The constituency was a mixture of heavy manufacturing areas (41.7% of the workforce), with seaside resort and rural agricultural parts.

The political effect was to make the constituency marginal between the Labour and Conservative candidates.

1983–1997: The Borough of Langbaurgh wards of Belmont, Brotton, Guisborough, Hutton, Lockwood, Loftus, Longbeck, St. Germain's, Saltburn, Skelton, and Skinningrove, and the Borough of Middlesbrough wards of Easterside, Hemlington, Marton, Newham, Nunthorpe, Park End, and Stainton and Thornton.

[1] At the time of its creation the constituency was part of the then shire county of Cleveland and the Borough of Langbaurgh, for local government purposes.

In the circumstances it was inevitable that the majority successor constituency to Langbaurgh from 1997 (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) was renamed.