The loss of 6,000 voters to Durham North West in the last boundary review could not prevent Giles Radice, MP here since a 1973 by-election, romping to victory in 1997 with a towering majority of 26,299.
The economically ailing town of Consett now resides in neighbouring Durham North West while the more prosperous Chester-le-Street has become the major population centre of this relatively small seat.
Situated on the site of a Roman camp, (originally known as "Congangium"), and provided with excellent transport links by the A1(M), the town has traditionally mustered a reasonable Conservative vote in its well-to-do eastern sector which stretches out towards the stately grounds of Lambton Park.
However, this support for the Tories, and to a lesser extent for the Liberal Democrats, has in the past been swamped by the stranglehold of former-mining villages that ring Chester-le-Street.
Mr Radice, for many years a leading member of the Labour right, was once Shirley Williamsí PPS, but wisely chose not to follow her into the ill-fated SDP. Instead, he has continued to press for deeper European integration and was one of only five Labour MPs to vote for the third reading of the Maastricht Bill in 1993.