# Reading North

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{{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](/source/Berkshire), boundaries 1974–83
 |year        = 1950
 |abolished   = 1955
 |type        = Borough
 |previous    = [Reading](/source/Reading_(UK_Parliament_constituency))
 |next        = [Reading](/source/Reading_(UK_Parliament_constituency))
 |year2       = 1974
 |abolished2  = 1983
 |type2       = Borough
 |previous2   = [Reading](/source/Reading_(UK_Parliament_constituency))
 |next2       = [Reading East](/source/Reading_East) and [Reading West](/source/Reading_West_(UK_Parliament_constituency))
 |region      = England
 |county      = [Berkshire](/source/Berkshire)
 |towns       = [Reading](/source/Reading%2C_Berkshire)
}}

'''Reading North''' was a [borough constituency](/source/borough_constituency) represented in the [House of Commons](/source/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom) of the [Parliament of the United Kingdom](/source/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom). It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the [first past the post](/source/first_past_the_post) system of election. The constituency covered an area in and around the town of [Reading](/source/Reading%2C_Berkshire) in the county of Berkshire.

== History ==
The Reading North parliamentary constituency was first created for the [1950 general election](/source/1950_United_Kingdom_general_election) by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of [Reading](/source/Reading_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) into North and [South](/source/Reading_South_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) divisions. These constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency for the [1955 general election](/source/1955_United_Kingdom_general_election).

The Reading North constituency was recreated in [1974](/source/February_1974_United_Kingdom_general_election), when it was won for the [Conservative Party](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)) by [Tony Durant](/source/Tony_Durant). In 1983 the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of [Reading East](/source/Reading_East) and [Reading West](/source/Reading_West_(UK_Parliament_constituency)). 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](/source/Newbury_(UK_Parliament_constituency)).

=== 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](/source/1983_United_Kingdom_general_election), with the majority forming the basis of the new county constituency of [Reading West](/source/Reading_West_(UK_Parliament_constituency)), whilst northern areas, including [Caversham](/source/Caversham%2C_Reading), formed part of the new county constituency of [Reading East](/source/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](/source/1950_United_Kingdom_general_election)
| [Ronald Mackay](/source/Ronald_Mackay)
| [Labour](/source/Labour_Party_(UK))
|-
|style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [1951](/source/1951_United_Kingdom_general_election)
| [Frederic Bennett](/source/Frederic_Bennett)
| [Conservative](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK))
|-
|
| [1955](/source/1955_United_Kingdom_general_election)
|colspan="2"| ''constituency abolished: see [Reading](/source/Reading_(UK_Parliament_constituency))''
|}

=== MPs 1974–1983 ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Election!!Member!!Party
|-
|style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [Feb 1974](/source/February_1974_United_Kingdom_general_election)
| [Tony Durant](/source/Tony_Durant)
| [Conservative](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK))
|-
|
| [1983](/source/1983_United_Kingdom_general_election)
|colspan="2"| ''constituency abolished: see [Reading East](/source/Reading_East) & [Reading West](/source/Reading_West_(UK_Parliament_constituency))''
|}

==Elections==
===Elections in the 1950s===
{{Election box begin no change|
|title=[General election 1950](/source/1950_United_Kingdom_general_election): Reading North
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = Labour Party (UK)
  |candidate  = [Kim Mackay](/source/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](/source/1951_United_Kingdom_general_election): Reading North
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
  |party      = Conservative Party (UK)
  |candidate  = [Frederic Bennett](/source/Frederic_Bennett)
  |votes      = 17,378
  |percentage = 50.4
  |change     = +6.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Labour Party (UK)
  |candidate  = [Kim Mackay](/source/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](/source/1970_United_Kingdom_general_election) [notional result](/source/Second_periodic_review_of_Westminster_constituencies)<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](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)) ||align=right| 24,400 ||align=right| 52.6
|-
| {{party color cell|Labour Party (UK)}}
| [Labour](/source/Labour_Party_(UK)) ||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](/source/February_1974_United_Kingdom_general_election): Reading North
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
  |party      = Conservative Party (UK)
  |candidate  = [Tony Durant](/source/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](/source/October_1974_United_Kingdom_general_election): Reading North
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
  |party      = Conservative Party (UK)
  |candidate  = [Tony Durant](/source/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](/source/1979_United_Kingdom_general_election): Reading North
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
  |party      = Conservative Party (UK)
  |candidate  = [Tony Durant](/source/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](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Reading North](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_North) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_North?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.