Portsmouth North is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Amanda Martin of the Labour Party since 2024.
As its name suggests, the constituency covers the northern portion of the city of Portsmouth in Hampshire.
The constituency was formed from splitting the existing of constituency Portsmouth
After the First periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the Cosham and Meredith ward forming part of the new constituency of Portsmouth Langstone, while the rest formed the new constituency of Portsmouth West.
The constituency was reformed from the abolished constituencies of Portsmouth West and Portsmouth Langstone
Portsea, and St Mary and Guildhall wards were transferred to Portsmouth South with Purbrook and Stakes transferred from the abolished constituency of Havant and Waterloo.
Purbrook and Stakes were transferred to Havant
Ward boundary changes and renaming
The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged.
The constituency was created in 1918 when the two-seat Portsmouth constituency was split into three divisions: Central, North and South.
It was abolished for the 1950 general election and largely replaced by a new Portsmouth West constituency as the axis of division changed, but was re-established for the February 1974 general election.
This urban seat is of average affluence and incomes, with relatively low unemployment compared to the national average measured at the end of 2012 at 3.8% (claimant count) as opposed to 2.3% average across the region.
Compared to Portsmouth South, it has a lower proportion of public sector workers, students and ethnic minorities. This explains the divergence between the two Portsmouth seats in voting patterns. The seat is currently in Labour hands, but very narrowly, with the former Conservative MP and leadership candidate Penny Mordaunt commanding a large personal following.
The seat has been one of the most long-standing bellwethers (of the national election winner), having that status since its creation in February 1974 (1970 if notional results are taken into account); only the Dartford constituency have a longer-standing status, which has been a bellwether since 1964.
Portsmouth prior to 1918
Portsmouth West and Portsmouth Langstone prior to 1974
Yexley (real name, James Woods) was supported by the Lower-Deck Parliamentary Committee, and also the local Liberal association.