North Devon (UK Parliament constituency)

North Devon
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of North Devon in Devon.

Outline map

Location of Devon within England.
County Devon
Electorate 75,098 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Barnstaple and Ilfracombe
Current constituency
Created 1950
Member of parliament Peter Heaton-Jones (Conservative)
Number of members One
18321885
Number of members Two
Type of constituency County constituency
Created from Devon
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South West England

North Devon is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Peter Heaton-Jones of the Conservative Party.[n 2]

Boundaries

1950-1974: The Municipal Boroughs of Barnstaple and South Molton, the Urban Districts of Ilfracombe and Lynton, and the Rural Districts of Barnstaple and South Molton.

1974-1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Barnstaple and Bideford, the Urban Districts of Ilfracombe, Lynton, and Northam, and the Rural Districts of Barnstaple, Bideford, and South Molton. (All these Districts had been abolished in 1974).

1983-2010: The District of North Devon, and the District of Mid Devon wards of Taw, Taw Vale, and West Creedy.

2010-present: The District of North Devon.

History

A previous two-seat constituency of the same name existed from 1832 to 1885, formally titled the 'Northern Division of Devon'. In the 20th century this area had a prominent national MP, Jeremy Thorpe, who led a Liberal revival countrywide, with particular strength in the South West.

The North Devon constituency was first created for the 1832 general election, when the Reform Act 1832 divided the former two-seat Devon into Northern and Southern divisions, each of which elected two MPs using the bloc vote system of election. The constituency was abolished for the 1885 general election, when the Redistribution of Seats Act split the county into smaller single-seat divisions. Its second creation is current and began at the 1950 general election (covering a smaller area than before). Before 1950 its territory was split between the old constituencies of Barnstaple and South Molton.

The Liberal Democrats and their predecessors the Liberal Party have, since World War II, shown a strong performance in this seat, which was held for twenty years by Thorpe as the Liberal leader. He lost it in the 1979 general election amid a scandal surrounding his relationship with homosexual Norman Scott and alleged involvement in a plot to murder him, of which he was found not guilty the same year. At the 1992 general election, Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey regained the seat from the Conservatives. Harvey lost the seat 23 years later.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1832–1885

Election1st Member[2] 1st Party2nd Member[2]2nd Party
1832 Viscount Ebrington Whig Hon. Newton Fellowes Whig
1837 Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, Bt Conservative
1839 by-election Lewis William Buck Conservative
1857 James Wentworth Buller Liberal Charles Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 20th Baron Clinton Conservative
1865 by-election Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, Bt Liberal
1866 by-election Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt Conservative
1885 by-election John Moore-Stevens Conservative
1885 constituency abolished by Redistribution of Seats Act

MPs since 1950

The Member of Parliament for the constituency since 2015 is Peter Heaton-Jones of the Conservatives.

ElectionMember[2] Party
1950 Sir Christopher Peto, 3rd Baronet Conservative
1955 James Lindsay Conservative
1959 Jeremy Thorpe Liberal
1979 Antony Speller Conservative
1992 Nick Harvey Liberal Democrat
2015 Peter Heaton-Jones Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: North Devon[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Peter Heaton-Jones[4] 22,341 42.7 +6.7
Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey[5] 15,405 29.4 −17.9
UKIP Steve Crowther[6] 7,719 14.8 +7.5
Labour Mark Cann[4] 3,699 7.1 +1.9
Green Ricky Knight[4] 3,018 5.8 +4.4
Communist Gerry Sables 138 0.3 +0.1
Majority 6,936 13.3 +2.0
Turnout 52,453 70.2 +1.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat Swing +12.3
General Election 2010: North Devon[7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey 24,305 47.4 +0.9
Conservative Philip Milton 18,484 36.0 +0.3
UKIP Steve Crowther 3,720 7.2 +2.0
Labour Mark Cann 2,671 5.2 −3.7
Green L'Anne Knight 697 1.4 -2.3
BNP Gary Marshall 614 1.2 N/A
Independent Rodney Cann 588 1.1 N/A
English Democrat Nigel Vidler 146 0.3 N/A
Communist Gerry Sables 96 0.2 N/A
Majority 5,821 11.3
Turnout 51,321 68.9 +0.6
Liberal Democrat hold Swing +0.6

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: North Devon[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey 23,840 45.9 +1.7
Conservative Orlando Fraser 18,868 36.3 −1.9
Labour Mark Cann 4,656 9.0 −1.1
UKIP John Browne 2,740 5.3 +0.3
Green Ricky Knight 1,826 3.5 +1.1
Majority 4,972 9.6 +3.5
Turnout 51,930 68.1 −0.2
Liberal Democrat hold Swing +1.8
General Election 2001: North Devon[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey 21,784 44.2 −6.6
Conservative Clive E.J. Allen 18,800 38.2 −1.3
Labour Vivian G. Gale 4,995 10.1 +0.3
UKIP Roger Knapman 2,484 5.0 +5.0
Green Anthony J. Bown 1,191 2.4 +2.4
Majority 2,984 6.1 −5.2
Turnout 49,254 68.3 −9.4
Liberal Democrat hold Swing -5.8%[n 3]

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: North Devon[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey 27,824 50.8 +3.7
Conservative Richard Ashworth 21,643 39.5 −6.2
Labour Mrs. Eithne Anne "Annie" Brenton 5,347 9.8 +3.9
Majority 6,181 11.3 +9.9
Turnout 54,814 77.7 -6.7
Liberal Democrat hold Swing +5.0
General Election 1992: North Devon[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey 27,414 47.1 +4.3
Conservative Antony Speller 26,620 45.7 −5.2
Labour Paul Bernard Donner 3,410 5.9 −0.4
Green Ms. Cathrine Hannah Simmons 658 1.1 N/A
Natural Law Gray Cooper Treadwell 107 0.2 N/A
Majority 794 1.4 −6.7
Turnout 58,209 84.4 +2.7
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing +4.7

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: North Devon[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Antony Speller 28,071 50.9 −4.2
Liberal Michael Azariah Pinney 23,602 42.8 +4.9
Labour Mrs. Ann Christine Marjoram 3,467 6.3 +0.6
Majority 4,469 8.1 −9.1
Turnout 55,140 81.7 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: North Devon[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Antony Speller 28,066 55.1 +4.7
Liberal Roger Blackmore 19,339 37.9 +1.5
Labour Peter Edward James 2,893 5.7 −5.6
Ecology Roger Norman Joanes 669 1.3 N/A
Majority 8,727 17.2 +3.2
Turnout 50,967 80.1
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Antony Speller 31,811 50.1 +13.5
Liberal Jeremy Thorpe 23,338 36.7 −11.4
Labour Antony John Saltern 7,108 11.2 −3.0
Ecology Tony Whittaker 729 1.2 N/A
National Front John Morley Price 237 0.4 N/A
English National Frank Hansford-Miller 142 0.2 −0.8
Dog Lover's Party Auberon Waugh 79 0.1 N/A
Wessex Regionalist Henrietta Elizabeth Rous 50 0.1 N/A
Democratic Monarchist Public Safety White Resident Bill Boaks 20 0.0 N/A
Majority 8,473 13.3
Turnout 63,514 81.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General Election October 1974: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Jeremy Thorpe 28,209 48.1 −5.8
Conservative Antony Speller 21,488 36.6 +0.2
Labour Mrs Alexandra Jessie Golant 8,536 14.2 +4.5
English National Frank Hansford-Miller 568 1.0 N/A
Majority 6,721 11.5
Turnout 58,621 74.58
Liberal hold Swing
General Election February 1974: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Jeremy Thorpe 34,052 53.9
Conservative Timothy Carleton Keigwin 22,980 36.4
Labour Terence Kendrick Marston 6,140 9.7
Majority 11,072 17.5
Turnout 63,172 86.49
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1970: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Jeremy Thorpe 18,893 44.1
Conservative Timothy Carleton Keigwin 18,524 43.2
Labour Christopher John Mullin 5,268 12.3
Democratic Party Barry Gray Morris 175 0.4
Majority 369 0.9
Turnout 42,860 84.9
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Jeremy Thorpe 16,797 43.57
Conservative Timothy Carlton Keigwin 15,631 40.54
Labour James H. Rayner 6,127 15.89
Majority 1,166 3.02
Turnout 38,555 85.31
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1964: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Jeremy Thorpe 19,031 50.71
Conservative Michael Henry Basil Peto 13,895 37.02
Labour Frank Paton 4,603 12.27
Majority 5,136 13.69
Turnout 37,529 84.32
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Jeremy Thorpe 15,831 42.94
Conservative James Lindsay 15,469 41.96
Labour Geoffrey W. Pitt 5,567 15.10
Majority 362 0.98
Turnout 36,867 84.78
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1955: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative James Lindsay 16,784 47.13
Liberal Jeremy Thorpe 11,558 32.45
Labour H. Heslop 7,272 20.42
Majority 5,226 14.67
Turnout 35,614 81.11
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Christopher Peto, 3rd Baronet 19,780 52.41
Labour William H. Wilkey 10,632 28.17
Liberal G. Alexander Halse 7,326 19.41
Majority 9,148 24.24
Turnout 35,614 81.11
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: North Devon
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Christopher Peto, 3rd Baronet 17,724 46.33 N/A
Liberal Guy Naylor 11,640 30.43 N/A
Labour Maj. W.A. Barker 8,892 23.24 N/A
Majority 6,084 15.90 N/A
Turnout 38,256 85.69 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)

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. This was in 2001 the largest two-party swing locally, (LD-UKIP)

References

  1. "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 2)
  3. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Ricky is Green's 2015 candidate". North Devon Journal. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  5. "UK ELECTION RESULTS". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk.
  6. "Steve Crowther to stand for UKIP in North Devon at 2015 general election". North Devon Journal. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  7. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  8. Pratt, D J (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (MS Word). Acting Returning Officer, North Devon Council. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  9. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  14. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

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