South West Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)

South West Cambridgeshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. Created in 1983 upon the abolition of the Cambridgeshire constituency, it was abolished in 1997 and succeeded by the constituencies of South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon.

South West Cambridgeshire
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of South West Cambridgeshire in Cambridgeshire for the 1992 general election
Outline map
Location of Cambridgeshire within England
CountyCambridgeshire
19831997
SeatsOne
Created fromCambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Cambridge
Replaced bySouth Cambridgeshire, Huntingdon

Boundaries

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  • The District of South Cambridgeshire wards of Arrington, Barrington and Shepreth, Barton, Bassingbourn, Bourn, Comberton, Duxford, Foxton, Gamlingay, Great Shelford, Hardwick, Harston, Haslingfield, Ickleton, Little Shelford, Melbourn, Meldreth, Orwell, Papworth, Sawston, Stapleford, The Mordens, and Whittlesford;
  • The District of Huntingdon wards of Buckden, Eaton Ford, Eaton Socon, Eynesbury, Gransden, Paxton, Priory Park, Staughton, and The Offords; and
  • The City of Cambridge wards of Queen Edith's and Trumpington.[1]

The seat was created for the 1983 general election which followed on from the merger under the Local Government Act 1972, of the two administrative counties of Huntingdon and Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely to form the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, with effect from 1 April 1974. The constituency combined territory from three pre-1974 local authorities: the south west part of the abolished administrative county of Cambridgeshire; the south of Huntingdonshire, including St Neots; and two wards from Cambridge.

52.6% of the constituency came from the old administrative county and parliamentary constituency of Cambridgeshire, 29.7% originated from the former administrative county and county constituency of Huntingdonshire and the remaining 17.7% was transferred from the borough constituency of Cambridge.

The seat was abolished for the 1997 general election, as western parts, comprising the area formerly in Huntingdonshire was transferred to the Huntingdon constituency. Remaining, southern parts formed the bulk of the new County Constituency of South Cambridgeshire.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[2] Party
part of Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and Cambridge prior to 1983
1983 Sir Anthony Grant Conservative
1997 constituency abolished, part of S Cambs and Huntingdon from 1997

Elections

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General election 1983: South West Cambridgeshire[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Grant 32,521 56.2
Liberal Derek Nicholls 18,654 32.2
Labour Joe Gluza 6,703 11.6
Majority 13,867 24.0
Turnout 57,878 75.9
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1987: South West Cambridgeshire[3][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Grant 36,622 57.7 +1.5
Liberal Derek Nicholls 18,371 29.0 −3.2
Labour Judi Billing 8,434 13.3 +1.7
Majority 18,251 28.7 +4.7
Turnout 63,427 77.7 +1.8
Conservative hold Swing +2.4
General election 1992: South West Cambridgeshire[3][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Grant 38,902 56.8 −0.9
Liberal Democrats Sue Sutton 19,263 28.2 −0.8
Labour Kevin Price 9,378 13.7 +0.4
Green Linda Whitebread 699 1.0 New
Natural Law Francis Chalmers 225 0.3 New
Majority 19,637 28.6 −0.1
Turnout 68,467 81.1 +3.4
Conservative hold Swing

See also

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  2. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 1)
  3. ^ a b c British Parliamentary Election results 1983-97: English Counties
  4. ^ UK General Election results June 1983
  5. ^ UK General Election results June 1987
  6. ^ UK General Election results April 1992

Sources

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  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Constituencies: A Statistical Compendium, by Ivor Crewe and Anthony Fox (Faber and Faber 1984)