Gainsborough is a constituency in Lincolnshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1983 by Sir Edward Leigh of the Conservative Party, who, since the 2024 general election, is the Father of the House. The constituency is named for its largest town of Gainsborough, on the western edge of the constituency.

Constituency profile Gainsborough is a constituency located in Lincolnshire and is coterminous with the local government district of West Lindsey. It covers a large rural area north of the city of Lincoln. Its largest settlement is the market town of Gainsborough, which has a population of around 21,000. The town has a history of industry, particularly ironworking, and currently falls within the top 10% most-deprived areas in England. Other settlements in the constituency include the small towns of Market Rasen and Caistor and the villages of Saxilby, Nettleham, Welton and Scotter. The rural areas are agricultural and generally wealthier than Gainsborough. House prices in the constituency are lower than the rest of the East Midlands and considerably lower than the national average.

In general, residents of the constituency are older and more religious than the rest of the country. Levels of education, wealth and professional employment are similar to national averages. White people made up 97% of the population at the 2021 census. At the local council level, Gainsborough and Market Rasen are mostly represented by Liberal Democrats whilst the rest of the constituency elected predominantly Conservatives (to the district council) or Reform UK (to the county council). Voters strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum with an estimated 62% voting in favour of Brexit compared to 52% nationwide.

History The constituency was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 that year, which lasted until it was reformed as Gainsborough and Horncastle on a boundary change for the 1983 election. That seat lasted until 1997, as from the mid-1990s population changes led to removal of Horncastle from the seat and recreation of the old seat with largely similar boundaries. The seat has elected Conservative MPs since 1924 and is a stronghold, as well as giving its MPs very long tenures, having been represented by only three people since 1924.

Boundaries

Historic 1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Lincoln, the Sessional Divisions of Epworth, Gainsborough, Lincoln, and the parish of Bracebridge.

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Crowle and Gainsborough, and the Rural Districts of Gainsborough, Isle of Axholme, and Welton.

1950–1983: The Urban Districts of Gainsborough and Market Rasen, and the Rural Districts of Caistor, Gainsborough, Isle of Axholme, and Welton.

Constituency was abolished in 1983 and re-established in 1997

1997–2010: The District of West Lindsey, and the District of East Lindsey wards of Binbrook and Wragby.

2010–2024: The District of West Lindsey, and the District of East Lindsey ward of Wragby.

Current Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency comprises the District of West Lindsey. The East Lindsey ward of Wragby was transferred to Louth and Horncastle.

Members of Parliament MPs 1885–1983

North Lincolnshire prior to 1885

YearMemberParty 1885 Joseph Bennett Liberal 1886 Henry Eyre Conservative 1892 Joseph Bennett Liberal 1895 Emerson Bainbridge Liberal 1900 Seymour Fitzroy Ormsby-Gore Conservative 1906 Leslie Renton Liberal 1907 Liberal Unionist 1910 George Jackson Bentham Liberal 1918John Molson Unionist 1923Richard Winfrey Liberal 1924 Harry Crookshank Conservative 1956 by-election Marcus Kimball Conservative 1983 constituency abolished

MPs since 1997 Gainsborough and Horncastle prior to 1997

YearMemberParty 1997Sir Edward Leigh Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Election results 1885–1979

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected; Liberal: George Jackson Bentham Unionist: John Molson

Elections in the 1920s

Election in the 1930s

General Election 1939–40:

Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected; Conservative: Harry Crookshank, Liberal: Margaret Wintringham

Election in the 1940s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s

Election results following boundary changes For 1983 – 1992, see Gainsborough and Horncastle (UK Parliament constituency)

See also List of parliamentary constituencies in Lincolnshire The town of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire

Notes

References

Sources

External links Gainsborough UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK Gainsborough UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Gainsborough UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK