Blackpool South (UK Parliament constituency)

Blackpool South
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Blackpool South in Lancashire
Location of Lancashire within England
County	Lancashire
Population	81,266 (2011 census) [1]
Electorate	56,850 (December 2018) [2]
Major settlements	Blackpool (part)
Current constituency
Created	1945
Member of Parliament	Vacant
Seats	One
Created from	Blackpool

Blackpool South is a constituency ^{[n 1]} in Lancashire which is currently vacant. It was represented in the House of Commons from 2019 until 2024 by Scott Benton who was elected as a Conservative but sat as an independent after he had the Conservative Party whip suspended in April 2023. ^{[n 2]} Benton resigned ^[3] in March 2024, triggering a by-election. ^[4]

Constituency profile

The seat encompasses the central and southern parts of Blackpool, including the famous Blackpool Tower, the three piers and the Pleasure Beach. Also included is the Bloomfield area, home to Blackpool F.C. In the southern end of the seat, near to the Fylde border, Squires Gate is the site of Blackpool Airport. ^[5]

Tourism is a major industry in the area, and while Blackpool has been less affected by the decline in domestic holidaymaking than some resorts, there are nonetheless some run-down areas which were once rather more glamorous. Traditionally seaside seats were very safe for the Conservative Party, but for some time it seemed unlikely that the party would win it back. However, they were able to do so in 2019 when they finally achieved a sizeable majority with many gains in northern England.

History

This seat was created for the 1945 general election. This marginal constituency has been represented by both the Conservative and Labour Party parties since the Second World War. It was held by the Conservatives until 1997, when Gordon Marsden, gained it for Labour. He represented the seat for the next 22 years but was defeated in 2019 by the Conservative Scott Benton.

Boundaries

Map of present boundaries

1945–1950: The County Borough of Blackpool wards of Marton, Stanley, Victoria, and Waterloo, and the Borough of Lytham St Annes. ^[6]

1950–1983: The County Borough of Blackpool wards of Alexandra, Marton, Stanley, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Waterloo.

1983–1997: The Borough of Blackpool wards of Alexandra, Clifton, Foxhall, Hawes Side, Highfield, Marton, Squires Gate, Stanley, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Waterloo.

1997–2010: The Borough of Blackpool wards of Alexandra, Brunswick, Clifton, Foxhall, Hawes Side, Highfield, Layton, Marton, Park, Squires Gate, Stanley, Talbot, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Waterloo.

2010–present: The Borough of Blackpool wards of Bloomfield, Brunswick, Clifton, Hawes Side, Highfield, Marton, Squires Gate, Stanley, Talbot, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Waterloo.

Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following wards of the Borough of Blackpool (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• Bloomfield; Brunswick; Claremont; Clifton; Hawes Side; Highfield; Layton; Marton; Park; Squires Gate; Stanley; Talbot; Tyldesley; Victoria; Warbreck; Waterloo. ^[7]

The constituency will be expanded to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the wards of Claremount, Layton, Park and Warbreck from the (to be abolished) constituency of Blackpool North and Cleveleys.

Members of Parliament

Election		Member [8]	Party
	1945	Roland Robinson	Conservative
	1964	Sir Peter Blaker	Conservative
	1992	Nick Hawkins	Conservative
	1997	Gordon Marsden	Labour
	2019	Scott Benton	Conservative
	2023		Independent
	2024	Vacant

Elections

Blackpool South Election Results.

Elections in the 2020s

2024 Blackpool South by-election ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Stephen Black
	Reform UK	Mark Butcher
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Cregan
	Monster Raving Loony	Howling Laud Hope
	Conservative	David Jones
	Alliance for Democracy and Freedom	Kim Knight
	New Open Non-Political Organised Leadership	Damon Sharp
	Green	Ben Thomas
	Labour	Chris Webb
Majority
Turnout

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Blackpool South ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Scott Benton	16,247	49.6	+6.5
	Labour	Gordon Marsden	12,557	38.3	–12.0
	Brexit Party	David Brown	2,009	6.1	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Bill Greene	1,008	3.1	+1.3
	Green	Becky Daniels	563	1.7	+0.7
	Independent	Gary Coleman	368	1.1	N/A
Majority			3,690	11.3	N/A
Turnout			32,752	56.8	–3.0
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+9.3

General election 2017: Blackpool South ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gordon Marsden	17,581	50.3	+8.5
	Conservative	Peter Anthony	15,058	43.1	+9.3
	UKIP	Noel Matthews	1,339	3.8	–13.5
	Liberal Democrats	Bill Greene	634	1.8	–0.5
	Green	John Warnock	341	1.0	–1.6
Majority			2,523	7.2	–0.8
Turnout			34,953	59.8	+3.3
	Labour hold		Swing	–0.4

General election 2015: Blackpool South ^{[12] [13]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gordon Marsden	13,548	41.8	+0.7
	Conservative	Peter Anthony	10,963	33.8	–2.0
	UKIP	Peter Wood	5,613	17.3	+13.5
	Green	Duncan Royle	841	2.6	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Bill Greene	743	2.3	–12.1
	Independent	Andy Higgins	655	2.0	N/A
	Independent	Lawrence Chard	73	0.2	N/A
Majority			2,585	8.0	+2.7
Turnout			32,436	56.5	+0.7
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.3

General election 2010: Blackpool South ^{[14] [15]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gordon Marsden	14,449	41.1	–7.5
	Conservative	Ron Bell	12,597	35.8	+4.9
	Liberal Democrats	Doreen Holt	5,082	14.4	–0.7
	BNP	Roy Goodwin	1,482	4.2	+0.9
	UKIP	Hugh Howitt	1,352	3.8	+1.7
	Integrity UK	Si Thu Tun	230	0.7	N/A
Majority			1,852	5.3	−15.4
Turnout			35,192	55.8	+3.5
	Labour hold		Swing	–6.2

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Blackpool South ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gordon Marsden	19,375	50.5	–3.8
	Conservative	Michael Winstanley	11,453	29.9	–3.1
	Liberal Democrats	Doreen Holt	5,552	14.5	+3.9
	BNP	Roy Goodwin	1,113	2.9	New
	UKIP	John Porter	849	2.2	+0.1
Majority			7,922	20.6	–0.7
Turnout			38,342	52.1	–0.1
	Labour hold		Swing	–0.3

General election 2001: Blackpool South ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gordon Marsden	21,060	54.3	–2.7
	Conservative	David Morris	12,798	33.0	–1.4
	Liberal Democrats	Doreen Holt	4,115	10.6	+2.0
	UKIP	Valerie Cowell	819	2.1	New
Majority			8,262	21.3	–1.3
Turnout			38,792	52.2	–15.6
	Labour hold		Swing	–0.7

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Blackpool South ^{[18] [19] [20] [21]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gordon Marsden	29,282	57.0	+12.9
	Conservative	Richard Booth	17,666	34.4	–9.0
	Liberal Democrats	Doreen Holt	4,392	8.6	–3.5
Majority			11,616	22.6	N/A
Turnout			51,340	67.8	–6.5
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	–11.0

General election 1992: Blackpool South ^{[22] [23]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nick Hawkins	19,880	45.2	–2.8
	Labour	Gordon Marsden	18,213	41.5	+9.4
	Liberal Democrats	Robert E. Wynne	5,673	12.9	–7.0
	Natural Law	Doug Henning	173	0.4	New
Majority			1,667	3.7	–12.2
Turnout			43,939	77.3	+3.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	–6.1

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Blackpool South ^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Blaker	20,312	48.0	–2.6
	Labour	Sheilagh Baugh	13,568	32.1	+7.4
	SDP	Julian Allitt	8,405	19.9	–4.1
Majority			6,744	15.9	–10.0
Turnout			42,285	73.5	+3.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	–5.0

General election 1983: Blackpool South ^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Blaker	19,852	50.6	–0.9
	Labour	Fred J. Jackson	9,714	24.7	–5.9
	SDP	Alex G. Cox	9,417	24.0	New
	National Front	Wilf Smith	263	0.7	–0.5
Majority			10,138	25.9	+5.0
Turnout			39,246	69.8	–2.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Blaker	21,762	51.5	+6.6
	Labour	Pat Carrington	12,914	30.6	–1.4
	Liberal	Edmund E. Wynne	7,057	16.7	–6.4
	National Front	Alan Machin	524	1.2	New
Majority			8,848	20.9	+8.0
Turnout			42,257	72.1	+2.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.0

General election October 1974: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Blaker	18,188	44.9	–0.7
	Labour	Michael Atkins	12,967	32.0	+5.4
	Liberal	Edmund E. Wynne	9,327	23.1	–4.2
Majority			5,221	12.9	–5.4
Turnout			40,482	69.9	–6.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	–3.0

General election February 1974: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Blaker	20,107	45.6	–7.2
	Liberal	Edmund E. Wynne	12,016	27.3	+13.1
	Labour	Michael Atkins	11,739	26.6	–6.4
	National Independence	Eric Mills	229	0.5	New
Majority			8,091	18.3	–1.5
Turnout			44,091	76.6	+8.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1970: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Blaker	21,273	52.8	–1.5
	Labour	Percy P Hall	13,267	33.0	–12.7
	Liberal	David Chadwick	5,730	14.2	New
Majority			8,006	19.8	+11.2
Turnout			40,270	68.3	–1.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Blaker	21,564	54.3	–4.0
	Labour	Edward Pearce	18,166	45.7	+4.0
Majority			3,398	8.6	–8.0
Turnout			39,730	70.5	–0.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	–4.0

General election 1964: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Blaker	23,769	58.3	–7.5
	Labour	Percy P Hall	16,986	41.7	+7.5
Majority			6,783	16.6	–15.0
Turnout			40,755	71.1	–2.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	–7.6

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Roland Robinson	25,767	65.8	–0.6
	Labour	Percy P Hall	13,337	34.2	+0.6
Majority			12,430	31.6	–1.2
Turnout			39,140	73.9	+7.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	–0.6

General election 1955: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Roland Robinson	24,773	66.4	–0.8
	Labour	Arthur Davidson	12,548	33.6	+0.8
Majority			12,225	32.8	–1.6
Turnout			37,321	67.7	–7.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	–0.8

General election 1951: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Roland Robinson	28,171	67.2	+9.3
	Labour	Kenneth Lomas	13,750	32.8	+2.1
Majority			14,421	34.4	+7.2
Turnout			41,921	75.0	–7.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.6

General election 1950: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Roland Robinson	26,800	57.9	+1.1
	Labour	Ernest Alfred Machin	14,190	30.7	+6.5
	Liberal	Michael Henry Woodward	5,295	11.4	–7.6
Majority			12,610	27.2	–5.4
Turnout			46,285	82.1	–9.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	−

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Blackpool South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Roland Robinson	27,957	56.8
	Labour	Charles Stanley Hilditch	11,914	24.2
	Liberal	Adrian Liddell Hart	9,359	19.0
Majority			16,043	32.6
Turnout			49,230	72.3
	Conservative win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Lancashire

Notes

1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

1. "Blackpool South: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
2. England Parliamentary electorates Boundary Commission for England
3. Cowburn, Ashley (25 March 2024). "PM faces new by-election nightmare as suspended Tory MP announces resignation". The Mirror. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
4. "Former Tory MP Scott Benton resigns from parliament, triggering by-election". Sky News. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
5. Mapit https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/65679.html
6. "The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Order 1945. SI 1945/701". Statutory Rules and Orders 1945. Vol. I. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1946. pp. 682–698.
7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
8. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 3)
9. "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF). (Acting) Returning Officer. 9 April 2024. Election of a Member of Parliament ... Blackpool South Constituency
10. "Blackpool South parliamentary constituency - Election 2019" – via www.bbc.com.
11. "Blackpool South parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.com.
12. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
13. "Blackpool South". BBC News Online . Retrieved 8 May 2015.
14. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
15. Blackpool South BBC Election 2010
16. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
17. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
18. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
19. "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Archived from the original on 19 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
20. C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.35 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
21. The 1997 election result is calculated relative to the notional, not the actual, 1992 result.
22. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
24. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

External links

• nomis Constituency Profile for Blackpool South, presenting data from the ONS annual population survey and other official statistics

53°46′01″N2°54′50″W / 53.767°N 2.914°W / 53.767; -2.914