West Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)

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West Dorset
County constituency
for the House of Commons
150px
Boundary of West Dorset in Dorset.
Outline map
Location of Dorset within England.
County Dorset
Electorate 76,779 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Dorchester, Bridport and Sherborne
Current constituency
Created 1885
Member of parliament Oliver Letwin (Conservative)
Number of members One
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South West England

West Dorset is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Oliver Letwin, a Conservative.[n 2]

History

The seat was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.

Political history

West Dorset has been served only by Conservative MPs. Historic results do not indicate regular marginal majorities leading to a status as a safe seat if based on the historic, period of representation, measure alone. The closest result of recent years was in 2001 where the present member, Oliver Letwin only just defended his majority with a lead of 2.8% over the Liberal Democrat candidate, Simon Green - his party have since that election continued as the runner-up party.

Prominent frontbenchers

Oliver Letwin, with a settled background in policy formulation, has become the Minister of State for Policy (a Cabinet Office role) in the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition, as of 12 May 2010.

Boundaries

The West Dorset constituency covers most of the West Dorset district and includes the towns of Dorchester, the county town of Dorset; Bridport, Lyme Regis and Beaminster to the west and Sherborne to the north - having wards:

  • Beaminster, Bradford Abbas, Bradpole, Bridport North, Bridport South and Botherhampton, Broadmayne, Broadwindsor, Burton Bradstock, Carn Vale, Charminster and Cerne Valley, Charmouth, Chesil Bank, Chickerell, Chideock and Symondsbury, Dorchester: East, North, South and West wards, Frome Valley, Halstock, Loders, Lyme Regis, Maiden Newton, Marshwood Vale, Netherbury, Piddle Valley, Puddletown, Queen Thorn, Sherborne: East and West wards, Winterborne St Martin, and Yetminster in the West Dorset District.

Constituency profile

Aside from visitor towns, and the Jurassic Coast which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site., the seat draws on managerial and advanced professional skills in sectors such as mechanical engineering, manufacturing, reconditioning, defence, art and design, which support local trades and retail. A slightly greater than the average proportion of people are retired.[2] Workless claimants who were registered jobseekers were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 1.4% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[3]

Members of Parliament

Election Member[4] Party
1885 Henry Richard Farquharson Conservative
1895 by-election Sir Robert Williams Conservative
1922 Sir (William) Philip Colfox Conservative
1941 by-election Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby Conservative
Feb 1974 Sir James Wilton Spicer Conservative
1997 Oliver Letwin Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: West Dorset[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Letwin 28,329 50.2 +2.6
Liberal Democrat Ros Kayes 12,199 21.6 −19.1
UKIP David Glossop 7,055 12.5 +8.7
Labour Rachel Rogers 5,633 10.0 +3.3
Green Peter Barton 3,242 5.7 +4.6
Majority 16,130 28.6
Turnout 56,643 72.6 −2
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 2010: West Dorset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Letwin 27,287 47.6 +1.1
Liberal Democrat Sue Farrant 23,364 40.7 −1.2
Labour Steve Bick 3,815 6.7 −1.1
UKIP Oliver Chisholm 2,196 3.8 +1.8
Green Susan Greene 675 1.2 −0.6
Majority 3,923 6.8
Turnout 57,337 74.6 −1.8
Conservative hold Swing +1.1

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: West Dorset[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Letwin 24,763 46.5 +1.9
Liberal Democrat Justine McGuinness 22,302 41.9 +0.1
Labour Dave Roberts 4,124 7.7 −5.9
UKIP Linda Guest 1,084 2.0 N/A
Green Susan Greene 952 1.8 N/A
Majority 2,461 4.6
Turnout 53,225 76.3 +6.8
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General Election 2001: West Dorset[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Letwin 22,126 44.6 +3.5
Liberal Democrat Simon Green 20,712 41.8 +4.1
Labour Richard Hyde 6,733 13.6 −4.1
Majority 1,414 2.8
Turnout 49,571 69.5 −6.6
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: West Dorset[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Letwin 22,036 41.1
Liberal Democrat Robin AS Legg 20,196 37.7
Labour Robert Bygraves 9,491 17.7
UKIP P. Jenkins 1,590 3.0
Natural Law Mark Griffiths 239 0.4
Majority 1,840 3.4
Turnout 53,552 76.1
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1992: Dorset West[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir James Wilton Spicer 27,766 50.8 −5.3
Liberal Democrat Robin A.S. Legg 19,756 36.2 +4.5
Labour JPB Mann 7,082 13.0 +0.8
Majority 8,010 14.7 −9.9
Turnout 54,604 81.2 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing −4.9

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Dorset West[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir James Wilton Spicer 28,305 56.20
Liberal Trevor Jones 15,941 31.65
Labour D Watson 6,123 12.16
Majority 12,364 24.55
Turnout 78.26
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: Dorset West[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir James Wilton Spicer 27,030 59.70
Liberal Trevor Jones 13,078 28.89
Labour D Cash 5,168 30.82
Majority 13,952 30.82
Turnout 74.23
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Dorset West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir James WiltonSpicer 26,281 58.71
Liberal Trevor Jones 9,776 21.84
Labour HJ Skevington 7,999 17.87
National Front J Tillotson 514 1.15
Wessex Regionalist G McEwan 192 0.43
Majority 16,505 36.87
Turnout 79.00
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Dorset West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir James Wilton Spicer 20,517 49.20
Liberal RM Angus 11,832 28.37
Labour PJ Dawe 9,350 22.42
Majority 8,685 20.83
Turnout 77.84
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Dorset West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir James Wilton Spicer 21,634 49.00
Liberal R Angus 14,183 32.12
Labour MF Cross 8,333 18.87
Majority 7,451 16.88
Turnout 83.12
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Dorset West Electorate 50,716
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby 21,081 54.15
Labour George Sakwa 10,536 27.06
Liberal Allan Percival 7,314 18.79
Majority 10,545 27.09
Turnout 38,931 76.76
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Dorset West Electorate 45,937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby 17,709 47.68
Labour F Donald Shirreff 11,757 31.65
Liberal M Aza Pinney 7,676 20.67
Majority 5,952 16.02
Turnout 80.85
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Dorset West Electorate 44,951
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby 17,841 48.59
Labour Leslie W King 10,631 28.96
Liberal M Aza Pinney 8,242 22.45
Majority 7,210 19.64
Turnout 81.68
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Dorset West Electorate 44,109
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby 19,747 54.65
Labour Leslie W King 11,536 31.93
Liberal John H. Goodden 4,850 13.42
Majority 8,211 22.72
Turnout 36,133 81.92
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Dorset West Electorate 44,026
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby 21,007 59.59
Labour Leslie W King 14,244 40.41
Majority 6,763 19.19
Turnout 35,251 80.07
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Dorset West Electorate 43,900
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby 21,739 60.31
Labour Cambreth John Kane 14,308 39.69
Majority 7,431 20.61
Turnout 82.11
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Dorset West Electorate 43,202
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby 18,771 51.75
Labour Cambreth John Kane 11,967 33.00
Liberal Colin Grant Cameron 5,531 15.25
Majority 6,804 18.76
Turnout 83.95
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: West Dorset[14] Electorate 35,780
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby 13,399 50.1
Labour Lt-Col. Cambreth John Kane 8,215 30.8
Liberal George Harold Newsom 5,098 19.1
Majority 5,184 19.3
Turnout 74.7
Conservative hold Swing
West Dorset by-election, 1941: West Dorset[15] Electorate 31,590
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenelm Simon Digby Wingfield Digby unopposed n/a n/a
Conservative hold Swing n/a

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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: West Dorset[16] Electorate 32,817
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Philip Colfox 13,825 54.1 -6.1
Liberal George E Chappell 11,735 45.9 +6.1
Majority 2,090 8.2
Turnout 77.9 -3.7
Conservative hold Swing -6.1
General Election 1931: West Dorset[17] Electorate 31,590
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Philip Colfox 15,510 60.2
Liberal George E Chappell 10,271 39.8
Majority 5,239 20.4
Turnout 81.6
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Dorset West [18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist William Philip Colfox 12,247 49.1 -19.2
Liberal George Edwin Chappell 7,921 31.8 n/a
Labour Thomas Robins 4,770 19.1 -12.6
Majority 4,326 17.3 -19.3
Turnout 80.6 +7.4
Unionist hold Swing n/a
General Election 1924: West Dorset[19] Electorate 24,852
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist William Philip Colfox 12,426 68.3 +9.5
Labour Mrs Louie Simpson 5,764 31.7 -9.5
Majority 6,662 36.6 +19.0
Turnout 73.2 +2.3
Unionist hold Swing +9.5
General Election 1923: West Dorset[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist William Philip Colfox 10,100 58.8 -3.3
Labour Mrs Louie Simpson 7,087 41.2 +3.3
Majority 3,013 17.6 -6.6
Turnout 70.9 -7.6
Unionist hold Swing -3.3
General Election 1922 : West Dorset[21] Electorate 23,885
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist William Philip Colfox 11,649 62.1 n/a
Labour T C Duke 7,101 37.9 n/a
Majority 4,548 24.2 n/a
Turnout 78.5 n/a
Unionist hold Swing n/a

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918 West Dorset[22] Electorate 23,621
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist unopposed n/a n/a
Unionist hold Swing n/a
  • denotes candidate who was endorsed by the Coalition Government.

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ↑ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ↑ 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.
References
  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2011 Census
  3. ↑ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  4. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 2)[self-published source][better source needed]
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  15. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  16. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  17. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  18. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  19. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  20. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  21. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  22. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
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