General Election 2024: Explaining the constituency boundary changes in Lincolnshire

Last year, changes were proposed and approved by the Boundary Commissions— altering some constituencies in the country to ensure that they are roughly a similar size in terms of people within the boundary area.

As many as four of Greater Lincolnshire’s eleven constituencies will change in name and boundary for this election, while six others will alter in size and just one stays the same as previous.

Below is an explainer of the boundary changes, as well as the candidates we know in each constituency so far, but please note that more names are still to be added between now and the July 4 election date.

Grantham & Bourne

Formerly Grantham & Stamford, this constituency will now be split into two separate areas, with a fresh boundary line between the two towns, and Grantham instead incorporating the Bourne area as well as other sections north of Grantham.

64.8% of the current Grantham & Stamford boundary goes to Grantham & Bourne for this change, with the remaining 35.2% being handed over to a brand new constituency for this next election.

The new constituency will keep places such as Pointon and Harlaxton, but also gain areas like Fulbeck, Ancaster and Heckington.

Candidates we know so far:

• Gareth Davies (Conservative and current MP for Grantham & Stamford)
• Anne Gayfer (Green)
• Mike Rudkin (Reform)

Stamford & Rutland

The new constituency of Stamford & Rutland is relegating Melton from the former Rutland & Melton seat and replacing it with the Lincolnshire town of Stamford.

This fresh boundary stretches south of Stamford and covers the Oakham and Uppingham areas, right up to the edge of Leicester.

Areas such as Great Ponton, Grimsthorpe and Castle Bytham will form part of the new Stamford & Rutland constituency, having previously been a part of Grantham & Stamford.

Candidates we know so far:

• Alicia Kearns (Conservative and current MP for Rutland and Melton)
• James Moore (Liberal Democrats)
• Emma Baker (Green)
• Chris Clowes (Reform)

Brigg & Immingham

The previous Brigg & Goole constituency will be split into four separate boundary areas for this election, with a Goole & Pocklington constituency created north of Lincolnshire, occupying 35.6% of Brigg & Goole.

20.9% of it will help form the new Brigg & Immingham boundary, while a quarter of it will go to Doncaster East & The Isle of Axholme, and the remaining 17% is added onto Scunthorpe.

The vast majority of Brigg & Immingham will come from the former Cleethorpes constituency, following the seaside town’s merger with Great Grimsby — which will be detailed below.

Candidates we know so far:

• Martin Vickers (Conservative and current Cleethorpes MP)
• Namjul Hussain (Labour)
• Paul Ladlow (Reform)

Great Grimsby & Cleethorpes

Having previously been split into two, these two major areas of North East Lincolnshire will now be one collective constituency from 2024.

It represents an increase in size for the Grimsby area, but sees large parts of the Cleethorpes constituency cut and handed over to Brigg & Immingham — another new seat.

69% of the new constituency comes from the former Great Grimsby, and 31% from Cleethorpes, offering a more rounded North East Lincolnshire focus on this seat.

Candidates we know so far:

• Lia Nici (Conservative and current Great Grimsby MP)
• Melanie Onn (Labour)
• William Stones (Social Democratic Party)

The rest of Greater Lincolnshire

Despite these big changes in the county, just one of Greater Lincolnshire’s constituencies rank in the top 15 national list for the biggest alterations to boundaries, and that is Brigg & Goole’s shift to Goole & Pocklington — which moves the constituency out of the county.

Lincoln, Sleaford & North Hykeham, Gainsborough, Boston & Skegness, Louth & Horncastle, South Holland & The Deepings, and Scunthorpe will remain for the 2024 election, but that isn’t to say the boundaries haven’t had minor changes.

A small section around Waddington will be added to Lincoln from Sleaford & North Hykeham, while around 21% of the Sleaford & North Hykeham constituency will go to the new Grantham & Bourne space.

Around 3% of the Gainsborough constituency will be taken on by Louth & Horncastle, which itself will sacrifice 12.6% of its boundary to Boston & Skegness, extending to Chapel St Leonards and stopping just before Alford.

Scunthorpe will expand to welcome areas like Winterton, and South Holland & The Deepings is Greater Lincolnshire’s only constituency to record no boundary changes from its previous version.

To check the boundary changes in your area, visit the interactive map on the parliament UK website.

The remaining candidates we know so far are:

Lincoln

• Karl McCartney (Conservative and current MP)
• Hamish Falconer (Labour)
• Sally Anne Horscroft (Green)
• Jamie-Lee McMillan (Reform)
• Craig Marshall (Social Democratic Party)
• Linda Richardson (Workers Party of Britain)

Gainsborough

• Sir Edward Leigh (Conservative and current MP)
• Jess McGuire (Labour)
• Pat O’Connor (Reform)
• Tim Mellors (Social Democratic Party)

Louth & Horncastle

• Victoria Atkins (Conservative and current MP)
• Jonathan Slater (Labour)
• Ross Pepper (Liberal Democrats)
• Sean Roger Matthews (Reform)
• Marcus Moorhouse (Social Democratic Party)

Boston & Skegness

• Matt Warman (Conservative and current MP)
• Richard Tice (Reform )
• David Dickason (English Democrats)

Sleaford & North Hykeham

• Caroline Johnson (Conservative and current MP)
• Matthew Winnington (Liberal Democrats)
• Christopher Padley (Green)
• Ben Jackson (Reform)

South Holland & The Deepings

• Sir John Hayes (Conservative and current MP)
• Paul Hilliar (Labour)
• Jack Braginton (Liberal Democrats)
• Rhys Baker (Green)
• William Wade (Reform)
• Mark Le Sage (Independent)

Scunthorpe

• Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative and current MP)
• Sir Nic Dakin (Labour)
• Steven Hopkins (Reform)