Sunderland Central
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 18039 (51%)
Conservative: 8999 (25.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 5403 (15.3%)
Other: 2928 (8.3%)
Majority: 9040 (25.6%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 5724 (19.8%)
Labour: 15719 (54.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 4277 (14.8%)
BNP: 1136 (3.9%)
Other: 2057 (7.1%)
Majority: 9995 (34.6%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 5331 (17.9%)
Labour: 18685 (62.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 3599 (12.1%)
BNP: 687 (2.3%)
Other: 1518 (5.1%)
Majority: 13354 (44.8%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 6370 (16.7%)
Labour: 26067 (68.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 3973 (10.4%)
Referendum: 1394 (3.6%)
Other: 409 (1.1%)
Majority: 19697 (51.5%)
Boundary changes: There are major readjustments to the seats in Tyne and Wear to take account of the reduction in the total number of seats allocated. Sunderland Central takes in the majority of the former Sunderland North seat, save for Castle and Redhill wards which move to Washington and Sunderland West, and the most Easterly part of the old Sunderland South constituency, the rest of which joins the new Houghton and Sunderland South. It also gains Ryhope ward from the old Houghton and Washington East seat.
Profile: Sunderland Central takes in the centre of the City of Sunderland itself and the coastal village of Ryhope to the South. To the north it takes is Roker (the site of Sunderland AFC`s former stadium) and Monkwearmouth (home to the new Stadium of Light) and the affluent Conservative stronghold of Fulwell. Sunderland itself is a former shipbuilding and coal mining town, both industries which have all but disappeared. Sunderand however is enjoying large scale inward investment and regeneration.
Both of the old Sunderland constituencies had been held by Labour since the 1960s. However, there are Conservative voters here - four of the nine wards in the constituency return Conservative councillors and unusually, despite the lower turnouts at local elections, the Conservatives managed to get more votes in the 2004 local elections in Sunderland than they did at the subsequent general election. The seat is not about to become a tight marginal, but the notional figures probably underestimate the strength the Tories could field if they were able to convert their local election support into national support.
Current MP: Bill Etherington(Labour) born 1941. Educated at Monkwearmouth Grammar School and Durham Grammar School. Worked as a fitter in Dawdon colliery and from 1983 was a full time official for the NUM, including during the miners` strike. First elected in 1987. Etherington is a left-winger and has regularly rebelled against the government on issues like foundation hospitals, top-up fees and Iraq. Will stand down at the next election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Lee Martin (Conservative) Sunderland councillor. Leader of the Conservative group.
Julie Elliott (Labour) Trade union officer.
Mad Cow-Girl (Official Monster Raving Loony) Real name Rosalyn Warner. Born 1961, Harwich. Registered nurse. Contested Sunderland South 2001, 2005, Haltemprice and Howden by-election 2008.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 99971
Male: 49%
Female: 51%
Under 18: 21.4%
Over 60: 22.3%
Born outside UK: 3.8%
White: 96.9%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 1.8%
Mixed: 0.6%
Other: 0.6%
Christian: 79.3%
Muslim: 1.5%
Full time students: 8.3%
Graduates 16-74: 14.5%
No Qualifications 16-74: 35.2%
Owner-Occupied: 62.7%
Social Housing: 27% (Council: 17.1%, Housing Ass.: 9.8%)
Privately Rented: 8.3%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 5.3%
Neil
“Note that if you add together the Conservative and UKIP votes they total a couple of thousand more than Labour.”
Which makes the results for this division even more tantalizing. Then again noone expects the Greens to even stand never mind get 5% across this council area, likewise BNP will be fortunate to retain their deposit in Central (though they will expect to in the other two seats).
Neil
“Note that if you add together the Conservative and UKIP votes they total a couple of thousand more than Labour.”
Which makes the results for this division even more tantalizing. Then again noone expects the Greens to even stand never mind get 5% across this council area, likewise BNP will be fortunate to retain their deposit in Central (though they will expect to in the other two seats) and those votes would usually go to Labour, thereby casncelling the UKIP effect.
On Sunderland figures Labour down 7% from 2004, Tories up 5%. Looking at the combined Tory/UKIP figure (assuming some at least of the latter would vote Tory in a general election, even if there was a UKIP candidate) I’d be worried if I belonged to the local Labour group.
Lib Dems not made much headway (unsurprising given all their literature focused on Tyneside). Had they been battling anyone else but BNP for fourth place locally their stress levels at the count would have been a joy to observe !
Is anyone aware of whether the seat or ward results will be available, or is that information not made public?
I believe that in 2004 the results were not broken down any further than council level for England. Those at the counts may be able to infer or approximate but I don’t think constituency level results for England will ever be counted or released
oh thats a shame, but is there any good reason why not?
At Alistair Campbell’s blog he writes about local council and European election performance in his area of North London.
“We lost Gospel Oak to the Tories for the first time at the last local elections. In the Euros on Thursday, the Tories got 16 per cent of the vote, to Labour’s 32″.
So presumably the results are broken down and known more than just at authority-wide level, but not promoted publicly.
shame about my home town of sunderland only party to lose in the north east ids labour country to big can be won form south east alone north east is a bonus e ned to change vote london get olmpics and the improvements before sunderland get vaux site sorted heartlands having a laugh piss takers more lilke lets all laugh at predictable north east
After deliberation and after talking to frinds in camps Labour, Tory and Liberal, I predict
Labour 20,005
Con 15,846
LibDem 6,998
BNP 4,734
Moderately safe Labour
Talk of a Con gain here are fantasy. Labour have polling info which suggests it’s far from margnal and the Martin team has no Ashcroft cash and no hope beyond council bashing
I’d be surprised if turnout was that high - also not sure about Labour adding 2000 extra votes! The % votes;
Labour 42.0
Cons 33.3
Lib Dem 14.7
BNP 9.9
“Labour have polling info which suggests it’s far from margnal”
Is there any evidence to back up that statement? It sounds like the sort of thing many Conservatives were claiming back in 1996/7.
It’s certainly contradicted by reports that Labour is in a panic about its ‘northern heartlands’.
I suspect the bit about not much CCHQ cash is correct - this seat is a long way down the of targets (if it even appears on the list!), but what it does have is local councillors and I would guess, a reasonable campaigning infrastructure. I cannot see it falling, but it could become uncomfortably close for Labour.