Bridgwater (constituency)
UK Parliament constituency (1885–2010, 2024 onwards)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bridgwater is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2024 by Ashley Fox of the Conservative Party. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
| Bridgwater | |
|---|---|
| County constituency for the House of Commons | |
Boundary of Bridgwater in South West England | |
| County | Somerset |
| Electorate | 71,418 (2023)[1] |
| Major settlements | Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Highbridge, North Petherton |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 2024 |
| Member of Parliament | Ashley Fox (Conservative) |
| Created from | Bridgwater & West Somerset |
| 1885–2010 | |
| Seats | One |
| Type of constituency | County constituency |
| Created from | West Somerset |
| Replaced by | Bridgwater & West Somerset |
| 1295–1870 | |
| Seats | Two |
| Type of constituency | Borough constituency |
| Replaced by | West Somerset |
From 2010 to 2024 it was replaced by the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency. Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the seat has been re-established for the 2024 general election, primarily formed from the now abolished of Bridgwater and West Somerset seat but excluding the area comprising the former District of West Somerset.[2]
Constituency profile
The Bridgwater constituency is located in Somerset and is largely within the Somerset Levels, a coastal plain and wetland area. It is centred on the town of Bridgwater, which has a population of around 41,000.[3] It covers the rural areas around the town and stretches north to include part of the Bristol Channel coast. Other settlements in the constituency include the towns of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge and many other smaller villages. Bridgwater is a historic market town and was traditionally an important inland port. The coastal area of the constituency is popular with tourists and Burnham-on-Sea is a seaside resort.
Compared to national averages, residents of the constituency are older and have low levels of income, education and professional employment.[4] Bridgwater and Highbridge have areas with high levels of deprivation, but the rural areas of the constituency are generally wealthier.[5] White people make up 96% of the population. Bridgwater is one of the few areas in Somerset to be represented by Labour Party councillors at the county council, whilst the rural parts of the constituency have mostly elected Conservatives. Voters strongly supported leaving the European Union at the 2016 Brexit referendum; an estimated 64% voted in favour of Brexit compared to 52% nationally.[4]
History
Bridgwater was one of the original Parliamentary Constituencies in the House of Commons, having elected Members of Parliament since 1295, the Model Parliament.
The original borough constituency was disenfranchised for corruption by the Bridgwater and Beverley Disfranchisement Act 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. 21). From 4 July 1870 the town was incorporated within the county constituency of West Somerset.
From Parliament's enactment of the major Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 which took effect at the 1885 general election, a new county division of Bridgwater was created, which lasted with modifications until 2010. The constituency expanded considerably beyond Bridgwater town itself from 1885.
Bridgwater frequently compared to other seats had a radical or game-changing representative, though since 1950 this became less noticeable in its candidates elected.
The seat received particular fame in late 1938 when a by-election took place in the aftermath of the signing of the Munich Agreement. Opponents of the agreement persuaded the local Labour and Liberal parties to not field candidates of their own against the Conservative candidate, but to instead jointly back an independent standing on a platform of opposition to the Government's foreign policy, in the hope that this would be the precursor to the formation of a more general Popular Front of opposition to the government of Neville Chamberlain in anticipation of the General Election due in either 1939 or 1940. The noted journalist Vernon Bartlett stood as the independent Popular Front candidate and achieved a sensational victory in what was hitherto a Conservative seat. He represented the constituency for the next twelve years.
In 1970 another by-election in the constituency achieved fame as it was the first occasion when 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds were able to vote in a UK Parliamentary election. The first teenager to cast a vote was Trudy Sellick, 18 on the day of the poll. The by-election was won by the future Conservative Cabinet Minister Tom King who held the seat for the next thirty-one years, followed by another Conservative, Ian Liddell-Grainger, until its abolition in 2010.
Liddell-Grainger served as the MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset from 2010 to 2024, but opted to stand at the 2024 general election for the new seat of Tiverton and Minehead, which he failed to win. Ashley Fox was selected as the Conservative candidate for the re-established constituency, which he narrowly won.
Boundaries
Historic
1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Bridgwater, the Sessional Division of Bridgwater, and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Taunton and Ilminster.
1918–1950: The Municipal Borough of Bridgwater, the Urban Districts of Burnham-on-Sea, Highbridge, Minehead, and Watchet, and the Rural Districts of Bridgwater and Williton.
1950–1983: The Municipal Borough of Bridgwater, the Urban Districts of Burnham-on-Sea, Minehead, and Watchet, and the Rural Districts of Bridgwater and Williton. Highbridge Urban District had been absorbed by Burnham-on-Sea UD in 1933, but the constituency boundaries remained unchanged.
1983–2010: The District of Sedgemoor wards of Cannington and Combwich, Central, Dowsborough, Eastern Quantocks, Eastover, East Poldens, Hamp, Huntspill, Newton Green, North Petherton, Parchey, Pawlett and Puriton, Quantock, Sandford, Sowey, Sydenham, Victoria, Westonzoyland, West Poldens, and Woolavington, and the District of West Somerset wards of Alcombe, Aville Vale, Carhampton and Withycombe, Crowcombe and Stogumber, Dunster, East Brendon, Holnicote, Minehead North, Minehead South, Old Cleeve, Porlock and Oare, Quantock Vale, Watchet, West Quantock, and Williton.
Current
Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the re-established constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:
- The District of Sedgemoor wards of: Berrow; Bridgwater Dunwear; Bridgwater Eastover; Bridgwater Fairfax; Bridgwater Hamp; Bridgwater Victoria; Bridgwater Westover; Bridgwater Wyndham; Burnham Central; Burnham North; Cannington and Wembdon; Highbridge and Burnham Marine; Huntspill and Pawlett; King's Isle; North Petherton; Puriton and Woolavington; Quantocks.[6]
With effect from 1 April 2023, the District of Sedgemoor was abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of Somerset.[7] Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following electoral divisions of Somerset from the 2024 general election:
- Brent (part); Bridgwater East and Bawdrip; Bridgwater North and Central; Bridgwater South; Bridgwater West; Burnham on Sea North; Cannington; Highbridge and Burnham South; Huntspill (majority); King Alfred (small part); North Petherton.[8][9]
It comprises:
- The bulk of the parts of the former District of Sedgemoor in the abolished Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency (74% of the electorate), mainly consisting of the town of Bridgwater itself.[10]
- Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, previously in the now abolished constituency of Wells.[8]
Members of Parliament
- Constituency created (1295)
Bridgwater borough, 1295–1870
MPs 1295–1640
| Parliament | First member | Second member |
|---|---|---|
| 1377 | William Tomer[11] | John Sydenham[12] |
| 1380 (Jan) | William Tomer [11] | |
| 1383 (Oct) | William Tomer[11] | |
| 1385 | William Tomer[11] | |
| 1386 | John Sydenham | Richard Mayne[12] |
| 1388 (Feb) | John Sydenham | Richard Mayne[12] |
| 1388 (Sep) | John Palmer | John Wynd[12] |
| 1390 (Jan) | William Tomer | John Palmer[12] |
| 1390 (Nov) | ||
| 1391 | William Tomer | John Sydenham[12] |
| 1393 | William Tomer | Robert Boson[12] |
| 1394 | John Cole | John Palmer[12] |
| 1395 | William Tomer | John Kedwelly[12] |
| 1397 (Jan) | William Tomer | John Kedwelly[12] |
| 1397 (Sep) | William Tomer | John Sydenham [12] |
| 1399 | William Tomer | John Kedwelly [12] |
| 1401 | ||
| 1402 | William Tomer | John Kedwelly[12] |
| 1404 (Jan) | ||
| 1404 (Oct) | ||
| 1406 | William Tomer | William Gascoigne[12] |
| 1407 | William Gascoigne | Richard Ward[12] |
| 1410 | William Gascoigne | John Kedwelly[12] |
| 1411 | ||
| 1413 (Feb) | ||
| 1413 (May) | William Gascoigne | William Gosse[12] |
| 1414 (Apr) | William Gascoigne | Thomas Cave[12] |
| 1414 (Nov) | William Gascoigne | John Kedwelly[12] |
| 1415 | ||
| 1416 (Mar) | ||
| 1416 (Oct) | ||
| 1417 | William Gascoigne | John Kedwelly[12] |
| 1419 | William Gascoigne | Richard Mayne[12] |
| 1420 | William Gascoigne | Martin Jacob[12] |
| 1421 (May) | James FitzJames | William Gascoigne[12] |
| 1421 (Dec) | William Gascoigne | John Pitt[12] |
| 1442 | William Dodesham | William Gascoigne |
| 1449 | Thomas Driffield | John Maunsel |
| 1453 | John Maunsel | |
| 1467 | James FitzJames | |
| 1467 | John Kendall (4 terms) | |
| 1472 | Sir Thomas Tremayle | |
| 1483 | John Hymerford | William Hody[13] |
| 1510–1523 | No names known [14] | |
| 1529 | Henry Thornton | Hugh Trotter[14] |
| 1536 | ? | |
| 1539 | ? | |
| 1542 | ? | |
| 1545 | Thomas Dyer | Alexander Popham[14] |
| 1547 | Sir Thomas Dyer | Alexander Popham[14] |
| 1553 (Mar) | Sir Thomas Dyer | Richard Gubby[14] |
| 1553 (Oct) | Sir Thomas Dyer | Nicholas Halswell |
| 1554 (Apr) | John Newport | Robert Molyns (or Mullens) [15] |
| 1554 (Nov) | John Newport | John Chapell |
| 1555 | Thomas Dyer | Edmund Lyte |
| 1558 | John Newport | Robert Molyns (or Mullens) |
| 1559 | Sir Thomas Dyer | Robert Molyns (or Mullens) |
| 1563–1567 | John Edwards | Nicholas Halswell |
| 1571 | Edward Popham | |
| 1572–1581 | ||
| 1584–1585 | Robert Blake | |
| Parliament of 1586–1587 | John Court | |
| Parliament of 1588–1589 | Alexander Popham | |
| 1593 | Robert Bocking | William Thomas |
| 1597–1598 | Alexander Jones | Alexander Popham |
| 1601 | Sir Francis Hastings | |
| 1604–1611 | Sir Nicholas Halswell | John Povey |
| Addled Parliament (1614) | Robert Halswell | Thomas Warre |
| 1621–1622 | Roger Warre | Edward Popham |
| Happy Parliament (1624–1625) | ||
| Useless Parliament (1625) | Sir Arthur Lake | |
| 1625–1626 | ||
| 1628 | Thomas Smith | Sir Thomas Wroth |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliament summoned | |
1640–1868
Bridgwater county constituency, 1885–2010; 2024–present
- County division created (1885)
- County division re-created (2024)
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ashley Fox | Conservative | |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Ashley Fox | 12,281 | 30.6 | −27.3 | |
| Labour | Leigh Redman | 10,932 | 27.2 | +6.5 | |
| Reform | William Fagg | 8,913 | 22.2 | New | |
| Liberal Democrats | Claire Sully | 5,781 | 14.4 | −3.2 | |
| Green | Charlie Graham | 1,720 | 4.3 | +2.2 | |
| Independent | Pelé Barnes | 334 | 0.8 | New | |
| Workers Party | Gregory Tanner | 168 | 0.4 | New | |
| Majority | 1,349 | 3.4 | −33.8 | ||
| Turnout | 40,129 | 56.1 | −6.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 71,571 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −16.9 | |||
Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result[33] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 26,058 | 57.9 | |
| Labour | 9,334 | 20.7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 7,932 | 17.6 | |
| Green | 925 | 2.1 | |
| Others | 755 | 1.7 | |
| Turnout | 45,004 | 63.0 | |
| Electorate | 71,418 | ||
Elections in the 2000s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Ian Liddell-Grainger | 21,240 | 44.10 | +3.70 | |
| Labour | Matthew Burchell | 12,771 | 26.50 | −0.30 | |
| Liberal Democrats | James Main | 10,940 | 22.70 | −3.50 | |
| UKIP | Raymond Weinstein | 1,767 | 3.70 | +0.90 | |
| Green | Charlie Graham | 1,391 | 2.90 | New | |
| Majority | 8,469 | 17.60 | +7.20 | ||
| Turnout | 48,109 | 63.50 | −0.90 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.60 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Ian Liddell-Grainger | 19,354 | 40.40 | +3.47 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Ian Thorn | 14,367 | 30.00 | −3.65 | |
| Labour | Bill Monteith | 12,803 | 26.80 | +2.05 | |
| UKIP | Vicky Gardner | 1,323 | 2.80 | New | |
| Majority | 4,987 | 10.40 | +7.12 | ||
| Turnout | 47,847 | 64.40 | −10.01 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.56 | |||
Elections in the 1990s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 20,174 | 36.93 | −9.83 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Michael Hoban | 18,378 | 33.65 | +3.96 | |
| Labour | Roger Lavers | 13,519 | 24.75 | +3.02 | |
| Referendum | Fran Evens | 2,551 | 4.67 | New | |
| Majority | 1,796 | 3.28 | −13.79 | ||
| Turnout | 54,622 | 74.41 | −5.11 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | –6.89 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 26,610 | 46.76 | −4.76 | |
| Liberal Democrats | WJ Revans | 16,894 | 29.69 | −0.61 | |
| Labour | PE James | 12,365 | 21.73 | +3.54 | |
| Green | G Dummett | 746 | 1.31 | New | |
| Independent | A Body | 183 | 0.32 | New | |
| Natural Law | G Sanson | 112 | 0.20 | New | |
| Majority | 9,716 | 17.07 | −4.15 | ||
| Turnout | 56,910 | 79.52 | +1.34 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | –2.07 | |||
Elections in the 1980s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 27,177 | 51.52 | −0.74 | |
| SDP | Christopher Clarke | 15,982 | 30.30 | +0.30 | |
| Labour | John Turner | 9,594 | 18.19 | +0.45 | |
| Majority | 11,195 | 21.22 | −1.05 | ||
| Turnout | 52,753 | 78.18 | +3.38 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | –0.53 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 25,107 | 52.26 | –1.76 | |
| SDP | Rosemary Farley | 14,410 | 30.00 | +13.07 | |
| Labour | Andrew May | 8,524 | 17.74 | –11.31 | |
| Majority | 10,697 | 22.26 | –2.51 | ||
| Turnout | 48,041 | 74.80 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | –1.75 | |||
Elections in the 1970s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 31,259 | 54.0 | +9.7 | |
| Labour | J Beasant | 16,809 | 29.05 | −3.8 | |
| Liberal | Christina Baron | 9,793 | 16.9 | −5.5 | |
| Majority | 14,450 | 25.0 | +13.5 | ||
| Turnout | 57,861 | 79.2 | +2.0 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +6.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 23,850 | 44.3 | +0.7 | |
| Labour | A Mitchell | 17,663 | 32.78 | +4.3 | |
| Liberal | JHG Wyatt | 12,077 | 22.4 | −4.4 | |
| United Democratic | SR Harrad | 288 | 0.5 | New | |
| Majority | 6,187 | 11.5 | −2.6 | ||
| Turnout | 53,878 | 77.2 | −5.0 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | –1.3 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 24,830 | 43.65 | −8.7 | |
| Labour | R Undy | 16,786 | 29.5 | −6.3 | |
| Liberal | JHG Wyatt | 15,269 | 26.8 | +14.9 | |
| Majority | 8,044 | 14.1 | −2.4 | ||
| Turnout | 56,885 | 82.25 | +5.2 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | –1.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 26,685 | 52.3 | +7.9 | |
| Labour | Raymond J Billington | 18,224 | 35.8 | −2.3 | |
| Liberal | Patrick M O'Loughlin | 6,066 | 11.9 | −5.6 | |
| Majority | 8,461 | 16.5 | +10.2 | ||
| Turnout | 50,975 | 77.0 | −3.2 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.3 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Tom King | 25,687 | 55.5 | +11.1 | |
| Labour | Richard Mayer | 14,772 | 31.9 | −6.2 | |
| Liberal | Patrick M O'Loughlin | 5,832 | 12.6 | −4.9 | |
| Majority | 10,915 | 23.6 | +17.3 | ||
| Turnout | 46,291 | 70.3 | −9.9 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +8.6 | |||
Elections in the 1960s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gerald Wills | 20,850 | 44.4 | −0.4 | |
| Labour | Richard Mayer | 17,864 | 38.1 | +6.6 | |
| Liberal | Philip Watkins | 8,205 | 17.5 | −1.9 | |
| Majority | 2,986 | 6.3 | −7.0 | ||
| Turnout | 46,919 | 80.2 | −0.1 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.5 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gerald Wills | 20,822 | 44.8 | −5.6 | |
| Labour | Norman J Hart | 14,645 | 31.5 | −0.7 | |
| Liberal | Philip Watkins | 9,009 | 19.4 | +2.1 | |
| Independent | Michael L de V Hart | 2,038 | 4.4 | New | |
| Majority | 6,177 | 13.3 | −4.9 | ||
| Turnout | 46,514 | 80.3 | −1.5 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1950s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gerald Wills | 23,002 | 50.44 | ||
| Labour | James Finnigan | 14,706 | 32.25 | ||
| Liberal | Philip Watkins | 7,893 | 17.31 | New | |
| Majority | 8,296 | 18.19 | |||
| Turnout | 45,601 | 81.77 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gerald Wills | 24,887 | 59.17 | ||
| Labour | Albert E Sumbler | 17,170 | 40.83 | ||
| Majority | 7,717 | 18.34 | |||
| Turnout | 42,057 | 78.00 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gerald Wills | 25,365 | 56.34 | ||
| Labour Co-op | Norman E Carr | 19,656 | 43.66 | ||
| Majority | 5,709 | 12.68 | |||
| Turnout | 45,021 | 84.63 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gerald Wills | 21,732 | 48.84 | ||
| Labour Co-op | Norman E Carr | 16,053 | 36.08 | ||
| Independent | Stephen King-Hall | 6,708 | 15.08 | New | |
| Majority | 5,679 | 12.76 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 44,493 | 85.75 | |||
| Conservative gain from Independent Progressive | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1940s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Progressive | Vernon Bartlett | 17,937 | 45.79 | N/A | |
| Conservative | Gerald Wills | 15,625 | 39.89 | ||
| Labour | Norman Corkhill | 5,613 | 14.33 | ||
| Majority | 2,312 | 5.90 | |||
| Turnout | 39,175 | 72.69 | |||
| Independent Progressive hold | Swing | ||||
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;
- Independent Progressive: Vernon Bartlett
- Conservative: Patrick Heathcoat Amery[42]
Elections in the 1930s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Progressive | Vernon Bartlett | 19,540 | 53.2 | New | |
| Conservative | Patrick Gerald Heathcoat-Amory | 17,208 | 46.8 | −10.1 | |
| Majority | 2,332 | 6.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 36,748 | 82.3 | +9.6 | ||
| Independent Progressive gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Reginald Croom-Johnson | 17,939 | 56.9 | −20.6 | |
| Liberal | Norman David Blake | 7,370 | 23.4 | New | |
| Labour | Arthur W Loveys | 6,240 | 19.8 | −2.7 | |
| Majority | 10,569 | 33.5 | −21.5 | ||
| Turnout | 31,549 | 72.7 | −1.1 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Reginald Croom-Johnson | 24,041 | 77.5 | +30.7 | |
| Labour | James Musgrave Boltz | 6,974 | 22.5 | +3.1 | |
| Majority | 17,067 | 55.03 | +42.0 | ||
| Turnout | 31,015 | 73.8 | −6.6 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1920s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist | Reginald Croom-Johnson | 15,440 | 46.8 | −5.9 | |
| Liberal | Joseph William Molden | 11,161 | 33.8 | −6.2 | |
| Labour | James Musgrave Boltz | 6,423 | 19.4 | +12.1 | |
| Majority | 4,279 | 13.0 | +0.3 | ||
| Turnout | 33,024 | 80.4 | −4.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 41,068 | ||||
| Unionist hold | Swing | +0.1 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist | Brooks Wood | 14,283 | 52.7 | +5.4 | |
| Liberal | William Morse | 10,842 | 40.0 | −12.7 | |
| Labour | James Musgrave Boltz | 1,966 | 7.3 | New | |
| Majority | 3,441 | 12.7 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 27,091 | 84.4 | +1.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 32,111 | ||||
| Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +9.1 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | William Morse | 13,778 | 52.7 | +6.3 | |
| Unionist | Robert Sanders | 12,347 | 47.3 | +0.4 | |
| Majority | 1,431 | 5.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 26,125 | 83.4 | +5.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 31,317 | ||||
| Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +3.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist | Robert Sanders | 11,240 | 46.9 | −21.7 | |
| Liberal | William Morse | 11,121 | 46.4 | New | |
| Labour | Thomas Williams | 1,598 | 6.7 | −24.7 | |
| Majority | 119 | 0.5 | −36.7 | ||
| Turnout | 23,959 | 78.2 | +15.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 30,657 | ||||
| Unionist hold | Swing | −34.1 | |||
Elections in the 1910s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Unionist | Robert Sanders | 12,587 | 68.6 | +10.9 |
| Labour | Sid Plummer | 5,771 | 31.4 | New | |
| Majority | 6,816 | 37.2 | +21.8 | ||
| Turnout | 18,358 | 62.4 | |||
| Registered electors | 29,411 | ||||
| Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |||
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Robert Sanders | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative hold | |||||
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 from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
- Unionist: Robert Sanders
- Liberal: Philip Foale Rowsell
Sanders is appointed Treasurer of the Household, requiring him to seek re-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Robert Sanders | 5,160 | 57.7 | −1.2 | |
| Liberal | Harold C. Hicks | 3,779 | 42.3 | +1.2 | |
| Majority | 1,381 | 15.4 | −2.4 | ||
| Turnout | 8,939 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −1.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Robert Sanders | 5,575 | 58.9 | +9.0 | |
| Liberal | Harold C. Hicks | 3,896 | 41.1 | −9.0 | |
| Majority | 1,679 | 17.8 | 18.0 | ||
| Turnout | 9,471 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +9.0 | |||
Elections in the 1900s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Henry Montgomery | 4,422 | 50.1 | New | |
| Conservative | Robert Sanders | 4,405 | 49.9 | N/A | |
| Majority | 17 | 0.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 8,827 | 86.7 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 10,180 | ||||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Elections in the 1890s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | 4,555 | 57.5 | N/A | |
| Liberal | James Douglas Walker | 3,362 | 42.5 | New | |
| Majority | 1,193 | 15.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 7,917 | 77.5 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 10,220 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Elections in the 1880s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | 3,935 | 50.6 | ||
| Liberal | Edwin Brook Cely Trevilian | 3,835 | 49.4 | ||
| Majority | 100 | 1.2 | |||
| Turnout | 7,770 | 78.8 | |||
| Registered electors | 9,861 | ||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Elections in the 1860s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Alexander William Kinglake | 731 | 26.2 | −5.1 | |
| Liberal | Philip Vanderbyl | 725 | 26.0 | −2.8 | |
| Conservative | Henry Westropp | 681 | 24.4 | +4.4 | |
| Conservative | Charles William Gray[48] | 650 | 23.3 | +3.3 | |
| Majority | 44 | 1.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,394 (est) | 93.0 (est) | +3.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,499 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | −4.2 | |||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | −3.6 | |||
A Royal Commission found extensive bribery in the seat and, from 4 July 1870, the writ was suspended, both MPs were unseated, and the electorate was absorbed into West Somerset.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Philip Vanderbyl | 312 | 53.2 | −6.9 | |
| Conservative | George Patton | 275 | 46.8 | +6.9 | |
| Majority | 37 | 6.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 587 | 91.1 | +1.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 644 | ||||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | −6.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | George Patton | 301 | 50.7 | +10.8 | |
| Liberal | Walter Bagehot[49] | 293 | 49.3 | −10.8 | |
| Majority | 8 | 1.4 | −9.7 | ||
| Turnout | 594 | 92.2 | +2.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 644 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +10.8 | |||
Patton was appointed Lord Advocate, requiring a by-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Henry Westropp | 328 | 39.9 | −3.6 | |
| Liberal | Alexander William Kinglake | 257 | 31.3 | +3.6 | |
| Liberal | John Shelley | 237 | 28.8 | 0.0 | |
| Majority | 91 | 11.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 575 (est) | 89.3 (est) | +7.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 644 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | −3.6 | |||
| Liberal hold | Swing | +2.7 | |||
Westropp's election was declared void on petition on 25 April 1866, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1850s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Charles Kemeys-Tynte | 290 | 28.8 | −10.8 | |
| Liberal | Alexander William Kinglake | 279 | 27.7 | −8.4 | |
| Conservative | Henry Padwick[50] | 230 | 22.8 | +10.6 | |
| Conservative | Henry Westropp | 208 | 20.7 | +8.5 | |
| Majority | 49 | 4.9 | −6.9 | ||
| Turnout | 504 (est) | 82.0 (est) | −6.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 614 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | −10.2 | |||
| Liberal hold | Swing | −9.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Charles Kemeys-Tynte | 330 | 39.6 | +10.8 | |
| Whig | Alexander William Kinglake | 301 | 36.1 | +25.4 | |
| Conservative | Brent Follett | 203 | 24.3 | −20.4 | |
| Majority | 98 | 11.8 | +8.9 | ||
| Turnout | 519 (est) | 88.0 (est) | +11.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 589 | ||||
| Whig hold | Swing | +10.5 | |||
| Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +17.8 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Charles Kemeys-Tynte | 271 | 28.8 | −17.3 | |
| Conservative | Brent Follett | 244 | 25.9 | +10.4 | |
| Conservative | John Clavell Mansel[52][53] | 177 | 18.8 | +3.3 | |
| Whig | Anthony Henley | 149 | 15.8 | N/A | |
| Whig | Alexander William Kinglake | 101 | 10.7 | N/A | |
| Turnout | 471 (est) | 68.5 (est) | −12.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 688 | ||||
| Majority | 27 | 2.9 | −12.2 | ||
| Whig hold | Swing | −15.5 | |||
| Majority | 95 | 10.0 | +1.9 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +9.5 | |||
Elections in the 1840s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Charles Kemeys-Tynte | 395 | 46.1 | −0.7 | |
| Conservative | Henry Broadwood | 265 | 31.0 | −22.2 | |
| Radical | Stephen Gaselee[54] | 196 | 22.9 | N/A | |
| Turnout | 428 (est) | 80.9 (est) | −7.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 529 | ||||
| Majority | 130 | 15.1 | N/A | ||
| Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.2 | |||
| Majority | 69 | 8.1 | +5.3 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −10.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Henry Broadwood | 280 | 26.8 | −22.8 | |
| Conservative | Thomas Seaton Forman | 276 | 26.4 | −22.8 | |
| Whig | Edward Simcoe Drewe[56] | 247 | 23.6 | +22.7 | |
| Whig | Augustin Robinson[57] | 242 | 23.2 | +22.8 | |
| Majority | 29 | 2.8 | −45.5 | ||
| Turnout | 525 | 88.2 | +37.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 595 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −22.8 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −22.8 | |||
Elections in the 1830s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Henry Broadwood | 279 | 49.6 | +25.7 | |
| Conservative | Philip Courtenay | 277 | 49.2 | +28.8 | |
| Whig | Thomas Lethbridge | 5 | 0.9 | −13.9 | |
| Whig | Richard Brinsley Sheridan[58] | 2 | 0.4 | −14.4 | |
| Majority | 272 | 48.3 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 284 | 50.9 | −21.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 558 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +19.9 | |||
| Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | +21.5 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Henry Broadwood | 279 | 55.8 | +11.5 | |
| Whig | Richard Brinsley Sheridan[59] | 221 | 44.2 | +14.7 | |
| Majority | 58 | 11.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 500 | 89.6 | +17.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 558 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | −1.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Charles Kemeys-Tynte | 234 | 29.5 | N/A | |
| Radical | John Temple Leader | 208 | 26.2 | N/A | |
| Conservative | Henry Broadwood | 190 | 23.9 | New | |
| Conservative | Francis Mountjoy Martyn[60] | 162 | 20.4 | New | |
| Turnout | 309 | 71.9 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 430 | ||||
| Majority | 26 | 3.3 | N/A | ||
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Majority | 18 | 2.3 | N/A | ||
| Radical gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |||
Leader resigned, by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, in order to contest a by-election at Westminster, causing a by-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Charles Kemeys-Tynte | Unopposed | |||
| Whig | William Tayleur | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 484 | ||||
| Whig hold | |||||
| Whig gain from Tory | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Charles Kemeys-Tynte | 337 | 44.8 | N/A | |
| Tory | William Astell | 213 | 28.3 | N/A | |
| Radical | Henry Shirley | 202 | 26.9 | N/A | |
| Turnout | 430 | N/A | |||
| Majority | 124 | 16.5 | N/A | ||
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Majority | 11 | 1.4 | N/A | ||
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tory | William Astell | Unopposed | |||
| Whig | Charles Kemeys-Tynte | Unopposed | |||
| Tory hold | |||||
| Whig hold | |||||