As well as the eponymous towns ofThirsk andMalton, the seat also includesPickering and most of theNorth York Moors (its southern part), a mixed rugged crags and hillsideNational Park; its coastline in the seat atFiley is where the Moors meets the sea, with picturesque bays near toScarborough.Electoral Calculus describes the seat as "Strong Right", characterised by support for socially conservative values andBrexit.[3]
Under both periods of its existence, the constituency has been asafe Conservative seat, although the Ryedale seat (replacing Thirsk and Malton from 1983 to 2010) was taken byElizabeth Shields for theLiberal Party, following aby-election in 1986, held following the death of MPJohn Spence, and she held it for one year until the 1987 general election.
Robin Turton was theMinister of Health (head of department in that era) from December 1955 to January 1957. He also becamefather of the House and was among the longest-serving MPs for a single constituency, representing his seat for 44 years and 9 months.
1918–1950: The Urban District of Malton, the Rural Districts of Easingwold, Flaxton, Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Thirsk, and Wath, and part of the Rural District of Pickering.
1950–1974: The Urban District of Malton, the Rural Districts of Bedale, Easingwold, Flaxton, Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Thirsk, and Wath, and part of the Rural District of Pickering.
1974–1983: The Urban District of Malton, and the Rural Districts of Bedale, Easingwold, Flaxton, Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Thirsk, and Wath.
2010–2024: The District of Ryedale, the District of Hambleton wards of Easingwold, Helperby, Huby and Sutton, Shipton, Sowerby, Stillington, Thirsk, Thorntons, Tollerton, Topcliffe, White Horse, and Whitestonecliffe, and the Borough of Scarborough wards of Filey and Hertford.
The District of Hambleton wards of: Bagby & Thorntons; Bedale; Sowerby & Topcliffe; Tanfield; Thirsk.
The District of Ryedale.
The Borough of Scarborough wards of: Filey; Hunmanby.[4]
On 1 April 2023, before the new boundaries came into effect, the Borough of Scarborough and Districts of Hambleton and Ryedale were abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of North Yorkshire.[5] Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following from the2024 general election:
Thirsk and Malton was originally scheduled to be contested for the first time at thegeneral election on 6 May 2010. However, the death ofUKIP candidate John Boakes from a suspected heart attack, announced on 22 April 2010, caused the poll in the constituency to be postponed until 27 May 2010. Under theElectoral Administration Act, UKIP were allowed to select a replacement candidate, but new nominations by other parties were not permitted.[18][19][20] The constituent parties of theConservative – Liberal Democrat coalition government formed in the aftermath of the general election fielded competing candidates.[21]
In January 2014,ConservativeAnne McIntosh — the MP at the time — was not re-selected by the local party.[22] McIntosh originally announced she would stand as anindependent,[22] but withdrew in March 2015.[23]
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
