Lab held for 5 consecutive elections.
Peter Dowd
Labour PartyPeter Dowd is the Labour MP for Bootle, and has been an MP continually since 7 May 2015.
MPs voted on whether to pass the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at its final stage in the Commons. The Bill makes changes to welfare benefits, including a gradual increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance, and had been debated at length including proposed amendments to speed up or expand those increases.
MPs voted on whether to give the Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill a Second Reading, allowing it to progress through Parliament. This bill proposes significant changes to the welfare system, including reforms to how disability benefits (PIP) are assessed and restrictions on who qualifies for the health-related component of Universal Credit.
MPs voted on a 'reasoned amendment' at the Second Reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill — a procedural move by the opposition to block the bill from progressing, signalling rejection of the government's proposed welfare reforms. The bill seeks to make changes to Universal Credit and PIP (Personal Independence Payment) eligibility and assessments.
Sign up free to read the full briefing on Peter Dowd.
Sign up freeCoverage of Bootle has been mixed for Peter across 40 recent articles.
A safe Lab seat, won with 69% of the vote in 2024. Covers Bootle (Sefton), Crosby (Sefton) and Litherland. Population 103,300. Median income £25K (below average).
Families turn out for Opening Day as Grand National gets underway
Liverpool Echo · 9 Apr 2026
Sign up free to see how Peter Dowd votes, their stance profile, speeches, and committee roles.
Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£25,000
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£29,400
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
2,435
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
47
29 primary, 5 secondary, 13 other
Total Income Tax▼
£163m
from 49,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,290
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£3,360
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▼
34.4
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
44.3%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
2 large towns, 1 town, 1 village, rural areas — 101,423 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
8 councillors across 8 wards · Last elections: Jul 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Church | Green Party of England and Wales | Neil Anthony Doolin | May 2024 |
| Derby | Labour Party | Maria Porter | May 2024 |
| Ford | Labour Party | Paulette Lappin | May 2024 |
| Linacre | Labour Party | Jim Conalty | Jul 2024 |
| Litherland | Labour Party | Paula Murphy | May 2024 |
| Netherton Orrell | Labour Party | Tom Spring | May 2024 |
| St Oswald | Labour Party | Helen Duerden | Jun 2024 |
| Victoria | Labour Party | Michael Roche | May 2024 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Lab | 26,729 | 68.8% |
| Ref | 4,746 | 12.2% | |
| Green | 3,904 | 10.0% | |
| Con | 1,674 | 4.3% | |
| LD | 1,301 | 3.4% | |
| WPB | 526 | 1.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Lab | 39,066 | 79.4% |
| Con | 4,510 | 9.2% | |
| Ind | 2,610 | 5.3% | |
| LD | 1,822 | 3.7% | |
| Green | 1,166 | 2.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2015 GE | Lab | 42,259 | 84.0% |
| Con | 6,059 | 12.1% | |
| LD | 837 | 1.7% | |
| Green | 709 | 1.4% | |
| Ind | 424 | 0.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Lab | 33,619 | 74.5% |
| Ind | 4,915 | 10.9% | |
| Con | 3,639 | 8.1% | |
| Green | 1,501 | 3.3% | |
| LD | 978 | 2.2% | |
| Ind | 500 | 1.1% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab | 27,426 | 66.4% | |
Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GE | LD | 6,245 | 15.1% |
| Con | 3,678 | 8.9% | |
| Ind | 2,514 | 6.1% | |
| Ind | 942 | 2.3% | |
| Ind | 472 | 1.1% |
Peter Dowd 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.
14 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
The Grand National Festival 2026 opened at Aintree on April 9 with thousands of racegoers attending, including families from nearby areas like Norris Green, Litherland, and Crosby. The article highlights the social and cultural significance of the event for the local community and Liverpool region.
A man in his 40s was found dead in Hatton Hill Park, Litherland (Merseyside) with police treating the death as unexplained and urging the public to avoid the area during their investigation. The incident has caused concern among local residents, with the park cordoned off and a full forensic investigation underway.
A train breakdown at Bootle Oriel Road caused major disruption on the Southport line, with services suspended between Sandhills and Bootle New Strand. A replacement bus service was implemented, with disruption expected until 5pm.
Spanish police conducted raids in Benidorm's 'English zone' resulting in 50 arrests as part of a crackdown on drug trafficking. The article highlights connections between British and Irish criminal gangs operating in the Alicante region, including a Bootle man involved in a shooting incident and drug smuggling cases involving individuals from Northwest England.
The family of James Bulger, a toddler murdered in Bootle in 1993, have praised a fundraiser that raised over £23,000 following vandalism of his grave in Kirkdale Cemetery. The funds will repair damaged cherub statues at his headstone, with surplus going to the James Bulger Memorial Trust to support other bereaved families.
A 35-year-old man was critically injured in a gang assault in Litherland on 29 March, attacked by masked men wielding a long-handled weapon. Merseyside Police are appealing for witnesses and CCTV footage to identify the attackers.
A police incident occurred over the weekend on Webster Street in Litherland, with emergency services establishing a large cordon at the scene. The article provides minimal detail and is primarily a live-update placeholder seeking further information from Merseyside Police.
Bootle Strand's £30m redevelopment has passed a major milestone with demolition ending and work moving to the next phase, including creation of a new public square and expansion of the Salt & Tar venue. Local residents express cautious optimism about the regeneration, though some concerns remain about affordability, shop rents, and adequate facilities for families and young people.
A Grade II Listed church on Stanley Road in Bootle is being converted into a new gymnastics and trampolining facility by Altius Gymnastics, inspired by Olympian Zak Perzamanos. The planning application has passed consultation and awaits Sefton Council's approval, promising community access for all ages and abilities.
A man was shot in the leg in Stockbridge Village, part of the Bootle constituency, early Thursday morning. Police are investigating what they believe was a targeted attack and are appealing for information from the community.
A shooting incident in Stockbridge Village, Merseyside has resulted in police being granted extra stop-and-search powers under a Section 60 order covering the area until tomorrow afternoon. A man in his 30s was shot in the leg and is stable in hospital; police are treating it as a targeted attack and appealing for information.
Three shootings have occurred across Merseyside in March 2026, including incidents in Stockbridge Village, Toxteth, and Litherland, with one victim injured on Boode Croft in Stockbridge Village. Despite the recent spate of gun violence, Merseyside Police note that gun crime remains at its lowest level since the 1990s, with officers continuing investigations into the separate incidents.
Sefton Council is selling off the Seaforth Vale car park near Seaforth and Litherland station and transferring management of another council car park to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. These decisions are part of the council's £12m asset sale plan to address a government bailout needed to balance its budget.
A man was shot in the leg in Stockbridge Village, Knowsley this morning in what police describe as a targeted attack. This is the second shooting in Merseyside within a week, though police indicate the incidents are not believed to be linked.
The UK Parliament's Petitions Committee published routine decisions on 24 March 2026, noting responses to several high-signature petitions including NHS staffing ratios and digital ID rights. The committee also noted observations on local petitions, including one on the A5036 Park Lane footbridge submitted by Bootle MP Peter Dowd.
A shooting incident occurred in Stockbridge Village on Boode Croft in the early morning, leaving a man in his 30s with a gunshot wound to his leg. Police describe it as a targeted attack and are appealing for information from residents and those with CCTV footage.
Four men have been charged with possession of firearms with intent to endanger life following a shooting incident on Bowland Drive in Litherland, Merseyside on March 23. The suspects allegedly fired at a man on a motorcycle; no injuries were reported but two loaded firearms were recovered. All four remain in custody pending trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
Four men have been charged following an alleged shooting incident in Litherland where a gang in a car allegedly fired at a man on a bike. Armed police recovered two loaded firearms from bushes, and the suspects were apprehended after a brief vehicle chase that ended in Aintree.
Armed police arrested four Liverpool men after they allegedly fired weapons at an e-bike rider on Fulwood Way in Litherland, Sefton, on Monday afternoon. Two loaded guns were recovered from bushes, and police are seeking the e-bike rider believed to be the intended target.
A swastika was graffitied on a house in Waterloo, Merseyside, shocking the homeowner who immediately reported it to police and covered it with white paint. The incident is part of a broader pattern of racist graffiti across Sefton, including previous incidents in Bootle and Litherland, prompting Sefton Council to reiterate its zero-tolerance approach to hate crimes.
Armed police responded to reports of shots fired on Bowland Drive in Litherland, Merseyside, resulting in the arrest of four men and seizure of a firearm. No injuries were reported, though the incident caused significant disruption with roads cordoned off.
A firearms incident occurred in Litherland, with shots fired on Fulwood Way resulting in four arrests for firearms offences, a seized firearm, and cordoned-off areas including the Leeds and Liverpool Canal path. The incident also involved a damaged police car on Melling Road in nearby Aintree.
Police responded to a firearms incident on Bowland Drive in Litherland, cordoning off part of the housing estate with multiple vehicles deployed to the scene. The incident occurred on Monday, March 23, with officers treating it as a serious crime matter.
Sefton Council is expanding its Sacks to Bins scheme to five additional wards including Litherland, which overlaps with Bootle constituency. The initiative replaces black bin bags with wheelie bins for recycling and general waste, with collections beginning March 24 and promising cleaner streets and improved recycling rates.
Subscribe to unlock AI parliamentary agenda analysis: what's coming up, how it affects this constituency, and how your MP is likely to vote.
See plansSign up free to ask AI questions about Peter Dowd — 3 questions per month on the free tier.
Sign up freeMore constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.