North Wiltshire is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by James Gray, a Conservative.[n 2] In the period 1832–1983, this was an alternative name for Chippenham or the Northern Division of Wiltshire and as Chippenham dates to the original countrywide Parliament, the Model Parliament, this period is covered in more detail in that article.
North Wiltshire | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Wiltshire |
Electorate | 67,154 (December 2010)[1] |
Major settlements | Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett, Cricklade, Malmesbury |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 |
Member of Parliament | James Gray (Conservative) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Chippenham |
1832–1885 | |
Replaced by | Cricklade Chippenham Devizes Westbury |
The seat is due to be abolished for the next general election.[2]
1832–1885: The Hundreds of Chippenham, North Damerham, Bradford, Melksham, Potterne and Cannings, Calne, Selkley, Ramsbury, Whorwelsdown, Swanborough, Highworth, Cricklade and Staple, Kingsbridge, and Malmesbury.[3]
1983–1997: The District of North Wiltshire.
1997–2010: The District of North Wiltshire wards of Allington, Ashton Keynes, Audley, Avon, Box, Bremhill, Brinkworth, Colerne, Corsham, Crudwell, Hill Rise, Hilmarton, Kington Langley, Kington St Michael, Lacock, Lyneham, Malmesbury, Malmesbury Road, Minety, Monkton Park, Neston and Gastard, Nettleton, Park, Pickwick, Purton, Queen's, Redland, St Paul Malmesbury Without, Sherston, Somerford, The Lydiards, Town, Westcroft, Wootton Bassett North, and Wootton Bassett South.
2010–present: The District of North Wiltshire wards of Ashton Keynes and Minety, Box, Bremhill, Brinkworth and The Somerfords, Calne Abberd, Calne Chilvester, Calne Lickhill, Calne Marden, Calne Priestley, Calne Quemerford, Calne Without, Colerne, Cricklade, Hilmarton, Kington Langley, Kington St Michael, Lyneham, Malmesbury, Nettleton, Purton, St Paul Malmesbury Without and Sherston, The Lydiards and Broad Town, Wootton Bassett North, and Wootton Bassett South.
The constituency covers most of the northern third of Wiltshire. However it excludes the eastern town of Swindon which is represented as North Swindon and South Swindon.
North Wiltshire constituency was formed by a renaming for the 1983 general election, with boundaries identical to the former Chippenham constituency (1885–1983).[4] The constituency sits between the Cotswolds and Swindon. Its main towns are Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett (a town which was a borough constituency until abolished as a 'rotten borough' in 1832), Cricklade and Malmesbury, and it also contains a number of villages, both small and large, spread over a large area of farming countryside, including the well-known (often-painted and photographed) village of Castle Combe.
For the 2010 general election the North Wiltshire constituency changed radically as a result of boundary change recommendations. The constituency now covers a northern swathe of the previous version retaining the towns of Malmesbury, Cricklade, Royal Wootton Bassett and Calne[n 3] while the largest southern town of Chippenham was given its own seat (which was previously abolished in 1983) that brought in the nearby market towns of Bradford on Avon and Melksham including parts of other seats.[5]
While North Wiltshire has a long history of returning Conservative candidates, its district council (created in 1973 and abolished in 2009) was closely contested between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats with many electoral wards being marginal.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be abolished for the next general election, with its contents distributed three ways:[2]
Election | 1st member[6] | 1st party | 2nd member[6] | 2nd party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1832 | Paul Methuen | Whig[7] | Sir John Astley, Bt | Whig[7] | ||
1835 | Walter Long | Whig[7] | ||||
1837 | Francis Burdett | Conservative[7] | ||||
1841 | Conservative[7] | |||||
February 1844 | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Conservative[7] | ||||
March 1865 | Lord Charles Bruce | Liberal | ||||
1865 | Richard Penruddocke Long | Conservative | ||||
1868 | George Jenkinson | Conservative | ||||
1874 | George Sotheron-Estcourt | Conservative | ||||
1880 | Walter Long | Conservative | ||||
1885 | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished; see Chippenham constituency |
Election | Member[6] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Richard Needham | Conservative | |
1997 | James Gray | Conservative |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Gray | 32,373 | 59.1 | 1.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Brian Mathew | 14,747 | 26.9 | 9.2 | |
Labour | Jonathan Fisher | 5,699 | 10.4 | 7.1 | |
Green | Bonnie Jackson | 1,939 | 3.5 | 1.4 | |
Majority | 17,626 | 32.2 | 10.4 | ||
Turnout | 54,758 | 75.0 | 0.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | 5.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Gray | 32,398 | 60.3 | 3.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Brian Mathew | 9,521 | 17.7 | 2.1 | |
Labour | Peter Baldrey | 9,399 | 17.5 | 7.7 | |
Green | Phil Chamberlain | 1,141 | 2.1 | 2.5 | |
UKIP | Paddy Singh | 871 | 1.6 | 9.9 | |
Independent | Lisa Tweedie | 376 | 0.7 | New | |
Majority | 22,877 | 42.6 | 1.0 | ||
Turnout | 53,706 | 75.34 | 0.84 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | 0.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Gray[11] | 28,938 | 57.2 | 5.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Brian Mathew[11] | 7,892 | 15.6 | 20.6 | |
UKIP | Pat Bryant[12] | 5,813 | 11.5 | 7.6 | |
Labour | Peter Baldrey | 4,930 | 9.8 | 3.1 | |
Green | Phil Chamberlain[13] | 2,350 | 4.6 | 3.4 | |
Independent | Simon Killane[11] | 390 | 0.8 | New | |
Independent | Giles Wareham | 243 | 0.5 | New | |
Majority | 21,046 | 41.6 | 26.2 | ||
Turnout | 50,556 | 74.5 | 1.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | 13.15 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Gray | 25,114 | 51.6 | +1.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Michael Evemy | 17,631 | 36.2 | +1.8 | |
Labour | Jason Hughes | 3,239 | 6.7 | −5.3 | |
UKIP | Charles Bennett | 1,908 | 3.9 | +1.2 | |
Green | Philip Chamberlain | 599 | 1.2 | New | |
Independent | Philip Allnatt | 208 | 0.4 | −0.6 | |
Majority | 7,483 | 15.4 | +5.9 | ||
Turnout | 48,699 | 73.4 | +3.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.05 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Gray | 26,282 | 46.9 | +1.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Paul Fox | 20,979 | 37.4 | −0.8 | |
Labour | David Nash | 6,794 | 12.1 | −2.2 | |
UKIP | Neil Dowdney | 1,428 | 2.5 | +0.4 | |
Independent | Philip Allnatt | 578 | 1.0 | New | |
Majority | 5,303 | 9.5 | +2.2 | ||
Turnout | 56,061 | 69.3 | +2.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Gray | 24,090 | 45.5 | +1.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Hugh Pym | 20,212 | 38.2 | +0.4 | |
Labour | Joanne Garton | 7,556 | 14.3 | +0.1 | |
UKIP | Neil Dowdney | 1,090 | 2.1 | +1.4 | |
Majority | 3,878 | 7.3 | +1.3 | ||
Turnout | 52,948 | 67.3 | −7.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Gray | 25,390 | 43.8 | −12.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Simon Cordon | 21,915 | 37.8 | +6.3 | |
Labour | Nigel Knowles | 8,261 | 14.2 | +4.1 | |
Referendum | Margaret Purves | 1,774 | 3.1 | New | |
UKIP | Alan Wood | 410 | 0.7 | New | |
Natural Law | Joan Forsyth | 263 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 3,475 | 6.0 | -16.4 | ||
Turnout | 58,013 | 74.9 | -6.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −9.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Richard Needham | 39,028 | 55.6 | +0.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Christine Napier | 22,640 | 32.3 | −5.8 | |
Labour | Christine Reid | 6,945 | 9.9 | +3.1 | |
Green | Lydia Howitt | 850 | 1.2 | New | |
Liberal | George Hawkins | 622 | 0.9 | New | |
Independent | David Martienssen | 66 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 16,388 | 23.4 | +6.4 | ||
Turnout | 70,151 | 81.7 | +2.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Richard Needham | 35,309 | 55.1 | +2.1 | |
Liberal | Christopher Graham | 24,370 | 38.1 | −2.5 | |
Labour | Christine Reid | 4,343 | 6.8 | +1.8 | |
Majority | 10,939 | 17.0 | +4.6 | ||
Turnout | 64,022 | 79.3 | +2.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Richard Needham | 30,924 | 53.0 | +3.9 | |
Liberal | Christopher Graham | 23,692 | 40.6 | -0.7 | |
Labour | Stephen Allsop | 2,888 | 5.0 | -3.7 | |
Ecology | Edward Barham | 678 | 1.2 | New | |
Justice for Divorced Fathers | Henri de la Perriere | 113 | 0.2 | New | |
Majority | 7,232 | 12.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 58,295 | 76.6 | 4.5 | ||
Conservative win (new seat) |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Walter Long | 3,090 | 35.5 | −0.5 | |
Conservative | George Sotheron-Estcourt | 2,836 | 32.6 | −4.2 | |
Liberal | George Fuller | 2,784 | 32.0 | +4.8 | |
Majority | 52 | 0.6 | −8.2 | ||
Turnout | 5,747 (est) | 79.3 (est) | +2.1 | ||
Registered electors | 7,249 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.5 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | −3.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Bucknall-Estcourt | 3,195 | 36.8 | +18.0 | |
Conservative | George Jenkinson | 3,129 | 36.0 | +17.2 | |
Liberal | Charles Bruce | 2,358 | 27.2 | −35.3 | |
Majority | 771 | 8.8 | +6.5 | ||
Turnout | 5,520 (est) | 77.2 (est) | +3.2 | ||
Registered electors | 7,152 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +17.8 | |||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +17.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Jenkinson | 2,769 | 37.5 | −23.0 | |
Liberal | Charles Bruce | 2,600 | 35.2 | +15.4 | |
Liberal | Joseph Trigge Schomberg | 2,016 | 27.3 | +7.5 | |
Majority | 169 | 2.3 | |||
Turnout | 5,077 (est) | 74.0 (est) | +0.3 | ||
Registered electors | 6,857 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −17.2 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing | +13.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Charles Bruce | 2,151 | 39.6 | N/A | |
Conservative | Richard Penruddocke Long | 1,911 | 35.2 | N/A | |
Conservative | George Jenkinson | 1,373 | 25.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 240 | 4.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 3,793 (est) | 73.7 (est) | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 5,146 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Charles Bruce | Unopposed | |||
Liberal gain from Conservative |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 4,417 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 4,400 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 4,955 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 5,165 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Francis Burdett | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 5,241 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative gain from Whig |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Francis Burdett | 2,365 | 36.7 | ||
Whig | Walter Long | 2,197 | 34.1 | ||
Whig | Paul Methuen | 1,876 | 29.1 | ||
Majority | 321 | 5.0 | |||
Turnout | 4,183 | 82.5 | |||
Registered electors | 5,068 | ||||
Conservative gain from Whig | |||||
Whig hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Walter Long | Unopposed | |||
Whig | Paul Methuen | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 3,560 | ||||
Whig hold | |||||
Whig hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Paul Methuen | 1,835 | 46.8 | ||
Whig | John Astley | 1,683 | 42.9 | ||
Radical | John Edridge | 403 | 10.3 | ||
Majority | 1,280 | 32.6 | |||
Turnout | 2,332 | 64.5 | |||
Registered electors | 3,614 | ||||
Whig win (new seat) | |||||
Whig win (new seat) |