Dudley was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Dudley in Worcestershire (now in the West Midlands) which existed between 1832 and 1974. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be re-established for the next general election, formed from the current seat of Dudley North with the addition of one ward from the disappearing Dudley South constituency.
History
The borough of Dudley returned two members to Parliament in 1294, Benedict Andrew and Ralph Clerk de Duddlegh, but not to any subsequent one.
The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election. It was abolished for the February 1974 general election, when it was replaced by the new Dudley East and Dudley West constituencies, which expanded beyond the town's historic boundaries to include Coseley and part of Sedgley in Dudley East (previously in the old Bilston constituency), as well as Kingswinford, Brierley Hill, and the remainder of Sedgley in Dudley West. All of these areas had been incorporated into the Dudley borough in 1966.
In the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was decided that Dudley would return as a constituency, made up of the current Dudley North wards as well as the added Brockmoor and Pensnett wards.
Boundaries
1918–1950: The County Borough of Dudley, and the parish of Dudley Castle Hill.
1950–1974: The County Borough of Dudley, and the Borough of Stourbridge.
Members of Parliament
Elections
Elections in the 1830s
Campbell was appointed as Attorney General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1840s
Hawkes resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1850s
Benbow's death caused a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s
Elections in the 1870s
The election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election.
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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected; Unionist: Arthur Griffith-Boscawen Liberal: Gilbert Beyfus
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1940s
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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected; Conservative: Dudley Joel Labour: Leonard Freedman
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1970s
See also
List of parliamentary constituencies in Dudley
References
Politics of Dudley
Parliamentary constituencies in the West Midlands (county) (historic) Parliamentary constituencies in Worcestershire (historic) Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1832 Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1974 Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 2024