South Swindon (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 51°33′32″N 1°46′55″W / 51.559°N 1.782°W / 51.559; -1.782

South Swindon
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of South Swindon in Wiltshire.

Outline map

Location of Wiltshire within England.
County Wiltshire
Electorate 73,449 (December 2010)[1]
Current constituency
Created 1997
Member of parliament Robert Buckland (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from Swindon and Devizes
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South West England

South Swindon is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Robert Buckland, a Conservative.[n 2]

Boundaries

1997-2010: The Borough of Thamesdown wards of Central, Chiseldon, Dorcan, Eastcott, Freshbrook, Lawns, Park, Ridgeway, Toothill, Walcot, and Wroughton.

2010-present: The Borough of Swindon wards of Central, Dorcan, Eastcott, Freshbrook and Grange Park, Old Town and Lawn, Parks, Ridgeway, Shaw and Nine Elms, Toothill and Westlea, Walcot, and Wroughton and Chiseldon.

The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of the seats of Swindon that was abolished, and Devizes that remains. This seat with a population of around 93,000 incorporates the southern half of the town as well as farms and villages with hamlets to the immediate south and east of Swindon.

It used slightly amended boundaries for the 2010 election, which saw it lose South Marston to North Swindon. The border now runs from Dorcan across to Bishopstone and then down to Russley Park before running west to Barbury Castle. From there it runs north to the Roughmoor area and loops back down to incorporate West Swindon, before following the railway line east through the town and back to Dorcan. In addition to the south of Swindon, main settlements include Wroughton, Chiseldon, Wanborough and Liddington.[2]

History

Historically Swindon is a railway town and until the latter part of the 20th century the related works were the primary employer.[3] Today Swindon is the home of a number of large companies, examples specific to South Swindon include Intel's European headquarters,[4] Nationwide's headquarters[5] and Zurich Financial Services' UK headquarters.

Members

Created in 1997, the South Swindon constituency swinging in line with the national average in the New Labour landslide, produced a fairly safe majority for the Labour winner. Julia Drown had a lead of more than 5,000 which was extended in 2001 to more than 7,000 but then dropped dramatically on a new candidate's selection, to just 1,353 in 2005, making it a highly marginal seat. In 2010 Robert Buckland, a Conservative, gained South Swindon at the general election with a majority of just over 3500. In 2015, the Conservative majority increased to 5785, making the seat fairly safe for the Conservatives. Robert Buckland is the current Solicitor General for England and Wales.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[6] Party
1997 Julia Drown Labour
2005 Anne Snelgrove Labour
2010 Robert Buckland Conservative

Elections

General Election 2015: South Swindon[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Robert Buckland 22,777 46.2 +4.5
Labour Anne Snelgrove 16,992 34.5 +0.2
UKIP John Short[8] 5,920 12.0 +7.7
Liberal Democrat Damon Hooton[9] 1,817 3.7 -13.9
Green Talis Kimberley-Fairbourn[10] 1,757 3.6 +2.3
Majority 5,785 11.7
Turnout 66.6 +1.7
Conservative hold Swing +2.1
General Election 2010: South Swindon[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Robert Buckland 19,687 41.8 +4.9
Labour Anne Snelgrove 16,143 34.3 -6.2
Liberal Democrat Damon Hooton 8,305 17.6 +0.6
UKIP Robert Tingley 2,029 4.3 +2.1
Green Jenni Miles 619 1.3 -1.6
Christian Alistair Kirk 176 0.4 +0.4
Independent Karsten Evans 160 0.3 +0.3
Majority 3,544 7.5
Turnout 47,119 64.9% +5.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing 5.51%
General Election 2005: South Swindon[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Anne Snelgrove 17,534 40.3 −11.0
Conservative Robert Buckland 16,181 37.2 +2.8
Liberal Democrat Sue Stebbing 7,322 16.8 +4.9
Green Bill Hughes 1,234 2.8 N/A
UKIP Stephen Halden 955 2.2 +0.6
Independent Alan Hayward 193 0.4 N/A
Independent John Williams 53 0.1 N/A
Majority 1,353 3.1
Turnout 43,472 60.2 −0.8
Labour hold Swing −6.9
General Election 2001: South Swindon[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Julia Drown 22,260 51.3 +4.5
Conservative Simon Coombs 14,919 34.4 -1.4
Liberal Democrat Geoff Brewer 5,165 11.9 -2.5
UKIP Vicki Sharp 713 1.6 N/A
Rock 'n' Roll Loony Roly Gillard 327 0.8 N/A
Majority 7,341 16.9
Turnout 43,384 61.0 -11.8
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1997: South Swindon[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Julia Drown 23,943 46.80
Conservative Simon Coombs 18,298 35.77
Liberal Democrat Stanley Pajak 7,371 14.41
Referendum David McIntosh 1,273 2.49
Independent Richard Charman 181 0.19
Natural Law Keith Buscombe 96 0.19
Majority 5,645 11.03
Turnout 72.87
Labour hold Swing

Neighbouring constituencies

Constituencies bordering Swindon South
Swindon North
Wiltshire North Wantage
   Swindon South  
Devizes

See also

Notes and references

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. ↑ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ↑ 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England
  3. ↑ http://www.swindonweb.com/?m=8&s=116&ss=321&c=1183&t=The+Railway+Works
  4. ↑ http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.Intel_Corporation_(UK)_Limited.c96b499236a6df87.html
  5. ↑ http://www.nationwide.co.uk/about_nationwide/accessibility/admin_centres.htm
  6. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 6)
  7. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  8. ↑ http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/11738359.UKIP_names_general_election_candidates
  9. ↑ http://www.libdems.org.uk/general_election_candidates#South West
  10. ↑ http://southwest.greenparty.org.uk/general-election-2015.html
  11. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ↑ Taylor, Stephen P (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Returning Officer. Swindone Borough Council. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  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.
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