Barrow and Furness
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Barrow and Furness in North West England
County	Cumbria (Lancashire until 1974)
Population	88,826 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate	76,603 (2023)[2]
Major settlements	Barrow-in-Furness, Ulverston, Dalton-in-Furness, Millom
Current constituency
Created	1885
Member of Parliament	Michelle Scrogham (Labour)
Seats	One
Created from	North Lancashire

Barrow and Furness, formerly known as Barrow-in-Furness, is a UK Parliament constituency^{[n 1]} in Cumbria. It has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Michelle Scrogham of the Labour Party since 2024.^{[n 2]}

Since its inception in 1885, the constituency has been centred on the town of Barrow-in-Furness, at the tip of the Furness peninsula. Over the intervening years the constituency has periodically grown in size, and as of the 2024 United Kingdom general election it incorporates the entirety of the peninsula, the Eskdale and Duddon Valleys, and all of coastal West Cumbria as far north as Ravenglass.

The seat was established by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and covers the southwest part of Cumbria. The largest town in the constituency, Barrow-in-Furness, grew on the back of the shipbuilding industry and is now the site of the BAE Systems nuclear submarine and shipbuilding operation. This reliance on the industry aligns many of its journalists and in its community with strong nuclear deterrents, from which Labour has recoiled since its involvement in the Iraq War that removed dictator Saddam Hussain. Labour Cabinet member Albert Booth represented Barrow for many years from 1966, but was defeated in 1983, in the aftermath of the Falklands War, by a Manchester lawyer, Cecil Franks of the Conservative Party, who retained the seat until 1992. Local media attributed this to widespread fears of job losses because the Labour Party was then signed up to doing away with all its nuclear capabilities including the submarines.^{[n 3]} Other industries in the constituency currently include engineering and chemicals, and more than a quarter of all jobs are in manufacturing.

As Labour revised its policies by favouring the retention of Britain's nuclear capability, and following massive job losses in the town's shipbuilding industry, Labour's fortunes revived in Barrow. John Hutton took the seat back for Labour in 1992 and retained it until the 2010 general election, when he was replaced by John Woodcock, also of Labour. In 2001, Hutton had the support of more than half of all those who voted. The 2015 result gave the seat the 10th-smallest majority of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.^[3] In 2017, Woodcock's majority was reduced from 795 votes to 209 votes, the 16th smallest majority in the country.^[4]

Following Woodcock's resignation from the Labour party in 2018, he stood down as an MP for the 2019 general election when the seat was gained by Conservative Simon Fell, who had contested the seat unsuccessfully in 2015 and 2017. He won with a slightly greater margin than Woodcock had when he first won the seat for Labour in 2010. The seat was retaken by Labour's Michelle Scrogham at the 2024 election with a majority of 12.6% - the same as Fell's majority in 2019.

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

Map of boundaries from 2024

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Barrow-in-Furness.^[5]

1918–1950: The County Borough of Barrow-in-Furness.

1950–1983: The County Borough of Barrow-in-Furness and the Urban District of Dalton-in-Furness.

1983–2010: The entire District of Barrow-in-Furness and the following wards from the District of South Lakeland: Low Furness, Pennington, Ulverston Central, Ulverston East, Ulverston North, Ulverston South and Ulverston West.

2010–2024: The entire District of Barrow-in-Furness and the following wards from the District of South Lakeland: Broughton, Crake Valley, Low Furness & Swarthmoor, Ulverston Central, Ulverston East, Ulverston North, Ulverston South, Ulverston Town and Ulverston West.

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies was carried out using the local authority structure as it existed in Cumbria on 1 December 2020 and is officially defined as:

• The Borough of Barrow-in-Furness.

• The Borough of Copeland wards of: Black Combe & Scafell; Millom.

• The District of South Lakeland wards of: Broughton & Coniston (polling districts AHA, AHB, AHC, BZ, CA, CB, CL and CY); Furness Peninsula; Ulverston East; Ulverston West.^[6]

With effect from 1 April 2023, the second tier councils in Cumbria were abolished and replaced by the new unitary authorities of Cumberland, and Westmorland and Furness.^[7] Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The Cumberland wards of: Millom; Millom Without (most).
• The Westmorland and Furness wards of: Dalton North; Dalton South; Hawcoat and Newbarns; High Furness; Low Furness; Old Barrow and Hindpool; Ormsgill and Parkside; Risedale and Roosecote; Ulverston; Walney Island; and a very small part of Coniston and Hawkshead.^[8]

The constituency was expanded to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the town of Millom from the abolished constituency of Copeland.

General election 2024: Barrow and Furness^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Michelle Scrogham[11]	18,537	43.9	+5.7
	Conservative	Simon Fell[12]	13,213	31.3	−21.8
	Reform UK	Barry Morgan[13]	7,035	16.7	+14.0
	Liberal Democrats	Adrian Waite[14]	1,680	4.0	−0.5
	Green	Lorraine Wrennall[15]	1,466	3.5	+2.0
	Party of Women	Lisa Morgan[16]	290	0.7	N/A
Majority			5,324	12.6	N/A
Turnout			42,221	56.3	−8.3
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	13.7

General election 2019: Barrow and Furness^[17][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Simon Fell	23,876	51.9	4.9
	Labour	Chris Altree	18,087	39.3	8.2
	Liberal Democrats	Loraine Birchall	2,025	4.4	1.7
	Brexit Party	Ged McGrath	1,355	2.9	New
	Green	Chris Loynes	703	1.5	0.7
Majority			5,789	12.6	N/A
Turnout			46,046	65.8	2.7
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	6.5

General election 2017: Barrow and Furness^[19][20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	John Woodcock	22,592	47.5	5.2
	Conservative	Simon Fell	22,383	47.0	6.5
	Liberal Democrats	Loraine Birchall	1,278	2.7	0.0
	UKIP	Alan Piper	962	2.0	9.7
	Green	Rob O'Hara	375	0.8	1.7
Majority			209	0.5	1.3
Turnout			47,590	68.5	5.2
	Labour hold		Swing	0.7

General election 2015: Barrow and Furness^[21][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	John Woodcock	18,320	42.3	5.8
	Conservative	Simon Fell	17,525	40.5	4.2
	UKIP	Nigel Cecil	5,070	11.7	9.8
	Liberal Democrats	Clive Peaple	1,169	2.7	7.3
	Green	Rob O'Hara	1,061	2.5	1.3
	Independent	Ian Jackson	130	0.3	New
Majority			795	1.8	10.0
Turnout			43,275	63.3	0.4
	Labour hold		Swing	5.0

General election 2010: Barrow and Furness^[23][24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	John Woodcock	21,226	48.1	2.9
	Conservative	John Gough	16,018	36.3	3.7
	Liberal Democrats	Barry Rabone	4,424	10.0	7.9
	UKIP	John Smith	841	1.9	0.2
	BNP	Mike Ashburner	840	1.9	New
	Green	Chris Loynes	530	1.2	New
	Independent	Brian Greaves	245	0.6	New
Majority			5,208	11.8	0.8
Turnout			44,124	63.7	4.8
	Labour hold		Swing	0.4

General election 2005: Barrow and Furness^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Hutton	17,360	47.6	8.1
	Conservative	William Dorman	11,323	31.0	0.7
	Liberal Democrats	Barry Rabone	6,130	16.8	4.6
	UKIP	Alan Beach	758	2.1	0.3
	Build Duddon and Morecambe Bridges	Timothey Bell	409	1.1	New
	Veritas	Brian Greaves	306	0.8	New
	Independent	Helene Young	207	0.6	New
Majority			6,037	16.6	8.8
Turnout			36,493	59.0	1.3
	Labour hold		Swing	4.4

General election 2001: Barrow and Furness^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Hutton	21,724	55.7	1.6
	Conservative	James Airey	11,835	30.3	3.1
	Liberal Democrats	Barry Rabone	4,750	12.2	3.4
	UKIP	John Smith	711	1.8	New
Majority			9,889	25.4	4.7
Turnout			39,020	60.3	11.7
	Labour hold		Swing	2.4

General election 1997: Barrow and Furness^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Hutton	27,630	57.3	9.6
	Conservative	Richard Hunt	13,133	27.2	14.1
	Liberal Democrats	Anne A. Metcalfe	4,264	8.8	2.1
	Independent	Jim Hamezeian	1,995	4.1	New
	Referendum	David Y. Mitchell	1,208	2.5	New
Majority			14,497	30.1	23.7
Turnout			48,230	72.0	10.0
	Labour hold		Swing	11.9

General election 1992: Barrow and Furness^[28][29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Hutton	26,568	47.7	8.4
	Conservative	Cecil Franks	22,990	41.3	5.2
	Liberal Democrats	Clive J. Crane	6,089	10.9	3.4
Majority			3,578	6.4	N/A
Turnout			55,647	82.0	3.0
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	6.8

General election 1987: Barrow and Furness^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cecil Franks	25,431	46.5	2.9
	Labour	Peter Phizacklea	21,504	39.3	4.6
	SDP	Richard Phelps	7,799	14.3	7.4
Majority			3,927	7.2	1.7
Turnout			54,731	79.0	3.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	0.9

General election 1945: Barrow in Furness^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Walter Monslow	25,939	65.5	15.8
	Conservative	Jonah Walker-Smith	13,648	34.5	15.8
Majority			12,291	31.0	N/A
Turnout			39,587	79.7	5.7
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	15.8

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: Jonah Walker-Smith
• Labour: Ronald McKinnon Wood^[33]

General election 1935: Barrow in Furness^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jonah Walker-Smith	18,136	50.3	6.5
	Labour	Percy Barstow	17,919	49.7	6.5
Majority			217	0.6	12.8
Turnout			36,055	85.4	3.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	6.5

General election 1931: Barrow in Furness^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jonah Walker-Smith	20,794	56.8	12.8
	Labour	David Adams	15,835	43.2	12.8
Majority			4,959	13.4	N/A
Turnout			36,629	88.9	2.1
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	12.8

General election 1929: Barrow in Furness^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Bromley	19,798	56.0	4.8
	Unionist	Kenneth McDonald Cameron	15,551	44.0	4.8
Majority			4,247	12.0	9.6
Turnout			35,349	86.8	3.1
	Labour hold		Swing	4.8

General election 1924: Barrow in Furness^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Bromley	15,512	51.2	5.2
	Unionist	Daniel Somerville	14,802	48.8	1.3
Majority			710	2.4	N/A
Turnout			30,314	89.9	3.6
	Labour gain from Unionist		Swing	1.9

General election 1923: Barrow in Furness^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Daniel Somerville	13,996	47.5	5.6
	Labour	John Bromley	13,576	46.0	0.9
	Liberal	William Hood Wandless	1,931	6.5	New
Majority			420	1.5	4.7
Turnout			29,503	86.3	0.8
	Unionist hold		Swing	2.3

General election 1922: Barrow in Furness^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Daniel Somerville	16,478	53.1	+2.5
	Labour	John Bromley	14,551	46.9	2.5
Majority			1,927	6.2	5.0
Turnout			31,299	87.1	21.0
	Unionist hold		Swing	2.5

General election 1918: Barrow in Furness^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Robert Burton-Chadwick	12,608	50.6	3.5
	Labour	Charles Duncan	12,309	49.4	3.5
Majority			299	1.2	N/A
Turnout			24,917	66.1	20.7
	Unionist gain from Labour		Swing	3.5

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 July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

• Labour: Charles Duncan
• Unionist: Francis Meynell^[34]

General election December 1910: Barrow-in-Furness^[35][36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Charles Duncan	4,810	52.9	2.3
	Conservative	Francis Hugo Lindley Meynell	4,290	47.1	2.3
Majority			520	5.8	4.6
Turnout			9,100	86.8	4.8
Registered electors			10,478
	Labour hold		Swing	2.3

General election January 1910: Barrow-in-Furness^[35][36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Charles Duncan	5,304	55.2	5.1
	Conservative	Francis Hugo Lindley Meynell	4,298	44.8	5.1
Majority			1,006	10.4	10.2
Turnout			9,602	91.6	0.8
Registered electors			10,478
	Labour hold		Swing	5.1

General election 1895: Barrow-in-Furness^[35][37][38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Cayzer	3,192	53.6	0.2
	Liberal	Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee	2,355	39.5	7.1
	Ind. Labour Party	Pete Curran	414	6.9	New
Majority			837	14.1	7.3
Turnout			5,961	89.4	0.3
Registered electors			6,665
	Conservative hold		Swing	3.7

General election 1892: Barrow-in-Furness^[35][37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Cayzer	3,312	53.4	9.7
	Liberal	James Duncan	2,890	46.6	9.7
Majority			422	6.8	19.4
Turnout			6,202	89.1	5.1
Registered electors			6,958
	Conservative hold		Swing	9.7

1890 Barrow-in-Furness by-election^[35][37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	James Duncan	1,944	38.2	1.3
	Conservative	Herbert Henry Wainwright	1,862	36.6	26.5
	Independent Liberal	William Sproston Caine	1,280	25.2	New
Majority			82	1.6	N/A
Turnout			5,086	84.3	0.3
Registered electors			6,034
	Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist		Swing	13.9

General election 1886: Barrow-in-Furness^[35][37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	William Sproston Caine	3,212	63.1	16.2
	Liberal	John Ainsworth	1,882	36.9	16.2
Majority			1,330	26.2	N/A
Turnout			5,094	84.0	7.9
Registered electors			6,063
	Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal		Swing	16.2

1886 Barrow-in-Furness by-election^[35][37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Sproston Caine	3,109	58.7	5.6
	Conservative	Gainsford Bruce	2,174	41.0	5.9
	Independent Liberal	W H M Edmunds	15	0.3	New
Majority			935	17.7	11.5
Turnout			5,298	87.4	4.5
Registered electors			6,063
	Liberal hold		Swing	5.8

The election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election.

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Cumbria

• Barrow and Furness UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Barrow and Furness UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Barrow and Furness UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

54°06′43″N 3°10′41″W / 54.112°N 3.178°W / 54.112; -3.178