South East · England · 70,972Boundary · 2023

Washington & Gateshead South

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Created in the 2023 boundary review, from parts of Gateshead and Washington and Sunderland West.

Dispatch
May 2026

Won by Lab in its first election in 2024. Covers Washington, Sunderland and Birtley. Population 96,618. Recorded crime is 56% below the national average. Median income £25K (below average).

Sharon Hodgson's office in Washington was torched in a suspected arson attack in September 2025 -- an incident that drew cross-party condemnation and brief national coverage. Her response was immediate: she stated she would not be deterred and would continue supporting constituents. A man was subsequently arrested. Beyond that episode, she has been a steady government loyalist, voting 100% with the Labour Party line across all recorded votes and showing no sign of dissent on any recent legislation, including multiple ping-pong exchanges with the Lords over the English Devolution, Children's Wellbeing, and Pension Schemes Bills.

Her participation rate of 65% sits below the Commons average, though long-serving backbenchers often vote selectively. Her 111 contributions across 52 debates show she is active in discussion even when absent from divisions. Health and social care dominate her speaking record -- accounting for roughly half her debate contributions -- followed by economy and jobs, local government, and cost-of-living issues, a pattern consistent with her two decades representing a working-class north-east constituency. Her stance data shows she votes more consistently in favour of public services funding and child welfare than the average Labour MP, while sitting notably below the party average on pension protection votes.

326
Commons votes
This parliament
£25k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
71.0k
Electorate
2024 GE

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

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

§ 07The record, at a glance.337 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Hodgson 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
Taxation
74
Economy
59
Employment
39
Crime & Policing
37
Education
24
Constitution and Democracy
23
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.9 wards

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

WardCouncillorVotesParty
BirtleyJoe Sowerby892Liberal
CastleDenny Wilson1,130Labour P
LamesleyJudith Turner1,447Labour P
RedhillAlison Smith931Labour P
Washington CentralDianne Elizabeth Snowdon1,673Labour P
Washington EastSean Robert Laws1,632Labour P
Washington NorthMichael Lee Walker1,389Labour P
Washington SouthBrandon Mark Feeley1,555Labour P
Washington WestJimmy Warne1,412Labour P
Population (2021 Census)
96,618
Electorate 70,972 · 2024 register
Median income
£25,100
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
12.4%
England average 20.0%
Schools
46
32 primary · 7 secondary
Next · dig deeperEvery division, question, speech and committee record

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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.