Member of Parliament for South Shields
Constituency
South Shields is a town of great history. Its mining and seafaring heritage shaped generations
of citizens. It ha s always had a strong sense of its own identity, proud to be part of the North East,
but independent of Newcastle and Sunderland. The record books show it is the only constituency in
existence since the Great Reform Act of 1832 never to have elected a Conservative MP.
Today the town is gearing itself for big change. The decline of traditional industry means that we
need to rebuild the economic base. The vision of the South Tyneside Transformation Plan is that we
should take advantages of our special assets - location, coast and sea, strong community, proximity to thriving cities - and make them count. That means linking in to regional economic development, for 
example
through the pivotal role of the expanding Port of Tyne. It means making better use of the river - as a place for work, leisure, and learning, through the development of the internationally renowned marine college. And
it means rebuilding the town centre as a place to shop.
South Shields has a bustling town centre, with lively shopping area and popular markets. 
A quaint eighteenth century traditional town hall stands in the square, surrounded by the newly refurbished high street, with shops, stores and restaurants offering great choice and value for money. On the South side stands the Church of St Hilda, which dates back to 1790 although there has been a church on that spot since 647 A.D. A lively nightlife, with
wine bars and friendly pubs can be experienced in South Tyneside.