Blaydon or Blaydon on Tyne is a town in the North East of England near Gateshead.
It is represented in the House of Commons by the Blaydon constituency. Its MP is John McWilliam, who is due to retire at the next general election. Blaydon traditionally has been a mining town, however has developed a more diverse economy, including engineering, factory shops and general conveninence stores. The area has traditionally been Labour heartland and has been held since 1945. However the Liberal Democrats are making inroads and it is a target seat after the convincing victory over Labour in Newcastle at Council level.
There is a rich history surrounding Blaydon, with a famous song called the "Blaydon Races" and a road running race takes place every year on June 9.
