The constituency lies at the centre of Shropshire, a large inland county of England, bordering Wales.
The constituency is coextensive with that of the Central area of Shropshire Council (the same area as the former Shrewsbury and Atcham borough, after which the constituency was originally named).
Constituency profileedit
At its heart lies the town of Shrewsbury (2011 population 71,715), which is the county town of Shropshire. It is otherwise a rural constituency. Villages such as Bayston Hill, Ford, Dorrington, Condover, Minsterley, Pontesbury, Bomere Heath, Wroxeter and Atcham are included. Its southern edge is the northern side of the Shropshire Hills AONB. The landscape of the constituency features many small rivers which drain the fields and coppices into the upper plain of the River Severn, which cuts straight through the area. The main roads through the area are the A5 and A49, providing links to nearby Telford as well as North Wales and the cities of Birmingham and Manchester. The total population of the area is around 105,000.
Historyedit
The constituency was established in 1983, replacing the Shrewsbury constituency, although this change was in name only and not in its boundaries.
On 10 December 2001, following his demand for a parliamentary debate before military intervention in Afghanistan, the incumbent Labour member, Paul Marsden, left the government's benches to join the Liberal Democrats; he remained there until 5 April 2005, when he sought to show strong solidarity with Labour Stop the War MPs by returning to his old party, becoming the first politician to cross the floor twice since Winston Churchill.[2] During much of his time with the Liberal Democrats, Marsden was a senior health spokesman, shadowing the Secretary of State for Health and ministers.
^A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
^As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
Referencesedit
^"The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – West Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
^"Paul Marsden Political Profile". BBC News. 16 October 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
^"EU referendum results by region: West Midlands". The Electoral Commission. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
^"EU Referendum Results". BBC News. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
^"Derek Conway - Parliamentary career - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". UK Parliament. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
^"Mr Paul Marsden - Parliamentary career - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
^"Daniel Kawczynski - Parliamentary career - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
^"The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – West Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
^"Labour's Julia Buckley selected to fight Shrewsbury seat at next general election". Shropshire Star. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
^ ab"Shrewsbury & Atcham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
^"Shrewsbury and Atcham 2017 General Election". UK Parliament. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
^"Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"UK parliamentary election 2015 results". Shropshire Council. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015.
^"Shrewsbury and Atcham 2015 General Election". UK Parliament. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
^"Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"Election 2010 - Shrewsbury and Atcham". BBC News. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
^"Shrewsbury and Atcham 2010 General Election". UK Parliament. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
^"Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Shrewsbury and Atcham 2005 General Election". UK Parliament. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
^"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.
^"Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. 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.