Gateshead

[jamie]

Gateshead

The Gateshead constituency covers the vast majority of the town of Gateshead (excluding Pelaw and Wardley on its eastern flank). The town is situated immediately south of the river Tyne and is effectively contiguous with Newcastle upon Tyne. Gateshead constituency and its predecessors have long been safe Labour. Even in 2019, a strong swing to the Conservatives left Labour with a 20% majority. From the Teams and their associated Team Valley trading estate (a centre for employment), to the numerous council estates that dot the town, Labour enjoy near uniformly strong support across the constituency. The main exception to this is the Low Fell area, which has long housed Gateshead’s wealthiest residents. Even here, Labour likely outpoll the Conservatives in national elections. There is also the North East’s only notable Jewish population (specifically ultra Orthodox) in the Bensham area, though not large enough to significantly affect local politics. Overall, Gateshead remains a safe Labour seat and little challenge to this dominance should be expected anytime soon.

[jamie]

Mar 29, 2020 13:00:37 GMT @barnabymarder said:

Might be worth mentioning that the Jewish population is almost entirely of an ultra-Orthodox  nature, completely different from more assimilated communities in places like Hendon, Mill Hill and Edgware, but similar to Broughton Park in Salford and Stamford Hill in London. There are hardly any community ties between this ultra-Orthodox community and the small more secular Jewish community of Newcastle across the river.

All true. The Bensham Jewish population tends to keep itself to itself. Also, unlike the other areas you mentioned, there hasn’t been any noticeable mobilisation by the Conservative Party (a smallish community being split among 3 wards probably doesn’t help). 

[bjornhattan]

Mar 29, 2020 13:15:41 GMT jamie said:

Mar 29, 2020 13:00:37 GMT @barnabymarder said:

Might be worth mentioning that the Jewish population is almost entirely of an ultra-Orthodox  nature, completely different from more assimilated communities in places like Hendon, Mill Hill and Edgware, but similar to Broughton Park in Salford and Stamford Hill in London. There are hardly any community ties between this ultra-Orthodox community and the small more secular Jewish community of Newcastle across the river.

All true. The Bensham Jewish population tends to keep itself to itself. Also, unlike the other areas you mentioned, there hasn’t been any noticeable mobilisation by the Conservative Party (a smallish community being split among 3 wards probably doesn’t help). 

Saltwell ward (which has the highest Jewish population by a decent margin) probably has the strongest Conservative support of any ward in the borough, but I suspect that's a coincidence - the Liberal Democrats have never really been strong there, meaning there will be less tactical voting, and Saltwell is middle-class enough to have a decent "natural" Tory vote.

Thinking about it, the significant tactical voting locally might warrant a mention - you talk about their national leanings but south Whickham and Low Fell are ultra-safe Lib Dem locally.

[Robert Waller]

2011 Census

Age 65+ 15.5% 417/650
Owner-occupied 47.7% 589/650
Private rented 16.4% 213/650
Social rented 34.5% 26/650
White 94.3% 337/650
Black 0.9% 280/650
Asian 2.8% 313/650
Jewish 3.1% 17/650
Managerial & professional 24.1%
Routine & Semi-routine 33.9%
Degree level 20.7% 479/650
No qualifications 30.5% 86/650
Students 8.3% 209/650


2021 Census

Owner occupied 48.2% 513/573
Private rented 20.7% 185/573
Social rented 31.1% 26/573
White 89.8%
Black 2.0%
Asian 3.9%
Jewish 3.0% 16/650
Managerial & professional 25.9%
Routine & Semi-routine 29.6%
Degree level 27.5% 406/573
No qualifications 23.7% 72/573



General Election 2019: Gateshead

Party Candidate Votes % ±%

Labour Ian Mearns 20,450 53.6 -11.5
Conservative Jane MacBean 13,250 34.7 +10.8
Liberal Democrats Peter Maughan 2,792 7.3 +3.3
Green Rachael Cabral 1,653 4.3 +2.9

Lab Majority 7,200 18.9 -22.3

Turnout 38,145 59.2 -5.4

Labour hold

Swing 11.2 Lab to C