East Devon (UK Parliament constituency)

East Devon
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of East Devon in Devon for the 2010 general election.
Location of Devon within England.
County	Devon
Electorate	72,406 (December 2010)
Major settlements	Exmouth and Sidmouth
Current constituency
Created	1997 (1997)
Member of Parliament	Hugo Swire (Conservative)
Number of members	One
1868 (1868)–1885 (1885)
Number of members	Two
Type of constituency	County constituency
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency	South West England

East Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Boundaries

The constituency contains parts of the county of Devon, to the east of Exeter.

Following a review of parliamentary representation in Devon by the Boundary Commission for England, which has increased the number of seats in the county from 11 to 12, East Devon is subject to significant boundary changes at the 2010 general election. In particular, the towns of Axminster and Seaton have been transferred to the Tiverton and Honiton constituency. Also, two wards from the City of Exeter are now part of the East Devon seat.

The electoral wards which form the East Devon constituency are as follows:

• From the East Devon district: Broadclyst, Budleigh, Clyst Valley, Exmouth Brixington, Exmouth Halsdon, Exmouth Littleham, Exmouth Town, Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh, Newton Poppleford and Harpford, Ottery St Mary Rural, Ottery St Mary Town, Colaton Raleigh, Sidmouth Rural, Sidmouth Sidford, Sidmouth Town, Whimple, Woodbury and Lympstone;
• From the City of Exeter: St Loyes, Topsham.

As part of the review, a proposal to rename the constituency "Exmouth and Sidmouth" was rejected.

Constituency profile

The main settlements in the constituency are the seaside resorts of Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth, and the inland town of Ottery St Mary.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1868-1885

• Constituency created - two seats (1868)

Election			First member	First party	Second member	Second party
		1868	Sir Lawrence Palk, Bt	Conservative	Lord Courtenay	Conservative
		1870			Sir John Henry Kennaway, Bt	Conservative
		1880	William Hood Walrond	Conservative
1885			Constituency abolished

The two-seat constituency of East Devon was abolished at the 1885 general election.

MPs 1997-present

At the 1997 general election a new constituency of East Devon was established. Sir Peter Emery, MP for Honiton since a 1967 by-election, represented the new East Devon seat until standing down in 2001, when Hugo Swire was elected.

Election		Member	Party
	1997	Sir Peter Emery	Conservative
	2001	Hugo Swire	Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2010: East Devon
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hugo Swire	25,662	48.3	+1.1
	Liberal Democrat	Paull Robathan	16,548	31.2	+3.1
	Labour	Gareth Manson	5,721	10.8	-7.5
	UKIP	Mike Amor	4,346	8.2	+2.6
	Green	Sharon Pavey	815	1.5	+1.5
Majority			9,114	17.2
Turnout			53,092	72.6	+4.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	-1.0

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: East Devon
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hugo Swire	23,075	46.9	-0.5
	Liberal Democrat	Tim Dumper	15,139	30.7	+0.4
	Labour	James Court	7,598	15.4	-1.3
	UKIP	Colin McNamee	3,035	6.2	+0.6
	Independent (politician)	Christopher Way	400	0.8	+0.8
Majority			7,936	16.1
Turnout			49,247	69.4	0.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	-0.5

General Election 2001: East Devon
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hugo Swire	22,681	47.4	+4.0
	Liberal Democrat	Tim Dumper	14,486	30.3	+1.2
	Labour	Phil Starr	7,974	16.7	-1.0
	UKIP	David Wilson	2,696	5.6	+4.8
Majority			8,195	17.1
Turnout			47,837	68.8	-7.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: East Devon
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Emery	22,797	43.38	N/A
	Liberal Democrat	R Trethewey	15,308	29.13	N/A
	Labour	A Siantonas	9,292	17.68	N/A
	Referendum Party	W Dixon	3,200	6.09	N/A
	Liberal	G Halliwell	1,363	2.59	N/A
	UKIP	C Giffard	459	0.87	N/A
	National Democrats	Gary Needs	131	0.25	N/A
Majority			7,489	14.25	N/A
Turnout			52,550	76	N/A

See also

• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Devon

Sources

• Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
• British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume II 1886-1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1978)