North Cornwall is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Ben Maguire, a Liberal Democrat since the 2024 general election. Like all British constituencies, the seat elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years. The seat was created in 1918. Since 1950, the constituency has been held by MPs from either the Conservative Party or the Liberal Democrats (including the party's predecessor, the Liberal Party).
North Cornwall | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Cornwall |
Electorate | 76,741 (2024)[1] |
Major settlements | Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow and Wadebridge |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1918 |
Member of Parliament | Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Launceston and St Austell |
History
editThis constituency was created under the Representation of the People Act 1918.[2]
With exceptions in 1997, 2001 and 2019, the seat's margin of victory has been less than 20% of the vote. It has been consistently fought over between and won by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats' candidate (or predecessor party in the latter case), and can be considered a marginal seat. In 1997 and 2001 the seat turned out strongly overall for the latter party. However, in the 2019 general election, the Conservatives won a large majority of 28.6% over the Liberal Democrat candidate. This was overturned in the 2024 general election when the Liberal Democrats recaptured the seat with a majority of 19.4%.
The highest third-placed (other party) candidate was the 16.4% achieved by Reform UK in 2024. The seat saw three years of defection of its Liberal MP to join the post-World War II Attlee Ministry however in 2015 saw the lowest share of the Labour Party's vote nationally – reinforcing a consistent result by a great majority supporting left-wing politics to vote for a Liberal and later Liberal Democrat at general elections since the seat's inception.
Boundaries
edit1918–1950: The Borough of Launceston, the Urban Districts of Newquay, Padstow, Stratton and Bude, and Wadebridge, the Rural Districts of Calstock, Camelford, Launceston, St Columb Major, and Stratton, and parts of the Rural Districts of Bodmin and Holsworthy (these areas such as Whitstone and Week St Mary were on the Cornish side of the border).
1950–1974: The Borough of Launceston, the Urban Districts of Bude-Stratton, Newquay, and Padstow, the Rural Districts of Camelford, Launceston, and Stratton, and parts of the Rural Districts of St Austell and Wadebridge.
1974–1983: The Borough of Launceston, the Urban Districts of Bude-Stratton and Newquay, the Rural Districts of Camelford, Launceston, and Stratton, and parts of the Rural Districts of St Austell, and Wadebridge and Padstow.
1983–2010: The District of North Cornwall wards of Allan, Altarnun, Bodmin St Mary's, Bodmin St Petroc, Bude and Poughill, Camelford, Grenville, Lanivet, Launceston North, Launceston South, Lesnewth, North Petherwin, Ottery, Padstow and St Merryn, Penfound, Rumford, St Breward, St Endellion, St Minver, St Teath, South Petherwin, Stratton, Tintagel, Trigg, Wadebridge, and Week St Mary, and the Borough of Restormel wards of Edgcumbe, Gannel, Rialton, St Columb, and St Enoder.
2010–2024: The District of North Cornwall.
2024–present: Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which became effective for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following electoral divisions of Cornwall (as they existed on 4 May 2021):
- Altarnun & Stoke Climsland; Bodmin St Mary’s & St. Leonard; Bodmin St Petroc’s; Bude; Camelford & Boscastle; Lanivet, Blisland & Bodmin St Lawrence; Launceston North & North Petherwin; Launceston South; Padstow; Poundstock; St Columb Major, St Mawgan & St Wenn; St Teath & Tintagel; Stratton, Kilkhampton & Morwenstow; Wadebridge East & St Minver; Wadebridge West & St Mabyn.[3]
The St Columb Major, St Mawgan & St Wenn division was transferred from St Austell and Newquay. Otherwise unchanged.
Historically four borough constituencies lay within the boundaries, three of which were abolished as 'rotten boroughs' by the Great Reform Act, 1832:
- Bossiney (abolished 1832)
- Camelford (abolished 1832)
- Launceston (abolished 1885)
- Newport (abolished 1832 - settlement now a suburb of Launceston).
Members of Parliament
editElections
editElections in the 2020s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Ben Maguire | 24,094 | 47.0 | +17.1 | |
Conservative | Scott Mann | 14,137 | 27.6 | −31.5 | |
Reform UK | Rowland O'Connor | 8,444 | 16.5 | N/A | |
Labour | Robyn Harris | 2,958 | 5.8 | −3.8 | |
Green | Lance Symonds | 1,335 | 2.6 | +2.4 | |
Heritage | Sarah Farrell | 277 | 0.5 | N/A | |
Majority | 9,957 | 19.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 52,055 | 67.8 | −4.3 | ||
Registered electors | 76,741 | ||||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 24.9 |
Elections in the 2010s
edit2019 notional result[6] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Vote | % | |
Conservative | 31,941 | 59.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | 16,158 | 29.9 | |
Labour | 5,201 | 9.6 | |
Others | 676 | 1.3 | |
Green | 101 | 0.2 | |
Turnout | 54,077 | 72.1 | |
Electorate | 75,034 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Scott Mann | 30,671 | 59.4 | +8.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Danny Chambers | 15,919 | 30.8 | −5.8 | |
Labour | Joy Bassett | 4,516 | 8.7 | −3.4 | |
Liberal | Elmars Liepins | 572 | 1.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 14,752 | 28.6 | +14.5 | ||
Turnout | 51,678 | 73.9 | −0.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Scott Mann | 25,835 | 50.7 | +5.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dan Rogerson | 18,635 | 36.6 | +5.4 | |
Labour | Joy Bassett | 6,151 | 12.1 | +6.7 | |
CPA | John Allman | 185 | 0.4 | +0.3 | |
Socialist Labour | Robert Hawkins | 138 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 7,200 | 14.1 | +0.3 | ||
Turnout | 50,944 | 74.0 | +2.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Scott Mann | 21,689 | 45.0 | +3.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dan Rogerson | 15,068 | 31.2 | −16.9 | |
UKIP | Julie Lingard | 6,121 | 12.7 | +7.8 | |
Labour | John Whitby | 2,621 | 5.4 | +1.2 | |
Green | Amanda Pennington | 2,063 | 4.3 | N/A | |
Mebyon Kernow | Jerry Jefferies | 631 | 1.3 | +0.2 | |
Restore the Family for Children's Sake | John Allman | 52 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 6,621 | 13.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 48,245 | 71.8 | +3.6 | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +10.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Dan Rogerson | 22,512 | 48.1 | +5.7 | |
Conservative | Sian Flynn | 19,531 | 41.7 | +6.3 | |
UKIP | Miriel O'Connor | 2,300 | 4.9 | −0.8 | |
Labour | Janet Hulme | 1,971 | 4.2 | −8.3 | |
Mebyon Kernow | Joanie Willet | 530 | 1.1 | −2.1 | |
Majority | 2,981 | 6.4 | +0.9 | ||
Turnout | 46,844 | 68.2 | +3.7 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | −0.3 |
Elections in the 2000s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Dan Rogerson | 23,842 | 42.6 | −9.4 | |
Conservative | Mark Formosa | 20,766 | 37.1 | +3.3 | |
Labour | David Acton | 6,636 | 11.9 | +2.2 | |
UKIP | David Campbell-Bannerman | 3,063 | 5.5 | +1.1 | |
Mebyon Kernow | Dick Cole | 1,351 | 2.4 | N/A | |
Veritas | Alan Eastwood | 324 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,076 | 5.5 | −12.7 | ||
Turnout | 55,982 | 64.5 | +0.7 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | −6.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Paul Tyler | 28,082 | 52.0 | −1.2 | |
Conservative | John Weller | 18,250 | 33.8 | +4.3 | |
Labour | Michael Goodman | 5,257 | 9.7 | +0.3 | |
UKIP | Steve Protz | 2,394 | 4.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 9,832 | 18.2 | −5.5 | ||
Turnout | 53,983 | 63.8 | −9.3 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | −2.7 |
Elections in the 1990s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Paul Tyler | 31,100 | 53.2 | +5.8 | |
Conservative | Nigel Linacre | 17,253 | 29.5 | −14.8 | |
Labour | Anne Lindo | 5,523 | 9.4 | +2.8 | |
Referendum | Felicity Odam | 3,636 | 6.2 | N/A | |
Mebyon Kernow | John Bolitho | 645 | 1.1 | N/A | |
Liberal | Rif Winfield | 186 | 0.3 | −0.8 | |
Natural Law | Nicholas Creswell | 152 | 0.3 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 13,847 | 23.7 | +10.6 | ||
Turnout | 58,495 | 73.1 | −9.0 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +10.3[n 3] |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Paul Tyler | 29,696 | 47.4 | +5.5 | |
Conservative | Gerry Neale | 27,775 | 44.3 | −7.4 | |
Labour | Frank Jordan | 4,103 | 6.6 | +0.2 | |
Liberal | Philip Andrews | 678 | 1.1 | N/A | |
Independent | Geoffrey Rowe | 276 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Natural Law | Robyn Treadwell | 112 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 1,921 | 3.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 62,640 | 82.1 | +2.3 | ||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.5 |
Elections in the 1980s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerry Neale | 29,862 | 51.7 | −0.7 | |
Liberal | Michael Mitchell | 24,180 | 41.9 | −1.1 | |
Labour | Christine Herries | 3,719 | 6.4 | +2.5 | |
Majority | 5,682 | 9.8 | +0.4 | ||
Turnout | 57,761 | 79.8 | −0.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerry Neale | 28,146 | 52.4 | +0.8 | |
Liberal | David Chambers | 23,087 | 43.0 | −0.8 | |
Labour | James Hayday | 2,096 | 3.9 | −0.7 | |
Cornish Nationalist | James Whetter | 364 | 0.7 | N/A | |
Majority | 5,059 | 9.4 | +1.6 | ||
Turnout | 53,693 | 80.4 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 |
Elections in the 1970s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerry Neale | 24,489 | 51.65 | +9.65 | |
Liberal | John Pardoe | 20,742 | 43.75 | −7.50 | |
Labour | R.B. Tremlett | 1,514 | 3.19 | −3.21 | |
Ecology | J. Faull | 442 | 0.93 | N/A | |
National Front | R. Bridgwater | 224 | 0.47 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,747 | 7.90 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 47,411 | 86.1 | +5.6 | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.58 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John Pardoe | 21,368 | 51.25 | −6.65 | |
Conservative | Gerry Neale | 17,512 | 42.00 | ||
Labour | R. Tremlett | 2,663 | 6.40 | ||
Anti Party System | R.J. Bridgwater | 148 | 0.35 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,856 | 9.25 | |||
Turnout | 41,691 | 80.52 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing |
- February 1974; new constituency boundaries applied.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John Pardoe | 25,667 | 57.90 | ||
Conservative | Trixie Gardner | 16,938 | 38.21 | ||
Labour | J.B. Benjamin | 1,726 | 3.89 | ||
Majority | 8,729 | 19.69 | |||
Turnout | 44,331 | 86.29 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John Pardoe | 19,863 | 48.64 | ||
Conservative | Simon James Day | 19,223 | 47.10 | ||
Labour | Ernest William J Hill | 1,741 | 4.26 | ||
Majority | 630 | 1.54 | |||
Turnout | 40,827 | 85.11 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1960s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John Pardoe | 18,460 | 48.50 | +4.69 | |
Conservative | James Scott-Hopkins | 16,952 | 44.54 | –1.14 | |
Labour | Reginald S. Wills | 2,647 | 6.95 | –2.82 | |
Majority | 1,508 | 3.96 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 38,059 | 87.53 | |||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Scott-Hopkins | 16,352 | 45.68 | ||
Liberal | Charles Meddon Karslake Bruton | 15,683 | 43.81 | ||
Labour | Raymond S Dash | 3,497 | 9.77 | ||
Independent | Edward George C Voullaire | 265 | 0.74 | N/A | |
Majority | 669 | 1.87 | |||
Turnout | 35,797 | 83.10 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Scott-Hopkins | 16,701 | 46.7 | −0.7 | |
Liberal | Edwin Malindine | 15,712 | 43.9 | +1.0 | |
Labour | William Carlo Ferman | 3,389 | 9.5 | −0.3 | |
Majority | 989 | 2.8 | −1.7 | ||
Turnout | 35,802 | 83.7 | +1.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Harold Roper | 16,824 | 47.38 | ||
Liberal | Edwin Malindine | 15,220 | 42.86 | ||
Labour | Vernon Eric Cornford | 3,465 | 9.76 | ||
Majority | 1,604 | 4.52 | |||
Turnout | 35,509 | 82.30 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Harold Roper | 18,009 | 48.77 | ||
Liberal | Dingle Foot | 12,869 | 34.85 | ||
Labour | William Carlo Ferman | 6,049 | 16.38 | ||
Majority | 5,140 | 13.92 | |||
Turnout | 36,927 | 85.71 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Harold Roper | 17,059 | 46.6 | +1.2 | |
Liberal | Dingle Foot | 13,987 | 38.3 | −14.6 | |
Labour | Herbert Leslie Richardson | 5,521 | 15.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,072 | 8.3 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 36,567 | 85.9 | +13.2 | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing |
Elections in the 1940s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Tom Horabin | 18,836 | 52.9 | +1.6 | |
Conservative | Thomas Percy Fulford | 16,171 | 45.4 | −3.3 | |
Independent Labour | John Hazlewood Worrall | 626 | 1.8 | N/A | |
Majority | 2,665 | 7.5 | +4.9 | ||
Turnout | 35,633 | 72.7 | −7.2 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1930s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Tom Horabin | 17,072 | 52.2 | +0.9 | |
Conservative | Edward Robin Whitehouse | 15,608 | 47.8 | −0.9 | |
Majority | 1,464 | 4.4 | +1.8 | ||
Turnout | 32,680 | 79.3 | −0.6 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | +0.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Francis Dyke Acland | 16,872 | 51.3 | +2.2 | |
Conservative | Edward Robin Whitehouse | 16,036 | 48.7 | +3.4 | |
Majority | 836 | 2.6 | −1.2 | ||
Turnout | 32,908 | 79.9 | −5.8 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | -1.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Francis Dyke Acland | 16,933 | 52.4 | +3.3 | |
Conservative | Alfred Martyn Williams | 15,387 | 47.6 | +2.3 | |
Majority | 1,546 | 4.8 | +1.0 | ||
Turnout | 32,320 | 80.8 | −4.9 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing |
- Death of Maclean 15 June 1932
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Donald Maclean | 16,867 | 49.1 | −0.6 | |
Conservative | Alfred Martyn Williams | 15,526 | 45.3 | +3.0 | |
Labour | Arthur Bennett | 1,907 | 5.6 | −2.4 | |
Majority | 1,341 | 3.8 | −3.6 | ||
Turnout | 35,300 | 85.7 | −0.4 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1920s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Donald Maclean | 16,586 | 49.7 | +3.3 | |
Unionist | Alfred Martyn Williams | 14,095 | 42.3 | −11.3 | |
Labour | F. E. Church | 2,654 | 8.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 2,491 | 7.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 33,335 | 86.1 | +8.1 | ||
Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +7.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Alfred Martyn Williams | 12,639 | 53.6 | +10.1 | |
Liberal | George Marks | 10,927 | 46.4 | −10.1 | |
Majority | 1,712 | 7.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 23,566 | 78.0 | +2.4 | ||
Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Marks | 12,434 | 56.5 | N/A | |
Unionist | Charles Alexander Petrie | 9,581 | 43.5 | N/A | |
Majority | 2,853 | 13.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 22,015 | 75.6 | N/A | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | George Marks | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
National Liberal hold |
Elections in the 1910s
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Liberal | George Marks | Unopposed | ||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ Knighted in 1991
- ^ The largest two-party swing in this election was (Con-Ref): 10.5%
References
edit- ^ "Result for North Cornwall constituency - 4 July 2024 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes". https://archive.org. 1918.
{{cite journal}}
: External link in
(help)|journal=
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 6)
- ^ "Result for North Cornwall constituency - 4 July 2024 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Cornwall North". BBC News. 2019. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ "Cornwall North parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ Lavery, Kevin (20 April 2010). "North Cornwall statement of persons nominated and notice of poll" (MSWord). Acting Returning Officer. Cornwall Council. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
Sources
edit- British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
External links
edit- North Cornwall UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
- North Cornwall UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- North Cornwall UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK