Newton Abbot (constituency)
UK Parliament constituency (since 2010)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Newton Abbot is a constituency[n 1] in Devon represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Martin Wrigley of the Liberal Democrats. It was previously represented since its 2010 creation by Anne Marie Morris, a Conservative.[n 2]
| Newton Abbot | |
|---|---|
| County constituency for the House of Commons | |
 Interactive map of boundaries since 2024 | |
Boundary of Newton Abbot in South West England | |
| County | Devon |
| Electorate | 72,956 (2023) [1] |
| Major settlements | Newton Abbot, Dawlish and Teignmouth |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 2010 |
| Member of Parliament | Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrats) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | Teignbridge |
Constituency profile
Newton Abbot is a constituency in Devon. It is named after its largest town, Newton Abbot, which has a population of around 31,000.[2] Other settlements in the constituency include the towns of Kingsteignton, Teignmouth and Dawlish and the villages of Bishopsteignton and Kingskerswell.
Traditionally a rural market town, Newton Abbot became an important railway town during the Industrial Revolution. Teignmouth and Dawlish are historically fishing ports that grew into popular seaside resort towns. The constituency has overall average levels of wealth, with the villages and rural areas generally being more affluent than the towns.[3] The average house price is lower than the national and South West England averages.[4]
The constituency has a high average age with a large retiree population.[5] In general, residents have average levels of education and high rates of homeownership. Levels of household income and child poverty are similar to national averages.[4][6] A high proportion of residents work in the retail and tourism industries and a low percentage claim unemployment benefits.[7][6] White people made up 98% of the population at the 2021 census.[8]
At the local district council, most of the constituency is represented by Liberal Democrats with some Independent councillors in Newton Abbot and Conservatives in and around Kingsteignton. At the county council, which held elections in 2025, Reform UK representatives were elected in Newton Abbot and its surroundings, whilst Teignmouth and Dawlish elected Liberal Democrats. An estimated 57% of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 52%.[4]
History
Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies proposing to create this constituency for the 2010 general election which increased the number of seats in the county from eleven to twelve.
It replaced the southern part of the former Teignbridge seat, including the town of Newton Abbot itself, as well as Dawlish and Teignmouth.[9] Nominally, the 2010 result was a gain of the seat (LD-Conservative) on a swing of 5.8%. Teignbridge's other successor saw a very similar 6% swing, with a much larger margin for the same winning party in Central Devon at the 2010 election.
Boundaries
2010–2024
The District of Teignbridge electoral wards of:
- Ambrook, Bishopsteignton, Bradley, Buckland and Milber, Bushell, College, Dawlish Central and North East, Dawlish South West, Ipplepen, Kenton with Starcross, Kerswell-with-Combe, Kingsteignton East, Kingsteignton West, Shaldon and Stokeinteignhead, Teignmouth Central, Teignmouth East and Teignmouth West.[10]
2024–present
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following wards of the District of Teignbridge (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
- Ambrook; Bishopsteignton; Bradley; Buckland & Milber; Bushell; College; Dawlish North East; Dawlish South West; Ipplepen; Kenton & Starcross; Kerswell-with-Combe; Kingsteignton East; Kingsteignton West; Shaldon & Stokeinteignhead; Teignmouth Central; Teignmouth East; Teignmouth West.[11]
Very minor change to the boundary with Central Devon.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member[12] | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Anne Marie Morris | Conservative | |
| July 2017 | Independent | ||
| December 2017 | Conservative | ||
| January 2022 | Independent | ||
| May 2022 | Conservative | ||
| 2024 | Martin Wrigley | Liberal Democrats | |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | Martin Wrigley | 15,201 | 31.7 | +9.5 | |
| Conservative | Anne Marie Morris | 12,955 | 27.0 | −28.6 | |
| Reform | Christopher Hilditch | 8,494 | 17.7 | New | |
| Labour | Jacob Cousens | 7,115 | 14.8 | −2.9 | |
| Green | Pauline Wynter | 2,083 | 4.3 | +1.4 | |
| Alliance | Liam Mullone | 1,924 | 4.0 | New | |
| Heritage | Andre Sabine | 116 | 0.2 | New | |
| Volt | Annaliese Cude | 104 | 0.2 | New | |
| Majority | 2,246 | 4.7 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 47,992 | 65.0 | −6.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 73,885 | ||||
| Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +19.1 | |||
Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result[14] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 29,117 | 55.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 11,661 | 22.2 | |
| Labour | 9,287 | 17.7 | |
| Green | 1,505 | 2.9 | |
| Others | 840 | 1.6 | |
| Turnout | 52,410 | 71.8 | |
| Electorate | 72,956 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Anne Marie Morris | 29,190 | 55.5 | 0.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Martin Wrigley | 11,689 | 22.2 | +1.4 | |
| Labour | James Osben | 9,329 | 17.8 | −4.4 | |
| Green | Megan Debenham | 1,508 | 2.9 | +1.1 | |
| Independent | David Halpin | 840 | 1.6 | New | |
| Majority | 17,501 | 33.3 | 0.0 | ||
| Turnout | 52,556 | 72.5 | +0.5 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Additionally Richard Manley stood as PPC for the Renew Party, standing down in favour of Martin Wrigley as part of the Unite to Remain pact.[16]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Anne Marie Morris | 28,735 | 55.5 | +8.0 | |
| Labour | James Osben | 11,475 | 22.2 | +12.4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Marie Chadwick | 10,601 | 20.8 | −3.1 | |
| Green | Kathryn Driscoll | 926 | 1.8 | −2.8 | |
| Majority | 17,160 | 33.3 | +9.7 | ||
| Turnout | 51,632 | 72.0 | +3.0 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | -2.1 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Anne Marie Morris | 22,794 | 47.5 | +4.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Younger-Ross | 11,506 | 23.9 | −18.0 | |
| UKIP | Rod Peers | 6,726 | 13.9 | +7.5 | |
| Labour | Roy Freer | 4,736 | 9.8 | +2.8 | |
| Green | Steven Smyth-Bonfield | 2,216 | 4.6 | +3.1 | |
| TUSC | Sean Brogan | 221 | 0.5 | New | |
| Majority | 11,288 | 23.6 | +22.5 | ||
| Turnout | 48,199 | 69.0 | −0.6 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +11.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Anne Marie Morris | 20,774 | 43.0 | +8.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Younger-Ross* | 20,251 | 41.9 | −3.6 | |
| Labour | Patrick Canavan | 3,387 | 7.0 | −4.4 | |
| UKIP | Jackie Hooper | 3,088 | 6.4 | −0.1 | |
| Green | Corinne Lindsey | 701 | 1.5 | New | |
| Independent | Keith Sharp | 82 | 0.2 | New | |
| Majority | 523 | 1.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 48,283 | 69.6 | +0.7 | ||
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +5.8 | |||
- * Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 Parliament
See also
Notes
- 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.