Blackpool South
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Blackpool South in Lancashire
Outline map
Location of Lancashire within England
CountyLancashire
Population81,266 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate56,850 (December 2018)[2]
Major settlementsBlackpool (part)
Current constituency
Created1945
Member of ParliamentScott Benton (Independent[3])
SeatsOne
Created fromBlackpool

Blackpool South is a constituency[n 1] in Lancashire, represented in the House of Commons since 2019 by Scott Benton, who was elected as a Conservative, but who sits as an independent after he had the Conservative Party whip suspended in April 2023.[n 2][3]

Constituency profile

The seat encompasses the central and southern parts of Blackpool, including the famous Blackpool Tower, the three piers and the Pleasure Beach. Also included is the Bloomfield area, home to Blackpool F.C. In the southern end of the seat, near to the Fylde border, Squires Gate is the site of Blackpool Airport.[4]

Tourism is a major industry in the area, and while Blackpool has been less affected by the decline in domestic holidaymaking than some resorts, there are nonetheless some run-down areas which were once rather more glamorous. Traditionally seaside seats were very safe for the Conservative Party, but for some time it seemed unlikely that the party would win it back. However, they were able to do so in 2019 when they finally achieved a sizeable majority with many gains in northern England.

History

This seat was created for the 1945 general election. This marginal constituency has been represented by both the Conservative and Labour Party parties since the Second World War. It was held by the Conservatives until 1997, when Gordon Marsden, gained it for Labour. He represented the seat for the next 22 years but was defeated in 2019 by the Conservative Scott Benton.

Boundaries

Map
Map of present boundaries

1945–1950: The County Borough of Blackpool wards of Marton, Stanley, Victoria, and Waterloo, and the Borough of Lytham St Annes.[5]

1950–1983: The County Borough of Blackpool wards of Alexandra, Marton, Stanley, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Waterloo.

1983–1997: The Borough of Blackpool wards of Alexandra, Clifton, Foxhall, Hawes Side, Highfield, Marton, Squires Gate, Stanley, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Waterloo.

1997–2010: The Borough of Blackpool wards of Alexandra, Brunswick, Clifton, Foxhall, Hawes Side, Highfield, Layton, Marton, Park, Squires Gate, Stanley, Talbot, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Waterloo.

2010–present: The Borough of Blackpool wards of Bloomfield, Brunswick, Clifton, Hawes Side, Highfield, Marton, Squires Gate, Stanley, Talbot, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Waterloo.

Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following wards of the Borough of Blackpool (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

The constituency will be expanded to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the wards of Claremount, Layton, Park and Warbreck from the (to be abolished) constituency of Blackpool North and Cleveleys.

Members of Parliament

Election Member[7] Party
1945 Roland Robinson Conservative
1964 Sir Peter Blaker Conservative
1992 Nick Hawkins Conservative
1997 Gordon Marsden Labour
2019 Scott Benton Conservative
2023 Independent

Elections

Blackpool South Election Results.

Elections in the 2020s

Next general election: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris Webb[8]
Liberal Democrats Andy Cregan[9]
Reform UK Adam Wordsworth[10]
Majority
Turnout

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Blackpool South [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Scott Benton 16,247 49.6 Increase 6.5
Labour Gordon Marsden 12,557 38.3 Decrease 12.0
Brexit Party David Brown 2,009 6.1 New
Liberal Democrats Bill Greene 1,008 3.1 Increase 1.3
Green Becky Daniels 563 1.7 Increase 0.7
Independent Gary Coleman 368 1.1 New
Majority 3,690 11.3 N/A
Turnout 32,752 56.8 Decrease 3.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Increase 9.3
General election 2017: Blackpool South [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Marsden 17,581 50.3 Increase 8.5
Conservative Peter Anthony 15,058 43.1 Increase 9.3
UKIP Noel Matthews 1,339 3.8 Decrease 13.5
Liberal Democrats Bill Greene 634 1.8 Decrease 0.5
Green John Warnock 341 1.0 Decrease 1.6
Majority 2,523 7.2 Decrease 0.8
Turnout 34,953 59.8 Increase 3.3
Labour hold Swing Decrease 0.4
General election 2015: Blackpool South[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Marsden 13,548 41.8 +0.7
Conservative Peter Anthony 10,963 33.8 –2.0
UKIP Peter Wood 5,613 17.3 +13.5
Green Duncan Royle 841 2.6 New
Liberal Democrats Bill Greene 743 2.3 –12.1
Independent Andy Higgins 655 2.0 New
Independent Lawrence Chard 73 0.2 New
Majority 2,585 8.0 +2.7
Turnout 32,436 56.5 +0.7
Labour hold Swing +1.3
General election 2010: Blackpool South[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Marsden 14,449 41.1 –7.5
Conservative Ron Bell 12,597 35.8 +4.9
Liberal Democrats Doreen Holt 5,082 14.4 –0.7
BNP Roy Goodwin 1,482 4.2 +0.9
UKIP Hugh Howitt 1,352 3.8 +1.7
Integrity UK Si Thu Tun 230 0.7 New
Majority 1,852 5.3 −15.4
Turnout 35,192 55.8 +3.5
Labour hold Swing –6.2

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Blackpool South[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Marsden 19,375 50.5 –3.8
Conservative Michael Winstanley 11,453 29.9 –3.1
Liberal Democrats Doreen Holt 5,552 14.5 +3.9
BNP Roy Goodwin 1,113 2.9 New
UKIP John Porter 849 2.2 +0.1
Majority 7,922 20.6 –0.7
Turnout 38,342 52.1 –0.1
Labour hold Swing –0.3
General election 2001: Blackpool South[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Marsden 21,060 54.3 –2.7
Conservative David Morris 12,798 33.0 –1.4
Liberal Democrats Doreen Holt 4,115 10.6 +2.0
UKIP Valerie Cowell 819 2.1 New
Majority 8,262 21.3 –1.3
Turnout 38,792 52.2 –15.6
Labour hold Swing –0.7

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Blackpool South[19][20][21][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Marsden 29,282 57.0 +12.9
Conservative Richard Booth 17,666 34.4 –9.0
Liberal Democrats Doreen Holt 4,392 8.6 –3.5
Majority 11,616 22.6 N/A
Turnout 51,340 67.8 –6.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing –11.0
General election 1992: Blackpool South[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nick Hawkins 19,880 45.2 –2.8
Labour Gordon Marsden 18,213 41.5 +9.4
Liberal Democrats Robert E. Wynne 5,673 12.9 –7.0
Natural Law Doug Henning 173 0.4 New
Majority 1,667 3.7 –12.2
Turnout 43,939 77.3 +3.8
Conservative hold Swing –6.1

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Blackpool South[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Blaker 20,312 48.0 –2.6
Labour Sheilagh Baugh 13,568 32.1 +7.4
SDP Julian Allitt 8,405 19.9 –4.1
Majority 6,744 15.9 –10.0
Turnout 42,285 73.5 +3.7
Conservative hold Swing –5.0
General election 1983: Blackpool South[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Blaker 19,852 50.6 –0.9
Labour Fred J. Jackson 9,714 24.7 –5.9
SDP Alex G. Cox 9,417 24.0 New
National Front Wilf Smith 263 0.7 –0.5
Majority 10,138 25.9 +5.0
Turnout 39,246 69.8 –2.3
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Blaker 21,762 51.5 +6.6
Labour Pat Carrington 12,914 30.6 –1.4
Liberal Edmund E. Wynne 7,057 16.7 –6.4
National Front Alan Machin 524 1.2 New
Majority 8,848 20.9 +8.0
Turnout 42,257 72.1 +2.2
Conservative hold Swing +4.0
General election October 1974: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Blaker 18,188 44.9 –0.7
Labour Michael Atkins 12,967 32.0 +5.4
Liberal Edmund E. Wynne 9,327 23.1 –4.2
Majority 5,221 12.9 –5.4
Turnout 40,482 69.9 –6.7
Conservative hold Swing –3.0
General election February 1974: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Blaker 20,107 45.6 –7.2
Liberal Edmund E. Wynne 12,016 27.3 +13.1
Labour Michael Atkins 11,739 26.6 –6.4
National Independence Eric Mills 229 0.5 New
Majority 8,091 18.3 –1.5
Turnout 44,091 76.6 +8.3
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Blaker 21,273 52.8 –1.5
Labour Percy P Hall 13,267 33.0 –12.7
Liberal David Chadwick 5,730 14.2 New
Majority 8,006 19.8 +11.2
Turnout 40,270 68.3 –1.8
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Blaker 21,564 54.3 –4.0
Labour Edward Pearce 18,166 45.7 +4.0
Majority 3,398 8.6 –8.0
Turnout 39,730 70.5 –0.6
Conservative hold Swing –4.0
General election 1964: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Blaker 23,769 58.3 –7.5
Labour Percy P Hall 16,986 41.7 +7.5
Majority 6,783 16.6 –15.0
Turnout 40,755 71.1 –2.8
Conservative hold Swing –7.6

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roland Robinson 25,767 65.8 –0.6
Labour Percy P Hall 13,337 34.2 +0.6
Majority 12,430 31.6 –1.2
Turnout 39,140 73.9 +7.2
Conservative hold Swing –0.6
General election 1955: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roland Robinson 24,773 66.4 –0.8
Labour Arthur Davidson 12,548 33.6 +0.8
Majority 12,225 32.8 –1.6
Turnout 37,321 67.7 –7.3
Conservative hold Swing –0.8
General election 1951: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roland Robinson 28,171 67.2 +9.3
Labour Kenneth Lomas 13,750 32.8 +2.1
Majority 14,421 34.4 +7.2
Turnout 41,921 75.0 –7.1
Conservative hold Swing +3.6
General election 1950: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roland Robinson 26,800 57.9 +1.1
Labour Ernest Alfred Machin 14,190 30.7 +6.5
Liberal Michael Henry Woodward 5,295 11.4 –7.6
Majority 12,610 27.2 –5.4
Turnout 46,285 82.1 –9.8
Conservative hold Swing −

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Blackpool South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roland Robinson 27,957 56.8
Labour Charles Stanley Hilditch 11,914 24.2
Liberal Adrian Liddell Hart 9,359 19.0
Majority 16,043 32.6
Turnout 49,230 72.3
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A borough 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. ^ "Blackpool South: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  2. ^ England Parliamentary electorates Boundary Commission for England
  3. ^ a b "Scott Benton suspended as Tory MP after lobbying sting". BBC News. BBC. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  4. ^ Mapit https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/65679.html
  5. ^ "The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Order 1945. SI 1945/701". Statutory Rules and Orders 1945. Vol. I. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1946. pp. 682–698.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 3)
  8. ^ "Local candidate Chris is bidding to seize Blackpool South from Tories at next election". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Mark Pack. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Blackpool South Constituency". Reform UK. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Blackpool South parliamentary constituency - Election 2019" – via www.bbc.com.
  12. ^ "Blackpool South parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.com.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Blackpool South". BBC News Online. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ Blackpool South BBC Election 20`0
  17. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Archived from the original on 19 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  21. ^ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.35 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  22. ^ The 1997 election result is calculated relative to the notional, not the actual, 1992 result.
  23. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  25. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

External links

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