Selby constituency is a very diverse seat with much light industry, a coal mine and two power stations set amongst fine agricultural land. The main settlements are the market towns of Selby, with a population of around 16,000 and Tadcaster, with a population of 7,000. The parliamentary electorate of Selby is approximately 77,400, making it the 62nd largest out of the 641 constituencies in Great Britain.

It is geographically a very large constituency, stretching from the parishes of Kirk Smeaton and Womersley south of the M62, almost up to the walls of the City of York in the north, covering over 72,500 hectares. In this respect, it is the 85th largest out of the 641 constituencies. In total it contains some 88 villages. Selby constituency has four powerful rivers surging through the seat, the Ouse, upon which Selby was founded, the Derwent, the Wharfe and the Aire.

Selby, perched on the banks of the tidal River Ouse, is home to the magnificent Selby Abbey, founded in the late eleventh century by a Frenchman, Benedict of Auxerre, it was the first Monastery to be established in the north of England following the Norman Conquest and took over a century to complete. It is also believed to be the birthplace of Henry I, the youngest son of William the Conqueror. The town has a long tradition of shipbuilding which has declined considerably over recent decades.

Tadcaster, situated aside the River Wharfe, has Roman origins and was previously known as Calcaria; 'the place of Limestone'. It has a proud brewing heritage dating back to the fourteenth century, currently continued by three breweries in the town, including the independent Samuel Smith's, the oldest brewery in Yorkshire, established in the town since 1758.

Selby constituency was home to the Selby complex, which was the largest deep coal mining project ever undertaken in this country. It finally ceased production in October 2004. Coal mining is still continued in the district at Kellingley colliery, which is situated in the deep south of the seat, close to the border with West Yorkshire.

The constituency also contains two power stations, at Drax and Eggborough, both in the south of the constituency. The massive Drax power station is the largest coal fired power station in Europe with a capacity of 4000 MW and produces approximately one tenth of the total energy demand in Britain.

Of historic significance two miles south of Tadcaster is the village of Towton, famous as the site of one of the bloodiest battles ever fought on British soil. During the War of the Roses the Yorkist masses inflicted a hard fought defeat on the Lancastrian forces, leaving over 20,000 dead on Palm Sunday in 1461.

The constituency takes in the southern rim of the historic City of York, including the University of York in Heslington, established in 1969 but already recognised as one of the leading universities in the country. In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, the University was ranked 6th out of 172 Higher Education institutions across the country.

Also in the north of the seat is the official residence of the Archbishop of York, at Bishopthorpe Palace, which was finished in 1250 but has been extended and rebuilt by successive Archbishops.