Bolton North East has more often than not to date been a marginal seat[n 3] between Labour and Conservative candidates. In 1992, Labour's David Crausby came tantalisingly close to gaining the seat, but did not, as his party were expecting to. It would not be until 1997 that Labour gained the seat, with a huge 12,000 majority, holding it for the next 22 years. Labour comfortably held the seat in 2010, with very little swing from the previous election. Mark Logan finally recaptured the seat for the Conservatives in 2019 with a majority of just 0.9%, making it their fourth most marginal seat over Labour.
Logan opted not to contest the 2024 election and, after the Dissolution of Parliament, he endorsed the Labour Party.[5] Labour's candidate, Kirith Entwistle subsequently won the seat with a majority of over 15%, with the Conservatives coming second just ahead of Reform UK.
1983–1997: The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton wards of Astley Bridge, Bradshaw, Breightmet, Bromley Cross, Central, and Tonge.
1997–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton wards of Astley Bridge, Bradshaw, Breightmet, Bromley Cross, Central, Halliwell, and Tonge.
2010–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton wards of Astley Bridge, Bradshaw, Breightmet, Bromley Cross, Crompton, Halliwell, and Tonge with the Haulgh.
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023[7][8], the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton from the 2024 general election:
Astley Bridge; Bradshaw; Breightmet; Bromley Cross; Halliwell; Little Lever & Darcy Lever; Queens Park & Central (majority); and Tonge with the Haulgh.[9]
For the 1997 general election the boundaries of the seat were significantly redrawn. The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1997 estimated that had the new boundaries been used for the previous general election rather than being narrowly held by the Conservatives, the seat would have been won by the Labour candidate with a majority of 3,017 over the Conservatives. Thus technically the seat was notionally a Labour hold at this election rather than a gain for the party. The swing above is based on this notional result.[29]