Stoke-on-Trent has tended to be very loyal to the Labour Party; its three seats have all returned Labour MPs at every single election since 1945.
The city of Stoke-on-Trent has its administrative headquarters in the Central constituency, although the whole town is an amalgamation of several distinct communities, each of which grew up as a discrete entity due to the pottery industry.
The constituency is somewhat short of beauty spots, the modern day focal point being the shopping district of Hanley, and it includes the ward of Shelton, the poorest in the area. The proportions of professional and managerial workers are among the lowest in the country, while skilled manual workers make up 40% of the active workforce.
Ironically for a constituency that is so resolutely working class, Central has been represented since 1983 by one of Labourís very few Old Etonian MPs, Mark Fisher. Mr Fisher is part of a diverse political dynasty; his father sat for more than 30 years as a Conservative MP.