The constituency has been held by Labour since 1997.
The Labour Party currently has a majority of over 10,000, suggesting this is a safe seat for the party.
Constituency profileedit
The constituency covers the majority of the city, including the University and the Met Office which are significant employers.[2] As of 2022[update], median gross weekly in pay for full-time workers is below the figure for Great Britain as a whole but above that for South West England. Median hourly pay, however, is below that for both the region and for Great Britain. There are a large number of students for a small city.[3]
Boundariesedit
Map of present boundaries
1918–1950: The County Borough of Exeter.
1950–1974: As prior but with redrawn boundaries.
1974–1983: As prior but with redrawn boundaries.
1983–2010: The City of Exeter.
2010–present: The City of Exeter wards of Alphington, Cowick, Duryard, Exwick, Heavitree, Mincinglake, Newtown, Pennsylvania, Pinhoe, Polsloe, Priory, St David's, St James, St Leonard's, St Thomas, and Whipton and Barton.
The constituency covers most of the city of Exeter in Devon. It covered the entire city from 1918 until 2010, when, under the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which increased the number of seats in the county from 11 to 12, two wards of the City of Exeter (St Loyes and Topsham) were transferred to the neighbouring East Devon constituency.[4]
From the next general election:
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
The City of Exeter wards of: Alphington; Duryard & St. James; Exwick; Heavitree; Mincinglake & Whipton; Newtown & St. Leonard’s; Pennsylvania; Priory; St. David’s; St. Thomas.[5]
After adjustments to align with revised ward boundaries, the Pinhoe ward was transferred to the new constituency of Exmouth and Exeter East, in order to bring the electorate within the permitted range.
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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
Upon petition, this election was subject to a recount due to the closeness of the results. On the first count, St. Maur led with 4,786 votes to Duke's 4,782. On a second count, St. Maur again led with 4,782 votes to Duke's 4,778. Closer scrutiny led to the above count, allowing Duke to retain the seat.
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;
^"Electoral statistics for the UK - Office for National Statistics". 2018 Electorate Figures. Office for National Statistics. 1 December 2018. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
^"Labour Market Profile - Exeter Parliamentary Constituency". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
^"Final recommendations for Parliamentary constituencies in the counties of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay". Boundary Commission for England. 24 November 2004. Archived from the original on 2 November 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
^"The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
^ abcd"PRESCOTT, John (c.1327-1412), of Prescott, Rake and Exeter, Devon". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
^ abcdefghijklmnopq"History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
^ abcdefghij"History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
^ abcLeigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
^ abcdefghijklmnoStooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 69–70. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
^Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 72. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
^ abAt the December 1910 election, Harold St Maur was declared the winner by 4 votes, and the same majority was recorded after a recount. However, an electoral petition was decided on April 11, 1911, at which Henry Duke was declared the winner by 1 vote ( "Exeter Election Petition— Sensational Finish: Liberals Lose the Seat by a Majority of One", Staffordshire Sentinel, April 11, 1977, p. 1)
^"Exeter Conservative MP candidate would 'remove low traffic neighbourhoods'". Devon Live. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
^"Labour selections: parliamentary candidates selected so far for the general election". LabourList. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
^"Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Mark Pack. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
^"Green Party selects Exeter MP hopeful". DevonLive. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
^"Exeter Constituency". Reform UK. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
^Street, John (14 November 2019). "Statement of persons nominated and notice of poll" (PDF). Exeter City Council. Acting Returning Officer.
^"Exeter parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. BBC. 13 December 2019.
^"2017 general election candidates in Devon". Devon Live. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
^"Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^Bostock, Philip (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Acting Returning Officer, Exeter City 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.
^"Exeter: Constituency". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
^Morgan, Bryn (29 March 2001). "General Election results, 1 May 1997" (PDF). Social & General Statistics Section, House of Commons Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
^"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. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. 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.
^The Returning Officer gave Dunwoody 22,189 when announcing the result on the night. This was broadcast on the BBC election Night coverage
^Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
^ abcdeCraig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
^Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
^ abcDebrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
^Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrCraig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
^"Exeter Representation". Western Times. 10 November 1873. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 29 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.