Yorkshire East, like the two old constituencies from which it was born, has traditionally been a safe Conservative seat, although the towering majorities of yesteryear in this part of the world may now be a thing of the past. The old seat of Bridlington provided about two-thirds of this seat's electorate with the remaining voters coming from the northern section of the Boothferry constituency.
Bridlington is a port, seaside resort and shopping area for the surrounding rural area. To the north are the cliffs of Flamborough Head - a notable tourist attraction. Inland is the rolling countryside of the Wolds with numerous villages and the small town of Driffield, Market Weighton and Pocklington.
This is a large agricultural area which reaches to the boundaries of York's new unitary authority. More than half the population is over 40 and pensioners form a high proportion of the population - 23%. There are a high number of owner-occupiers and private renters. There are very few members of ethnic minorities here - 99.6% of residents are white.