Bristol West (UK Parliament constituency)

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Bristol West
Borough constituency

Bristol West shown within Greater Bristol, and Greater Bristol shown within England
Created: 1885
MP: Stephen Williams
Party: Liberal Democrat
Type: House of Commons
County: City of Bristol
EP constituency: South West England

Bristol West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. As of 2005, the Member of Parliament (MP) is the Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams, elected in the 2005 election.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries

Bristol West is situated in the central and western parts of Bristol, and currently comprises the Bristol City Council wards of Ashley, Bishopston, Clifton, Cabot, Clifton East, Cotham, Henleaze, Redland, Stoke Bishop, Westbury on Trym and small parts of Horfield, Lockleaze and Kingsweston. This area consists largely of middle-class suburbs, but also includes poorer areas, particularly in St Pauls. The area is also home to the University of Bristol and the main residential districts of students from both of the city's universities.

[edit] Boundary review

Following their review into parliamentary representation in Bristol, the Boundary Commission for England has created a modified Bristol West made from the following electoral wards:

[edit] History

The seat was held by the Conservatives for 112 years before Labour's Valerie Davey won it at the 1997 general election; Labour had been third in 1992.

At the 2005 election the seat was Liberal Democrat target number 18, and Conservative target number 50; it had been frequently described in the media as a "three-way marginal", and all parties fought hard for the constituency. The seat was taken by Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams with a large majority, thought to have been aided by the large student electorate, hostile to Labour's top-up fees policy. This Lib Dem success is remarkably similar to other seats with a large student population (Cambridge, Manchester Withington, Leeds North West and Cardiff Central).

[edit] Members of Parliament

  • Constituency created (1885)
Election Member Party
1885 Michael Hicks-Beach Conservative
1906 George Abraham Gibbs Conservative
1928 Cyril Culverwell Conservative
1945 Oliver Stanley Conservative
1951 Walter Monckton Conservative
1957 Robert Cooke Conservative
1979 William Waldegrave Conservative
1997 Valerie Davey Labour
2005 Stephen Williams Liberal Democrats

[edit] Election results

Confirmed candidates for the next UK general election [1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Smith
Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams
Conservative Nick Yarker
General Election 2005: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams 21,987 38.3 +9.4
Labour Valerie Davey 16,859 29.4 −7.4
Conservative David Martin 15,429 26.9 −1.9
Green Justin Quinnell 2,163 3.8 +0.3
UK Independence Simon Muir 439 0.8 −0.1
Socialist Labour Bernard Kennedy 329 0.6 −0.5
Save Bristol North Baths Party Douglas Reid 190 0.3 +0.3
Majority 5,128 8.9
Turnout 57,396 70.5 +4.9
Liberal Democrat gain from Labour Swing +8.4
General Election 2001: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Valerie Davey 20,505 36.8 +1.6
Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams 16,079 28.9 +0.9
Conservative Pamela Chesters 16,040 28.8 -4.0
Green John Devaney 1,961 3.5 +2.2
Socialist Labour Bernard Kennedy 590 1.1 +0.7
UK Independence Simon Muir 490 0.9 N/A
Majority 4,426 7.9
Turnout 55,665 65.6 -7.8
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1997: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Valerie Davey 22,068 35.2 +10.5
Conservative William Waldegrave 20,575 32.8 -9.4
Liberal Democrat Charles Boney 17,551 28.0 -2.7
Green J Quinnell 1,304 2.1 +0.4
Socialist Labour R Nurse 244 0.4 n/a
Natural Law J Brierley 47 0.1 n/a
Majority 1,493 2.4
Turnout 55,665 73.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1992: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Waldegrave 22,169 42.2 -3.3
Liberal Democrat Charles Boney 16,098 30.7 -0.6
Labour Headley Bashforth 12,992 24.7 +3.8
Green G. Sawday 906 1.7 -0.3
Natural Law D.J. Cross 104 0.2 n/a
Revolutionary Communist B. Brent 92 0.2 n/a
Struck off Doctors Alliance P.J. Hammond 87 0.2 n/a
Anti-Federalist League T.P.E. Hedges 42 0.1 n/a
Majority 6,071 11.5 -2.7
Turnout 74.0 -1.0
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1987: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Waldegrave 24,695 45.5 -3.6
Liberal G.R.P. Ferguson 16,992 31.3 +1.9
Labour M.C. Georghiou 11,337 20.9 +1.4
Green G.A. Dorey 1,096 2.0 n/a
Communist V. Ralph 134 0.3 n/a
Majority 7,703 14.2 -5.5
Turnout 75.0 +4.3
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Waldegrave 25,400 49.1
Liberal G.R.P. Ferguson 15,222 29.4
Labour P.R. Tatlow 10,094 19.5
Ecology J.F.K. Scott 872 1.7
Independent S. Boyle 142 0.3
Majority 10,178 19.7
Turnout 70.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1979: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Waldegrave 22,257 52.6
Labour V. Bath 9,691 22.9
Liberal B. Silver 8,881 21.0
Ecology J.K. Ingham 1,154 2.7
National Front M. Jones 246 0.6
Independent R.R. Redmore 93 0.2
Majority 12,566 29.7
Turnout 71.6
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R.G. Cooke 18,555 46.9
Liberal R.G.R. Stacey 11,598 29.3
Labour J. Malos 9,372 23.7
Majority 6,957 17.6
Turnout 65.4
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R.G. Cooke 21,141 48.3
Liberal R.G.R. Stacey 13,076 29.9
Labour J. Malos 9,526 21.8
Majority 8,065 18.4
Turnout 72.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R.G. Cooke 20,110 60.2
Labour D.J. Blackman 8,175 24.5
Liberal R.G.R. Stacey 5,108 15.3
Majority 11,935 35.7
Turnout 66.3
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1966: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R.G. Cooke 19,783 56.7
Labour L.W. Bosisto 8,265 23.7
Liberal R.G.R. Stacey 6,850 19.6
Majority 11,518 33.0
Turnout 72.2
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R.G. Cooke 21,230 58.0
Liberal K.B. Wedmore 7,366 20.1
Labour D. McLaren 7,306 20.0
Taxpayers' Coalition Party P.M. Kingston 709 1.9
Majority 13,864 37.9
Turnout 73.2
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1959: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R.G. Cooke 27,768 67.3
Labour M.F.L. Cocks 7,651 18.6
Liberal C.A. Hart-Leverton 5,835 14.1
Majority 20,117 48.7
Turnout 73.6
Conservative hold Swing
Bristol West by-election 7 March 1957
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R.G. Cooke 24,585 70.2
Labour W.T. Rodgers 10,423 29.8
Majority 14,162 40.4
Turnout 61.1
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir W.T. Monckton 32,767 75.3
Labour W.H. Johnson 10,766 24.7
Majority 22,001 50.6
Turnout 74.6
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir W.T. Monckton 25,858 63.6
Labour H. Lawrance 11,716 28.8
Liberal D. Goldblatt 3,115 7.7
Majority 14,142 34.8
Turnout 80.6
Conservative hold Swing
Bristol West by-election 15 February 1951
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir W.T. Monckton 22,216 81.4
Labour H. Lawrance 5,072 18.6
Majority 17,144 62.8
Turnout 53.6
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative O.F.G. Stanley 24,920 58.9
Labour E.S. Bishop 12,677 30.0
Liberal H. Nuttall 4,688 11.1
Majority 12,243 28.9
Turnout 82.4
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1945: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative O.F.G. Stanley 32,149 48.6
Labour W.E. Balmer 25,163 38.0
Liberal D. Allhusen 8,849 13.4
Majority 6,986 10.6
Turnout 74.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1935: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C.T. Culverwell 36,820 71.0
Labour P. Williams 15,058 29.0
Majority 21,762 42.0
Turnout 70.8
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C.T. Culverwell 43,264 83.0
Labour F.E. White 8,875 17.0
Majority 34,389 66.0
Turnout 79.3
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1929: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C.T. Culverwell 25,416 53.7
Labour Lady C. Annesley 11,961 25.3
Liberal W.N. Marcy 9,909 21.0
Majority 13,455 28.4
Turnout 77.7
Conservative hold Swing
Bristol West by-election February 1928
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C.T. Culverwell 16,970 57.2
Labour Lady C. Annesley 7,702 26.0
Liberal W.N. Marcy 4,996 16.8
Majority 9,268 31.2
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1924: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Col. George A. Gibbs 23,574 79.0
Labour M. Giles 6,276 21.0
Majority 17,298 58.0
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1923: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Col. George A. Gibbs Unopposed - -
Majority - -
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1922: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Col. George A. Gibbs 18,124 62.0
Liberal Frank W. Rafferty 11,100 38.0
Majority 7,024 24.0
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1918: Bristol West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Coalition Conservative Col. George A. Gibbs Unopposed -
Majority - -
Coalition Conservative hold Swing

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bristol West, UKPollingReport
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Constituencies in South West England
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