Portsmouth South (UK Parliament constituency)

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Portsmouth South
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Portsmouth South (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2010
South East England - Portsmouth South constituency.svg
Boundary of Portsmouth South in South East England
County Hampshire
Electorate 73,711 (2024)
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created 1918
Member of Parliament Stephen Morgan (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from Portsmouth

Portsmouth South is a constituency [n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Stephen Morgan of the Labour Party. Morgan is the first Labour MP to represent the seat.

Contents

Boundaries

1918–1950: The County Borough of Portsmouth wards of Havelock, Highland, St Paul, St Simon, and St Thomas.

1950–1955: The County Borough of Portsmouth wards of Havelock, Highland, Kingston, St Paul, St Simon, and St Thomas.

1955–1974: The County Borough of Portsmouth wards of Havelock, Highland, Kingston, St Jude, St Simon, and St Thomas.

1974–1983: The County Borough of Portsmouth wards of Buckland, Fratton, Havelock, Highland, Kingston, St Jude, St Simon, and St Thomas.

1983–2010: The City of Portsmouth wards of Charles Dickens, Fratton, Havelock, Highland, Milton, St Jude, and St Thomas.

2010–present: The City of Portsmouth wards of Central Southsea, Charles Dickens, Eastney and Craneswater, Fratton, Milton, St Jude, and St Thomas.

The 2023 review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged. [1]

Constituency profile

The constituency covers the southern part of the city of Portsmouth in Hampshire, including Fratton, the seaside resort of Southsea and HMNB Portsmouth (Portsmouth Naval Dockyard) within the city bounds. The University of Portsmouth is within the constituency. The northern part is represented by Portsmouth North.

This constituency is marginally less affluent than its neighbour, with in December 2012 slightly higher unemployment, but considerably below the national average of all constituencies in terms of the claimant count. [2] Notwithstanding this, following the Second World War the city has a large proportion of flats, increasingly in a more aesthetic apartment style, some being affordable social housing and brutalist tower blocks; however, the majority of the city is of semi-detached and terraced nature with a mixture of incomes centred around the national average [3] and excellent amenities. [4]

History

The constituency was created in 1918 when the larger Portsmouth constituency was split into three divisions: Central, North and South. The Portsmouth Central constituency was abolished in 1950.

During the 2010 general election campaign, independent candidate Les Cummings distributed a leaflet claiming that sitting MP Mike Hancock was a paedophile, which was later proven in court to be false. Cummings was subsequently convicted under the Representation of the People Act 1983 for distributing material which was known to be false with the intention of smearing or defaming to affect the return of a member of parliament, and was fined £500 as a result.

Stephen Morgan won the seat at the 2017 general election, the first time ever that the Labour Party have held the seat. Morgan's win was one of 30 net gains made by Labour at that election. At the 2019 general election Labour increased its vote share by 7.6%. This was the second-highest increase in Labour vote share in any seat in the United Kingdom (after Bradford West) in an election where Labour's vote share fell in all but 13 constituencies. [5]

Morgan's vote share remained steady in the 2024 election, with the Conservatives falling significantly behind both Labour and Reform. Portsmouth South can be considered a safe Labour seat. From a high of 45.9% in 2010, the Lib Dems are now in fourth position in a seat they held between 1997 and 2015, despite holding the majority of councillors in this constituency.

Members of Parliament

Portsmouth prior to 1918

ElectionMember [6] Party
1918 Herbert Cayzer Conservative
1922 by-election Leslie Wilson Conservative
1923 by-election Herbert Cayzer Conservative
1939 by-election Jocelyn Lucas Conservative
1966 Bonner Pink Conservative
1984 by-election Mike Hancock SDP
1987 David Martin Conservative
1997 Mike Hancock Liberal Democrat
2013 Independent
2015 Flick Drummond Conservative
2017 Stephen Morgan Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Portsmouth South [7] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Stephen Morgan 18,857 48.4 –0.2
Reform UK Mark Zimmer5,70214.6+12.6
Conservative Signe Biddle5,64314.5–22.8
Liberal Democrats Charlie Murphy4,88612.6+1.1
Green Elliott Lee3,1078.0N/A
PIP Jacob Short7331.9N/A
Majority13,15533.8+22.5
Turnout 38,92852.8–11.1
Registered electors 73,711
Labour hold Swing –6.4

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Portsmouth South [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Stephen Morgan 23,068 48.6 +7.6
Conservative Donna Jones 17,70537.3−0.2
Liberal Democrats Gerald Vernon-Jackson 5,41811.4−5.9
Brexit Party John Kennedy9942.1N/A
JAC Steven George2400.5N/A
Majority5,36311.3+7.9
Turnout 47,42563.9+0.0
Registered electors 74,186
Labour hold Swing +3.9
General election 2017: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Stephen Morgan 18,290 41.0 +21.5
Conservative Flick Drummond 16,73637.6+2.7
Liberal Democrats Gerald Vernon-Jackson 7,69917.3–5.0
UKIP Kevan Chippindall-Higgin1,1292.5–10.8
Green Ian McCulloch7121.6–5.9
Majority1,5543.5N/A
Turnout 44,56663.9+5.4
Registered electors 69,785
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +9.4
General election 2015: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Flick Drummond 14,585 34.8 +1.6
Liberal Democrats Gerald Vernon-Jackson 9,34422.3–23.6
Labour Sue Castillon8,18419.5+5.9
UKIP Steve Harris5,59513.4+11.2
Green Ian McCulloch3,1457.5+5.8
Independent Mike Hancock 7161.7N/A
TUSC Sean Hoyle2350.6N/A
JAC Don Jerrard990.2–0.0
Majority5,24112.5N/A
Turnout 41,90358.5–0.3
Registered electors 71,639
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +12.6
General election 2010: Portsmouth South [11] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Mike Hancock 18,921 45.9 +3.5
Conservative Flick Drummond 13,72133.3–0.3
Labour John Ferrett5,64013.7−8.6
UKIP Robert Robinson8762.1+0.2
BNP Geoff Crompton8732.1N/A
Green Tim Dawes7161.7N/A
English Democrat Ian Ducain4001.0N/A
JAC Les Cummings1170.3N/A
Majority5,20012.6+3.8
Turnout 41,26458.7+1.8
Registered electors 70,242
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +1.9

Elections in the 2000s

2005 notional result
PartyVote %
Liberal Democrats 15,65242.3
Conservative 12,39433.5
Labour 8,22822.2
Others7141.9
Turnout36,98856.9
Electorate64,981
General election 2005: Portsmouth South [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Mike Hancock 17,047 42.2 –2.4
Conservative Caroline Dinenage 13,68533.9+4.8
Labour Mark Button8,71421.6–2.3
UKIP Dennis Pierson9282.3+1.5
Majority3,3628.3–7.2
Turnout 40,37456.9+6.0
Registered electors 70,969
Liberal Democrats hold Swing –3.6
General election 2001: Portsmouth South [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Mike Hancock 17,490 44.6 +5.1
Conservative Philip Warr11,39629.1–2.1
Labour Graham Heaney9,36123.9–1.4
Socialist Alliance Jonathan Molyneux 6471.6N/A
UKIP Michael Tarrant3210.8+0.5
Majority6,09415.5+7.2
Turnout 39,21550.9–12.9
Registered electors 77,095
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +3.6

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Portsmouth South [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Mike Hancock 20,421 39.5 –2.5
Conservative David Martin 16,09431.1–11.4
Labour Alan Burnett13,08625.3+10.7
Referendum Christopher Trim1,6293.2N/A
Liberal John Thompson1840.4N/A
UKIP Jill Evans1410.3N/A
Natural Law William Trend1400.3+0.1
Majority4,3278.4N/A
Turnout 51,69563.8–5.3
Registered electors 81,014
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +4.4
General election 1992: Portsmouth South [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Martin 22,798 42.5 –0.8
Liberal Democrats Mike Hancock 22,55642.0–0.9
Labour Syd Rapson 7,85714.6+1.7
Green Aleksander Zivkovic3490.7N/A
Natural Law William Trend910.2N/A
Majority2420.5+0.1
Turnout 53,65169.1–2.2
Registered electors 77,645
Conservative hold Swing +0.0

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Portsmouth South [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Martin 23,534 43.3 –6.7
SDP Mike Hancock 23,32942.9+17.5
Labour Keith Gardiner7,04713.0–9.6
657 PartyMartyn Hughes4550.8N/A
Majority2050.4N/A
Turnout 54,36571.3+3.9
Registered electors 76,292
Conservative gain from SDP Swing +12.1
By-election 1984: Portsmouth South [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
SDP Mike Hancock 15,358 37.6 +12.1
Conservative Patrick Rock 14,01734.3–15.7
Labour Sally Thomas10,84626.5+4.0
National Front Gordon Knight2260.6–0.0
Ecology Terry Mitchell1900.5N/A
Independent Liberal Alan Evens1130.3–0.8
Independent Ecology Thomas Layton500.1N/A
Independent Anthony Andrews420.1N/A
New National PartyPeter Smith410.1N/A
Majority1,3413.3N/A
Turnout 40,52354.5–12.8
Registered electors 74,976
SDP gain from Conservative Swing +13.9
General election 1983: Portsmouth South [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Bonner Pink 25,101 50.0 –3.8
SDP Mike Hancock 12,76625.4+13.2
Labour Sally Thomas11,32422.6–10.5
Independent Liberal Alan Evens5541.1N/A
National Front Gordon Knight2790.6–0.3
Traditional English FoodD. W. Fry1720.3N/A
Majority12,33524.6+3.8
Turnout 50,19667.3
Registered electors 74,537
Conservative hold Swing –8.5

Elections in the 1970s

1979 notional result [22]
PartyVote %
Conservative 28,99053.8
Labour 17,81333.1
Liberal 6,56612.2
Others4850.9
Turnout53,854
Electorate
General election 1979: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Bonner Pink 26,835 54.7 +7.1
Labour Sally Thomas15,30631.2+0.0
Liberal Jack Wallis6,48713.2–6.8
National Front W. Donkin4570.9N/A
Majority11,52923.5
Turnout 49,08572.9+3.5
Registered electors 67,346
Conservative hold Swing +3.5
General election October 1974: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Bonner Pink 23,379 47.6 –2.7
Labour A. M. Halmos15,30831.2+1.5
Liberal M. Tribe9,80720.0+0.7
Marxist-Leninist (England) A. D. Rifkin6121.2+0.5
Majority8,07116.4–4.1
Turnout 49,10669.4–6.5
Registered electors 70,773
Conservative hold Swing –2.1
General election February 1974: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Bonner Pink 26,824 50.3 –10.3
Labour S. Lloyd15,84229.7–9.8
Liberal J. Williams10,30719.3N/A
Marxist-Leninist (England) A. D. Rifkin3940.7N/A
Majority10,98220.6–0.5
Turnout 53,36775.9+8.1
Registered electors 70,345
Conservative hold Swing –0.2
1970 notional result [23]
PartyVote %
Conservative 29,60060.5
Labour 19,30039.5
Turnout48,90067.7
Electorate72,213
General election 1970: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Bonner Pink 23,962 63.4 +2.7
Labour John White13,84736.6–2.7
Majority10,11526.8+5.5
Turnout 37,80967.4–3.4
Registered electors 56,126
Conservative hold Swing +2.7

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Bonner Pink 22,713 60.6 –3.0
Labour Patten Bridge Smith14,73839.4+3.0
Majority7,97521.3–6.1
Turnout 37,45170.7–0.3
Registered electors 52,941
Conservative hold Swing –3.0
General election 1964: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jocelyn Lucas 24,387 63.7 –6.3
Labour Richard Pryke13,90436.3+6.3
Majority10,48327.4–12.5
Turnout 38,29171.0–1.3
Registered electors 53,915
Conservative hold Swing –6.3

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jocelyn Lucas 27,892 70.0 +2.7
Labour Frank Towell11,97930.0–2.7
Majority15,91339.9+5.5
Turnout 39,87172.3–0.1
Registered electors 55,121
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
General election 1955: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jocelyn Lucas 27,887 67.2 +3.4
Labour Lawrence W. Carroll13,60032.8–3.4
Majority14,28734.4+6.8
Turnout 41,48772.4–8.4
Registered electors 57,311
Conservative hold Swing +3.4
General election 1951: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jocelyn Lucas 30,548 63.8 –0.2
Labour Douglas Wallace17,35036.2+0.2
Majority13,19827.6–0.2
Turnout 47,89880.8–2.7
Registered electors 59,306
Conservative hold Swing –0.2
General election 1950: Portsmouth South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Jocelyn Lucas 31,124 64.0
Labour Leslie Merrion 17,54536.0
Majority13,57927.9
Turnout 48,66983.5
Registered electors 58,288
Conservative win (new boundaries)

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Portsmouth South [24] [n 2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jocelyn Lucas 15,810 55.3 −19.9
Labour J. F. Blitz12,78344.7+19.9
Majority3,02710.6−39.8
Turnout 28,59374.9+8.0
Registered electors 38,150
Conservative hold Swing −19.9

Elections in the 1930s

By-election 1939: Portsmouth South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jocelyn Lucas Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1935: Portsmouth South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Cayzer 27,416 75.20 −5.68
Labour John W. Fawcett9,04324.80+5.68
Majority18,37350.40−11.36
Turnout 36,45966.94−5.78
Registered electors 54,463
Conservative hold Swing −5.68
General election 1931: Portsmouth South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Cayzer 32,634 80.88 +44.06
Labour W. J. Beck7,71519.12−5.63
Majority24,91961.76+49.68
Turnout 40,34972.72−2.42
Registered electors 55,488
Conservative hold Swing +24.85

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Portsmouth South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Cayzer 15,068 36.82 −36.14
Labour Jessie Stephen 10,12724.75−2.29
Ind. Conservative Frank Privett 9,50523.23N/A
Liberal Charles Rudkin 6,21415.19N/A
Majority4,94112.07−33.84
Turnout 40,91475.14+0.94
Registered electors 54,449
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1924: Portsmouth South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Cayzer 22,423 72.96 +17.00
Labour Jessie Stephen 8,31027.04+2.17
Majority14,11345.92+14.83
Turnout 30,73374.20+1.48
Registered electors 41,417
Conservative hold Swing +7.42
General election 1923: Portsmouth South [24] [n 3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Cayzer 16,625 55.96 −12.77
Labour Jessie Stephen 7,38824.87N/A
Liberal Sidney Robert Drury-Lowe5,69819.18−12.09
Majority9,23731.09−6.38
Turnout 29,71172.72−1.94
Registered electors 40,854
Conservative hold Swing −18.82
By-election 1923: Portsmouth South [24] [n 4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Cayzer 11,884 54.90 −13.83
Liberal Henry Merrick Lawson 9,76345.10N/A
Majority2,1219.80−17.66
Turnout 21,64754.90−18.76
Registered electors 39,426
Conservative hold Swing
By-election 1922: Portsmouth South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Leslie Wilson 14,301 62.90 −5.83
Ind. Conservative G. C. Thomas8,43437.10N/A
Majority5,86725.80−11.66
Turnout 22,73557.66−16.00
Registered electors 39,426
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1922: Portsmouth South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Cayzer 19,960 68.73 +0.43
Liberal Henry Merrick Lawson 9,08031.27+12.80
Majority10,88037.46−12.37
Turnout 29,04073.66+11.69
Registered electors 39,426
Conservative hold Swing −6.19

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Portsmouth South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%
C Unionist Party (UK) Herbert Cayzer 15,842 68.3
Liberal Alison Vickers Garland4,28318.5
Labour James Lacey 3,07013.2
Majority11,55949.8
Turnout 23,19561.97
Registered electors 37,427
Unionist win (new seat)
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ↑ Results compared to the 1935 general election, not the 1939 by-election
  3. ↑ Results compared to the 1922 general election, not the 1922 or the 1923 by-elections
  4. ↑ Results compared to the 1922 general election, not the 1922 by-election

References

  1. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  2. ↑ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  3. ↑ "Local statistics – Office for National Statistics". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk.
  4. ↑ "2011 census interactive maps". ons.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
  5. ↑ The Times Guide to the House of Commons 2019. Glasgow: Times Books. 2020. p. 54. ISBN   978-0-00-839258-1.
  6. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "P" (part 2)
  7. ↑ "Election results for Portsmouth South". Portsmouth City council. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  8. ↑ "Portsmouth South results". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "Portsmouth South". BBC News. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  10. ↑ "Portsmouth South parliamentary constituency – Election 2019 – BBC News" . Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  11. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Politics". The Guardian.
  13. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. Retrieved 6 December 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  17. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ↑ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1983–87 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  21. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "BBC/ITN NOTIONAL ELECTION 1979". election.demon.co.uk. BBC/ITN. Archived from the original on 28 May 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  23. ↑ Michael Stead. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Craig, F.W.S., ed. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 . Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. ISBN   0-900178-01-9.

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