South Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)

South Dorset is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Richard Drax, a Conservative.[n 2] The constituency was created as a consequence of the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, although the area covered has changed since then.

South Dorset
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of South Dorset in Dorset
Outline map
Location of Dorset within England
CountyDorset
Electorate73,499 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsWeymouth and Swanage
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentRichard Drax (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromDorset

History

Formation

The constituency was created as a consequence of the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. The Act reduced the number of MPs.in Dorset from 10 to 4 (see Redistribution of Seats Act 1885#Redistributed seats: England). It was initially proposed to name the new constituencies after existing boroughs (Shaftesbury, Dorchester, Poole and Bridport) but, following an amendment in the Commons on 14 April 1885, the names were changed to the points of the compass (North Dorset, South Dorset, East Dorset, West Dorset).[2]

The South Dorset constituency was divided into 7 polling districts. Dorchester was chosen as the place where the nomination of candidates would take place and the result would be declared.[3] The area covered was:[3]

Recent history

In the 1997 election the seat was won by Ian Bruce by a margin of only 77 votes, one of the smallest margins in the UK. The 2001 election saw the second Labour win in South Dorset's history with Labour's smallest majority in England, at 153. In the 2005 election this constituency was one of the few in which Labour significantly increased their majority. Conservative candidate Ed Matts was found to have doctored an image which was part of his campaign material. Matts changed a photo of a protest against the deportation of a South Dorset resident, so that it appeared to be a protest against "uncontrolled immigration". In both elections, the left-wing singer-songwriter Billy Bragg led an anti-Conservative tactical voting campaign in Dorset constituencies.

The 2010 election saw Conservative Richard Drax, a former soldier and journalist from a long line of Dorset representatives, defeating the incumbent Jim Knight, who ended his final year in parliament as the Minister (of State) for Employment and Welfare Reform. Richard Drax retained the seat in 2015 election with an increased majority.

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Municipal Boroughs of Dorchester, and Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Dorchester and Wareham.

1918–1950: The Municipal Boroughs of Wareham, and Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, the Urban Districts of Portland and Swanage, the Rural District of Wareham and Purbeck, and the part of the Rural District of Weymouth that was not included in the Dorset West constituency (i.e. Bincombe, Broadwey, Chickerell, Fleet, Osmington, Owermoigne, Poxwell, Preston, Radipole, Upwey and Wyke Regis).

1950–1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Wareham, and Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, the Urban Districts of Portland and Swanage, the Rural District of Wareham and Purbeck, and in the Rural District of Dorchester the civil parishes of Bincombe, Chickerell, Fleet, Osmington, Owermoigne, and Poxwell.

1983–1997: The Borough of Weymouth and Portland, the District of Purbeck wards of Bere Regis, Castle, Langton, St Martin, Swanage North, Swanage South, Wareham, West Purbeck, Winfrith, and Wool, and the District of West Dorset ward of Owermoigne.

1997–2010: The Borough of Weymouth and Portland, the District of Purbeck wards of Castle, Langton, Swanage North, Swanage South, West Purbeck, Winfrith, and Wool, and the District of West Dorset ward of Owermoigne.

2010–present: The Borough of Weymouth and Portland, the District of Purbeck wards of Castle, Creech Barrow, Langton, Swanage North, Swanage South, West Purbeck, Winfrith, and Wool, and the District of West Dorset ward of Owermoigne.

Constituency profile

The seat includes the coastal areas to the south of the county of Dorset, plus some rural Purbeck territory further inland. The port of Weymouth is one of the few large towns in Dorset and its suburbs extend onto the Wyke Regis peninsula and the isle of Portland, connected to the mainland by road (and, in the past, rail).

The constituency includes Bovington army camp, and further east, Corfe Castle, connected by the preserved Swanage Railway steam railway to the holiday resort of Swanage. This part of the seat is closer to Poole and Bournemouth than to Weymouth.

Workless claimants were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.8% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[4]

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember[5]Party
1885 Henry Parkman Sturgis Liberal
1886 Charles J. T. Hambro[6] Conservative
1891 by-election William Brymer Conservative
1906 Thomas Scarisbrick Liberal
1910 Angus Hambro Conservative
1918 Coalition Conservative
1922 Robert Yerburgh Conservative
1929 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil[7] Conservative
1941 by-election Victor Montagu[8] Conservative
1962 by-election Guy Barnett Labour
1964 Evelyn King Conservative
1979 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil Conservative
1987 Ian Bruce Conservative
2001 Jim Knight Labour
2010 Richard Drax Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: South Dorset[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Drax 30,024 58.8 +2.7
Labour Carralyn Parkes 12,871 25.2 -8.4
Liberal Democrats Nick Ireland 5,432 10.6 +4.7
Green Jon Orrell 2,246 4.4 0.0
Independent Joseph Green 485 0.9 New
Majority 17,153 33.6 +11.1
Turnout 51,058 69.4 +0.7
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2017: South Dorset[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Drax 29,135 56.1 +7.4
Labour Tashi Warr 17,440 33.6 +9.4
Liberal Democrats Howard Legg 3,053 5.9 −0.1
Green Jon Orrell 2,278 4.4 −0.3
Majority 11,695 22.5 -2.0
Turnout 51,906 68.7 +0.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2015: South Dorset[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Drax 23,756 48.7 +3.6
Labour Simon Bowkett 11,762 24.2 -6.1
UKIP Malcolm Shakesby 7,304 15.0 +11.0
Liberal Democrats Howard Legg 2,901 6.0 -13.0
Green Jane Burnet 2,275 4.7 +3.5
Independent Mervyn Stewkesbury 435 0.9 New
Movement for Active Democracy Andy Kirkwood 164 0.3 -0.2
Majority 11,994 24.5 +9.7
Turnout 48,737 68.1 -0.5
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2010: South Dorset[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Drax 22,667 45.1 +7.1
Labour Jim Knight 15,224 30.3 -11.4
Liberal Democrats Ros Kayes 9,557 19.0 +3.2
UKIP Mike Hobson 2,034 4.0 +0.8
Green Brian Heatley 595 1.2 New
Movement for Active Democracy Andy Kirkwood 233 0.5 New
Majority 7,443 14.8 N/A
Turnout 50,310 68.6 -0.8
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +9.3

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: South Dorset[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Knight 20,231 41.6 −0.4
Conservative Ed Matts 18,419 37.9 −3.7
Liberal Democrats Graham Oakes 7,647 15.7 +1.3
UKIP Hugh Chalker 1,571 3.2 +1.2
Legalise Cannabis Vic Hamilton 282 0.6 New
Respect Berny Parkes 219 0.5 New
Personality and Rational Thinking? Yes! Party Andy Kirkwood 107 0.2 New
Wessex Regionalist Colin Bex 83 0.2 New
Socialist Labour David Marchesi 25 0.1 New
Majority 1,812 3.7 +3.3
Turnout 48,584 69.4 +3.9
Labour hold Swing +1.7
General election 2001: South Dorset[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Knight 19,027 42.0 +6.1
Conservative Ian Bruce 18,874 41.6 +5.5
Liberal Democrats Andy Canning 6,531 14.4 -5.8
UKIP Laurie Moss 913 2.0 +0.3
Majority 153 0.4 N/A
Turnout 45,345 65.5 -8.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: South Dorset[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Bruce 17,755 36.1 -14.2
Labour Jim Knight 17,678 35.9 +14.8
Liberal Democrats Michael Plummer 9,936 20.2 -6.9
Referendum Patrick C. McAndrew 2,791 5.7 New
UKIP Malcolm Shakesby 861 1.8 New
Natural Law Gerald T.H. Napper 161 0.3 Steady
Majority 77 0.2 -23.0
Turnout 49,182 74.0 -2.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1992: South Dorset[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Bruce 29,319 50.3 −4.5
Liberal Democrats Brian E.J. Ellis 15,811 27.1 −0.4
Labour Alan Chedzoy 12,298 21.1 +3.9
Independent JW Hagel 673 1.2 New
Natural Law MRF Griffiths 191 0.3 New
Majority 13,508 23.2 −4.2
Turnout 58,292 76.9 +1.3
Conservative hold Swing −2.1

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: South Dorset[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Bruce 30,184 54.8 -2.3
Liberal Brian Ellis 15,117 27.5 +0.5
Labour Brenda Dench 9,494 17.3 +1.7
Independent Alistair Hayler 244 0.4 New
Majority 15,067 27.3 -2.8
Turnout 55,039 75.6 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing -1.4
General election 1983: South Dorset[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 28,631 57.1 +1.4
SDP S.A. Head 13,533 27.0 New
Labour D.J. Hewitt 7,831 15.6 -12.9
Independent B.O. Smith 151 0.3 New
Majority 15,098 30.1 +3.9
Turnout 50,146 72.7 -5.6
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 32,372 55.67
Labour Alan Chedzoy 17,133 29.46
Liberal P St. J Howe 8,649 14.87
Majority 15,239 26.21
Turnout 58,154 78.33
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Evelyn King 24,351 45.88
Labour Alan Chedzoy 17,652 33.26
Liberal C Sandy 11,075 20.87
Majority 6,699 12.62
Turnout 53,078 75.38
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Evelyn King 26,933 46.93
Labour Alan Chedzoy 18,318 31.92
Liberal DT Broomfield 12,140 21.15
Majority 8,615 15.01
Turnout 57,391 82.19
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Evelyn King 27,580 52.06
Labour Richard May 20,716 39.10
Liberal Keith Searby 4,680 8.83
Majority 6,864 12.96
Turnout 52,976 78.98
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Evelyn King 22,997 46.01
Labour Frederick W Morgan 21,120 42.26
Liberal Geoffrey Maxwell Goode 5,862 11.72
Majority 1,877 3.75
Turnout 49,979 81.00
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Evelyn King 21,209 43.66
Labour Guy Barnett 20,274 41.73
Liberal Terence Bourke 7,100 14.61
Majority 935 1.93
Turnout 48,583 81.02
Conservative hold Swing
1962 South Dorset by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Guy Barnett 13,783 33.51 -1.16
Conservative Angus Maude 13,079 31.79 -17.99
Liberal Lawrence I Norbury-Williams 8,910 21.66 +6.11
Anti Common Market Piers Debenham 5,057 12.29 New
Independent P. Burn 181 0.44 New
Independent M. Fudge 82 0.20 New
Independent J.C. O'Connor 45 0.11 New
Majority 704 1.72 N/A
Turnout 41,137
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Victor Montagu 22,050 49.78
Labour Conrad F Ascher 15,357 34.67
Liberal Lawrence I Norbury-Williams 6,887 15.55
Majority 6,693 15.11
Turnout 44,294 78.82
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Victor Montagu 22,119 50.71
Labour Frederick Newman Stacey 16,702 38.29
Liberal Geoffrey Maxwell Goode 4,798 11.00
Majority 5,417 12.42
Turnout 43,619 79.25
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Victor Montagu 21,679 48.25
Labour Frederick Newman Stacey 18,244 40.61
Liberal Wilfred Ewart Ward 5,005 11.14
Majority 3,435 7.64
Turnout 44,928 83.98
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Victor Montagu 20,014 45.51
Labour Frederick Newman Stacey 17,471 39.73
Liberal Wyatt Trevelyan Rawson Rawson 6,489 14.76
Majority 2,543 5.78
Turnout 43,974 84.38
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s
Hinchingbrooke
General election 1945: Dorset Southern
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Victor Montagu 14,626 42.72
Labour Philip Sidney Eastman 12,460 36.40
Liberal Wilfred Ewart Ward 7,149 20.88
Majority 2,166 6.32
Turnout 34,235 73.60
Conservative hold Swing
1941 South Dorset by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Victor Montagu Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold

General Election 1939–40:

Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1935: Dorset Southern
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 17,637 57.88
Labour Arthur William Wiltshire 8,580 28.16
Liberal Frederick William King 4,255 13.96 New
Majority 9,057 29.72
Turnout 30,472 70.05
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Dorset Southern
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 21,284 70.73
Labour Arthur William Wiltshire 8,809 29.27
Majority 12,475 41.46
Turnout 30,093 73.29
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Dorset South [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 14,632 49.2 −21.3
Liberal Cuthbert Plaistowe 8,168 27.4 New
Labour Arthur William Wiltshire 6,959 23.4 −6.1
Majority 6,464 21.8 −19.2
Turnout 29,759 75.5 +9.4
Registered electors 39,396
Unionist hold Swing −7.6
General election 1924: South Dorset[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert Yerburgh 13,900 70.5 +17.0
Labour W Ridson 5,821 29.5 +12.0
Majority 8,079 41.0 +15.5
Turnout 19,721 66.1 −5.5
Registered electors 29,845
Unionist hold Swing +2.5
General election 1923: South Dorset [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert Yerburgh 11,057 53.5 −3.7
Liberal Robert Comben 5,973 29.0 +7.0
Labour David Wyndham Thomas 3,602 17.5 −3.3
Majority 5,084 24.5 −10.7
Turnout 20,632 71.6 −3.6
Registered electors 28,810
Unionist hold Swing −5.4
General election 1922: South Dorset[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert Yerburgh 12,121 57.2 −11.2
Liberal Fred Maddison 4,657 22.0 New
Labour Henry Pavely 4,394 20.8 −10.8
Majority 7,464 35.2 −1.6
Turnout 21,172 75.2 +17.3
Registered electors 28,149
Unionist hold Swing −0.2

Elections in the 1910s
General election 1918: South Dorset [22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Angus Hambro 11,175 68.4 N/A
Labour Brett Morgan 5,159 31.6 New
Majority 6,016 36.8 N/A
Turnout 16,334 57.9 N/A
Registered electors 28,224
Unionist hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election December 1910: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Angus Hambro Unopposed
Unionist hold
General election January 1910: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Angus Hambro 5,811 57.0 +10.3
Liberal Thomas Scarisbrick 4,379 43.0 −10.3
Majority 1,432 14.0 N/A
Turnout 10,190 89.1 +2.0
Registered electors 11,440
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.3

Elections in the 1900s
Tom Scarisbrick
General election 1906: South Dorset[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Scarisbrick 5,035 53.3 +5.8
Conservative William Brymer 4,411 46.7 −5.8
Majority 624 6.6 N/A
Turnout 9,446 87.1 +4.9
Registered electors 10,845
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +5.8
Leslie Renton
General election 1900: South Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Brymer 3,884 52.5 N/A
Liberal Leslie Renton 3,519 47.5 New
Majority 365 5.0 N/A
Turnout 7,403 82.2 N/A
Registered electors 9,011
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1895: South Dorset[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Brymer Unopposed
Conservative hold
William Brymer
General election 1892: South Dorset[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Brymer 3,657 51.2 −7.1
Liberal Robert Edgcumbe 3,489 48.8 +7.1
Majority 168 2.4 −14.2
Turnout 7,146 86.0 +4.5
Registered electors 8,310
Conservative hold Swing −7.1
1891 South Dorset by-election[26][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Brymer 3,278 50.3 −8.0
Liberal Robert Edgcumbe 3,238 49.7 +8.0
Majority 40 0.6 −16.0
Turnout 6,516 84.0 +2.5
Registered electors 7,757
Conservative hold Swing −8.0

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1886: South Dorset[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles J. T. Hambro 3,477 58.3 +8.6
Liberal Henry Parkman Sturgis 2,486 41.7 −8.6
Majority 991 16.6 N/A
Turnout 5,963 81.5 −3.6
Registered electors 7,316
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +8.6
General election 1885: South Dorset[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Parkman Sturgis 3,128 50.3
Conservative Charles J. T. Hambro 3,095 49.7
Majority 33 0.6
Turnout 6,223 85.1
Registered electors 7,316
Liberal 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.

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 Redistribution Bill". The Times. 15 April 1885. p. 6.
  3. "Official Announcements – County of Dorset". Western Gazette. 17 July 1885. Retrieved 21 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  5. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 2)
  6. Died 1891
  7. Called to the House of Lords, by a writ in acceleration, as Lord Cecil of Essendon in 1941
  8. Succeeded as the 10th Earl of Sandwich
  9. "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF).
  10. "Dorset South Results". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  11. "South Dorset". 2017 Election Results. UK Gov. 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  12. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. Grainger, Tom (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Acting Returning Officer. Weymouth & Portland Borough Council. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  15. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  20. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  23. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1922
  24. British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  25. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  26. The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 143 (167 in web page), Dorsetshire

Sources
  • BBC News article on the 2001 South Dorset election

50.5666°N 2.4541°W / 50.5666; -2.4541

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