electors = 64,484 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = –1.8 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin| |title=General election 1979: Reading North }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Tony Durant |votes = 25,085 |percentage = 50.6 |change = +10.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = D. M. Mason |votes = 17,662 |percentage = 35.6 |change = –3.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = P. Minton |votes = 6,170 |percentage = 12.4 |change = –7.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = National Front (UK) |candidate = P. Baker |votes = 554 |percentage = 1.1 |change = –0.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent (politician) |candidate = L. W. Edwards |votes = 126 |percentage = 0.3 |change = ''New'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 7,423 |percentage = 15.0 |change = +14.0 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 49,597 |percentage = 75.9 |change = +3.5 }} {{Election box registered electors| | reg. electors = 65,369 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +7.0 }} {{Election box end}}
==See also== * List of parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire
== References == {{Reflist}} * {{Rayment-hc|r|1|date=March 2012}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/edates.htm|title=UK General Elections since 1832|work=Election results 1974–1979|accessdate=3 July 2005}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reading North (Uk Parliament Constituency)}} Category:Politics of Reading, Berkshire Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire (historic) Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1950 Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1955 Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1974 Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1983