North Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)

North Wiltshire is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by James Gray, a Conservative.[n 2] In the period 1832–1983, this was an alternative name for Chippenham or the Northern Division of Wiltshire and as Chippenham dates to the original countrywide Parliament, the Model Parliament, this period is covered in more detail in that article.

North Wiltshire
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of North Wiltshire in Wiltshire for the 2010 general election
Outline map
Location of Wiltshire within England
CountyWiltshire
Electorate67,154 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsCalne, Royal Wootton Bassett, Cricklade, Malmesbury
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentJames Gray (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromChippenham
1832–1885
Replaced byCricklade
Chippenham
Devizes
Westbury

The seat is due to be abolished for the next general election.[2]

Boundaries

1832–1885: The Hundreds of Chippenham, North Damerham, Bradford, Melksham, Potterne and Cannings, Calne, Selkley, Ramsbury, Whorwelsdown, Swanborough, Highworth, Cricklade and Staple, Kingsbridge, and Malmesbury.[3]

1983–1997: The District of North Wiltshire.

1997–2010: The District of North Wiltshire wards of Allington, Ashton Keynes, Audley, Avon, Box, Bremhill, Brinkworth, Colerne, Corsham, Crudwell, Hill Rise, Hilmarton, Kington Langley, Kington St Michael, Lacock, Lyneham, Malmesbury, Malmesbury Road, Minety, Monkton Park, Neston and Gastard, Nettleton, Park, Pickwick, Purton, Queen's, Redland, St Paul Malmesbury Without, Sherston, Somerford, The Lydiards, Town, Westcroft, Wootton Bassett North, and Wootton Bassett South.

2010–present: The District of North Wiltshire wards of Ashton Keynes and Minety, Box, Bremhill, Brinkworth and The Somerfords, Calne Abberd, Calne Chilvester, Calne Lickhill, Calne Marden, Calne Priestley, Calne Quemerford, Calne Without, Colerne, Cricklade, Hilmarton, Kington Langley, Kington St Michael, Lyneham, Malmesbury, Nettleton, Purton, St Paul Malmesbury Without and Sherston, The Lydiards and Broad Town, Wootton Bassett North, and Wootton Bassett South.

The constituency covers most of the northern third of Wiltshire. However it excludes the eastern town of Swindon which is represented as North Swindon and South Swindon.

North Wiltshire constituency was formed by a renaming for the 1983 general election, with boundaries identical to the former Chippenham constituency (1885–1983).[4] The constituency sits between the Cotswolds and Swindon. Its main towns are Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett (a town which was a borough constituency until abolished as a 'rotten borough' in 1832), Cricklade and Malmesbury, and it also contains a number of villages, both small and large, spread over a large area of farming countryside, including the well-known (often-painted and photographed) village of Castle Combe.

For the 2010 general election the North Wiltshire constituency changed radically as a result of boundary change recommendations. The constituency now covers a northern swathe of the previous version retaining the towns of Malmesbury, Cricklade, Royal Wootton Bassett and Calne[n 3] while the largest southern town of Chippenham was given its own seat (which was previously abolished in 1983) that brought in the nearby market towns of Bradford on Avon and Melksham including parts of other seats.[5]

While North Wiltshire has a long history of returning Conservative candidates, its district council (created in 1973 and abolished in 2009) was closely contested between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats with many electoral wards being marginal.

Proposed abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be abolished for the next general election, with its contents distributed three ways:[2]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1832–1885
Election1st member[6] 1st party 2nd member[6] 2nd party
1832 Paul Methuen Whig[7] Sir John Astley, Bt Whig[7]
1835 Walter Long Whig[7]
1837 Francis Burdett Conservative[7]
1841 Conservative[7]
February 1844 T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt Conservative[7]
March 1865 Lord Charles Bruce Liberal
1865 Richard Penruddocke Long Conservative
1868 George Jenkinson Conservative
1874 George Sotheron-Estcourt Conservative
1880 Walter Long Conservative
1885 Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished; see Chippenham constituency

MPs since 1983
ElectionMember[6] Party
1983 Richard Needham Conservative
1997 James Gray Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: North Wiltshire[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Gray 32,373 59.1 Decrease 1.2
Liberal Democrats Brian Mathew 14,747 26.9 Increase 9.2
Labour Jonathan Fisher 5,699 10.4 Decrease 7.1
Green Bonnie Jackson 1,939 3.5 Increase 1.4
Majority 17,626 32.2 Decrease 10.4
Turnout 54,758 75.0 Decrease 0.3
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 5.2
General election 2017: North Wiltshire[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Gray 32,398 60.3 Increase 3.1
Liberal Democrats Brian Mathew 9,521 17.7 Increase 2.1
Labour Peter Baldrey 9,399 17.5 Increase 7.7
Green Phil Chamberlain 1,141 2.1 Decrease 2.5
UKIP Paddy Singh 871 1.6 Decrease 9.9
Independent Lisa Tweedie 376 0.7 New
Majority 22,877 42.6 Increase 1.0
Turnout 53,706 75.34 Increase 0.84
Conservative hold Swing Increase 0.5
General election 2015: North Wiltshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Gray[11] 28,938 57.2 Increase 5.6
Liberal Democrats Brian Mathew[11] 7,892 15.6 Decrease 20.6
UKIP Pat Bryant[12] 5,813 11.5 Increase 7.6
Labour Peter Baldrey 4,930 9.8 Increase 3.1
Green Phil Chamberlain[13] 2,350 4.6 Increase 3.4
Independent Simon Killane[11] 390 0.8 New
Independent Giles Wareham 243 0.5 New
Majority 21,046 41.6 Increase 26.2
Turnout 50,556 74.5 Increase 1.1
Conservative hold Swing Increase 13.15
General election 2010: North Wiltshire[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Gray 25,114 51.6 +1.9
Liberal Democrats Michael Evemy 17,631 36.2 +1.8
Labour Jason Hughes 3,239 6.7 −5.3
UKIP Charles Bennett 1,908 3.9 +1.2
Green Philip Chamberlain 599 1.2 New
Independent Philip Allnatt 208 0.4 −0.6
Majority 7,483 15.4 +5.9
Turnout 48,699 73.4 +3.9
Conservative hold Swing +0.05

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: North Wiltshire[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Gray 26,282 46.9 +1.4
Liberal Democrats Paul Fox 20,979 37.4 −0.8
Labour David Nash 6,794 12.1 −2.2
UKIP Neil Dowdney 1,428 2.5 +0.4
Independent Philip Allnatt 578 1.0 New
Majority 5,303 9.5 +2.2
Turnout 56,061 69.3 +2.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.1
General election 2001: North Wiltshire[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Gray 24,090 45.5 +1.7
Liberal Democrats Hugh Pym 20,212 38.2 +0.4
Labour Joanne Garton 7,556 14.3 +0.1
UKIP Neil Dowdney 1,090 2.1 +1.4
Majority 3,878 7.3 +1.3
Turnout 52,948 67.3 −7.6
Conservative hold Swing +0.7

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: North Wiltshire[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Gray 25,390 43.8 −12.4
Liberal Democrats Simon Cordon 21,915 37.8 +6.3
Labour Nigel Knowles 8,261 14.2 +4.1
Referendum Margaret Purves 1,774 3.1 New
UKIP Alan Wood 410 0.7 New
Natural Law Joan Forsyth 263 0.4 New
Majority 3,475 6.0 -16.4
Turnout 58,013 74.9 -6.8
Conservative hold Swing −9.3
General election 1992: North Wiltshire[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Needham 39,028 55.6 +0.5
Liberal Democrats Christine Napier 22,640 32.3 −5.8
Labour Christine Reid 6,945 9.9 +3.1
Green Lydia Howitt 850 1.2 New
Liberal George Hawkins 622 0.9 New
Independent David Martienssen 66 0.1 New
Majority 16,388 23.4 +6.4
Turnout 70,151 81.7 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing +3.1

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: North Wiltshire[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Needham 35,309 55.1 +2.1
Liberal Christopher Graham 24,370 38.1 −2.5
Labour Christine Reid 4,343 6.8 +1.8
Majority 10,939 17.0 +4.6
Turnout 64,022 79.3 +2.7
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: North Wiltshire[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Needham 30,924 53.0 +3.9
Liberal Christopher Graham 23,692 40.6 -0.7
Labour Stephen Allsop 2,888 5.0 -3.7
Ecology Edward Barham 678 1.2 New
Justice for Divorced Fathers Henri de la Perriere 113 0.2 New
Majority 7,232 12.4 N/A
Turnout 58,295 76.6 4.5
Conservative win (new seat)

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Walter Long 3,090 35.5 −0.5
Conservative George Sotheron-Estcourt 2,836 32.6 −4.2
Liberal George Fuller 2,784 32.0 +4.8
Majority 52 0.6 −8.2
Turnout 5,747 (est) 79.3 (est) +2.1
Registered electors 7,249
Conservative hold Swing −1.5
Conservative hold Swing −3.3

Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bucknall-Estcourt 3,195 36.8 +18.0
Conservative George Jenkinson 3,129 36.0 +17.2
Liberal Charles Bruce 2,358 27.2 −35.3
Majority 771 8.8 +6.5
Turnout 5,520 (est) 77.2 (est) +3.2
Registered electors 7,152
Conservative hold Swing +17.8
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +17.4

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1868: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Jenkinson 2,769 37.5 −23.0
Liberal Charles Bruce 2,600 35.2 +15.4
Liberal Joseph Trigge Schomberg 2,016 27.3 +7.5
Majority 169 2.3
Turnout 5,077 (est) 74.0 (est) +0.3
Registered electors 6,857
Conservative hold Swing −17.2
Liberal hold Swing +13.5
General election 1865: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Bruce 2,151 39.6 N/A
Conservative Richard Penruddocke Long 1,911 35.2 N/A
Conservative George Jenkinson 1,373 25.3 N/A
Majority 240 4.4 N/A
Turnout 3,793 (est) 73.7 (est) N/A
Registered electors 5,146
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-election 20 March 1865: North Wiltshire[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Bruce Unopposed
Liberal gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1850s
General election 1859: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt Unopposed
Conservative Walter Long Unopposed
Registered electors 4,417
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
By-election 8 March 1859: North Wiltshire[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt Unopposed
Conservative hold
By-election 5 March 1858: North Wiltshire[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1857: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt Unopposed
Conservative Walter Long Unopposed
Registered electors 4,400
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1852: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. H. S. Sotheron Unopposed
Conservative Walter Long Unopposed
Registered electors 4,955
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1847: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. H. S. Sotheron Unopposed
Conservative Walter Long Unopposed
Registered electors 5,165
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
By-election, 12 February 1844: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. H. S. Sotheron Unopposed
Conservative hold
  • Caused by Burdett's death.
General election 1841: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Burdett Unopposed
Conservative Walter Long Unopposed
Registered electors 5,241
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Whig

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1837: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Francis Burdett 2,365 36.7
Whig Walter Long 2,197 34.1
Whig Paul Methuen 1,876 29.1
Majority 321 5.0
Turnout 4,183 82.5
Registered electors 5,068
Conservative gain from Whig
Whig hold
General election 1835: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Long Unopposed
Whig Paul Methuen Unopposed
Registered electors 3,560
Whig hold
Whig hold
General election 1832: North Wiltshire (2 seats)[23][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Paul Methuen 1,835 46.8
Whig John Astley 1,683 42.9
Radical John Edridge 403 10.3
Majority 1,280 32.6
Turnout 2,332 64.5
Registered electors 3,614
Whig win (new seat)
Whig win (new seat)

See also

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.
  3. Since 2010 Calne is the furthest south

References
  1. "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  3. "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 300–383. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  4. "About North Wiltshire" Archived 2009-11-29 at the Wayback Machine from the website of James Gray MP. Retrieved on 18 October 2006.
  5. Fifth periodical report – Volume 4 Mapping for the Non-Metropolitan Counties and the Unitary Authorities, The Stationery Office, 26 February 2007, ISBN 978-0-10-170322-2
  6. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 4)
  7. Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I, to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 106. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via Google Books.
  8. "Wiltshire North parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  9. "Parliamentary elections 2017". Wiltshire Council. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  10. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. Cass, Elliot (2 January 2015). "North Wiltshire MP denies rivals are ahead in election battle". Wilts and Gloss Standard. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  12. "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
  13. "General Election 2015". southwest.greenparty.org.uk.
  14. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. Kerr, Andrew (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Electoral Services. Wiltshire County Council. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  16. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  21. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 480–481. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  24. Stephens, H. M. (2004). "Estcourt, Thomas Henry Sutton Sotheron". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/8894. Retrieved 23 November 2008. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
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