The town of Wellingborough is situated east of Northampton and north of Bedford, and contains significant Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities, but this constituency covers territory outside the town too.
It includes the towns of Rushden and the historic Higham Ferrers, which featured in the Domesday book. Smaller surrounding villages include Earls Barton, home to All Saintsí Church which boasts a 1,000-year-old Saxon tower, a Norman door, a 15th Century screen and a 17th Century tower clock.
Business-wise, Wellingborough was founded on ironworks and the leather industry, with the constituency still containing 60 businesses involved in footwear manufacturing and employing more than 3,000 workers.
However, today the industrial base has expanded into more diverse light and service industries, such as distribution, with recent development seeing the growth of the Park Farm estate. Farming is also important in the rural parts of the seat, whilst good rail links to London also serve a population of commuters.
The seat has the smallest actual Labour majority in the country - a mere 187 votes.