Lancashire (UK Parliament constituency)

Lancashire (UK Parliament constituency) was a series of parliamentary constituencies covering the county of Lancashire in England. Historically, it referred to both a county constituency and a parliamentary borough, and then later divided into multiple new constituencies to reflect population changes. Its existence spanned several periods of British parliamentary history with varying definitions and representation.

The original Lancashire county constituency existed from 1290 to 1885. It was a two-member constituency, meaning it elected two Members of Parliament (MPs). Before 1832, suffrage was restricted to forty-shilling freeholders. The Great Reform Act of 1832 significantly altered the electorate and representation.

Following the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the original Lancashire constituency was divided into a number of single-member county divisions, each named after a geographical area within the county. These included, but were not limited to, constituencies such as the Blackpool constituency, the Clitheroe constituency, and the Darwen constituency.

Subsequently, new constituencies bearing the name "Lancashire" did not directly replicate the historical entity but rather represented newly defined areas within the administrative county. These later incarnations reflected ongoing electoral boundary reviews and population distribution. As such, the precise geographical boundaries and political affiliations of a "Lancashire" constituency varied considerably across different general elections, depending on the specific constituency referred to. Understanding the historical context, especially the date, is crucial when researching political representation in Lancashire.