North Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

North Somerset
County constituency
for the House of Commons
South West England - North Somerset constituency.svg
Boundary of North Somerset in South West England
County Somerset
Electorate 73,963 (2023) [1]
Major settlements Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead
Current constituency
Created 2010
Member of Parliament Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from Woodspring
1950–1983
Created from Frome and Weston-super-Mare
Replaced by Woodspring, Wansdyke and Wells [2]
1885–1918
Created from East Somerset
Replaced by Frome and Weston-super-Mare

North Somerset is a constituency [n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Sadik Al-Hassan of the Labour Party. [n 2]

Contents

History

Earlier versions of the seat existed in 1885–1918 and 1950–1983.

First creation

Parliament passed the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 creating the larger constituency of North Somerset from the 1885 general election, which was later abolished for the 1918 general election.

Second creation

North Somerset was re-established for the 1950 general election, and abolished again for the 1983 general election.

Third creation

Following the review of parliamentary representation in the North Somerset district by the Boundary Commission for England, the former Woodspring constituency was renamed as North Somerset without substantial boundary changes. [3]

The Woodspring seat returned Conservative MPs, and had been held by Liam Fox from 1992 until its abolition. Fox won the new constituency by nearly 14 percentage points over the Liberal Democrats in 2010, while Labour took second place in 2015, 2017 and 2019. In 2024, with the Conservatives doing poorly around Bristol and surrounding coonstituencies in losing all their seats, Sadik Al-Hassan was elected as MP - the first to have been returned to Parliament for the Labour Party.

Boundaries

North Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of boundaries 2010–2024

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Keynsham, Long Ashton, and Temple Cloud, and the civil parishes of Binegar, Chilcompton, and Midsomer Norton.

1950–1983: The Urban Districts of Keynsham, Norton Radstock, and Portishead, the Rural Districts of Bathavon and Clutton, and part of the Rural District of Long Ashton.

2010–2024: The District of North Somerset wards of Backwell, Clevedon Central, Clevedon East, Clevedon North, Clevedon South, Clevedon Walton, Clevedon West, Clevedon Yeo, Easton-in-Gordano, Gordano, Nailsea East, Nailsea North and West, Pill, Portishead Central, Portishead Coast, Portishead East, Portishead Redcliffe Bay, Portishead South and North Weston, Portishead West, Winford, Wraxall and Long Ashton, Wrington, and Yatton.

2024–present: The District of North Somerset wards of: Backwell; Clevedon East; Clevedon South; Clevedon Walton; Clevedon West; Clevedon Yeo; Gordano Valley; Long Ashton; Nailsea Golden Valley; Nailsea West End; Nailsea Yeo; Nailsea Youngwood; Pill; Portishead East; Portishead North; Portishead South; Portishead West; Winford; Wrington. [4]

Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to moderate boundary changes involving the loss of the Yatton area which was transferred to the new constituency of Wells and Mendip Hills, first contested at the 2024 general election. [5]

Constituency profile

This is essentially the former Woodspring seat with a new name. A coastal strip between the Severn Estuary and the M5 motorway includes the towns of Clevedon and Portishead, while inland from the motorway is the town of Nailsea and a predominantly rural area dotted with villages. This is a fairly affluent constituency with average incomes and low proportion of unemployment claimants [6] – about a third of the population commute to work, mostly in Bristol and Bath. [7]

Members of Parliament

YearMemberParty
1885 Evan Henry Llewellyn Conservative
1892 Courtenay Warner Liberal
1895 Evan Henry Llewellyn Conservative
1906 William Henry Bateman Hope Liberal
1910 Joseph King Liberal
1918 constituency abolished
1950 Sir Ted Leather Conservative
1964 Paul Dean Conservative
1983 constituency abolished: see Woodspring
2010 Liam Fox Conservative
2024 Sadik Al-Hassan Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: North Somerset [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sadik Al-Hassan 19,138 35.6 +10.6
Conservative Liam Fox 18,49934.4−19.1
Liberal Democrats Ashley Cartman7,12113.2−3.4
Reform UK Alexander Kokkinoftas5,60210.4N/A
Green Oscar Livesey-Lodwick3,2736.1+1.2
Workers Party Suneil Basu1330.2N/A
Majority6391.2N/A
Turnout 53,76676.3−0.6
Registered electors 74,426
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +14.8

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [9]
PartyVote %
Conservative 30,41153.5
Labour 14,22725.0
Liberal Democrats 9,42516.6
Green 2,8014.9
Turnout56,86476.9
Electorate73,963
General election 2019: North Somerset [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Liam Fox 32,801 52.9 −1.3
Labour Hannah Young15,26524.6−2.0
Liberal Democrats Ashley Cartman11,05117.8+8.2
Green Phil Neve2,9384.7+1.5
Majority17,53628.3+0.7
Turnout 62,05577.4+0.5
Conservative hold Swing +0.4
General election 2017: North Somerset [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Liam Fox 33,605 54.2 +0.7
Labour Greg Chambers16,50226.6+12.3
Liberal Democrats Richard Foord 5,9829.6−3.1
Independent Donald Davies3,9296.3New
Green Charley Pattison1,9763.2−3.3
Majority17,10327.6−11.6
Turnout 61,99476.9+3.3
Conservative hold Swing −5.8
General election 2015: North Somerset [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Liam Fox 31,540 53.5 +4.2
Labour Greg Chambers8,44114.3+3.2
UKIP Ian Kealey [13] 7,66913.0+9.1
Liberal Democrats Marcus Kravis7,48612.7−23.0
Green David Derbyshire3,8066.5+6.5
Majority23,09939.2+25.6
Turnout 58,94273.6−1.4
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2010: North Somerset [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Liam Fox 28,549 49.3
Liberal Democrats Brian Mathew 20,68735.7
Labour Steve Parry-Hearn6,44811.1
UKIP Sue Taylor2,2573.9
Majority7,86213.6
Turnout 57,94175.0
Conservative win (new seat)

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: North Somerset
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Paul Dean 43,17354.34+9.4
Labour AJ Smith22,12227.85−3.8
Liberal David Sanders12,89816.23−6.7
Ecology R Carder1,2541.58New
Majority21,05126.49+13.26
Turnout 79,44782.24+1.81
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: North Somerset
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Paul Dean 32,14644.88
Labour HR White22,67131.65
Liberal JM Bourne16,42822.93
United Democratic PartyJK Polling3870.54New
Majority9,47513.23
Turnout 71,63280.43
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: North Somerset
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Paul Dean 34,57646.09
Labour HR White22,42129.89
Liberal JM Bourne18,02324.02New
Majority12,15516.20
Turnout 75,02085.06
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: North Somerset
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Paul Dean 38,975 58.1 +11.7
Labour John T Mitchard28,12141.9−0.8
Majority10,85416.2+12.5
Turnout 67,09679.1−6.2
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: North Somerset
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Paul Dean 28,824 46.4 ±0.0
Labour Brian Tilley26,52642.7+2.9
Liberal Mark E Willies6,74510.9−2.9
Majority2,2983.7−2.9
Turnout 62,09585.3−0.1
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Somerset North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Paul Dean 27,814 46.4 −9.9
Labour DT White23,89639.8−3.9
Liberal Mark E Willies8,25313.8New
Majority3,9186.6−6.0
Turnout 59,96385.4−0.1
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Somerset North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ted Leather 30,432 56.3 +2.1
Labour E Fraser Wilde23,64943.7−2.1
Majority6,78312.6+4.2
Turnout 54,08185.5+0.1
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Somerset North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ted Leather 26,985 54.2 +1.8
Labour David Llewellyn 22,80245.8−1.8
Majority4,1838.4+3.6
Turnout 54,08185.4
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Somerset North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ted Leather 27,465 52.4 +6.8
Labour Robert J Hurst24,91747.6+3.8
Majority2,5484.8+3.0
Turnout 52,382
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Somerset North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ted Leather 23,953 45.6
Labour Xenia Field 23,05043.8
Liberal Albert Ernest Whitcher5,57310.6
Majority9031.8
Turnout 52,57687.7
Conservative win (new seat)

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

Strachey Edward Strachey.jpg
Strachey
General election 1885: North Somerset [16] [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Evan Henry Llewellyn 4,170 54.4
Liberal Edward Strachey 3,49145.6
Majority6798.8
Turnout 7,66175.0
Registered electors 10,209
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: North Somerset [16] [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Evan Henry Llewellyn 4,252 67.1 +12.7
Liberal James Dormer Marshall [19] 2,08732.9−12.7
Majority2,16534.2+25.4
Turnout 6,33962.1−12.9
Registered electors 10,209
Conservative hold Swing +12.7

Elections in the 1890s

Warner Courtenay Warner.jpg
Warner
General election 1892: North Somerset [16] [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Courtenay Warner 3,920 50.1 +17.2
Conservative Evan Henry Llewellyn 3,90149.9−17.2
Majority190.2N/A
Turnout 7,82177.5+15.4
Registered electors 10,086
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +17.2
General election 1895: North Somerset [16] [17] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Evan Henry Llewellyn 4,652 54.0 +4.1
Liberal Courtenay Warner 3,96646.0−4.1
Majority6868.0N/A
Turnout 8,61884.4+6.9
Registered electors 10,208
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.1

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: North Somerset [16] [17] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Even Llewellyn 4,530 53.0 −1.0
Liberal William Hope 4,01447.0+1.0
Majority5166.0−2.0
Turnout 8,54480.0−4.4
Registered electors 10,682
Conservative hold Swing −1.0
Hope William Hope.jpg
Hope
General election 1906: North Somerset [16] [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Hope 6,626 60.2 +13.2
Conservative William Mason 4,38039.8−13.2
Majority2,24620.4N/A
Turnout 11,00688.9+8.9
Registered electors 12,381
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +13.2

Elections in the 1910s

King Joseph King.jpg
King
General election January 1910: North Somerset [16] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Joseph King 6,568 53.2 −7.0
Conservative Frank Beachim Beauchamp5,76846.8+7.0
Majority8006.4−14.0
Turnout 12,33691.4+2.5
Liberal hold Swing −7.0
General election December 1910: North Somerset [16] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Joseph King 6,299 53.9 +0.7
Conservative Frank Beachim Beauchamp5,37846.1−0.7
Majority9217.8+1.4
Turnout 11,67786.5−4.9
Liberal hold Swing +0.7

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A county 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. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "'Somerset North', Feb 1974 – May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  3. ↑ "FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES IN THE UNITARY AUTHORITY OF NORTH SOMERSET". Boundary Commission for England. 8 November 2000. Archived from the original on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  4. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
  5. ↑ "South West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  7. ↑ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
  8. ↑ "Election Results for North Somerset" . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  9. ↑ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament . Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF).
  11. ↑ "Somerset North". BBC. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  12. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "UK Polling Report".
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Somerset North". BBC News. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 380. ISBN   9781349022984.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  18. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  19. ↑ "The Nomination" . Shepton Mallet Journal. 9 July 1886. p. 7. Retrieved 11 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  21. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  22. ↑ Standard 21 June 1913
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.