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Waveney (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 52°24′N 1°30′E / 52.4°N 1.5°E / 52.4; 1.5
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Waveney
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Waveney in Suffolk
Outline map
Location of Suffolk within England
CountySuffolk
Electorate79,132 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsLowestoft
1983–2024
SeatsOne
Created fromLowestoft
Replaced byLowestoft

Waveney was a constituency[n 1] of in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament that existed from 1983 to 2024.[n 2] It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency reverted to its previous name of Lowestoft.[2] Other than the town of Bungay, the abolished seat of Waveney has little in common with the new ‘Waveney Valley’ constituency, which covers a predominantly rural area bridging Norfolk and Suffolk.

Constituency profile

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The seat was based around the coastal town of Lowestoft and included several smaller market towns and seaside resorts in northeast Suffolk. Electoral Calculus described the seat as a "Somewhere", characterised by older, less educated voters and support for Brexit.[3]

Lowestoft was generally Labour-voting, because of its recent history as a declining seaside resort, fishing and industrial town.[citation needed] However, the constituency also includes the small towns of Beccles and Bungay. The Green Party overtook the Conservatives in the overlapping East Suffolk Council in 2023 for the first time.

This corner of Suffolk arguably has stronger connections with Norfolk[citation needed] – Norwich is an easier centre to reach than Ipswich – and there have been unsuccessful proposals to alter the county boundary to reflect this[citation needed].

History

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The seat was created for the 1983 general election following the implementation of the third periodic review of Westminster constituencies, broadly replacing Lowestoft, which the first victor of the new seat had served since 1959.

Political history

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Waveney was a bellwether since its creation, swinging heavily in line with the mood of the nation. Labour's big majority in 1997 reflected the large overall majority in the Commons, and by the 2010 election it had become touted by one published analysis as the seat that the Conservatives needed to win to secure an overall majority.[citation needed] Fittingly, 2010 saw a marginal majority and the national result was a hung parliament with the Conservative Party the largest party. 2010 here was the Labour Party's second highest share of the vote in the narrow, traditional grouping of East Anglia (Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex).

Prominent frontbenchers

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Waveney had been held for many years by James Prior, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1970–1972), Leader of the House of Commons[n 3] (1972–1974), Secretary of State for Employment (1979–1981), then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland during the Thatcher ministry, with an economic politics considered more centre-ground, then known as forming the wets' ideology.

Bob Blizzard served as a senior Government Whip from 2008 until 2010 when he lost at the election that May.

Boundaries and boundary changes

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1983–1997

  • The District of Waveney.[4]

The constituency was formed from the abolished constituency of Lowestoft, with the exception of a small part in the north which was now part of Norfolk.

Map
Map of boundaries 2010-2024

1997–2010

  • The District of Waveney except the wards of Blything, Halesworth, and Southwold.[5]

Three wards transferred to Suffolk Coastal.

2010–2024

  • The District of Waveney wards of Beccles North, Beccles South, Bungay, Carlton, Carlton Colville, Gunton and Corton, Harbour, Kessingland, Kirkley, Lothingland, Normanston, Oulton, Oulton Broad, Pakefield, St Margaret's, The Saints, Wainford, Whitton, and Worlingham.[6]

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[7] Party
1983 Jim Prior Conservative
1987 David Porter Conservative
1997 Bob Blizzard Labour
2010 Peter Aldous Conservative

Elections

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Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Waveney[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Aldous 31,778 62.2 +7.8
Labour Sonia Barker 13,776 26.9 −10.0
Green Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw 2,727 5.3 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Helen Korfanty 2,603 5.1 +3.2
CPA Dave Brennan 245 0.5 New
Majority 18,002 35.3 +17.8
Turnout 51,129 61.8 −3.4
Conservative hold Swing +8.9
General election 2017: Waveney[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Aldous 28,643 54.4 +12.1
Labour Sonia Barker 19,428 36.9 −0.8
UKIP Bert Poole 1,933 3.7 −10.8
Green Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw 1,332 2.5 −0.9
Liberal Democrats Jacky Howe 1,012 1.9 −0.1
Independent Allyson Barron 326 0.6 New
Majority 9,215 17.5 +12.9
Turnout 52,674 65.2 +0.1
Conservative hold Swing +6.5
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Waveney
General election 2015: Waveney[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Aldous 22,104 42.3 +2.1
Labour Bob Blizzard 19,696 37.7 −1.0
UKIP Simon Tobin 7,580 14.5 +9.3
Green Graham Elliott 1,761 3.4 +1.1
Liberal Democrats Stephen Gordon 1,055 2.0 −11.3
Majority 2,408 4.6 +3.1
Turnout 52,196 65.1 0.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.6
General election 2010: Waveney[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Aldous 20,571 40.2 +6.9
Labour Bob Blizzard 19,802 38.7 −6.6
Liberal Democrats Alan Dean 6,811 13.3 −1.8
UKIP Jack Tyler 2,684 5.2 +1.5
Green Graham Elliott 1,167 2.3 −0.1
NOTA Louis Barfe 106 0.2 New
Majority 769 1.5 N/A
Turnout 51,141 65.1 +1.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +6.8

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Waveney[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Blizzard 22,505 45.3 −5.4
Conservative Peter Aldous 16,590 33.4 +0.8
Liberal Democrats Nick Bromley 7,497 15.1 +3.7
UKIP Brian Aylett 1,861 3.7 +1.4
Green Graham Elliott 1,200 2.4 +0.3
Majority 5,915 11.9 −6.2
Turnout 49,653 64.4 +3.6
Labour hold Swing −3.1
General election 2001: Waveney[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Blizzard 23,914 50.7 −5.3
Conservative Lee Scott 15,361 32.6 −1.9
Liberal Democrats David Young 5,370 11.4 +2.4
UKIP Bryan Aylett 1,097 2.3 New
Green Graham Elliott 983 2.1 New
Socialist Alliance Rupert Mallin 442 0.9 New
Majority 8,553 18.1 −3.4
Turnout 47,167 60.8 −13.9
Labour hold Swing −1.7

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Waveney[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Blizzard 31,486 56.0 +16.2
Conservative David Porter 19,393 34.5 −12.5
Liberal Democrats Christopher Thomas 5,054 9.0 −3.8
Independent Neil Clark 318 0.6 New
Majority 12,093 21.5 N/A
Turnout 56,251 74.7 −7.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +15.6
General election 1992: Waveney[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Porter 33,174 48.2 −0.2
Labour Ezra Leverett 26,472 38.4 +8.4
Liberal Democrats Adrian Rogers 8,925 13.0 −8.6
Natural Law David Hook 302 0.4 New
Majority 6,702 9.8 −8.4
Turnout 68,873 81.8 +3.4
Conservative hold Swing −4.3

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Waveney[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Porter 31,067 48.4 −3.4
Labour Jack Lark 19,284 30.0 +2.6
SDP David Beavan 13,845 21.6 +0.7
Majority 11,783 18.4 −6.0
Turnout 81,889 78.4 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing −3.0
General election 1983: Waveney[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Prior 30,371 51.8
Labour Jack Lark 16,073 27.4
SDP Gillian Artis 12,234 20.9
Majority 14,298 24.4
Turnout 77,960 75.3
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  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.
  3. ^ and Lord President of the Council

References

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  1. ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Eastern | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  3. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Waveney
  4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 2)
  8. ^ "Waveney Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Statement of persons nominated, notice of poll and situation of polling stations" (PDF). Waveney District Council. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  17. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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52°24′N 1°30′E / 52.4°N 1.5°E / 52.4; 1.5

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