North East · England · 73,226Boundary · 2023

North Durham

Follow⇄ Compare

Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing North West Durham.

Dispatch
Apr 2026

Represented by Lab since 2024. Covers Chester-le-Street, Stanley (County Durham) and Annfield Plain. Population 93,289. Median income £25K (below average).

A consistent government loyalist since entering Parliament in 2024, Luke Akehurst has nonetheless carved out a visible local and international profile. His most notable recent moment came in April 2025 when he publicly condemned Israel's decision to bar two Labour MPs from entering the country, with his intervention described as carrying "real force" by a government minister -- an unusually prominent moment for a first-term backbencher. More recently, he has tabled a private member's bill targeting anti-social off-road bikes and pushed separate legislation to tackle empty shops blighting North Durham's high streets, describing the situation as a source of "deep shame and disappointment."

Akehurst votes at 82% participation -- roughly in line with the Commons average -- and has not once broken with Labour in any recorded division, making him a 100% party-line voter. His voting pattern shows strong alignment with workers' rights and progressive taxation, but notably low scores on pro-business and tough-on-crime measures. He deviates from his parliamentary Labour colleagues by voting more consistently on consumer protection and public health, and sits slightly to the more cautious end of his party on assisted dying. His 162 contributions span economy, defence, social care, and local government -- a broad portfolio for a new MP.

402
Commons votes
This parliament
£25k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
73.2k
Electorate
2024 GE

Lab held for 5 consecutive elections.

Current Member of Parliament

Luke Akehurst

Luke Akehurst

Labour Party

Luke Akehurst is the Labour MP for North Durham, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.

Sign up free to read the full briefing on Luke Akehurst.

Sign up free

Voting at a Glance

Represented by Lab since 2024. Covers Chester-le-Street, Stanley (County Durham) and Annfield Plain. Population 93,289. Median income £25K (below average).

2024 General Election

§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Akehurst’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.418 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Akehurst has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Economy
72
Taxation
65
Employment
47
Crime & Policing
35
Education
32
Welfare and Benefits
30
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip

No rebellions or free votes recorded yet.

§ 08The local picture.13 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
Annfield PlainChristine Bell521Derwents
Annfield PlainJoan Nicholson719Derwents
Chester Le Street EastJulie Anne Scurfield716Labour P
Chester Le Street NorthTracie Jane Smith695Labour P
Chester Le Street SouthBill Moist907Independ
Chester Le Street SouthPaul Stephen Sexton1,619Independ
Chester Le Street West CentralKaren Anne Fantarrow Darby832Independ
Chester Le Street West CentralSimon Antony Henig797Labour P
Craghead South MoorCarole Ann Hampson873Labour P
Craghead South MoorSam McMahon798Labour P
LanchesterDouglas Oliver1,317Conserva
LanchesterMichael McGaun1,242Conserva
Population (2021 Census)
93,289
Electorate 73,226 · 2024 register
Median income
£24,900
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
15.9%
England average 20.0%
Schools
44
37 primary · 5 secondary
Next · dig deeperEvery division, question, speech and committee record

Mine the full
record → Data view

Filter divisions, search written questions, read every speech since the election. Sortable, searchable, downloadable.

More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.