List of parliamentary constituencies in Somerset

Last updated

The county of Somerset is currently divided into 7 parliamentary constituencies, which are all county constituencies. Three seats cross the county boundary - two are shared with Avon and one with Devon.

Contents

Constituencies

   † Conservative    ‡ Labour    ¤ Liberal Democrat

Constituency [nb 1] Electorate [1] Majority [2] [nb 2] Member of Parliament [2] Nearest opposition [2] Electoral wards [3] [4] Map
Bridgwater CC 71,4181,349  Ashley Fox Leigh Redman‡ Sedgemoor District Council: Berrow, Bridgwater Dunwear, Bridgwater Eastover, Bridgwater Fairfax, Bridgwater Hamp, Bridgwater Victoria, Bridgwater Westover, Bridgwater Wyndham, Burnham Central, Burnham North, Cannington and Wembdon, Highbridge and Burnham Marine, Huntspill and Pawlett, King's Isle, North Petherton, Puriton and Woolavington, Quantocks.
Bridgwater Constituency 2023.svg
Frome and East Somerset CC (part)70,1775,415  Anna Sabine¤ Lucy Trimnell† Bath and North East Somerset Council: Bathavon South, Midsomer Norton North, Midsomer Norton Redfield, Peasedown, Radstock, Westfield. Mendip District Council: Ammerdown, Ashwick, Chilcompton and Stratton, Beckington and Selwood, Coleford and Holcombe, Cranmore, Doulting and Nunney, Creech, Frome Berkley Down, Frome College, Frome Keyford, Frome Market, Frome Oakfield, Frome Park, Postlebury, Rode and Norton St. Philip, The Pennards and Ditcheat.
Frome and East Somerset Constituency in Somerset 2023.svg
Glastonbury and Somerton CC 70,0156,611  Sarah Dyke¤ Faye Purbrick† Mendip District Council: Butleigh and Baltonsborough, Glastonbury St. Benedict's, Glastonbury St. Edmund's, Glastonbury St. John's, Glastonbury St. Mary's, Street North, Street South, Street West. South Somerset District Council: Blackmoor Vale, Bruton, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Huish & Langport, Hamdon, Islemoor, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Ivelchester & St. Michael's, Tower, Turn Hill, Wessex, Wincanton.
Glastonbury and Somerton Constituency 2023.svg
Taunton and Wellington CC 76,05911,939  Gideon Amos¤  Rebecca Pow Somerset West and Taunton Council: Blackbrook & Holway, Comeytrowe & Bishop's Hull, Creech St. Michael, Halcon & Lane, Hatch & Blackdown, Manor & Tangier, Monument, North Curry & Ruishton, North Town, Norton Fitzwarren & Staplegrove, Priorswood, Rockwell Green, Trull, Pitminster & Corfe, Victoria, Vivary, Wellington East, Wellington North, Wellington South, Wellsprings & Rowbarton, West Monkton & Cheddon Fitzpaine, Wilton & Sherford.
Taunton and Wellington Constituency 2023.svg
Tiverton and Minehead CC (part)70,8293,507  Rachel Gilmour¤  Ian Liddell-Grainger Mid Devon District Council: Canonsleigh, Castle, Clare and Shuttern, Cranmore, Halberton, Lower Culm, Lowman, Upper Culm, Westexe. Somerset West and Taunton Council: Alcombe, Cotford St. Luke & Oake, Dulverton & District, Exmoor, Milverton & District, Minehead Central, Minehead North, Old Cleeve & District, Periton & Woodcombe, Porlock & District, Quantock Vale, South Quantock, Watchet & Williton, Wiveliscombe & District.
Tiverton and Minehead Constituency in Somerset 2023.svg
Wells and Mendip Hills CC (part)69,84311,121  Tessa Munt¤ Meg Powell-Chandler† Mendip District Council: Chewton Mendip and Ston Easton, Croscombe and Pilton, Moor, Rodney and Westbury, Shepton East, Shepton West, St. Cuthbert Out North, Wells Central, Wells St. Cuthbert's, Wells St. Thomas', Wookey and St. Cuthbert Out West. North Somerset Council: Banwell & Winscombe, Blagdon & Churchill, Congresbury & Puxton, Yatton. Sedgemoor District Council: Axevale, Cheddar and Shipham, East Polden, Knoll, Wedmore and Mark, West Polden.
Wells and Mendip Hills Constituency in Somerset 2023.svg
Yeovil CC 76,05612,286  Adam Dance¤  Marcus Fysh South Somerset District Council: Blackdown & Tatworth, Brympton, Chard Avishayes, Chard Combe, Chard Crimchard, Chard Holyrood, Chard Jocelyn, Coker, Crewkerne, Eggwood, Ilminster, Neroche, Parrett, South Petherton, Windwhistle, Yeovil College, Yeovil Lyde, Yeovil Summerlands, Yeovil Westland, Yeovil without.
Yeovil Constituency 2023.svg

2024 boundary changes

See 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for further details.

Former nameBoundaries 2010–2024Current nameBoundaries 2024–present
  1. Bridgwater and West Somerset CC
  2. Somerton and Frome CC
  3. Taunton Deane CC
  4. Wells CC
  5. Yeovil CC
Proposed Revision SomersetParliamentaryConstituencies2007.svg
Proposed Revision
  1. Bridgwater CC
  2. Frome and East Somerset CC
  3. Glastonbury and Somerton CC
  4. Taunton and Wellington CC
  5. Tiverton and Minehead CC
  6. Wells and Mendip Hills CC
  7. Yeovil CC
SomersetParliamentaryConstituencies2023.svg

For the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which redrew the constituency map ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the Boundary Commission for England opted to combine Somerset with Avon and Devon as a sub-region of the South West Region, resulting in significant change to the existing pattern of constituencies. In Somerset, only the constituency of Yeovil retained its name with relatively minor changes. The boundary changes created the cross-county boundary constituencies of Frome and East Somerset, Wells and Mendip Hills, and Tiverton and Minehead. Bridgwater was re-established as a constituency, replacing Bridgwater and West Somerset, while the new constituency of Glastonbury and Somerton largely replaced Somerton and Frome. Taunton Deane was renamed Taunton and Wellington. [5] [6]

The boundary commission recommended the following seats within Somerset:

Containing electoral wards from Mendip

Containing electoral wards from Sedgemoor

Containing electoral wards from Somerset West and Taunton

Containing electoral wards from South Somerset

1Also contains electoral wards in the District of Bath and North East Somerset

2Also contains electoral wards in the District of North Somerset

3Also contains electoral wards in the Devon District of Mid Devon

Results history

Primary data source: House of Commons research briefing - General election results from 1918 to 2019 [7]

2024

The number of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Somerset in the 2024 general election were as follows: [nb 3]

PartyVotes%Change from 2019SeatsChange from 2019
Liberal Democrats 114,44336.5%Increase2.svg7.5%6Increase2.svg6
Conservative 88,40828.2%Decrease2.svg28.5%1Decrease2.svg4
Reform 53,16017.0%New00
Labour 34,86511.1%Increase2.svg0.7%00
Green 18,0765.8%Increase2.svg3.6%00
Others4,3141.4%Decrease2.svg0.1%00
Total313,266100.07

Percentage votes

Note that before 1983 Somerset was analysed under its Ceremonial definition (including the southern part of what became analysed at boundary reviews as Avon, see Avon's list of seats).

Election year1918192219231924192919311935194519501951195519591964196619701974(F)1974(O)197919831987199219972001200520102015201720192024
Liberal Democrat 113.529.642.030.532.313.719.28.812.71.84.614.220.216.111.628.126.922.737.037.640.240.639.640.145.123.925.429.036.5
Conservative 61.551.147.452.945.466.655.445.547.055.054.851.445.945.853.244.743.852.351.250.645.336.540.941.441.547.253.956.728.2
Reform ----------------------------17.0
Labour 24.319.310.616.622.319.725.439.838.343.240.634.433.338.135.027.028.624.011.711.712.917.416.514.97.79.517.010.611.1
Green Party ------------------*****0.55.31.82.25.8
UKIP ---------------------***3.712.91.2*-
Other0.8------5.92.0---0.7-0.20.20.61.00.1-1.55.42.93.61.41.20.71.51.4

1pre-1979: Liberal Party; 1983 & 1987: SDP-Liberal Alliance

* Included in Other

Seats

Election year19501951195519591964196619701974(F)1974(O)197919831987199219972001200520102015201720192024
Liberal Democrat 1000000000011132340006
Conservative 777777777744423215551
Total777777777755555555557

11983 & 1987 - SDP-Liberal Alliance

Maps

1885-1910

1918-1945

1950-1979

1983-2019

2024-present (including constituencies that cover parts of Devon and Avon)

Historical representation by party

A cell marked → (with a different colour background to the preceding cell) indicates that the previous MP continued to sit under a new party name.

1885 to 1918 (10 MPs)

   Conservative    Liberal    Liberal Unionist

Constituency18851886871892189596991900190609Jan 1910Dec 1910111218
Bath Blaine Laurie Murray Maclean A. Thynne Foxcroft
Wodehouse Gooch Hunter
Bridgwater Stanley Montgomery Sanders
Frome Baker T. Thynne Barlow T. Thynne Barlow
Somerset Eastern Hobhouse Thompson Jardine
Somerset Northern Llewellyn Warner Llewellyn Hope King
Somerset Southern Lambart Strachey Herbert
Taunton S. Allsopp A. Allsopp Welby Boyle Peel Wills
Wellington Dyke Acland Elton Fuller-Acland-Hood Boles
Wells Paget Jolliffe Dickinson Silcock Sandys

1918 to 1950 (7 MPs)

   Common Wealth    Conservative    Independent Progressive    Labour    Liberal

Constituency1918211922231923192429192919313419353839421945
Bath Foxcroft Raffety Foxcroft Baillie-Hamilton Guinness Pitman
Bridgwater Sanders Morse Wood Croom-Johnson Bartlett
Frome Hurd Gould Peto Gould Thynne Tate Farthing
Taunton Boles Griffith-Boscawen Simpson Gault Wickham Collins
Wells Greer Bruford Hobhouse Sanders Muirhead Boles
Weston-super-Mare Wills Erskine Murrell Erskine Orr-Ewing
Yeovil Herbert Davies Kingsmill

1950 to 1983 (7 MPs)

   Conservative

Constituency195019511955565819591964196669701970Feb 74Oct 741979
Bath Pitman Brown Patten
Bridgwater Wills King
Somerset North Leather Dean
Taunton Hopkinson du Cann
Wells Boles Maydon Boscawen
Weston-super-Mare Orr-Ewing Webster Wiggin
Yeovil Kingsmill Peyton

1983 to 2024 (5 MPs)

   Conservative    Independent    Liberal    Liberal Democrats

Constituency1983198788199219972001200520102015201720192223
Bridgwater / Bridgwater and West Somerset (2010-) King Liddell-Grainger
Somerton and Frome Boscawen Robinson Heath Warburton Dyke
Taunton / Taunton Deane (2010-) du Cann Nicholson Ballard Flook Browne Pow
Wells Heathcoat-Amory Munt Heappey
Yeovil Ashdown Laws Fysh

2024 onwards (7 MPs, including constituencies that cover parts of Devon and Avon)

   Conservative    Liberal Democrats

Constituency2024
Bridgwater Fox
Frome and East Somerset 1 Sabine
Glastonbury and Somerton Dyke
Taunton and Wellington Amos
Tiverton and Minehead 2 Gilmour
Wells and Mendip Hills 1 Munt
Yeovil Dance

1partly in Avon 2partly in Devon

See also

Notes

  1. BC denotes borough constituency, CC denotes county constituency.
  2. The majority is the number of votes the winning candidate receives more than their nearest rival.
  3. Includes the cross-county constituency of Tiverton and Minehead which has an electorate predominantly based in Somerset.

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frome and East Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)</span> UK constituency, from 2024

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References

  1. Baker, Carl; Uberoi, Elise; Cracknell, Richard (28 January 2020). "General Election 2019: full results and analysis".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 "Constituencies A-Z - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007, page 4". Office of Public Sector Information . Crown copyright. 13 June 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  4. Boundary Commission for England pp. 1004–1007
  5. Mumby, Daniel (9 June 2021). "First glimpse of new general election battle lines". SomersetLive. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  6. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Paras 1127-1178. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  7. Watson, Christopher; Uberoi, Elise; Loft, Philip (17 April 2020). "General election results from 1918 to 2019".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)