from the borough's creation in 1974 until 2010, all members of parliament (mps) within its boundaries were labour. however, in the 2010 general election, conservative party candidate james morris was elected to the halesowen and rowley regis seat which incorporates the sandwell communities of rowley regis, blackheath and cradley heath, and the neighbouring area of halesowen which is situated within dudley's borders. this was the very first time any part of sandwell had elected a conservative mp - or indeed an mp from any party other than labour. in the december 2019 general election, however, conservative candidates nicola richards and shaun bailey were elected to represent west bromwich east and west bromwich west respectively. this was the first time since the borough's creation that west bromwich has returned any conservative mps to parliament, and the first time that a constituency fully within the boundaries of sandwell metropolitan borough council has been represented by a tory mp. the election of both richards and bailey has been marked as a significant milestone in the political history of the borough and marked the end to decades of control by labour mps.