This was the first seat to declare in the last two general elections, and set what some think is an all-time record when it declared only 46 minutes after the polls closed in 1997. That early result in Sunderland South fired the starting pistol for the Labour landslide, by recording a swing of over 10% to Labour.
Sunderland is suffering from the decline of the coal and shipbuilding industries, which has caused high unemployment in the area. The growth of the call centre business has brought new jobs - with One to One and Northern Electric locating their call centres in the seat.
The Sunderland Enterprise Centre at Doxford Park is home to several new businesses. Another major source of employment for Sunderland South’s constituents is the Nissan plant in the neighbouring constituency of Houghton and Washington East, which announced the creation of 500 jobs in January 2001.
This seat has a strong Labour tradition, although it was held by the Tories from 1953-64. Chris Mullin has held this seat since 1987.