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South Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 52°04′N 0°56′E / 52.06°N 0.94°E / 52.06; 0.94
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South Suffolk
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of South Suffolk in the East of England
CountySuffolk
Electorate71,170 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsSudbury, Hadleigh and Great Cornard
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentJames Cartlidge (Conservatives)
SeatsOne
Created fromSudbury and Woodbridge and Bury St Edmunds[2]

South Suffolk is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by James Cartlidge, a Conservative.[n 2]

History

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South Suffolk is one of seven constituencies in the county of Suffolk and was created by boundary changes which came into force for the 1983 general election. It was formed primarily from areas to the west of Ipswich and the River Orwell, including the towns of Sudbury and Hadleigh, which had formed the majority of the abolished constituency of Sudbury and Woodbridge. Extended westwards to include Haverhill and surrounding areas, transferred from Bury St Edmunds.

Between 1559 and 1844, the constituency of Sudbury represented the town on the southwestern border with Essex, but this constituency was disenfranchised for corruption in 1844.

In every election, the Conservative candidate has been elected or re-elected; until 2015, said candidate was Tim Yeo, who was deselected prior to the 2015 general election; he was succeeded as Conservative candidate, and subsequently MP, by James Cartlidge.

Constituency profile

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South Suffolk is a large and predominantly rural seat, sharing a long border with the county of Essex but retaining a rather different identity and character - distinctly East Anglian rather than Home Counties.

The largest settlements, Sudbury and Hadleigh, are small, quiet towns, somewhat off the beaten track, and the only other significantly built-up area in the seat is the suburb of Pinewood, just outside the limits of Ipswich, where there are many new developments. There is still some industry in Brantham, close to the Essex border, but most of the seat is traditional agriculture, sitting alongside remote commuter bases for those working in London, Ipswich, Colchester or Chelmsford.

In common with many seats of this type, it is fairly safe for the Conservatives, with the opponents being significantly lower in terms of the vote share.

Workless claimants were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.5% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[3]

Boundaries and boundary changes

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Map
Map of boundaries 1997-2024

1983–1997

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  • The District of Babergh; and
  • The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Cangle, Castle, Cavendish, Chalkstone, Clare, Clements, Hundon, Kedington, St Mary's and Helions, Wickhambrook, and Withersfield.[4]

1997–2024

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  • The District of Babergh, and
  • The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Cavendish, and Clare.[5][6]

All but two of the Borough of St Edmundsbury wards, including the town of Haverhill, were transferred to the new constituency of West Suffolk.

Current

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Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is now coterminous with the District of Babergh.[7]

The small part previously in the former Borough of St Edmundsbury - now part of the District of West Suffolk - was transferred to the constituency of West Suffolk.

Members of Parliament

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Sudbury & Woodbridge prior to 1983

Election Member[8] Party
1983 Tim Yeo Conservative
2015 James Cartlidge Conservative

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: South Suffolk
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Cartlidge[9] 16,082 33.0 −29.1
Labour Emma Bishton[10] 13,035 26.7 +7.5
Reform UK Bev England[11] 9,252 19.0 N/A
Liberal Democrats Tom Bartleet[12] 6,424 13.2 +0.5
Green Jessie Carter[13] 4,008 8.2 +2.2
Majority 3,047 6.3 –36.6
Turnout 48,801 65.7 –4.8
Registered electors 73,385
Conservative hold Swing –18.3

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[14]
Party Vote %
Conservative 31,094 62.1
Labour 9,621 19.2
Liberal Democrats 6,360 12.7
Green 3,031 6.0
Turnout 50,106 70.5
Electorate 71,070
General election 2019: South Suffolk[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Cartlidge 33,270 62.2 +1.7
Labour Elizabeth Hughes 10,373 19.4 −8.4
Liberal Democrats David Beavan 6,702 12.5 +6.7
Green Robert Lindsay 3,144 5.9 +2.7
Majority 22,897 42.8 +10.1
Turnout 53,489 70.2 −1.6
Conservative hold Swing +5.1
General election 2017: South Suffolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Cartlidge 32,829 60.5 +7.4
Labour Emma Bishton 15,080 27.8 +8.5
Liberal Democrats Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne 3,154 5.8 −2.0
Green Robert Lindsay 1,723 3.2 −1.1
UKIP Aidan Powlesland 1,449 2.7 −12.5
Majority 17,749 32.7 −1.1
Turnout 54,235 71.8 +0.8
Conservative hold Swing -0.5
General election 2015: South Suffolk[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Cartlidge 27,546 53.1 +5.4
Labour Jane Basham 10,001 19.3 +5.0
UKIP Steven Whalley[18] 7,897 15.2 +8.1
Liberal Democrats Grace Weaver 4,044 7.8 −23.0
Green Robert Lindsay 2,253 4.3 N/A
CPA Stephen Todd[19] 166 0.3 N/A
Majority 17,545 33.8 +16.9
Turnout 51,907 71.0 +0.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.2
General election 2010: South Suffolk[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Yeo 24,550 47.7 +5.7
Liberal Democrats Nigel Bennett 15,861 30.8 +2.3
Labour Emma Bishton 7,368 14.3 −10.2
UKIP David Campbell Bannerman 3,637 7.1 +2.1
Majority 8,689 16.9 +3.3
Turnout 51,416 70.9 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing +1.6

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: South Suffolk[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Yeo 20,471 42.0 +0.6
Liberal Democrats Kathy Pollard 13,865 28.5 +3.6
Labour Kevin Craig 11,917 24.5 −5.7
UKIP James Carver 2,454 5.0 +1.5
Majority 6,606 13.6 +2.4
Turnout 48,707 71.8 +5.6
Conservative hold Swing −4.7
General election 2001: South Suffolk[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Yeo 18,748 41.4 +4.1
Labour Marc Young 13,667 30.2 +0.9
Liberal Democrats Tessa Munt 11,296 24.9 −2.8
UKIP Derek Allen 1,582 3.5 N/A
Majority 5,081 11.2 +3.2
Turnout 45,293 66.2 −11.0
Conservative hold Swing +3.5

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: South Suffolk[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Yeo 19,402 37.3 −14.0
Labour Paul Bishop 15,227 29.3 +7.5
Liberal Democrats Kathy Pollard 14,395 27.7 +2.5
Referendum Somerset Carlo de Chair 2,740 5.3 N/A
Natural Law Angela Holland 211 0.4 −0.2
Majority 4,175 8.0 −25.0
Turnout 51,976 77.2 −4.5
Conservative hold Swing −9.1
General election 1992: South Suffolk[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Yeo 34,793 50.2 −3.2
Liberal Democrats Kathy Pollard 17,504 25.2 −2.7
Labour Stephen Hesford 16,623 24.0 +5.3
Natural Law T. Aisbitt 420 0.6 N/A
Majority 17,289 25.0 −0.5
Turnout 69,340 81.7 +4.1
Conservative hold Swing −4.3

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: South Suffolk[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Yeo 33,972 53.4 +2.8
Liberal Christopher Bradford 17,729 27.9 −3.4
Labour Anthony Bavington 11,876 18.7 +0.6
Majority 16,243 25.5 +6.2
Turnout 81,954 77.6 +1.3
Conservative hold Swing +3.1
General election 1983: South Suffolk[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Yeo 29,469 50.6
Liberal Richard Kemp 18,200 31.3
Labour Stephen Billcliffe 10,516 18.1
Majority 11,269 19.3
Turnout 76,209 76.3
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  2. ^ "'Suffolk South', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  3. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  7. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 6)
  9. ^ "South Suffolk". BBC News.
  10. ^ Labour East [@EofELabour] (10 May 2024). "Congratulations, Emma Bishton, Labour's Parliamentary candidate for South Suffolk!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "Find My PPC (Eastern England)" (PDF). Reform UK. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Tom Bartleet selected as Liberal Democrat PPC for South Suffolk". Shotley Peninsula Nub News. 28 October 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Full list of all Green Party candidates at the next general election". Bright Green. 17 September 2023.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "Suffolk South Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Suffolk South parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.com.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
  19. ^ "CPA Candidates for the General Election". Christian Peoples Alliance. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  26. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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52°04′N 0°56′E / 52.06°N 0.94°E / 52.06; 0.94

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