South Northamptonshire
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of South Northamptonshire in Northamptonshire for the 2010 general election
Outline map
Location of Northamptonshire within England
CountyNorthamptonshire
Electorate87,516 (2018)[1]
Major settlementsBrackley, King's Sutton, Towcester
Current constituency
Created2010
Member of ParliamentAndrea Leadsom (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromDaventry
1950–1974
SeatsOne
Created fromDaventry and Kettering
Replaced byDaventry
1832–1918
Seats1832–1885: Two
1885–1918: One
Created fromNorthamptonshire
Replaced byDaventry

South Northamptonshire is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its 2010 recreation by Andrea Leadsom, a Conservative who served as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy until 13 February 2020. She was Leader of the House of Commons from 2017 to 2019, and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2016 to 2017. [n 2] The seat of South Northamptonshire is considered a Conservative safe seat, having elected a Conservative MP at every election for 110 Years. Current Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom was re-elected in 2019 with an increased majority.

Constituency profile

This is a rural seat around Towcester and Brackley but also includes the southern edge of Northampton. There is a significant motorsport sector including Silverstone.[2] Incomes and house prices are above average for the UK.[3]

History

Before 2010, the constituency existed from 1832 to 1918, and from 1950 to 1974, however on different boundaries during each period. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election from 1832, until the representation was reduced in 1885 to one member elected by the first past the post system.

Prominent members

Three names feature prominently among the area's Commons members, the 3rd and 5th Earl Spencer (during their tenures as MP having a courtesy title only, Viscount Althorp – Althorp is a major country house in the seat, well known as the childhood home of Diana, Princess of Wales); Edward Fitzroy (son of Lord Southampton), Speaker of the House of Commons from 1928 until his death in 1943; and lastly, Reginald Manningham-Buller, 1st Viscount Dilhorne who on accomplishment of a peerage sat for the final two years of his life as the historic equivalent of the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom with additional functions, the Lord Chancellor.

In the 19th century history of the seat the Cartwright family (with three members) lived in the stately home Aynhoe Park near Banbury.

History of boundaries

The seat was abolished in 1918 to form the new constituency of Daventry, then recreated in 1950 caused by a relatively short-lived abolition of Daventry. In 1974 the constituency was almost wholly swallowed up by a reborn Daventry, which on wide boundaries saw substantial population growth.

This called for recreation in 2010 whereby most of the electoral wards were taken from the former version of the Daventry seat.

Present bordering constituencies

The constituency is bordered by Daventry and Northampton South to the north, Wellingborough to the north east, Milton Keynes North and Milton Keynes South to the south east, Buckingham to the south, Banbury to the south west and Kenilworth and Southam to the west.

Boundaries

Map
Map of current boundaries

1832–1885: The Hundreds of Kings Sutton, Chipping Warden, Greens Norton, Cleley, Towcester, Fawsley, Wymersley, Spelhoe, Nobottle Grove, and Guilsborough.[4]

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Brackley and Towcester, and part of the Sessional Division of Daventry. (The part of the Sessional Division of Daventry included in South Northamptonshire excluded the parishes of Ashby St. Ledgers, Barby, Claycoton Crick, Elkington, Kilsby, Lilboume, Long Buckley, Stanford, Watford, West Haddon, Winwick, and Yelvertoft, which were assigned to Mid Northamptonshire). [5]

1950–1974: The Boroughs of Daventry and Brackley, and the Rural Districts of Brackley, Daventry, Northampton, and Towcester.

2010–2021: The District of South Northamptonshire wards of Astwell, Blakesley, Blisworth, Brackley East, Brackley South, Brackley West, Chase, Cogenhoe, Collingtree, Cosgrove, Courteenhall, Deanshanger, Grafton, Kings Sutton, Kingthorn, Little Brook, Middleton Cheney, Salcey, Silverstone, Steane, Tove, Towcester Brook, Towcester Mill, Wardoun, Washington, Whittlewood, and Yardley, and the Borough of Northampton wards of East Hunsbury, Nene Valley, and West Hunsbury.

2021-present: The District of West Northamptonshire wards of Brackley, Bugbrooke (part), Deanshanger, Duston West and St. Crispin (part), East Hunsbury and Shelfleys, Hackleton and Grange Park, Middleton Cheney, Nene Valley, Silverstone, Sixfields (part) and Towcester and Roade.

Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the composition of the constituency from the next general election, due by January 2025, will be (as they existed on 1st April 2021):

The parts in the former Borough of Northampton are to be transferred to Northampton South. The constituency will gain the part of the Irchester ward from Wellingborough and the remainder of the Bugbrooke ward from Daventry. A small part of Silverstone ward will be transferred to Daventry.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1832–1885

Election 1st Member[7][8] 1st Party 2nd Member[7] 2nd Party
1832 Viscount Althorp Whig[9] William Ralph Cartwright Tory[9]
1834 Conservative[9]
1835 Sir Charles Knightley, Bt Conservative[10][9]
1846 by-election Cpt. Richard Howard-Vyse[n 3] Conservative
1852 Rainald Knightley Conservative
1857 Viscount Althorp Whig[11][12]
1858 by-election Col. Henry Cartwright Conservative
1868 Fairfax Cartwright Conservative
1881 by-election Pickering Phipps Conservative
1885 Redistribution of Seats Act: reduced to one member

MPs 1885–1918

Year Member[7] Party
1885 Sir Rainald Knightley Conservative
1892 David Guthrie[n 4] Liberal
1895 Hon. Edward Douglas-Pennant Conservative
1900 Hon. Edward FitzRoy Conservative
1906 Archibald Grove Liberal
1910 Hon. Edward FitzRoy Conservative
1917 National Party
1918 Unionist
1918 Constituency abolished, but revived in 1950

MPs 1950–1974

Election Member[7] Party Notes
1950 Reginald Manningham-Buller Conservative Resigned 1962 on being raised to the peerage
1962 by-election Arthur Jones Conservative
February 1974 Constituency abolished, but revived in 2010

MPs since 2010

Election Member[7] Party
2010 Andrea Leadsom Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Next general election: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Leadsom[14]
Liberal Democrats Stewart Tolley[15]
Reform UK Paul Hogan[16]


Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: South Northamptonshire[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Leadsom 41,755 62.4 -0.1
Labour Gen Kitchen 13,994 20.9 -6.4
Liberal Democrats Chris Lofts 7,891 11.8 +6.2
Green Denise Donaldson 2,634 3.9 +1.8
Independent Josh Phillips 463 0.7 +0.2
Independent Stuart McCutcheon 171 0.3 New
Majority 27,761 41.5 +6.3
Turnout 66,908 73.7 -2.2
Conservative hold Swing +3.15
General election 2017: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Leadsom[18] 40,599 62.5 +2.4
Labour Sophie Johnson[19] 17,759 27.3 +10.6
Liberal Democrats Chris Lofts[20] 3,623 5.6 -0.3
UKIP Nigel Wickens 1,363 2.1 -11.4
Green Denise Donaldson 1,357 2.1 -1.6
Independent Josh Philips 297 0.5 New
Majority 22,840 35.2 -8.2
Turnout 64,998 75.9 +4.8
Conservative hold Swing -4.15
General election 2015: South Northamptonshire[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Leadsom 36,607 60.1 +4.9
Labour Lucy Mills 10,191 16.7 -0.6
UKIP Roger Clark 8,204 13.5 +9.5
Liberal Democrats Tom Snowdon 3,613 5.9 -15.1
Green Damon Boughen 2,247 3.7 +2.6
Majority 26,416 43.4 +9.2
Turnout 60,862 71.1 -1.9
Conservative hold Swing +2.75
General election 2010: South Northamptonshire[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Leadsom 33,081 55.2 +3.7
Liberal Democrats Scott Collins 12,603 21.0 +3.9
Labour Matthew May 10,380 17.3 -11.4
UKIP Barry Mahoney 2,406 4.0 +1.4
English Democrat Tony Tappy 735 1.2 New
Green Marcus Rock 685 1.1 New
Majority 20,478 34.2
Turnout 59,890 73.0
Conservative hold Swing +3.8

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Jones 29,070 51.16
Labour Gordon Roberts 21,131 37.18
Liberal Peter Smout 6,626 11.66 New
Majority 7,939 13.98
Turnout 56,827 77.87
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Jones 25,023 52.84
Labour Graham Ridge 22,332 47.16
Majority 2,691 5.68
Turnout 47,355 82.18
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Jones 24,823 54.27
Labour Ivor Wilde 20,916 45.73
Majority 3,907 8.54
Turnout 45,739 83.04
Conservative hold Swing
1962 South Northamptonshire by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Jones 14,921 41.15 -15.83
Labour Ivor Wilde 14,004 38.62 -4.40
Liberal N. Picarda 7,002 19.31 New
Independent P. Buchan 332 0.9 New
Majority 917 2.53 -11.43
Turnout 36,259
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Reginald Manningham-Buller 24,226 56.98
Labour Arthur Richardson 18,292 43.02
Majority 5,934 13.96
Turnout 42,518 82.72
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Reginald Manningham-Buller 21,497 55.35
Labour Ronald Lewis 17,339 44.65
Majority 4,158 10.70
Turnout 38,836 81.56
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Reginald Manningham-Buller 21,282 53.59
Labour Dennis Webb 18,434 46.41
Majority 2,848 7.18
Turnout 39,716 85.90
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: South Northamptonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Reginald Manningham-Buller 18,612 47.62
Labour Dennis Webb 16,852 43.12
Liberal Llewellyn Evans 3,620 9.26
Majority 1,760 4.50
Turnout 39,084 87.10
Conservative win (new seat)

Election results 1868–1918

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rainald Knightley 2,522 34.4 −0.3
Conservative Fairfax Cartwright 2,505 34.2 +1.3
Liberal Frederick John FitzRoy 2,305 31.4 −0.9
Majority 200 2.8 +2.2
Turnout 4,819 (est) 76.0 (est) −3.4
Registered electors 6,338
Conservative hold Swing +0.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.9

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Fairfax Cartwright Unopposed
Conservative Rainald Knightley Unopposed
Registered electors 6,029
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Fairfax Cartwright Unopposed
Conservative Rainald Knightley Unopposed
Registered electors 6,093
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Cartwright's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 15 Feb 1881: Northamptonshire South (1 seat)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pickering Phipps Unopposed
Registered electors 6,093
Conservative hold
General election 1885: Northamptonshire South [25][26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rainald Knightley 4,074 50.4 N/A
Liberal Maurice Fitzgerald 4,012 49.6 New
Majority 62 0.8 N/A
Turnout 8,086 83.9 N/A
Registered electors 9,636
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1886: Northamptonshire South [26][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rainald Knightley 4,003 52.1 +1.7
Liberal James Carmichael 3,687 47.9 −1.7
Majority 316 4.2 +3.4
Turnout 7,690 79.8 −4.1
Registered electors 9,636
Conservative hold Swing +1.7

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Northamptonshire South [26][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Guthrie 3,930 50.3 +2.4
Conservative Thomas Leslie-Melville-Cartwright 3,882 49.7 −2.4
Majority 48 0.6 N/A
Turnout 7,812 84.4 +4.6
Registered electors 9,251
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.4
Douglas-Pennant
General election 1895: Northamptonshire South [26][28][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Douglas-Pennant 4,553 57.8 +8.1
Liberal David Guthrie 3,324 42.2 −8.1
Majority 1,229 15.6 N/A
Turnout 7,877 86.2 +1.8
Registered electors 9,134
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +8.1

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Northamptonshire South [26][28][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward FitzRoy 4,174 56.9 −0.9
Liberal Archibald Grove 3,166 43.1 +0.9
Majority 1,008 13.8 −1.8
Turnout 7,340 81.8 −4.4
Registered electors 8,976
Conservative hold Swing −0.9
Grove
General election 1906: Northamptonshire South [26][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Archibald Grove 4,136 52.0 +8.9
Conservative Charles Douglas-Pennant 3,814 48.0 −8.9
Majority 322 4.0 N/A
Turnout 7,950 88.1 +6.3
Registered electors 9,023
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +8.9

Elections in the 1910s

Kellaway
General election January 1910: Northamptonshire South [29][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward FitzRoy 4,565 53.6 +5.6
Liberal Frederick Kellaway 3,955 46.4 −5.6
Majority 610 7.2 N/A
Turnout 8,520 91.7 +3.6
Registered electors 9,290
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +5.6
General election December 1910: Northamptonshire South [29][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward FitzRoy 4,340 53.1 −0.5
Liberal Arthur Augustus Thomas 3,827 46.9 +0.5
Majority 513 6.2 −1.0
Turnout 8,167 87.9 −3.8
Registered electors 9,290
Conservative hold Swing −0.5

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Election results 1832–1868

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory William Ralph Cartwright Unopposed
Whig John Spencer Unopposed
Registered electors 4,425
Tory win (new seat)
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative William Ralph Cartwright Unopposed
Conservative Charles Knightley Unopposed
Registered electors 4,463
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Whig
General election 1837: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative William Ralph Cartwright Unopposed
Conservative Charles Knightley Unopposed
Registered electors 4,626
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Ralph Cartwright 2,436 42.8 N/A
Conservative Charles Knightley 2,324 40.9 N/A
Whig Henry FitzRoy 925 16.3 New
Majority 1,399 24.6 N/A
Turnout 3,305 (est) 72.0 (est) N/A
Registered electors 4,589
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Cartwright resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 24 February 1846: Northamptonshire South[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Howard-Vyse Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Knightley 2,272 39.2 −1.7
Conservative Richard Howard-Vyse 2,064 35.6 −7.2
Whig Anthony Henley[31] 1,460 25.2 +8.9
Majority 604 10.4 −14.2
Turnout 3,628 (est) 76.7 (est) +4.7
Registered electors 4,729
Conservative hold Swing −3.1
Conservative hold Swing −5.8

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Howard-Vyse 1,833 47.9 +12.3
Conservative Rainald Knightley 1,833 47.9 +8.7
Whig John Houghton[32] 164 4.3 −20.9
Majority 1,669 43.6 +33.2
Turnout 1,997 (est) 43.7 (est) −33.0
Registered electors 4,568
Conservative hold Swing +11.4
Conservative hold Swing +9.6
General election 1857: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Spencer 2,107 37.4 +33.1
Conservative Rainald Knightley 1,932 34.3 −13.6
Conservative Richard Howard-Vyse 1,593 28.3 −19.6
Majority 514 9.1 N/A
Turnout 3,870 (est) 82.8 (est) +39.1
Registered electors 4,675
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +33.1
Conservative hold Swing −15.1

Spencer succeeded to the peerage, becoming 5th Earl Spencer and causing a by-election.

By-election, 20 February 1858: Northamptonshire South[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cartwright 1,983 51.1 −11.5
Whig Anthony Henley[33] 1,899 48.9 +11.5
Majority 84 2.2 N/A
Turnout 3,882 83.0 +0.2
Registered electors 4,675
Conservative gain from Whig Swing −11.5
General election 1859: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rainald Knightley Unopposed
Conservative Henry Cartwright Unopposed
Registered electors 4,955
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Liberal

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Northamptonshire South (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rainald Knightley 2,206 34.7 N/A
Conservative Henry Cartwright 2,092 32.9 N/A
Liberal Frederick FitzRoy 2,054 32.3 New
Majority 38 0.6 N/A
Turnout 4,203 (est) 79.4 (est) N/A
Registered electors 5,293
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

See also

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.
  3. ^ Later a member for Windsor: November 4, 1863 – July 11, 1865
  4. ^ This source [13]

References

  1. ^ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  2. ^ UK Polling Report http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/northamptonshiresouth/
  3. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Northamptonshire+South
  4. ^ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 300–383. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  5. ^ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 48 & 49 Victoria. Ch. 23: Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Schedule 7". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1885. pp. 166–167. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part I.
  7. ^ a b c d e Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 3)
  8. ^ "Northamptonshire Southern 1832-1918 (Hansard)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).
  9. ^ a b c d Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 232–233. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  10. ^ Millbank Systems – reference to government on the opposition benches, July 1836
    Note that at this time party affiliations were only beginning to become more rigid.
  11. ^ "Lincolnshire Chronicle". 10 April 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Bell's Weekly Messenger". 4 April 1857. p. 1. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ Hansard at Millbank Systems has no debates from November–December 1892 but from this source it seems David Guthrie never spoke in Parliament.
  14. ^ Andrea Leadsom MP [@andrealeadsom] (28 January 2023). "I am delighted and proud to be re-adopted as the @Conservatives candidate for South Northamptonshire" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. ^ "South Northants - West Northamptonshire Liberal Democrats". www.westnorthantslibdems.org.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  16. ^ "Find My PPC" (PDF). Reform UK. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Northamptonshire South Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  18. ^ Leadsom, Andrea [@andrealeadsom] (28 April 2017). "Delighted and honoured to be readopted as Conservative candidate for South Northamptonshire this evening! #GE2017pic.twitter.com/5JqJfH8nu6" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ "General Election". southnorthantslabour.com.
  20. ^ "Chris Lofts". 25 January 2017.
  21. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  22. ^ Statement of Persons Nominated, South Northamptonshire Council
  23. ^ "BBC News - Election 2010 - Constituency - Northamptonshire South". news.bbc.co.uk.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  26. ^ a b c d e f The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  27. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  28. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  29. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  30. ^ Northampton Mercury 10 Apr 1914
  31. ^ "Which is the Low Party?". Northampton Mercury. 7 August 1847. p. 1. Retrieved 17 May 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  32. ^ "Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette". 17 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  33. ^ "The Parliament". London Evening Standard. 3 February 1858. p. 3. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.

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