North Devon (UK Parliament constituency)
North Devon | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Devon |
Electorate | 75,098 (December 2010)[1] |
Major settlements | Barnstaple and Ilfracombe |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1950 |
Member of Parliament | Peter Heaton-Jones (Conservative) |
Seats | One |
1832–1885 | |
Seats | Two |
Type of constituency | County constituency |
Created from | Devon |
North Devon is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Peter Heaton-Jones of the Conservative Party.[n 2]
Boundaries
1950-1974: The Municipal Boroughs of Barnstaple and South Molton, the Urban Districts of Ilfracombe and Lynton, and the Rural Districts of Barnstaple and South Molton.
1974-1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Barnstaple and Bideford, the Urban Districts of Ilfracombe, Lynton, and Northam, and the Rural Districts of Barnstaple, Bideford, and South Molton. (All these Districts had been abolished in 1974).
1983-2010: The District of North Devon, and the District of Mid Devon wards of Taw, Taw Vale, and West Creedy.
2010-present: The District of North Devon.
History
A previous two-seat constituency of the same name existed from 1832 to 1885, formally titled the 'Northern Division of Devon'. In the 20th century this area had a prominent national MP, Jeremy Thorpe, who led a Liberal revival countrywide, with particular strength in the South West.
The North Devon constituency was first created for the 1832 general election, when the Reform Act 1832 divided the former two-seat Devon into Northern and Southern divisions, each of which elected two MPs using the bloc vote system of election. The constituency was abolished for the 1885 general election, when the Redistribution of Seats Act split the county into smaller single-seat divisions. Its second creation is current and began at the 1950 general election (covering a smaller area than before). Before 1950 its territory was split between the old constituencies of Barnstaple and South Molton.
The Liberal Democrats and their predecessors the Liberal Party have, since World War II, shown a strong performance in this seat, which was held for twenty years by Thorpe as the Liberal leader. He lost it in the 1979 general election amid a scandal surrounding his relationship with homosexual Norman Scott and alleged involvement in a plot to murder him, of which he was found not guilty the same year. At the 1992 general election, Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey regained the seat from the Conservatives. Harvey lost the seat 23 years later.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1832–1885
MPs since 1950
The Member of Parliament for the constituency since 2015 is Peter Heaton-Jones of the Conservatives.
Election | Member[2] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 1950 | Sir Christopher Peto, 3rd Baronet | Conservative |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 1955 | James Lindsay | Conservative |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 1959 | Jeremy Thorpe | Liberal |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 1979 | Antony Speller | Conservative |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats/meta/color" | | 1992 | Nick Harvey | Liberal Democrat |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 2015 | Peter Heaton-Jones | Conservative |
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Heaton-Jones[4] | 22,341 | 42.7 | +6.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Nick Harvey[5] | 15,405 | 29.4 | −17.9 | |
UKIP | Steve Crowther[6] | 7,719 | 14.8 | +7.5 | |
Labour | Mark Cann[4] | 3,699 | 7.1 | +1.9 | |
Green | Ricky Knight[4] | 3,018 | 5.8 | +4.4 | |
Communist | Gerry Sables | 138 | 0.3 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 6,936 | 13.3 | +2.0 | ||
Turnout | 52,453 | 70.2 | +1.3 | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +12.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Nick Harvey | 24,305 | 47.4 | +0.9 | |
Conservative | Philip Milton | 18,484 | 36.0 | +0.3 | |
UKIP | Steve Crowther | 3,720 | 7.2 | +2.0 | |
Labour | Mark Cann | 2,671 | 5.2 | −3.7 | |
Green | L'Anne Knight | 697 | 1.4 | -2.3 | |
BNP | Gary Marshall | 614 | 1.2 | N/A | |
Independent | Rodney Cann | 588 | 1.1 | N/A | |
English Democrat | Nigel Vidler | 146 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Communist | Gerry Sables | 96 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 5,821 | 11.3 | |||
Turnout | 51,321 | 68.9 | +0.6 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +0.6 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Nick Harvey | 23,840 | 45.9 | +1.7 | |
Conservative | Orlando Fraser | 18,868 | 36.3 | −1.9 | |
Labour | Mark Cann | 4,656 | 9.0 | −1.1 | |
UKIP | John Browne | 2,740 | 5.3 | +0.3 | |
Green | Ricky Knight | 1,826 | 3.5 | +1.1 | |
Majority | 4,972 | 9.6 | +3.5 | ||
Turnout | 51,930 | 68.1 | −0.2 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +1.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Nick Harvey | 21,784 | 44.2 | −6.6 | |
Conservative | Clive E.J. Allen | 18,800 | 38.2 | −1.3 | |
Labour | Vivian G. Gale | 4,995 | 10.1 | +0.3 | |
UKIP | Roger Knapman | 2,484 | 5.0 | +5.0 | |
Green | Anthony J. Bown | 1,191 | 2.4 | +2.4 | |
Majority | 2,984 | 6.1 | −5.2 | ||
Turnout | 49,254 | 68.3 | −9.4 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -5.8%[n 3] |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Nick Harvey | 27,824 | 50.8 | +3.7 | |
Conservative | Richard Ashworth | 21,643 | 39.5 | −6.2 | |
Labour | Mrs. Eithne Anne "Annie" Brenton | 5,347 | 9.8 | +3.9 | |
Majority | 6,181 | 11.3 | +9.9 | ||
Turnout | 54,814 | 77.7 | -6.7 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +5.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Nick Harvey | 27,414 | 47.1 | +4.3 | |
Conservative | Antony Speller | 26,620 | 45.7 | −5.2 | |
Labour | Paul Bernard Donner | 3,410 | 5.9 | −0.4 | |
Green | Ms. Cathrine Hannah Simmons | 658 | 1.1 | N/A | |
Natural Law | Gray Cooper Treadwell | 107 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 794 | 1.4 | −6.7 | ||
Turnout | 58,209 | 84.4 | +2.7 | ||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.7 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Antony Speller | 28,071 | 50.9 | −4.2 | |
Liberal | Michael Azariah Pinney | 23,602 | 42.8 | +4.9 | |
Labour | Mrs. Ann Christine Marjoram | 3,467 | 6.3 | +0.6 | |
Majority | 4,469 | 8.1 | −9.1 | ||
Turnout | 55,140 | 81.7 | +1.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Antony Speller | 28,066 | 55.1 | +4.7 | |
Liberal | Roger Blackmore | 19,339 | 37.9 | +1.5 | |
Labour | Peter Edward James | 2,893 | 5.7 | −5.6 | |
Ecology | Roger Norman Joanes | 669 | 1.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 8,727 | 17.2 | +3.2 | ||
Turnout | 50,967 | 80.1 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Antony Speller | 31,811 | 50.1 | +13.5 | |
Liberal | Jeremy Thorpe | 23,338 | 36.7 | −11.4 | |
Labour | Antony John Saltern | 7,108 | 11.2 | −3.0 | |
Ecology | Tony Whittaker | 729 | 1.2 | N/A | |
National Front | John Morley Price | 237 | 0.4 | N/A | |
English National | Frank Hansford-Miller | 142 | 0.2 | −0.8 | |
Dog Lover's Party | Auberon Waugh | 79 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Wessex Regionalist | Henrietta Elizabeth Rous | 50 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Democratic Monarchist Public Safety White Resident | Bill Boaks | 20 | 0.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 8,473 | 13.3 | |||
Turnout | 63,514 | 81.7 | |||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Jeremy Thorpe | 28,209 | 48.1 | −5.8 | |
Conservative | Antony Speller | 21,488 | 36.6 | +0.2 | |
Labour | Mrs Alexandra Jessie Golant | 8,536 | 14.2 | +4.5 | |
English National | Frank Hansford-Miller | 568 | 1.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 6,721 | 11.5 | |||
Turnout | 58,621 | 74.58 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Jeremy Thorpe | 34,052 | 53.9 | ||
Conservative | Timothy Carleton Keigwin | 22,980 | 36.4 | ||
Labour | Terence Kendrick Marston | 6,140 | 9.7 | ||
Majority | 11,072 | 17.5 | |||
Turnout | 63,172 | 86.49 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Jeremy Thorpe | 18,893 | 44.1 | ||
Conservative | Timothy Carleton Keigwin | 18,524 | 43.2 | ||
Labour | Christopher John Mullin | 5,268 | 12.3 | ||
Democratic Party | Barry Gray Morris | 175 | 0.4 | ||
Majority | 369 | 0.9 | |||
Turnout | 42,860 | 84.9 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1960s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Jeremy Thorpe | 16,797 | 43.57 | ||
Conservative | Timothy Carlton Keigwin | 15,631 | 40.54 | ||
Labour | James H. Rayner | 6,127 | 15.89 | ||
Majority | 1,166 | 3.02 | |||
Turnout | 38,555 | 85.31 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Jeremy Thorpe | 19,031 | 50.71 | ||
Conservative | Michael Henry Basil Peto | 13,895 | 37.02 | ||
Labour | Frank Paton | 4,603 | 12.27 | ||
Majority | 5,136 | 13.69 | |||
Turnout | 37,529 | 84.32 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Jeremy Thorpe | 15,831 | 42.94 | ||
Conservative | James Lindsay | 15,469 | 41.96 | ||
Labour | Geoffrey W. Pitt | 5,567 | 15.10 | ||
Majority | 362 | 0.98 | |||
Turnout | 36,867 | 84.78 | |||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Lindsay | 16,784 | 47.13 | ||
Liberal | Jeremy Thorpe | 11,558 | 32.45 | ||
Labour | H. Heslop | 7,272 | 20.42 | ||
Majority | 5,226 | 14.67 | |||
Turnout | 35,614 | 81.11 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Sir Christopher Peto, 3rd Baronet | 19,780 | 52.41 | ||
Labour | William H. Wilkey | 10,632 | 28.17 | ||
Liberal | G. Alexander Halse | 7,326 | 19.41 | ||
Majority | 9,148 | 24.24 | |||
Turnout | 35,614 | 81.11 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Sir Christopher Peto, 3rd Baronet | 17,724 | 46.33 | N/A | |
Liberal | Guy Naylor | 11,640 | 30.43 | N/A | |
Labour | Maj. W.A. Barker | 8,892 | 23.24 | N/A | |
Majority | 6,084 | 15.90 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 38,256 | 85.69 | N/A | ||
Conservative win (new seat) |
See also
Notes
- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ 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.
- ^ This was in 2001 the largest two-party swing locally, (LD-UKIP)
References
- ^ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ a b c Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 2)
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ a b c "Ricky is Green's 2015 candidate". North Devon Journal. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
- ^ "UK ELECTION RESULTS". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk.
- ^ "Steve Crowther to stand for UKIP in North Devon at 2015 general election". North Devon Journal. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ Pratt, D J (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (MS Word). Acting Returning Officer, North Devon Council. Retrieved 21 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. 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
- The Times House of Commons 1945. 1945.
- The Times House of Commons 1950. 1950.
- The Times House of Commons 1955. 1955.