Cleethorpes as a parliamentary constituency was created for the 1997 General Election from the former Brigg and Cleethorpes constituency. Brigg town was carved off and added to the Yorkshire town of Goole to form the new Brigg and Goole constituency.

Both constituencies returned Labour MPs at the 1997 General Election.
 
The name of Cleethorpes, however, is misleading as just three of the nine local council electoral wards in the constituency use Cleethorpes in their postal addresses – Sidney Sussex, Croft Baker and Haverstoe. 

In fact, the constituency stretches from Barton in the north along the south bank of the Humber through to the container port of Immingham. It then curls around Grimsby to Cleethorpes and the southern suburbs, before taking in the villages of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

A large and varied constituency, it has the highest number of electors in the four south bank constituencies. It is served by both North Lincolnshire Council in the north of the constituency (Barton and Ferry wards). Labour took control of North Lincolnshire council 2007, beating the Conservatives. There is just one Lib Dem on North Lincs. North East Lincolnshire, however, is now run by the Lib Dems after several years of coalition with the Conservatives. Many of the Lib Dems running North East Lincolnshire used to be in other political parties. Political pundits have described North East Lincolnshire councillors as ‘politically promiscuous'.

Barton and Immingham have their own town councils. There are also a large number of parish councils. However, there are rarely any elections to the parish councils – people are usually co-opted. The elections in 2007 were an exception – there were elections to Humberston parish council.

At the southern end of the Humber Bridge, Barton-upon-Humber, with its many listed buildings, tends to look towards Scunthorpe and Hull. In recent years, the town has attracted increasing numbers of Hull expats – in spite of Humber Bridge tolls – lured by town’s the listed buildings and architectural heritage.

The jewel in the crown is St Peter’s Church with its Saxon tower.

The old agri-chemical site which blighted the town has been decontaminated and turned into Waters Edge park – a peaceful haven of pools, lakes reed beds and water fowl. The then Labour council and Shona successfully lobbied the Government for the finances to carry out all the decontamination and reclamation work. Water's Edge complements the Far Ings nature bird reserve.

The nearby Rope Works with its long pan-tile roof has been turned in a centre for artists.

Barton has its own museum in Baysgarth House.

Kimberley Clark in a major employer in the town.

Just a few miles east lies the ancient village of Barrow upon Humber, which was the home of John Harrison of marine chronometer fame. Sadly, the houses in which the family lived are long gone, but his name lives on in John Harrison Primary School. A few years ago, Barrow upon Humber was judged be in the top ten places to live in Britain for quality of life.  

The villages gradually give way to the industrial heartland of the constituency – at Killingholme, the flare stacks of the Conoco and Total oil refineries light up the sky. The Total's LIndsey Oil Refinery has become well-know throughout he world because of wild-cat strikes and walkouts.  Immingham is one of the busiest ports in the UK and is also home to one of the country’s largest rail freight depots.

But the industry belies Immingham’s ancient roots – it is linked with the Pilgrim Fathers and many of the streets in the town commemorate those early settlers in America.

The Humber Bank from Immingham to Grimsby is home to the factories and chemical industries that provide the majority of non-public sector jobs in the area.

North Cleethorpes, bordering Grimsby, is densely populated with row upon row of terraced housing. In the centre of the area is Blundell Park, home of Grimsby Town Football Club. The area contains pockets of deprivation. 

Further south is Cleethorpes town centre and resort – with miles of sandy beach and one of the smallest piers of the realm! Gone are the days when it seemed as if all of Yorkshire decamped to Cleethorpes for their annual holidays – package holidays, Mediterranean sun and cheap flights have impacted on Cleethorpes as they have other British seaside resorts.

However, the resort still attracts large numbers of trippers from the Midlands and Yorkshire. Barnsley and Doncaster accents are the flavour of the day at weekends and on Bank Holiday weekend.

A traditional resort with donkey rides, candy floss and rock – the visitor is never far from a fish and chip shop, using best Grimsby haddock, of course. Recent developments have seen chic modern wine bars and eateries colonise Cleethorpes. A new cinema adds to the attractions. Although the construction of high-rise flats along the sea-front has been controversial, as was the demolition of the Winter Gardens.

Other attractions include the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, Pleasure Island Theme Park and the boating lake.

The southern part of the town is dominated by Thorpe Park – one of the east coat’s largest caravan parks, which still attracts holidaymakers. Next door are the Humberston Fitties, a conservation area of wooden chalets nestling below the sand dunes. 

One of the area’s most iconic sites is the six-sailed Waltham Windmill (left).

The southern end of the constituency stretches into the gently rolling hills of the Lincolnshire Wolds taking in picturesque villages and hamlets such as East Ravendale and Hatcliffe.

Work outside the public sector tends to be in skilled and semi-skilled engineering and manufacturing jobs along the Humber Bank. Although hit by the economic downturn, fish processing and the food industry is still important. There are also a high number of part-time and agency workers. Seasonality of work is typical in hospitality and tourism.

Politically, the constituency remains a key marginal and will be an important battleground at the next general election.