[2] Warwickshire North contained wards which are the most "working-class" (lowest average income) and industrial of the six constituencies in the county, politically frequently with the best returns locally for Labour candidates.

Like much of the county, the area includes many rural villages which can today be classified as 'commuter' and 'retirement', south of the National Forest, south east of Tamworth and the small cathedral city of Lichfield and centred less than 10 miles (16 km) east of Birmingham, which provides some work locally in the creative and international export sectors.

The seat was won by Francis Maude of the Conservative Party at the 1983 general election, who held it until 1992, when it was taken by Mike O'Brien of Labour.

On 8 March 2007, former Army Officer and polar explorer Dan Byles was selected at an open primary to contest North Warwickshire for the Conservative Party.

At the 2010 general election, Byles won the seat off Mike O'Brien by just 54 votes, making him the Conservative Member of Parliament with the smallest majority in the country.