Houghton and Sunderland South
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 23354 (63.6%)
Conservative: 5982 (16.3%)
Liberal Democrat: 5973 (16.3%)
Other: 1439 (3.9%)
Majority: 17372 (47.3%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 6923 (22.5%)
Labour: 17982 (58.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 4492 (14.6%)
BNP: 1166 (3.8%)
Other: 149 (0.5%)
Majority: 11059 (36%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 6254 (20.1%)
Labour: 19921 (63.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 3675 (11.8%)
UKIP: 470 (1.5%)
BNP: 576 (1.8%)
Other: 291 (0.9%)
Majority: 13667 (43.8%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 7536 (18.9%)
Labour: 27174 (68.1%)
Liberal Democrat: 4606 (11.5%)
Other: 609 (1.5%)
Majority: 19638 (49.2%)
Boundary changes:
Profile:
Current MP: Chris Mullin(Labour) born 1947, Chelmsford. Educated at St Joseph`s College, Ipwich and the University of Hull. Journalist, having once worked on World in Action and edited the Tribune, and author, most famously of `A Very British Coup`. First elected as MP for Sunderland South in 1987. A left-winger and member of the Socialist Campaign Group, he nevertheless enjoyed two stints as a junior minister under Blair, serving as Parliamentary under-secretary in the department of the environment 1999-2001 and briefly in the department of international development 2001. Returned to government as a parliamentary under secretary in the foreign office 2003-2005. He will stand down at the next election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Robert Oliver (Conservative) Politics and history teacher. Sunderland councillor. Contested Sunderland South 2005.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 90046
Male: 48.4%
Female: 51.6%
Under 18: 22.4%
Over 60: 22.2%
Born outside UK: 1.4%
White: 99%
Asian: 0.5%
Mixed: 0.3%
Other: 0.2%
Christian: 84.2%
Full time students: 2.1%
Graduates 16-74: 10.9%
No Qualifications 16-74: 38.8%
Owner-Occupied: 60.8%
Social Housing: 35.1% (Council: 24.5%, Housing Ass.: 10.6%)
Privately Rented: 2.8%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 1.5%
Andy Stidwill wrote:
“Does every candidate have to have been to Oxford or Cambridge? That’s the question I would be asking if I were a Labour supporter in this area.”
This subject (along with age) was covered earlier and it was felt that the main criteria for any candidate was their willingness to work hard for the people of the constituancy.
Bridget is a local person who has shown her commitment to the area and its people in the work she currently does.
Together with Sharon and Julie the other candidates in the Sunderland area they will make a very rounded and well balanced team, Each one has differant backgrounds and experiences and as such will make a very strong team of local MPs come the next election.
As a Labour supporter in the Sunderland area, I have no problems at all with Bridget, or Sharon and Julie.
“Does every candidate have to have been to Oxford or Cambridge?”
How things change! I remember that back in the 1960s, people wondered whether the Labour Party had made a mistake in selecting Tom Urwin who, with his background in the building trade, wasn’t a miner.