South Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

South Leicestershire
County constituency
for the House of Commons
South Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
East Midlands - South Leicestershire constituency.svg
Boundary of South Leicestershire in the East Midlands
County Leicestershire
Electorate 75,634 (2023) [1]
Major settlements Lutterworth, Whetstone, Narborough and Blaby
Current constituency
Created 2010
Member of Parliament Alberto Costa (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created from Blaby, Harborough
1832–1885
SeatsTwo
Created from Leicestershire
Replaced by Bosworth, Harborough

South Leicestershire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Alberto Costa, a member of the Conservative Party.

Contents

The current constituency has similar boundaries to the previous Blaby constituency. Historically the "Southern Division of Leicestershire", was a county constituency, less formally known as South Leicestershire. From 1832 to 1885 it elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election.

Boundaries

Historic

1832–1885: The Hundreds of Gartree (excluding the parishes of Baggrave, Burrough, Knossington, Marefield, Pickwell-cum-Leesthorpe, Ouston, and Newbold-Saucey), Sparkenhoe and Guthlaxton, and the Borough of Leicester and the Liberties thereof. [2]

2010-2024

Following its review of parliamentary representation in Leicestershire, the Boundary Commission for England recommended replacing the Blaby constituency with a new South Leicestershire seat, with some boundary changes. This change occurred for the 2010 general election.

The electoral wards used to create the new constituency were;

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was defined as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

The Blaby District wards of Millfield, Ravenhurst and Fosse, and Winstanley (comprising the community of Braunstone Town) were transferred to the new constituency of Mid Leicestershire; the Harborough District wards of Bosworth and Fleckney were transferred in from Harborough.

Following a local government boundary review in Blaby which came into effect in May 2023, [5] [6] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

Constituency profile

The current South Leicestershire is a slice of Leicestershire to the south west of Leicester, with most of the population in commuter towns and villages like Whetstone, Blaby and Narborough. Further south it is more rural, with the largest settlement the old market town of Lutterworth. Nearby is the former site of RAF Bitteswell, since redeveloped as Magna Park, one of the largest distribution centres in Europe. [8]

The constituency name of South Leicestershire was new for 2010, but the seat was not massively changed from the old seat of Blaby. Both this and its predecessor are safe Tory seats held by the party since Blaby's creation in 1974. The best known MP to represent the area is the former Chancellor Nigel Lawson.

History

1832-1885

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election, when the two-seat Leicestershire constituency was replaced by the Northern and Southern divisions, each of which elected two MPs.

Both divisions of the county were abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, when they were replaced by four new single-seat constituencies: Bosworth, Harborough, Loughborough and Melton.

Prominent members in this period included Thomas Paget (Jnr) (1807–1892) who followed the footsteps of his father in this role (his father having represented Leicestershire) and as partner in Leicester Bank, and Albert Pell, a member of a group of MPs, which included Henry Chaplin, Sir Massey Lopes and Clare Sewell Read, who supported farming interests. He was also a member of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1832–1885

Leicestershire prior to 1832

Election1st Member [9] 1st Party2nd Member [9] 2nd Party
1832 Edward Dawson Whig [10] Sir Henry Halford, Bt Tory [10]
1834 Conservative [10]
1835 Thomas Frewen Turner Conservative [10]
1836 by-election Charles Packe Conservative [10]
1857 Viscount Curzon Conservative
1867 by-election Thomas Paget Liberal Party
1868 Albert Pell Conservative Party
1870 by-election William Unwin Heygate Conservative
1880 Thomas Paget Liberal Party
1885 Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished

MPs since 2010

Blaby and Harborough prior to 2010

ElectionMember [9] Party
2010 Andrew Robathan Conservative
2015 Alberto Costa Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: South Leicestershire [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alberto Costa 18,264 35.6 −30.9
Labour Robert Parkinson12,75824.8+4.9
Reform UK Bill Piper10,23519.9N/A
Liberal Democrats Paul Hartshorn7,62114.8+5.2
Green Mike Jelfs2,4814.8+0.8
Majority5,50810.8−30.9
Turnout 51,35965.6−5.8
Registered electors 78,543
Conservative hold Swing -15.5

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: South Leicestershire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alberto Costa 36,791 64.0 +2.6
Labour Tristan Koriya12,78722.3−6.2
Liberal Democrats Phil Knowles5,4529.5+5.3
Green Nick Cox2,4394.2+2.3
Majority24,00441.7+8.8
Turnout 57,46971.4−0.4
Conservative hold Swing +4.4
General election 2017: South Leicestershire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alberto Costa 34,795 61.4 +8.2
Labour Shabbir Aslam16,16428.5+6.5
Liberal Democrats Greg Webb2,4034.2−3.2
UKIP Roger Helmer 2,2353.9−13.5
Green Mary Morgan1,0921.9New
Majority18,63132.9+1.7
Turnout 56,80171.8+1.6
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General election 2015: South Leicestershire [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alberto Costa 28,700 53.2 +3.7
Labour Amanda Hack 11,87622.0+1.1
UKIP Barry Mahoney [8] 9,36317.4+13.8
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Welsh3,9877.4−13.6
Majority16,82431.2+2.7
Turnout 53,92670.2−1.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.3
General election 2010: South Leicestershire [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andrew Robathan* 27,000 49.5 +4.1
Liberal Democrats Aladdin Ayesh11,47621.0+2.0
Labour Sally Gimson 11,39220.9−8.8
BNP Peter Preston2,7215.0+1.5
UKIP John Williams1,9883.6+1.2
Majority15,52428.5
Turnout 54,57771.2+6.0
Conservative win (new seat)
*Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 Parliament

Elections 1832–1880

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory Henry Halford Unopposed
Whig Edward Dawson Unopposed
Registered electors 4,125
Tory win (new seat)
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Henry Halford Unopposed
Conservative Thomas Frewen TurnerUnopposed
Registered electors 4,244
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Whig
By-election, 18 February 1836: South Leicestershire [17] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Charles Packe Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1837: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Henry Halford Unopposed
Conservative Charles Packe Unopposed
Registered electors 4,603
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17] [10] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Halford 2,638 34.4 N/A
Conservative Charles Packe 2,622 34.2 N/A
Whig Thomas Gisborne 1,21315.8New
Whig Edward Hawkins Cheney [19] 1,19615.6New
Majority1,40918.4N/A
Turnout 3,835 (est)78.2 (est)N/A
Registered electors 4,903
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1847: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Halford Unopposed
Conservative Charles Packe Unopposed
Registered electors 5,448
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Halford Unopposed
Conservative Charles Packe Unopposed
Registered electors 5,131
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1857: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Curzon-Howe Unopposed
Conservative Charles Packe Unopposed
Registered electors 5,205
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1859: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Curzon-Howe Unopposed
Conservative Charles Packe Unopposed
Registered electors 5,259
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Curzon-Howe Unopposed
Conservative Charles Packe Unopposed
Registered electors 6,283
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
By-election, 30 November 1867: South Leicestershire (1 seat) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Paget 2,302 50.4 New
Conservative Albert Pell 2,26349.6N/A
Majority390.8N/A
Turnout 4,56572.7N/A
Registered electors 6,283
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General election 1868: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Curzon-Howe 3,196 34.9 N/A
Conservative Albert Pell 3,111 33.9 N/A
Liberal Thomas Paget 2,86131.2N/A
Majority2502.7N/A
Turnout 6,015 (est)72.4 (est)N/A
Registered electors 8,308
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1870s

By-election, 13 June 1870: South Leicestershire (1 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Unwin Heygate 3,292 56.0 −12.8
Liberal Thomas Paget 2,58544.0+12.8
Majority70712.0+9.3
Turnout 5,87770.7−1.7
Registered electors 8,308
Conservative hold Swing −12.8
General election 1874: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Albert Pell 3,583 36.8 +2.9
Conservative William Unwin Heygate 3,269 33.6 −1.3
Liberal Thomas Paget 2,88329.6−1.6
Majority3864.0+1.3
Turnout 6,309 (est)74.3 (est)+1.9
Registered electors 8,489
Conservative hold Swing +1.9
Conservative hold Swing −0.3

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: South Leicestershire (2 seats) [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Paget 3,685 35.7 +6.1
Conservative Albert Pell 3,453 33.5 −3.3
Conservative William Unwin Heygate 3,17530.8−2.8
Majority5104.9N/A
Turnout 6,860 (est)76.0 (est)+1.7
Registered electors 9,022
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.9
Conservative hold Swing −3.2

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. ↑ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. XLV: An Act to amend the Representation of the People in England and Wales". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 154–206. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  3. ↑ 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England
  4. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
  5. ↑ LGBCE. "Blaby | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "The Blaby (Electoral Changes) Order 2022".
  7. ↑ "New Seat Details - Leicestershire South". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 "UK Polling Report".
  9. 1 2 3 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 2)
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p.  192. ISBN   0-900178-13-2.
  11. ↑ "South Leicestershire - General election results 2024". BBC News . Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "Leicestershire South Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  13. ↑ "General Election 2017: South Leicestershire". The Daily Express. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ↑ Election 2010: South Leicestershire, BBC News
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 417–418. ISBN   978-1-349-02349-3.
  18. ↑ "South Leicestershire Election" . Leicester Journal. 16 July 1841. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 16 May 2019– via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ↑ "Leicester Chronicle" . 17 July 1841. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 16 May 2019– via British Newspaper Archive.

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