The Stalybridge & Hyde constituency lies on the eastern outskirts of Manchester, at the foot of the Pennines and is entirely in the metropolitan borough of Tameside. It comprises the towns of Hyde, Stalybridge, and Mossley, plus around one third of Dukinfield and the villages of Mottram, Hollingworth and Broadbottom in the Longdendale Valley. In addition, Hattersley (see below) is considered an area in its own right.  

The area has a rich history of socialism and industry, as well as containing many areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Hyde is a large Cheshire town with a history that closely matches the story of the rise of British industry in the twentieth century. Hyde began as quite a small settlement, and as late as 1801 the population was still under 4000. It was the industrial revolution that changed this and created the Hyde that exists today.  Houses were built to accommodate more workers and as the cotton industry soared, so did the local population. The Chartist Movement started in Hyde and you can now find a statue in tribute to them at the entrance to Hyde Town Hall, which is also the location of James’ constituency office.

Stalybridge was also a leading town in the industrial revolution, and again was built on the back of the prosperity of the cotton industry. In recent years it has undergone significant regeneration to boost local business and tourism, whilst retaining is historical character. The town centre is alive with an evening economy and the canal has been rebuilt to allow moorings along the bank.  

To the north of Stalybridge lies Mossley, a unique and attractive town which borders Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham and Saddleworth.  Added to the Stalybridge and Hyde Parliamentary constituency in the 1990s, it has long been a meeting point of administrative boundaries – the town was once actually divided between the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and the West Riding of Yorkshire.  Today, the town is a very popular place to live.

Dukinfield is also a desirable residential area, with an industrial heritage similar to Hyde and Stalybridge with exception that Dukinfield’s wealth was built on coal and iron ore. Until boundary changes in the 1990s, the constituency contained all of Dukinfield. Today it is only around one-third, with the rest residing in the Denton and Reddish constituency represented by Andrew Gwynne MP.

On the eastern side of the constituency lies the villages of Mottram, Hollingworth and Broadbottom in the Longdendale Valley - the gateway to Woodhead and the Pennines. The villages that sit in the valley each have their own distinct identity and character, and the area has some spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. 

Straddling the Hyde and Longdendale areas is the Hattersley overspill estate. Completed in the early 1960’s this initiative was designed to rehouse people from the Gorton area of Manchester. The people of Hattersley have since become an integral part of the community and the whole area is currently undergoing a major regeneration initiative. A registered social landlord is on the brink of taking over the management of the estate with re-building already well underway.

James has been the MP for the constituency since 2001, and his recent predecessors include Tom Pendry, now Lord Pendry of Stalybridge (1970-2001), Fred Blackburn (1951-1970), and Rev. Gordon Lang (1945-1951).