North Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 51°00′21″N 2°11′51″W / 51.0058°N 2.1976°W

North Dorset
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of North Dorset in Dorset.

Outline map

Location of Dorset within England.
County Dorset
Electorate 73,010 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Blandford Forum, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Sturminster Newton and Verwood
Current constituency
Created 1885
Member of parliament Robert Walter (Conservative)
Number of members One
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South West England

North Dorset is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Robert Walter, a Conservative.[n 2]

History

This seat was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, since which it has been served at various times by candidates from only two parties. For 19 of the years between 1885 and 1950 it has been served by a Liberal and for the other years it has been served only by Conservatives.

Constituency profile

The constituency covers North Dorset local government district and most (geographically) of East Dorset. It is largely rural, with a lower than average proportion of social housing and five small towns shown in the infobox. The largest town is Verwood, and the most central is the market town of Blandford Forum, north of the port of Poole.

Boundaries

1950-1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury; the Urban District of Wimborne Minster; and the Rural Districts of Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sturminster, & Wimborne and Cranborne.

1983-1997: The District of North Dorset; the District of Wimborne wards of Colehill, Corfe Mullen Central, Corfe Mullen North, Corfe Mullen South, Crane, Holt, Sixpenny Handley, Sturminster Marshall, Vale of Allen, and Wimborne Minster; and the District of Purbeck wards of Lytchett Matravers and Lytchett Minster.

1997-2010: The District of North Dorset; and the District of East Dorset wards of Colehill, Crane, Holt, Longham, Sixpenny Handley, Stapehill, Sturminster Marshall, Vale of Allen, and Wimborne Minster.

2010-present: The District of North Dorset; and the District of East Dorset wards of Alderholt, Crane, Handley Vale, Holt, Stour, Three Cross and Potterne, Verwood Dewlands, Verwood Newtown, and Verwood Stephen’s Castle.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[2] Party
1885 Edwin Berkeley Portman Liberal
1892 John Kenelm Digby Wingfield-Digby Conservative
1905 by-election Arthur Walters Wills Liberal
Jan 1910 Sir Randolf Littlehales Baker, Bt Conservative
1918 William Philip Colfox Conservative
1922 John Emlyn Emlyn-Jones Liberal
1924 Sir Cecil Hanbury Unionist
1937 by-election Angus Valdemar Hambro Conservative
1945 Frank Byers, later Baron Byers Liberal
1950 Robert Crouch Conservative
1957 by-election Sir Richard Glyn Conservative
1970 David James Conservative
1979 Nicholas Baker Conservative
1997 Robert Walter Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: North Dorset[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Richard Barrington [4]
Labour Kim Fendley
Conservative Simon Hoare[5]
Liberal Democrat Hugo Miéville[6]
UKIP Steve Unwin[7]
General Election 2010: North Dorset[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Walter 27,640 51.1 +4.6
Liberal Democrat Emily Gasson 20,015 37.0 -0.9
Labour Mike Bunney 2,910 5.4 -4.2
UKIP Jeremy Nieboer 2,812 5.2 +1.3
Green Anna Hayball 546 1.0 -1.3
Monster Raving Loony Roger Monksummers 218 0.4 +0.4
Majority 7,625 14.1
Turnout 54,141 73.5 +4.2
Conservative hold Swing +2.8

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: North Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Walter 23,714 44.9 -1.8
Liberal Democrat Emily Gasson 21,470 40.7 +2.0
Labour John Yarwood 4,596 8.7 -2.5
UKIP Richard Frampton Hobbs 1,918 3.6 +1.5
Green Ralph Arliss 1,117 2.1 +2.1
Majority 2,244 4.2 -3.8
Turnout 52,815 71.1 +4.8
Conservative hold Swing -1.9
Source BBC News, 2005
General Election 2001: North Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Walter 22,314 46.7 +2.4
Liberal Democrat Emily Gasson 18,517 38.7 -0.4
Labour Mark Wareham 5,334 11.2 +0.9
UKIP Peter Jenkins 1,019 2.1 +0.6
Lower Excise Duty Party Joseph Duthie 391 0.8 N/A
Independent Cora Bone 246 0.5 N/A
Majority 3,797 8.0
Turnout 47,821 66.3 -10.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.4

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: North Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Walter 23,294 44.30
Liberal Democrat P Yates 20,548 39.07
Labour J Fitzmaurice 5,380 10.23
Referendum Party M Evans 2,564 4.88
UKIP D Wheeler 801 1.52
Majority 2,746 5.22
Turnout 76.30
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1992: North Dorset[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Baker 34,234 54.6 −2.5
Liberal Democrat Mrs LE Siegle 24,154 38.5 +2.1
Labour JF Fitzmaurice 4,360 6.9 +0.3
Majority 10,080 16.1 −4.6
Turnout 62,748 81.8 +2.7
Conservative hold Swing −2.3

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: North Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Baker 32,854 57.02
Liberal Dr. Geoffrey W Tapper 20,947 36.35
Labour J Hanley 3,819 6.63
Majority 11,907 20.66
Turnout 79.10
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: North Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Baker 30,058 58.09
Liberal Dr. Geoffrey W Tapper 18,678 36.10
Labour J Fox 2,710 5.24
Wessex Regionalist David Fox 294 0.57
Majority 11,380 21.99
Turnout 76.62
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979

Electorate

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Brian Baker 40,046 62.2
Liberal G Court 16,750 26.0
Labour MC Rowlands 7,543 11.7
Majority 23,296 36.2
Turnout 79.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: North Dorset
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Pelham James 28,891 51.15
Liberal Philip George Watkins 20,350 36.03
Labour TG Jones 7,245 12.8
Majority 8,541 15.1
Turnout 79.2
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974

Electorate

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Pelham James 30,288 50.7
Liberal Philip George Watkins 23,405 39.2
Labour TG Smith 6,032 10.1
Majority 6,883 11.5
Turnout 84.4
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970

Electorate 62,693

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Pelham James 28,471 57.9
Liberal Philip George Watkins 12,095 24.6
Labour Haydn R White 8,626 17.5
Majority 16,376 33.3
Turnout 78.5
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966

Electorate 52,414

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Hamilton Glyn 20,520 48.2
Liberal Richard A Lamb 15,005 35.2
Labour Jack R Rutland 7,090 16.6
Majority 5,515 12.9
Turnout 42,615 81.3
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964

Electorate 50,065

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Hamilton Glyn 19,898 48.6
Liberal Richard A Lamb 14,768 36.1
Labour JF Armstrong 6,253 15.3
Majority 5,130 12.5
Turnout 40,919 81.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959

Electorate 46,844

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Hamilton Glyn 20,255 52.8
Liberal John Alun Emlyn-Jones 11,604 30.2
Labour H J Dutfield 6,548 17.0
Majority 8,651 22.5
Turnout 38,407 82.0
Conservative hold Swing
North Dorset by-election, 1957

Electorate 45,346 Turnout 75.8%

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Hamilton Glyn 15,513 45.1 -7.0
Liberal John Alun Emlyn-Jones 12,411 36.1 +3.7
Labour H J Dutfield 6,278 18.3 +2.8
Independent H C Wright 170 0.5 n/a
Majority 3,102 9.0 -10.7
Conservative hold Swing -5.4
1955 General Election

Electorate 44,142 [10]

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Fisher Crouch 18,906 52.1
Liberal Hon. Michael Berkeley Portman 11,747 32.4
Labour H J Dutfield 5,633 15.5 +7.5
Majority 7,159
Turnout 82.2
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951

Electorate 42,815

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Fisher Crouch 17,392 47.0
Liberal Charles Frank Byers 16,645 45.0
Labour J. R. Tudor Griffith 2,946 8.0
Majority 747 2.0
Turnout 86.4
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950

Electorate 41,591

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Fisher Crouch 15,324 43.3
Liberal Charles Frank Byers 15,227 43.1
Labour J. R. Tudor Griffith 4,807 13.6
Majority 97 0.3
Turnout 85.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Dorset Northern
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Frank Byers 14,444 53.7
Conservative Richard Hamilton Glyn 12,479 46.3
Majority 1,965 7.30
Turnout 75.04
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing

The candidates for the aborted General Election due to take place in 1939/40 were: Angus Hambro, Frank Byers and CL Lander [Labour].

Elections in the 1930s

North Dorset by-election, 1937 [11]

Electorate

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Angus Valdemar Hambro 12,247 51.1 +1.0
Liberal Hon. William Borthwick 11,704 48.9 +11.0
Majority 543 2.2 -10.0
Turnout 23,951 73.4 -6.3
Conservative hold Swing -5.0
General Election 1935: North Dorset [12]

Electorate 32,714

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Cecil Hanbury 13,055 50.1 -9.1
Liberal Hon. William Borthwick 9,871 37.9 -2.9
Agriculture George Henry Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers 1,771 6.8 n/a
Labour Miss M M Whitehead 1,360 5.2 n/a
Majority 3,184 12.2 -6.2
Turnout 79.7 -2.4
Conservative hold Swing -3.1
General Election 1931: North Dorset [13]

Electorate 31,898

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cecil Hanbury 15,499 59.2 +11.9
Liberal Hon. William Borthwick 10,682 40.8 -3.0
Majority 4,817 18.4 +14.9
Turnout 82.1 +0.7
Conservative hold Swing +7.5

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: North Dorset [14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cecil Hanbury 12,203 47.3 -6.0
Liberal Hon. William Borthwick 11,281 43.8 -2.9
Labour Colin Grant Clark 2,298 8.9 n/a
Majority 922 3.5
Turnout 25,782 81.4
Conservative hold Swing -1.5
John Emlyn-Jones
General Election 1924:
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cecil Hanbury 11,819
Liberal John Emlyn Emlyn-Jones 10,341
Majority
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1923:
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Emlyn Emlyn-Jones 10,992 51.8
Conservative Cecil Hanbury 10,211 48.2
Majority 781 3.6
Turnout 84.3
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1922
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Emlyn Emlyn-Jones 10,805 52.3
Conservative Cecil Hanbury 9,869 47.7
Majority 936 4.6
Turnout
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918:
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Maj. William Philip Colfox 7,532
Liberal John Emlyn Emlyn-Jones 7,320
Majority
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
General Election December 1910[15]

Electorate 8,525

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Randolf Littlehales Baker 3,919 50.2
Liberal Arthur Walters Wills 3,887 49.8
Turnout 7,806 91.6
Majority 32 0.4
Conservative hold Swing

The Coalition 'coupon' was awarded to Philip Colfox.

Elections in the 1900s

General Election January 1906[16]

Electorate 8,490

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur Walters Wills 4,153 54.2 -1.8
Conservative Sir Randolf Littlehales Baker 3,508 45.8 +1.8
Majority 8.4 -3.6
Turnout 90.2 -0.6
Liberal hold Swing -1.8
North Dorset by-election, 1905[17]

Electorate 8,338

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur Walters Wills 4,239 56.0 +9.9
Conservative Sir Randolf Littlehales Baker 3,330 44.0 -9.9
Majority 12.0 19.8
Turnout 90.8
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +9.9
General Election January 1900[18]

Electorate 8,318

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Kenelm Digby Wingfield-Digby 3,705 53.9
Liberal Hon. George Arthur Maurice Hamilton-Gordon 3,165 46.1
Majority 540 7.8
Turnout 82.6
Conservative hold Swing

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. ↑ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 2)
  3. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/dorsetnorth/
  4. ↑ http://www.westerngazette.co.uk/North-Dorset-Green-Party-announces-candidate/story-25997325-detail/story.html
  5. ↑ "Simon Hoare chosen as the Conservative candidate for Dorset North". Conservative Home. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Hugo Miéville". Lib Dems. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  7. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/dorsetnorth/
  8. ↑ General Election Results from the Electoral Commission
  9. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  10. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1973
  11. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1818-1949, Craig, F. W. S.
  12. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1818-1949, Craig, F. W. S.
  13. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1818-1949, Craig, F. W. S.
  14. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1818-1949, Craig, F. W. S.
  15. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918
  16. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
  17. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
  18. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig