Lowestoft (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Lowestoft
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Lowestoft (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
East of England - Lowestoft constituency.svg
Boundary of Lowestoft in the East of England
County Suffolk
Electorate 73,967 (2023) [1]
Major settlements Lowestoft
Current constituency
Created 2024
Member of Parliament Jess Asato (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from Waveney
1885–1983
SeatsOne
Created from East Suffolk
Replaced by Waveney and Great Yarmouth [2]

Lowestoft is a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Lowestoft in Suffolk. It returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

Contents

The constituency was originally created for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1983 general election. It was succeeded by the constituency of Waveney.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Waveney was abolished and Lowestoft re-established for the 2024 general election. [3]

History

The Northern or Lowestoft Division was one of five single-member county divisions of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 to replace the existing two 2-member divisions for the 1885 general election. It was formed from parts of the Eastern Division of Suffolk. It became a county constituency from the 1950 general election and was abolished for the 1983 general election, being replaced by the county constituency of Waveney.

It was more often won by the Conservative Party than not, although its representatives include two from the Liberal Party and one from the Labour Party.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

As Great Yarmouth formed a separate Parliamentary Borough, only non-resident freeholders of the Borough were entitled to vote in this constituency.

Throughout its existence, the Lowestoft constituency covered the North-Eastern corner of Suffolk and, although encompassing some rural areas, drew the majority of its voters from the towns of Lowestoft, a resort and fishing port, and Beccles; it also included the smaller towns of Bungay and Southwold, with its brewing interests. Southwold is now in the Suffolk Coastal constituency.

The constituency established in 1885, which was formally named The Northern or Lowestoft Division of Suffolk (and was sometimes referred to simply as "Suffolk North"), also included the town of Halesworth and the rural areas in between.

1918–1950

In the boundary changes of 1918, when the constituency became simply the "Lowestoft Division of East Suffolk" or EastSuffolk, Lowestoft, Halesworth was transferred to the neighbouring Eye division.

1950–1983

At the 1950 general election, Halesworth was once more placed in the revised Lowestoft County Constituency, but it otherwise underwent only minor changes to reflect local government rationalisations. The boundaries were not altered in the boundary review implemented in 1974.

The constituency was revised in 1983 and renamed Waveney , as its new boundaries were now identical with those of the local government district of that name. The new constituency was very similar to the old Lowestoft one except a small area in the north, including Bradwell (comprising about 10,000 voters), which had been transferred from Suffolk to Norfolk as a result of the Local Government Act 1972, and was now transferred to the county constituency of Great Yarmouth.

Current

The re-established constituency, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, is composed of the following wards of the District of East Suffolk (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

The bulk of the existing Waveney seat, including Lowestoft, Somerleyton and Beccles, was included in the re-established seat, whereas Bungay and The Saints were transferred to the newly created constituency of Waveney Valley.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885-1983

East Suffolk prior to 1885

ElectionMemberParty
1885 Sir Savile Crossley Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1892 Harry Foster Conservative
1900 Lt Colonel Francis Lucas Conservative
1906 Edward Beauchamp Liberal
1910 (January) Harry Foster Conservative
1910 (December) Sir Edward Beauchamp Liberal
1918 Coalition Liberal
1922 Sir Gervais Rentoul Conservative
1934 by-election Pierse Loftus Conservative
1945 Edward Evans Labour
1959 Jim Prior Conservative
1983 constituency abolished, became Waveney

MPs since 2024

Waveney prior to 2024

ElectionMemberParty
2024 Jess Asato Labour


Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jess Asato [8] 14,464 34.6 +6.4
Conservative Peter Aldous* [9] 12,44829.8−31.1
Reform UK June Mummery [10] 10,32824.7N/A
Green Toby Hammond [11] 3,0957.4+2.2
Liberal Democrats Adam Robertson [12] 1,4893.6−1.5
Majority2,0164.8N/A
Turnout 41,82456.3–5.1
Registered electors 74,332
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase2.svg18.8

* Incumbent MP for Waveney

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [13]
PartyVote %
Conservative 27,64860.9
Labour 12,79828.2
Green 2,3625.2
Liberal Democrats 2,3335.1
Others2450.5
Turnout45,38661.4
Electorate73,967

Election results 1885-1983

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Lowestoft [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Savile Crossley 4,324 53.6
Conservative Heneage Bagot-Chester [16] 3,74346.4
Majority5817.2
Turnout 8,06773.6
Registered electors 10,956
Liberal win (new seat)
General election 1886: Lowestoft [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Unionist Savile Crossley Unopposed
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Lowestoft [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Harry Foster 5,099 56.6 N/A
Liberal James Judd [17] 3,90943.4New
Majority1,19013.2N/A
Turnout 9,00876.2N/A
Registered electors 11,827
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: Lowestoft [18] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Harry Foster 5,199 57.6 +1.0
Liberal Alfred Sington3,82042.4−1.0
Majority1,37915.2+2.0
Turnout 9,01974.2−2.0
Registered electors 12,153
Conservative hold Swing +1.0

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Lowestoft [18] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Francis Lucas 5,077 60.3 +2.7
Liberal Adam Adams3,34839.7−2.7
Majority1,72920.6+5.4
Turnout 8,42566.5−7.7
Registered electors 12,678
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
Edward Beauchamp Edward Beauchamp.jpg
Edward Beauchamp
General election 1906: Lowestoft [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Edward Beauchamp 6,510 57.0 +17.3
Conservative Francis Lucas 4,90543.0−17.3
Majority1,60514.0N/A
Turnout 11,41581.5+15.0
Registered electors 14,002
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +17.3

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Lowestoft [19] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Harry Foster 6,530 50.9 +7.9
Liberal Edward Beauchamp 6,29449.1−7.9
Majority2361.8N/A
Turnout 12,82485.0+3.5
Registered electors 15,084
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.9
General election December 1910: Lowestoft [19] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Edward Beauchamp 6,248 51.1 +2.0
Conservative Harry Foster 5,98348.9−2.0
Majority2652.2N/A
Turnout 12,23181.1−3.9
Registered electors 15,084
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.0

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1918: Lowestoft [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Liberal Edward Beauchamp Unopposed
Liberal hold
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Lowestoft [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Gervais Rentoul 14,154 57.0 New
National Liberal Brograve Beauchamp 6,20524.9N/A
Labour Robert Arthur Mellanby4,51118.1New
Majority7,94932.1N/A
Turnout 24,87071.0N/A
Registered electors 35,012
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1923: Lowestoft [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Gervais Rentoul 11,103 45.8 −11.2
Liberal Frederick Paterson 8,36234.5+9.6
Labour Robert Arthur Mellanby4,78819.7+1.6
Majority2,74111.3−19.8
Turnout 24,25367.6−3.4
Registered electors 35,881
Unionist hold Swing −10.4
General election 1924: Lowestoft [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Gervais Rentoul 13,422 50.6 +4.8
Labour Robert Arthur Mellanby6,57024.8+5.1
Liberal Frederick Paterson 6,53224.6−9.9
Majority6,85225.8+14.5
Turnout 26,52473.0+5.4
Registered electors 36,321
Unionist hold Swing −0.2
General election 1929: Lowestoft [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Gervais Rentoul 13,624 39.8 −10.8
Liberal Albert Edward Owen-Jones10,70731.3+6.7
Labour Basil Hall 9,90328.9+4.1
Majority2,9178.5−17.3
Turnout 34,23484.8+11.8
Registered electors 46,359
Unionist hold Swing −8.8

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gervais Rentoul 22,886 67.8 +28.0
Labour E. J. C. Neep 10,89432.2+3.3
Majority11,99235.6+27.1
Turnout 33,780
Conservative hold Swing
1934 Lowestoft by-election [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Pierse Loftus 15,912 47.9 −19.9
Labour Reginald Sorensen 13,99242.1+9.8
Liberal William Smith 3,30410.0New
Majority1,9205.8−29.8
Turnout 48,90067.9
Conservative hold Swing −14.9
General election 1935: Lowestoft [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Pierse Loftus 21,064 61.21
Labour Frederick Wise 13,34838.79
Majority7,71622.42
Turnout 34,41269.00
Conservative hold Swing

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 1940s

General election 1945: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Edward Evans 12,759 42.1 +3.3
Conservative Pierse Loftus 10,99636.3−24.9
Liberal Matthew P Crosse6,54521.6New
Majority1,7635.8N/A
Turnout 44,67967.8−1.2
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Edward Evans 20,838 44.83
Conservative Philip Geoffrey Whitefoord17,51637.68
Liberal Ruth Crisp English 8,13217.49
Majority3,3227.15
Turnout 55,45683.83
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Edward Evans 23,591 50.91
Conservative Alfred Henry Willetts22,74449.09
Majority8471.82
Turnout 56,58281.89
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Edward Evans 23,587 52.12
Conservative J T Griffiths21,67247.88
Majority1,9154.24
Turnout 56,85079.61
Labour hold Swing
General election 1959: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Prior 24,324 51.58
Labour Edward Evans 22,83548.42
Majority1,4893.16N/A
Turnout 49,65364.4−15.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing −3.1

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jim Prior 23,976 47.80
Labour Ronald Atkins 21,27242.41
Liberal Charles Gordon A. Steele4,9119.79
Majority2,7045.39
Turnout 60,77582.53
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1966: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jim Prior 24,063 46.03
Labour Michael D Cornish23,70545.34
Liberal David R Crome4,5138.63
Majority3580.69
Turnout 62,88183.14
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jim Prior 28,842 50.69
Labour Douglas A Baker23,31940.98
Liberal David R Crome4,7378.33
Majority5,5239.71
Turnout 72,32078.68
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jim Prior 26,157 40.89
Labour Douglas A Baker22,55335.26
Liberal P Hancock15,26123.86
Majority3,6045.63
Turnout 76,35083.79
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jim Prior 25,510 42.43
Labour Douglas A Baker23,44839.00
Liberal P Hancock11,16518.57
Majority2,0623.43
Turnout 76,93678.15
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Lowestoft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jim Prior 33,376 50.46
Labour Alan Lark25,55538.63
Liberal Barrie Skelcher6,78310.25
Ecology T Pye4350.66New
Majority7,82111.83
Turnout 82,73379.95
Conservative hold Swing

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "'Lowestoft', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  3. ↑ 2023 review Eastern Boundary Commission for England
  4. ↑ Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  5. ↑ Fraser, Hugh (1918). The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes. University of California Libraries. London : Sweet and Maxwell.
  6. ↑ "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  8. ↑ "Jess Asato for Lowestoft" . Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  9. ↑ [candidates.htmlhttps://www.lowestoftconservatives.org.uk(UK) "Lowestoft Conservatives"]. Retrieved 4 June 2024.{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  10. ↑ Reform UK [@reformparty_uk] (31 May 2024). "🚨 NEW: June Mummery is your Reform UK candidate for Lowestoft" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ "Our Candidates" . Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "Lowestoft" . Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. 1 2 3 The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   9781349022984.
  16. ↑ "The Northern or Lowestoft Division of the County of Suffolk" . Lowestoft Journal. 12 December 1885. p. 4. Retrieved 3 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ↑ Wodehouse, John (1997). Hawkins, Angus; Powell, John (eds.). The Journal of John Wodehouse, First Earl of Kimberley for 1862-1902 . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9780521623285.
  18. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  19. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN   0-900178-06-X.

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