Romsey (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 51°00′14″N 1°29′28″W / 51.004°N 1.491°W / 51.004; -1.491

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.

Boundaries

The constituency was located in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, although it covered 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 was Romsey.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Hampshire, the Boundary Commission for England created a modified Romsey constituency called Romsey and Southampton North, to reflect the fact that two wards of Southampton form part of the constituency (though one ward had in fact formed part of the constituency since 1997).

History

The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the seats of Eastleigh and New Forest. It was originally named Romsey and Waterside and included areas such as Hythe and Fawley on the west side of Southampton Water. In 1997 it lost the Waterside area and gained the Bassett Ward of the City of Southampton, and new territory in the north of the Test Valley district, and was consequently 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

Elections

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

See also

• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Hampshire

Notes and references