Covering the eastern side of Liverpool, the Liverpool West Derby constituency takes in a string of well-known neighbourhoods including West Derby, Tuebrook, Old Swan, Knotty Ash, and Dovecot. It also extends beyond the city’s administrative boundary into the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, picking up the areas of Broadgreen and Page Moss. The constituency has been represented in the House of Commons since 2019 by Ian Byrne of the Labour Party, continuing a strong Labour tradition across most of the area at both local and national level.
Character and Communities
The neighbourhoods within the constituency vary noticeably in character. West Derby sits around the average for wealth by local standards, while Tuebrook and Page Moss rank among the top 10% most deprived areas in England. Across the constituency as a whole, household incomes and education levels tend to be below the national average, and relatively few residents work in professional occupations. Child poverty rates are above average and the proportion of residents claiming unemployment benefits is higher than the national figure. Average house prices here are lower than the rest of North West England and less than half the national average.
History and Demographics
Liverpool itself grew into a major port city through the importation of goods for Lancashire’s industries, though its history includes a significant role in the slave trade. The docks and manufacturing sectors declined sharply during the 1970s, bringing economic hardship to many eastern neighbourhoods. Regeneration efforts during the 21st century have had some effect across the city, though deprivation remains pronounced in parts of this constituency. At the 2021 census, white residents made up 90% of the population. The area has a notably high proportion of Catholics, a legacy of substantial Irish migration over previous centuries, and identification with Christianity generally is high compared to national figures. In the 2016 EU referendum, an estimated 51% of voters in the constituency supported remaining in the European Union, slightly above the nationwide figure of 48%. The constituency boundaries have been revised several times since the seat was first established in 1885, most recently adjusted following a Boundary Commission review ahead of the 2010 general election, when wards from Knowsley borough were incorporated.