Romsey (UK Parliament constituency)

Romsey
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of Romsey in Hampshire for the 2005 general election.

Location of Hampshire within England.
County Hampshire
1983 (1983)–2010 (2010)
Number of members One
Replaced by Romsey and Southampton North
Created from Eastleigh, New Forest

Romsey was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Contents

Boundaries

The constituency is located in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, although it covers a smaller area with parts of the Test Valley to the north being part of the North West Hampshire constituency. The main town within the constituency is Romsey.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Hampshire, the Boundary Commission for England has created a modified Romsey constituency to be called Romsey and Southampton North, to reflect the fact that Southampton forms part of the constituency.

History

The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the seats of Eastleigh and New Forest. It was originally named Romsey and Waterside, but in 1997 it was renamed to just Romsey. The first MP, Michael Colvin, held the constituency from its creation until his death in 2000. This led to a by-election, which was won by Liberal Democrat Sandra Gidley, who held the seat in the two subsequent General Elections but lost to the Conservatives in the 2010 General Election where she contested the new Romsey and Southampton North constituency.

Members of Parliament

Election Member [1] Party
1983 constituency created as Romsey and Waterside
1983 Michael Colvin Conservative
1997 constituency renamed Romsey
1997 Michael Colvin Conservative
2000 by-election Sandra Gidley Liberal Democrat
2010 constituency abolished: see Romsey and Southampton North

Elections

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Romsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Sandra Gidley 22,465 44.7 −2.3
Conservative Caroline Nokes 22,340 44.4 +2.3
Labour Matthew Stevens 4,430 8.8 +0.6
UKIP Michael Wigley 1,076 2.1 +0.6
Majority 125 0.2
Turnout 50,311 69.7 +2.5
Liberal Democrat hold Swing −2.3
General Election 2001: Romsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Sandra Gidley 22,756 47.0 +17.5
Conservative Paul John Edward Raynes 20,386 42.1 -3.9
Labour Stephen John Roberts 3,986 8.2 -10.3
UKIP Anthony Martin McCabe 730 1.5 -2.0
Legalise Cannabis Derrick Large 601 1.2 N/A
Majority 2,370 4.9
Turnout 48,459 67.2 -9.2
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing
By-election 2000: Romsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Sandra Gidley 19,571 50.6 +21.2
Conservative Tim Palmer 16,260 42.0 −4.0
Labour Andy Howard 1,451 3.7 −14.9
UKIP Garry Rankin-Moore 901 2.3 −1.2
Legalise Cannabis Derrick Large 417 1.1 +1.1
Independent (politician) Thomas Lamont 109 0.3 +0.3
Majority
Turnout 55.4
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Romsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Colvin 23,834 46.0
Liberal Democrat Mark Cooper 15,249 29.4
Labour Joanne Ford 9,623 18.6
UKIP Alan Sked 1,824 3.5
Referendum Party Michael Wigley 1,291 2.5
Majority
Turnout

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
Constituencies in South East England (84)
Conservative (74)
Labour (4)
Liberal Democrats (4)
Green (1)
Speaker (1)