Constituents' occupations include to a significant degree agriculture and the service sector, however the area was formerly heavily economically supported by the mining of coal, iron ore and businesses in the county still extract gangue minerals in present mining, such as fluorspar for the smelting of aluminium, to the south in the county is Darlington, which has particular strengths in international transport construction, including bridges. To the north is the large city of Sunderland which has a large service sector.
History
;Creation Following their review the Boundary Commission for England created the political division. It chiefly replaced the bulk or all of the Seaham seat. ;Results of the winning party The area has been held by the Labour Party since the 1922 election, when the seat was held by the party leader and Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. Labour's majority in the seat has never fallen below 19% in its history, and has only been below 40% thrice. Labour won a majority of votes in every election from the seat's creation in 1950 until 2019, when their vote share fell below 50% for the first time. The 2015 result made the seat the 27th safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority. ;Results of other parties The 2015 general election saw more than the national average swing to UKIP. The Conservative Party last fielded a candidate taking second place in 2001. Labour's candidate won more than threefold the UKIP votes in 2015, scoring 61% whereas UKIP polled the strongest second-place since 1983. 2017 saw the UKIP vote collapse and the Conservative vote rise, although a slight rise in the Labour vote ensured the majority remained above 40%. ;Turnout Turnout has ranged from 87.7% in 1950 to 52.1% in 2005. Turnout has been somewhat inconsistent with national averages, falling in 1992 and 2005 when national turnout increased.
Boundaries
1950–1974: The Rural District of Easington. 1974–1983: The Rural District of Stockton, and in the Rural District of Easington the parishes of Castle Eden, Easington, Haswell, Hawthorn, Horden, Hutton Henry, Monk Hesleden, Nesbitt, Peterlee, Sheraton with Hulam, Shotton, Thornley, and Wingate. 1983-2010: The District of Easington wards of Acre Rigg, Blackhalls, Dawdon, Dene House, Deneside, Easington Colliery, Easington Village, Eden Hill, Haswell, High Colliery, Horden North, Horden South, Howletch, Murton East, Murton West, Park, Passfield, Seaham, Shotton, South, and South Hetton. 2010–present: The District of Easington wards of Acre Rigg, Blackhalls, Dawdon, Dene House, Deneside, Easington Colliery, Easington Village and South Hetton, Eden Hill, Haswell and Shotton, Horden North, Horden South, Howletch, Hutton Henry, Murton East, Murton West, Passfield, Seaham Harbour, and Seaham North. The constituency comprises the majority of the district of the same name, which takes in the coastal portion of the administrative county of Durham. The principal towns are Peterlee and Seaham. A seat of former mining traditions, it is one of Labour's safest in Britain — party firebrand Manny Shinwell was MP for 20 years.
Boundary review
Following their review of parliamentary representation in County Durham, the Boundary Commission for England has made only minor changes to the boundaries of Easington constituency. It was first fought at the 2010 general election.
