Wansdyke (UK Parliament constituency)

Wansdyke was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Wansdyke
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Wansdyke in Avon for the 2005 general election
Outline map
Location of Avon within England
CountySomerset
19832010
SeatsOne
Created fromNorth Somerset and Kingswood[1]
Replaced byNorth East Somerset

The constituency was created for the 1983 general election, and abolished at the 2010 general election.

History

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Until 1997, it was a safe seat for the Conservative Party. It then became a Labour-held marginal until its abolition.

Boundaries

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1983–1997: The District of Wansdyke wards of Bathampton, Batheaston, Bathford, Camerton, Charlcombe, Freshford, Hinton Charterhouse, Keynsham East, Keynsham North, Keynsham South, Keynsham West, Midsomer Norton North, Midsomer Norton Redfield, Newton St Loe, Peasedown St John, Radstock, Saltford, and Westfield, and the District of Kingswood wards of Badminton, Bitton North Common, Bitton Oldland Common, Bitton South, Blackhorse, Bromley Heath, Hanham Abbots East, Hanham Abbots West, Oldland Cadbury Heath, Oldland Longwell Green, Siston, and Springfield.

1997–2010: The District of Wansdyke wards of Cameley, Camerton, Chew Magna, Chew Stoke, Clutton, Compton Dando, Farmborough, Harptrees, High Littleton, Hinton Charterhouse, Keynsham East, Keynsham North, Keynsham South, Keynsham West, Midsomer Norton North, Midsomer Norton Redfield, Newton St Loe, Paulton, Peasedown St John, Publow, Radstock, Saltford, Stowey Sutton, Timsbury, and Westfield, and the Borough of Kingswood wards of Bitton North Common, Bitton Oldland Common, Bitton South, Hanham Abbots East, and Hanham Abbots West.

From 1997, Wansdyke covered the part of Bath and North East Somerset not in the Bath constituency. It also contained six wards or parts of wards from South Gloucestershire Council. It was named after the former Wansdyke district, itself named after the Wansdyke, a historical earthwork.

The constituency was located between the cities of Bristol and Bath, including the towns of Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Saltford, as well as the Chew Valley to the south of Bristol. It also covered parts of South Gloucestershire to the east of Bristol, including Bitton, Longwell Green and Oldland Common.

At the 2010 general election the seat was replaced with a new North East Somerset constituency.[2] The parts in South Gloucestershire were transferred to the Kingswood constituency.

Members of Parliament

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Election Party Member[3]
1983 Conservative Jack Aspinwall
1997 Labour Dan Norris
2010 Constituency abolished: see North East Somerset

Elections

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Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Wansdyke[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dan Norris 20,686 40.6 −6.2
Conservative Chris Watt 18,847 37.0 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Gail Coleshill 10,050 19.7 +5.3
UKIP Peter Sandell 1,129 2.2 +0.9
Independent Geoffrey Parkes 221 0.4 New
Majority 1,839 3.6 −7.7
Turnout 50,933 72.4 +2.5
Labour hold Swing −3.8
General election 2001: Wansdyke[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dan Norris 23,206 46.8 +2.7
Conservative Chris Watt 17,593 35.5 +0.2
Liberal Democrats Gail Coleshill 7,135 14.4 −2.4
Green Francis Hayden 958 1.9 New
UKIP Peter Sandell 655 1.3 +0.5
Majority 5,613 11.3 +2.5
Turnout 49,547 69.9 −9.4
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Wansdyke[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dan Norris 24,117 44.1 +16.4
Conservative Mark Prisk 19,318 35.3 −12.9
Liberal Democrats Jeff Manning 9,205 16.8 −6.0
Referendum Kevin Clinton 1,327 2.4 New
UKIP T.S. Hunt 438 0.8 New
Monster Raving Loony Peter House 225 0.4 New
Natural Law Sue Lincoln 92 0.2 New
Majority 4,799 8.8 N/A
Turnout 54,722 79.3 0.0
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -14.65
General election 1992: Wansdyke[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jack Aspinwall 31,389 48.2 −3.4
Labour Dan Norris 18,048 27.7 +4.4
Liberal Democrats D Darby 14,834 22.8 −2.4
Green FE Hayden 800 1.2 New
Majority 13,341 20.5 −5.9
Turnout 65,071 84.2 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing −3.9

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Wansdyke[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jack Aspinwall 31,537 51.56
Liberal Roger Blackmore 15,393 25.17
Labour Ian White 14,231 23.27
Majority 16,144 26.39
Turnout 61,161 81.29
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Wansdyke[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jack Aspinwall 28,434 50.61
Liberal Richard Denton-White 15,368 27.35
Labour Lynn Williams 12,168 21.66
Wessex Regionalist A Stout 213 0.38
Majority 13,066 23.26
Turnout 56,183 79.03
Conservative hold Swing

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "'Wansdyke', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Somerset North East: New Boundaries Calculation". Electoral Calculus: General Election Prediction. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  3. ^ "Wansdyke". Election Uk. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  5. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  7. ^ "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2001 | RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES | Wansdyke". news.bbc.co.uk.
  8. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  10. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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51°20′N 2°30′W / 51.333°N 2.500°W / 51.333; -2.500