Avon was abolished in 1996 both as a county council and a ceremonial county, but the name Avon continues to be used unofficially in subsequent boundary reviews as presented by the Boundary Commission for England to describe the area covered by the former county for the purpose of the rules which strongly deter cross-council constituencies (spanning more than one local authority within its area).
The Boundary Commission for England reviewed Avon in 2000 and devised a constituencies scheme in which no constituency spanned the four unitary authority boundaries within the abolished county. This entailed four seats to Bristol, three to South Gloucestershire and two each to Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset and accordingly a net increase of one seat. Constituency names were aligned with the new local council names.[1][2] These changes were implemented at the 2010 general election. Bath was restored as a borough constituency (to which a different election expenses quota and returning officer applies compared to county constituencies). Thus Avon has 6 borough constituencies and 5 county constituencies.
Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Avon underwent further boundary changes, although the total number of seats was retained at 11.
Constituencies
edit† Conservative ‡ Labour ¤ Liberal Democrat ♣ Green
Constituency[nb 1] | Electorate[3] | Majority[4] | Member of Parliament[4] | Nearest opposition[4] | Electoral wards[3] | Map | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bath CC | 73,241 | 11,218 | Wera Hobhouse¤ | Dan Bewley‡ | Bath and North East Somerset Council: Bathavon North, Bathwick, Combe Down, Kingsmead, Lambridge, Lansdown, Moorlands, Newbridge, Odd Down, Oldfield Park, Southdown, Twerton, Walcot, Westmoreland, Weston, Widcombe & Lyncombe. | |||
Bristol Central BC | 70,227 | 10,407 | Carla Denyer♣ | Thangam Debbonaire‡ | Bristol City Council: Ashley, Central, Clifton, Clifton Down, Cotham, Hotwells & Harbourside, Redland. | |||
Bristol East BC | 75,936 | 6,606 | Kerry McCarthy‡ | Ani Stafford-Townsend♣ | Bristol City Council: Brislington East, Brislington West, Easton, Knowle, Lawrence Hill, St. George Central, St. George Troopers Hill, St. George West, Stockwood. | |||
Bristol North East BC | 69,793 | 11,167 | Damien Egan‡ | Lorraine Francis♣ | Bristol City Council: Eastville, Frome Vale, Hillfields, Lockleaze. South Gloucestershire Council: Kingswood, New Cheltenham, Staple Hill & Mangotsfield, Woodstock. | |||
Bristol North West BC | 76,783 | 15,669 | Darren Jones‡ | Mary Page♣ | Bristol City Council: Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston, Bishopston & Ashley Down, Henbury & Brentry, Horfield, Southmead, Stoke Bishop, Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze. | |||
Bristol South BC | 74,696 | 7,666 | Karin Smyth‡ | Jai Breitnauer♣ | Bristol City Council: Bedminster, Bishopsworth, Filwood, Hartcliffe & Withywood, Hengrove & Whitchurch Park, Southville, Windmill Hill. | |||
Filton and Bradley Stoke BC | 73,598 | 10,000 | Claire Hazelgrove‡ | Jack Lopresti† | South Gloucestershire Council: Bradley Stoke North, Bradley Stoke South, Charlton & Cribbs, Emersons Green, Filton, Frenchay & Downend, Patchway Coniston, Stoke Gifford, Stoke Park & Cheswick, Winterbourne. | |||
North East Somerset and Hanham CC | 73,113 | 5,319 | Dan Norris‡ | Jacob Rees-Mogg† | Bath and North East Somerset Council: Chew Valley, Clutton & Farmborough, High Littleton, Keynsham East, Keynsham North, Keynsham South, Mendip, Paulton, Publow & Whitchurch, Saltford, Timsbury. South Gloucestershire Council: Bitton & Oldland Common, Hanham, Longwell Green, Parkwall & Warmley. | |||
North Somerset CC | 73,963 | 639 | Sadik Al-Hassan‡ | Liam Fox† | North Somerset Council: Backwell, Clevedon East, Clevedon South, Clevedon Walton, Clevedon West, Clevedon Yeo, Gordano Valley, Long Ashton, Nailsea Golden Valley, Nailsea West End, Nailsea Yeo, Nailsea Youngwood, Pill, Portishead East, Portishead North, Portishead South, Portishead West, Winford, Wrington. | |||
Thornbury and Yate CC | 74,935 | 3,014 | Claire Young¤ | Luke Hall† | South Gloucestershire Council: Boyd Valley, Charfield, Chipping Sodbury & Cotswold Edge, Dodington, Frampton Cotterell, Pilning & Severn Beach, Severn Vale, Thornbury, Yate Central, Yate North. | |||
Weston-super-Mare CC | 70,722 | 4,409 | Dan Aldridge‡ | John Penrose† | North Somerset Council: Hutton & Locking, Weston-super-Mare Central, Weston-super-Mare Hillside, Weston-super-Mare Kewstoke, Weston-super-Mare Mid Worle, Weston-super-Mare Milton, Weston-super-Mare North Worle, Weston-super-Mare South, Weston-super-Mare South Worle, Weston-super-Mare Uphill, Weston-super-Mare Winterstoke, Wick St. Lawrence & St. Georges. |
Boundary changes
edit2024
editSee 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for further details.
Following the abandonment of the Sixth Periodic Review (the 2018 review), the Boundary Commission for England formally launched the 2023 Review on 5 January 2021.[5] Initial proposals were published on 8 June 2021 and, following two periods of public consultation, revised proposals were published on 8 November 2022. The final proposals were published on 28 June 2023.
The commission proposed that "Avon" (covering the Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire council areas) be combined with Devon and Somerset as a sub-region of the South West Region, resulting in significant change to the existing pattern of constituencies. In Avon, Bristol West, Kingswood and North East Somerset were abolished, being replaced by Bristol Central, Bristol North East, and North East Somerset and Hanham. In addition, Frome and East Somerset, and Wells and Mendip Hills will be established as cross-authority boundary seats.[6][7] These changes came into effect for the 2024 general election.
The following seats were proposed:
Containing electoral wards from Bath and North East Somerset
- Bath
- Frome and East Somerset (part also in the Somerset District of Mendip)
- North East Somerset and Hanham (part)
Containing electoral wards in Bristol
Containing electoral wards in North Somerset
- North Somerset
- Wells and Mendip Hills (parts also in Somerset Districts of Mendip and Sedgemoor)
- Weston-super-Mare
Containing electoral wards in South Gloucestershire
- Filton and Bradley Stoke
- North East Somerset and Hanham (part)
- North East Bristol (part)
- Thornbury and Yate
Former name | Boundaries 2010–2024 | Current name | Boundaries 2024–present |
---|---|---|---|
|
2010
editUnder the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the Boundary Commission for England decided to increase the number of seats which covered "Avon" from 10 to 11, with the creation of Filton and Bradley Stoke. This resulted in major changes to Kingswood and three of the four Bristol constituencies. A further three constituencies were renamed.
Former name | Boundaries 1997–2010 | Former name | Boundaries 2010–2024 |
---|---|---|---|
|
|
(The maps on this page do not show the nominal extensions of several constituencies over the waters of the Bristol Channel.)
Other former constituencies in the area were:
- Bristol Central abolished 1974
- Bristol South East abolished 1983
- Bristol North East abolished 1983
- South Gloucestershire abolished 1983
Results history
editPrimary data source: House of Commons research briefing – General election results from 1918 to 2019[8]
2024
editThe number of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Avon in the 2024 general election were as follows:[4]
Party | Votes | % | Change from 2019 | Seats | Change from 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 189,007 | 36.2% | 0.5% | 8 | 4 |
Conservative | 110,554 | 21.2% | 20.5% | 0 | 6 |
Green | 87,204 | 16.7% | 11.1% | 1 | 1 |
Liberal Democrat | 71,768 | 13.7% | 2.1% | 2 | 1 |
Reform | 56,721 | 10.9% | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
Others | 6,951 | 1.3% | 1.0% | 0 | 0 |
Total | 522,205 | 100.0 | 11 |
2019
editThe number of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Avon in the 2019 general election were as follows:
Party | Votes | % | Change from 2017 | Seats | Change from 2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 258,867 | 41.7% | 0.9% | 6 | 0 |
Labour | 221,714 | 35.7% | 5.0% | 4 | 0 |
Liberal Democrats | 97,767 | 15.8% | 4.0% | 1 | 0 |
Greens | 34,563 | 5.6% | 2.1% | 0 | 0 |
Brexit | 5,717 | 0.9% | new | 0 | 0 |
Others | 1,559 | 0.3% | 1.1% | 0 | 0 |
Total | 620,187 | 100.0 | 11 |
Percentage votes
editElection year | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 24.3 | 24.0 | 27.5 | 36.5 | 36.8 | 31.8 | 23.2 | 25.7 | 40.7 | 35.7 | 36.2 |
Conservative | 47.3 | 47.9 | 44.5 | 32.7 | 31.6 | 31.9 | 35.8 | 39.6 | 42.6 | 41.7 | 21.2 |
Green Party | – | * | * | * | * | * | 1.3 | 8.7 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 16.7 |
Liberal Democrat1 | 27.6 | 27.0 | 26.5 | 26.3 | 27.9 | 30.9 | 34.8 | 13.6 | 11.8 | 15.8 | 13.7 |
Reform2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.9 | 10.9 |
UKIP | – | – | – | * | * | * | 2.8 | 12.0 | 0.6 | * | – |
Other | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
11983 & 1987 – Alliance of Liberal Party and Social Democratic Party
2As the Brexit Party in 2019
* Included in Other
Seats
editElection year | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
Liberal Democrat1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Conservative | 9 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
Total | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
11983 & 1987 – Alliance of Liberal Party and Social Democratic Party
Maps
edit1983 to 2019
edit-
1983
-
1987
-
1992
-
1997
-
2001
-
2005
-
2010
-
2015
-
2017
-
2019
2024 to present (including cross-boundary constituency with Somerset)
edit-
2024
Historical representation by party
editConservative Labour Liberal Democrats Green
Constituency | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 24 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bath | Patten | Foster | Howlett | Hobhouse | ||||||||
Bristol East | Sayeed | Corston | McCarthy | |||||||||
Bristol North West | Stern | Naysmith | Leslie | Jones | ||||||||
Bristol South | Cocks | Primarolo | Smyth | |||||||||
Bristol West / Bristol Central (2024) | Waldegrave | Davey | Williams | Debbonaire | Denyer | |||||||
Filton and Bradley Stoke | Lopresti | Hazelgrove | ||||||||||
Kingswood / Bristol North East (2024) | Hayward | Berry | Skidmore | Egan | ||||||||
Northavon / Thornbury & Yate (2010) | Cope | Webb | Hall | Young | ||||||||
Wansdyke / NE Somerset (2010) / NE Somerset & Hanham (2024) | Aspinwall | Norris | Rees-Mogg | Norris | ||||||||
Weston-super-Mare | Wiggin | Cotter | Penrose | Aldridge | ||||||||
Woodspring / North Somerset (2010) | Dean | Fox | Al-Hassan |
See also
editNotes and references
edit- References
- ^ "Final Recommendations for Parliamentary Constituencies in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire" (PDF). Boundary Commission for England. 20 June 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2004. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
- ^ "Final Recommendations for Parliamentary Constituencies in the Unitary Authority of North Somerset" (PDF). Boundary Commission for England. 8 November 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2004. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
- ^ a b "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Constituencies A-Z – Election 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "2023 Review". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ Farell Roig, Estel (14 June 2021). "Bristol region constituency boundaries could soon look very different". Bristol Post. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report". Boundary Commission for England. paras 1127–1178. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ Watson, Christopher; Uberoi, Elise; Loft, Philip (17 April 2020). "General election results from 1918 to 2019".
- Notes
- ^ BC denotes borough constituency, CC denotes county constituency.