Lab regained this seat from Con — last held it in 2017.
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+67
Sam Rushworth
Labour PartySam Rushworth is the Labour MP for Bishop Auckland, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
Vote on a package of government new clauses to the Crime and Policing Bill at Report Stage, covering measures including: criminalising organising begging for profit, stronger protections for emergency workers against racial and religious abuse, removing the limitation period in child sexual abuse cases, and new offences around internal concealment of items for criminal purposes. The large Aye majority reflects broad government support for these law and order measures.
Vote on New Clause 106, which sought to require women to have an in-person medical consultation before receiving abortion medication, as a safety measure. This was debated alongside New Clause 1, which would have decriminalised abortion for women, making it a free vote on conscience issues around abortion law reform.
Vote on whether to prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the assisted dying bill solely because they have voluntarily stopped eating and drinking. The amendment aimed to close a potential loophole where a person might use self-starvation to meet the terminal illness criteria they would not otherwise meet.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Bishop Auckland has been mixed for Sam across 40 recent articles.
Represented by Lab since 2024. Covers Bishop Auckland, Shildon and Crook. Population 93,622, notably older (median age 47 vs 41 nationally). Median income £25K (below average).
Baby whose remains were found in 1910 newspaper 'lived 300 years ago'
Daily Mail Online · 14 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£24,900
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£31,100
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,525
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
60
48 primary, 6 secondary, 6 other
Total Income Tax▼
£174m
from 45,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,270
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£3,900
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
45.0
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
60.9%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
4 towns, 16 villages, rural areas — 91,616 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
21 councillors across 11 wards · Last elections: Apr 2022
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnard Castle East | Conservative and Unionist Party | George Morland Richardson | May 2021 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | James Michael Rowlandson | May 2021 | |
| Barnard Castle West | Conservative and Unionist Party | Richard Andrew Bell | May 2021 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Ted Henderson | May 2021 | |
| Bishop Auckland Town | Conservative and Unionist Party | Andrew Jackson | May 2021 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Sam Zair | May 2021 | |
| Coundon | Labour Party | Charlie Kay | May 2021 |
| Crook | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Anne Reed | May 2021 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | James Michael Currah | May 2021 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Patricia Ann Jopling | May 2021 | |
| Evenwood | Conservative and Unionist Party | James Langford Cosslett | May 2021 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Robert Potts | May 2021 | |
| Shildon Dene Valley | Labour Party | Matt Johnson | May 2021 |
| Labour Party | Samantha Townsend | May 2021 | |
| Labour Party | Shirley Quinn | May 2021 | |
| Tow Law | Labour Party | Richard Manchester | May 2021 |
| Weardale | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | John Shuttleworth | May 2021 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Mary Anita Savory | May 2021 | |
| West Auckland | Labour Party | George Smith | Apr 2022 |
| Woodhouse Close | Conservative and Unionist Party | Cathy Hunt | May 2021 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Joanne Howey | May 2021 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab | 17,036 | 42.1% | |
| Con | 10,364 | 25.6% | |
| Ref | 9,466 | 23.4% | |
| Green | 1,857 | 4.6% | |
| LD | 1,373 | 3.4% | |
| Ind | 331 | 0.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Con | 24,067 | 53.7% | |
Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 16,105 | 35.9% |
| Ind | 2,500 | 5.6% | |
| LD | 2,133 | 4.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 20,808 | 48.1% |
| Con | 20,306 | 46.9% | |
| LD | 1,176 | 2.7% | |
| Ind | 991 | 2.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 16,307 | 41.4% |
| Con | 12,799 | 32.5% | |
| Ind | 7,015 | 17.8% | |
| LD | 1,723 | 4.4% | |
| Green | 1,545 | 3.9% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Lab | 16,023 | 39.0% |
| Con | 10,805 | 26.3% | |
| LD | 9,189 | 22.3% | |
| Ind | 2,036 | 5.0% | |
| Ind | 1,964 | 4.8% | |
| Ind | 1,119 | 2.7% |
Sam Rushworth has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
A baby's skeletal remains discovered under floorboards in Bishop Auckland in July 2024 may have died up to 300 years ago, though found wrapped in a 1910 newspaper. An inquest heard the unidentified child, named 'Baby Auckland', will receive a proper funeral later this month after police and council arranged a dignified burial.
Jollyes Pets, a UK pet retailer, is planning to open new stores in County Durham including Bishop Auckland as part of its expansion programme. The article also notes that M&S is similarly targeting Bishop Auckland for a new food store, indicating broader retail investment in the area.
Skeletal remains of a newborn baby, wrapped in newspaper dated 1910 with twine around its neck, were discovered under floorboards in Bishop Auckland in July 2024. An inquest hearing determined the baby was full-term but could not establish cause of death; a funeral has been arranged for April 27 in Bishop Auckland.
A baby's skeletal remains discovered under floorboards in a Bishop Auckland house in 2024, wrapped in a 1910 newspaper with twine around the neck, may have lived up to 300 years earlier based on radiocarbon dating. An inquest opened at Crook coroner's court heard the baby's identity and cause of death remain unknown, though DNA confirmed the child was male.
A baby's skeleton wrapped in a 1910 newspaper was discovered during home renovations in Bishop Auckland in July 2024. An inquest has been opened to investigate the death of the unknown male infant, with the cause of death remaining unascertained and conflicting radiocarbon dating providing uncertain timelines.
A skeleton of a baby boy was discovered beneath floorboards in Bishop Auckland during renovations in July 2024. Carbon dating suggests the child died between 1726 and 1812, though the cause of death remains undetermined; a full inquest will resume in May with plans for a funeral and burial in Bishop Auckland cemetery.
Jollyes Pets has announced plans to open 160 new stores across the UK over the next five years, with Bishop Auckland specifically listed as a target location in the North East region. The expansion represents significant retail investment and job creation potential for the constituency.
A blue plaque unveiled in Bishop Auckland in 2021 commemorates a visit by celebrated Italian violinist Niccolò Paganini in 1830, when he performed in assembly rooms above what is now Sam Zair's Cafe. The article traces the building's history and the local research efforts that confirmed this significant cultural moment in the town's heritage.
Bishop Auckland Food Festival is returning April 18-19 with over 150 food traders, TV chef demonstrations, live entertainment, and family activities centred on the town's Market Place. The event, organised by Durham County Council, is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors and aims to boost the local high street.
Live traffic and travel updates for the North East region including Bishop Auckland, reporting on roadworks, public transport disruptions (notably rail repairs on the Saltburn-Darlington-Bishop Auckland route), and weather forecasts for April 1.
Baby & Toddler Kingdom, a family-run children's and baby clothes shop on Newgate Street in Bishop Auckland, is closing after 10 years of trading. The owners cited it as the right time for a new chapter, with the shop offering discounts up to 70% as it winds down operations.
Barnardo's charity shop in Newton Aycliffe is closing in May, adding to concerns about the town's struggling high street. Newton Aycliffe has the third-highest empty retail unit rate in County Durham at 26%, with Bishop Auckland also flagged as having significant vacancy issues.
A Spennymoor couple behind the successful Durham Vintage business, which has operated from a Bishop Auckland warehouse, are opening a new children's clothing store called Inky & Co in Durham in May. The venture responds to growing demand for affordable children's clothing identified through their existing Bishop Auckland operations.
An article celebrating Frosterley, a village in County Durham with significant archaeological heritage spanning from the Mesolithic period to the present day. The piece highlights the village's historical importance, distinctive Frosterley Marble stone used in Durham Cathedral, and its role as a tourist destination within Weardale.
Bishop Auckland faces the highest shop vacancy rate increase in County Durham (3.25%), but the town is pursuing major regeneration through a Town of Culture 2028 bid, £200m+ investment including the Stronger Towns Fund, and new council powers to lease vacant properties. Local leaders and council officials express optimism about revival despite ongoing high street challenges.
Mrs B's Deli, a popular sandwich bar on Newgate Street in Bishop Auckland that opened in November 2023, is closing on May 15 due to lack of passing trade and rising costs. The closure reflects broader challenges facing small businesses and the town centre's vibrancy.
Northumbrian Water has completed the £92.5M first phase of Project Pipeline, constructing over 30km of new water infrastructure across County Durham and the Tees Valley. The project improves water supply resilience to communities including those in Bishop Auckland while reducing energy consumption and operational costs through gravity-fed design.
County Durham is experiencing multiple road closures over the coming weeks for maintenance, barrier renewals, utility works, and the Bishop Auckland Food Festival. Several closures affect major routes including the A1M and A66, as well as local roads in Bishop Auckland and surrounding towns.
A 64-year-old Bishop Auckland resident, Graham Spells, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for possessing and distributing indecent images of children, some depicting abuse of children as young as five. The case highlights serious child sexual abuse material crimes in the constituency.
A Bishop Auckland mother, Angel Buxton, has launched a petition with 2,600 signatures calling for mandatory NHS screening of vasa previa during routine mid-pregnancy scans after her newborn daughter died from the undetected rare condition. The campaign, known as 'Lainey's Law', seeks to change NHS screening guidelines across all trusts and raise awareness of this preventable condition.
Kynren, a historical theme park opening in July 2024 in Bishop Auckland, is seeking planning permission to expand with new shows and increase visitor capacity. The 11arches charity-run attraction aims to tell larger-scale stories and reach more visitors through these developments.
Graham Spells, 64, from Bishop Auckland, has been jailed for 20 months after being found with child sexual abuse images on his mobile phone. The offence represents a breach of his existing lifelong sexual harm prevention order and adds to his previous convictions for similar crimes.
Durham County Council is launching a public consultation on Strategic Place Plans for towns across County Durham, including Bishop Auckland, to improve local economies and community wellbeing. The eight-week engagement seeks input from residents and businesses on how to make their towns thrive, with examples from other towns like Seaham raising concerns about parking charges, high street decline, and pedestrianisation.
A man has been charged with two knife-point robberies at a BP garage in Barnard Castle and appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court. The incident highlights local crime concerns in the wider Bishop Auckland area.
A shop on Newgate Street in Bishop Auckland was targeted in a burglary where suspects smashed windows and fled in a car that was later found burnt out at Bishop Auckland Rugby Club. A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and released on bail pending further enquiries.
A 55-year-old former police officer and bailiff, Jeff Blair, died after being stabbed on Dent Street in Shildon in March. An inquest opened at Crook Coroners' Court, with a man charged with his murder awaiting psychiatric evaluation before entering pleas.
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