Reading South (UK Parliament constituency)

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Reading South
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
ReadingSouth1974Constituency.svg
Boundary of Reading South in Berkshire, boundaries 1974-83
County Berkshire
Major settlements Reading
19501955
Created from Reading
Replaced by Reading
1974 (1974)1983
Type of constituency Borough constituency
Created from Reading
Replaced by Reading East, Reading West and Wokingham [1]

Reading South was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency covered an area in and around the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire.

Contents

History

The Reading South parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. These constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency in for the 1955 general election.

The Reading South constituency was recreated in 1974, when the majority comprised areas outside the County Borough. In 1983 the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West.

Boundaries

1950–1955

The County Borough of Reading wards of Church, East, Katesgrove, Minster, Redlands, and West. [2]

It was then abolished and absorbed into the re-established constituency of Reading, with the exception of the East ward, which was transferred to Wokingham.

1974–1983

The Park ward of the County Borough of Reading was transferred from Wokingham, along with western parts of the Rural District thereof. The remaining wards of the County Borough were previously part of the abolished constituency of Reading.

The constituency was abolished again for the 1983 general election, with the majority forming the basis of the new County Constituency of Reading East. The north-western areas transferred back to Wokingham.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1950–1955

ElectionMemberPartyNotes
1950 Ian Mikardo Labour Contested Reading following redistribution
1955 constituency abolished – see Reading

MPs 1974–1983

ElectionMemberPartyNotes
Feb 1974 Gerard Vaughan Conservative Member for main predecessor seat (1970–1974)
Contested Reading East following redistribution
1983 constituency abolished – see Reading East, Reading West and Wokingham

Election results

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Reading South [1] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 30,067 53.9 +11.3
Labour Bernard Gale14,42225.8–2.0
Liberal Keith Watts10,64219.1–10.6
Ecology Peter Dunn7001.3New
Majority15,64528.0+15.1
Turnout 55,83176.5+1.8
Registered electors 73,001
Conservative hold Swing +6.67
General election October 1974: Reading South [1] [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 21,959 42.5 –0.3
Liberal Paul Burall15,29329.6–3.5
Labour Lawrence Silverman14,37527.8+3.8
Majority6,66612.9+3.3
Turnout 51,62774.7–6.3
Registered electors 69,124
Conservative hold Swing +1.6
General election February 1974: Reading South [1] [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 23,735 42.8 –4.7
Liberal Paul Burall18,37633.1+17.0
Labour Gerd Kaufman13,35824.1–12.4
Majority5,3499.7–1.4
Turnout 55,46981.0+8.4
Registered electors 68,500
Conservative hold Swing –10.8
1970 notional result [7]
PartyVote %
Conservative 22,40047.5
Labour 17,20036.4
Liberal 7,60016.1
Turnout47,20072.5
Electorate65,074

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1951: Reading South [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ian Mikardo 18,570 51.4 +2.7
Conservative Harold Pryce17,56148.6+6.1
Majority1,0092.8–3.4
Turnout 36,13186.7–1.4
Registered electors 41,694
Labour hold Swing –1.7
General election 1950: Reading South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Ian Mikardo 17,704 48.7
Conservative DC Rissik15,45042.5
Liberal Gerald Opperman3,2258.9
Majority2,2546.2
Turnout 36,37988.1
Registered electors 41,307
Labour win (new seat)

Politics and history of the constituency

The Reading South parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. The seat was contested and won for the Labour Party by Ian Mikardo, the sitting MP for the Reading constituency, who held the seat until it was merged back into a single Reading constituency for the 1955 general election.

The Reading South constituency was recreated in 1974, when it was contested and won for the Conservative Party by Gerard Vaughan, the sitting MP for the Reading constituency. For the 1983 general election the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West. Gerard Vaughan went on to hold the Reading East constituency until he stood down at the 1997 general election.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "'Reading South', February 1974 – May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  2. Craig, Fred W.S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN   0900178094. OCLC   539011.
  3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  4. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results May 1979". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  5. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results October 1974". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  6. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results February 1974". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  7. Michael Stead. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  8. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.

See also