Constituency profile

Washington and Gateshead South

North East · Borough constituency

Mrs Sharon Hodgson MP
Sitting MP

Mrs Sharon Hodgson

Labour

First elected May 2005

Current PollCheck projection

Region & type
North East
Borough constituency
Last 5 GE winners
LLLLL
Labour 5/5
EU referendum 2016
59.0% Leave
UK average 51.9%; +7.1pp above mean
Current outlook
Reform UK +16.8pp
Vulnerability score 10/10 (Labour projected to lose)
NorthernLeave-leaningWorking-class profile

About the Washington and Gateshead South constituency

Washington and Gateshead South is a borough constituency in the North East, spanning parts of Sunderland, Gateshead and neighbouring councils. The sitting MP is Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Labour), first elected in May 2005.

At the 2024 general election, Labour won Washington and Gateshead South with 47.8% of the vote, ahead of Reform UK on 29.1%, a majority of 6,913 votes. Turnout was 52.2%.

If a general election were held today, PollCheck's projection at the current seven-poll average has Reform UK on 43.6% and Labour on 26.8% in Washington and Gateshead South, a margin of 16.8 points, a projected change from Labour since 2024. The projection updates automatically as new polls are added.

Demographically, Washington and Gateshead South is a Leave-leaning area (an estimated 59.0% voted Leave in 2016). About 22.5% of residents hold a degree, 57.3% of homes are owner-occupied, and the seat has a median age of about 44 (2021 Census).

Across the most recent general elections on record here, the seat has been won by Labour each time.

Who lives in Washington and Gateshead South? Constituency demographics

From the 2021 Census and 2016 EU referendum estimates. Constituency-level data on 2024 boundaries.

Leave vote 2016
59.0%
UK average ~52%
Degree or above
22.5%
UK average ~34%
No qualifications
22.9%
UK average ~18%
Owner-occupied
57.3%
UK average ~63%
Renting (social + private)
42.3%
UK average ~36%
Median age
43.5
UK median ~40
Age 65+
25.3%
UK average ~19%
Age 18-34
27.1%
UK average ~28%

How did Washington and Gateshead South vote in 2024 and how would it vote now?

2024 vote shares from the HoC Library. Current projection is at the 7-poll average.

2024 general election

Lab hold · majority 6,913 votes (18.7pp) · turnout 52.2%

Current projection

If a general election were held today, at current poll average

Map of Washington and Gateshead South

Switch between ward-level 2024 election winners and a demographic view. Ward winners are Britain Elects' / New Statesman modelled estimates with an average ~4pp margin of error per ward. The demographic view splits the seat into small neighbourhoods (around 1,500 residents each, from the 2021 Census). Hover any area for detail.

Council layer (not Westminster)

Washington and Gateshead South within Sunderland and Gateshead

Washington and Gateshead South crosses multiple council boundaries: Sunderland (85%), Gateshead (15%). The figures below come from the council elections held on Thursday 7 May 2026 in each constituent council where they were held; for councils not in the 2026 election cycle the most recent available ward result is shown instead.

Council overlap

CouncilShare of seatProjection
Sunderland
56 LSOAs
85%View projection ›
Gateshead
10 LSOAs
15%View projection ›

Most recent council ward results

Latest council winner per ward. Where the council held a May 2026 election, those results are shown; otherwise we show the most recent available ward result (via DCLEAPIL, 2014-2024), or, where the seat was uncontested at the last election, the current sitting councillor from OpenCouncilData. The "Shift since GE2024" column is only computed for May 2026 results - earlier council votes pre-date the GE, so no directional shift is shown.

Ward GE2024 winner Latest council winner Shift since GE2024 Turnout

Projection trajectory

PollCheck's projection for Washington and Gateshead South at each of the last 60 GB polls. Hover the chart for the underlying poll details.

Who has won Washington and Gateshead South at past general elections?

2024 result is on current boundaries. The 2019 row is the UK Parliament's notional recalculation onto the 2024 boundaries (directly comparable to 2024). The 2010, 2015 and 2017 rows are on the boundaries in force at the time and aren't directly comparable.

Year Result MP Lab Con LD Right (Ref/UKIP) Green Other Majority Turnout
2010predecessorLab holdSharon Hodgson Washington and Sunderland West MP52.5%21.8%17.1%3.4% UKIP-5.1%11,45854.2%
2015predecessorLab holdSharon Hodgson Washington and Sunderland West MP55.0%18.9%2.7%19.6% UKIP2.9%0.9%13,15754.6%+0.4
2017predecessorLab holdSharon Hodgson Washington and Sunderland West MP60.7%28.8%2.4%6.8% UKIP1.3%-12,94060.3%+5.7
2019notionalLabour winnerSharon Hodgson Washington and Sunderland West MP, pre-review boundary43.1%33.7%4.9%1.8% Brx2.7%13.8%3,93858.5%
2024Lab holdSharon Hodgson47.8%12.6%4.3%29.1% Ref4.6%1.7%6,91352.2%-6.3

Washington and Gateshead South was created or substantially redrawn by the 2023 boundary review. Pre-2024 rows below are for the predecessor seat Washington and Sunderland West (the seat that covered most of this area), so vote shares and majorities aren’t directly comparable to the post-2024 figures.

Constituencies most like Washington and Gateshead South

Five seats with similar demographic profiles to Washington and Gateshead South. Politics shown for context.

What would change this seat?

Move the sliders to set national vote shares. The per-seat projection updates live. Reset returns to the current 7-poll average.

Related

Sources

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