Swindon South (UK Parliament constituency)

"South Swindon" redirects here. For the parish, see South Swindon (parish).
Swindon South
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Map of constituency
Boundary of Swindon South in South West England
CountyWiltshire
Electorate72,468 (2023)[1]
Current constituency
Created1997
Member of ParliamentHeidi Alexander (Labour Party)
SeatsOne
Created fromSwindon and Devizes

Swindon South is a constituency in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Heidi Alexander of the Labour Party. Alexander had previously been MP for Lewisham East from 2010 to 2018.

In the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was renamed from South Swindon to Swindon South, first contested at the 2024 general election.[2]

Boundaries

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Map
Map of boundaries from 2024

1997–2010: The Borough of Thamesdown wards of Central, Chiseldon, Dorcan, Eastcott, Freshbrook, Lawns, Park, Ridgeway, Toothill, Walcot, and Wroughton.

The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of the Swindon and Devizes seats. It covered the southern half of the town as well as farms, villages and hamlets to the immediate south and east of Swindon.

2010–2024: The Borough of Swindon wards of Central, Covingham and Dorcan (part), Eastcott, Liden + Eldene and Park South, Lydiard and Freshbrook, Old Town, Chiseldon and Lawn, Ridgeway, Shaw, Mannington and Western (part), Walcot and Park North, and Wroughton and Wichelstowe.

There were slightly amended boundaries for the 2010 election, which saw it lose South Marston to North Swindon. The boundary ran from Dorcan across to Bishopstone and then down to Russley Park before turning west to Barbury Castle. From there it ran north to the Roughmoor area and looped back down to incorporate West Swindon, before following the railway east through the town and back to Dorcan. Settlements outside the Swindon built-up area include Wroughton, Chiseldon, Wanborough, and Liddington.[3]

2024–present: Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

The changes included the transfer of the Covingham and Nythe districts from Swindon North; the adjustment of the boundary around Nythe ensured that the whole of the parish of Nythe, Eldene and Liden falls within the constituency. At the same time, a substantial semi-rural area in the south, namely the Chiseldon and Wroughton districts, was transferred to the new constituency of East Wiltshire; this involved the parishes of Bishopstone, Chiseldon, Liddington, Wanborough and Wroughton.

History

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Swindon is a railway town, and until the latter part of the 20th century the related works were the primary employer.[5] Today, Swindon is the home of a number of large companies: examples specific to South Swindon include Intel's European headquarters,[6] Nationwide's headquarters[7] and Zurich Financial Services' UK headquarters.

Created in 1997, the Swindon South constituency, swinging in line with the national average in the New Labour landslide, produced a fairly safe majority for the Labour winner. Julia Drown had a majority of more than 5,000 which was extended in 2001 to more than 7,000 but then dropped dramatically on a new candidate's selection, to 1,353 in 2005. In 2010, Robert Buckland, a Conservative, gained South Swindon at the general election with a majority of just over 3,500. In 2015, the Conservative majority increased to 5,785; in 2017, the Conservative majority fell to 2,464 on a 3.5% swing to Labour. In 2019, Buckland's majority rose to 6,625 (13%) and 52% of the vote, with a swing of 4.1% to Conservative. These patterns suggest a seat that is more marginal than its neighbour Swindon North, and one which has acted as a bellwether of the national result. Buckland was the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice between July 2019 and September 2021, and Secretary of State for Wales from July to October 2022.

At the 2024 election, the result again aligned with the national result: Heidi Alexander won the seat for Labour with a 16% swing.[8]

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[9] Party
1997 Julia Drown Labour
2005 Anne Snelgrove Labour
2010 Robert Buckland Conservative
2024 Heidi Alexander Labour

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Swindon South[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Heidi Alexander[11] 21,676 48.4 +8.2
Conservative Robert Buckland[12] 12,070 26.9 –24.7
Reform UK Catherine Kosidowski[13] 6,194 13.8 N/A
Green Rod Hebden[14] 2,539 5.7 +5.2
Liberal Democrats Matt McCabe[15] 1,843 4.1 –3.5
Independent Martin Costello[10] 472 1.1 N/A
Majority 9,606 21.5 N/A
Turnout 44,794 61.7 –6.6
Registered electors 72,596
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase16.5

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[16]
Party Vote %
Conservative 25,564 51.6
Labour 19,914 40.2
Liberal Democrats 3,788 7.6
Green 261 0.5
Turnout 49,527 68.3
Electorate 72,468
General election 2019: South Swindon[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Buckland 26,536 52.3 +3.9
Labour Co-op Sarah Church 19,911 39.2 –4.3
Liberal Democrats Stan Pajak 4,299 8.5 +4.4
Majority 6,625 13.1 +8.2
Turnout 50,746 69.4 –1.6
Conservative hold Swing +4.1
General election 2017: South Swindon[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Buckland 24,809 48.4 +2.2
Labour Co-op Sarah Church 22,345 43.5 +9.0
Liberal Democrats Stan Pajak 2,079 4.1 +0.4
UKIP Martin Costello 1,291 2.5 –9.5
Green Talis Kimberley-Fairbourn 747 1.5 –2.1
Majority 2,464 4.9 –6.8
Turnout 51,358 71.0 +3.4
Conservative hold Swing –3.5
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § South Swindon
General election 2015: South Swindon[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Buckland 22,777 46.2 +4.4
Labour Anne Snelgrove 16,992 34.5 +0.2
UKIP John Short[21] 5,920 12.0 +7.7
Liberal Democrats Damon Hooton[22] 1,817 3.7 –13.9
Green Talis Kimberley-Fairbourn[23] 1,757 3.6 +2.3
Majority 5,785 11.7 +4.2
Turnout 49,263 66.6 +1.7
Conservative hold Swing +2.1
General election 2010: South Swindon[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Buckland 19,687 41.8 +4.9
Labour Anne Snelgrove 16,143 34.3 –6.2
Liberal Democrats Damon Hooton 8,305 17.6 +0.6
UKIP Robert Tingley 2,029 4.3 +2.1
Green Jenni Miles 619 1.3 –1.6
Christian Alistair Kirk 176 0.4 N/A
Independent Karsten Evans 160 0.3 N/A
Majority 3,544 7.5 N/A
Turnout 47,119 64.9 +5.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +5.51

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: South Swindon[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anne Snelgrove 17,534 40.3 –11.0
Conservative Robert Buckland 16,181 37.2 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Sue Stebbing 7,322 16.8 +4.9
Green Bill Hughes 1,234 2.8 N/A
UKIP Stephen Halden 955 2.2 +0.6
Independent Alan Hayward 193 0.4 N/A
Independent John Williams 53 0.1 N/A
Majority 1,353 3.1 –13.8
Turnout 43,472 60.2 –0.8
Labour hold Swing –6.9
General election 2001: South Swindon[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julia Drown 22,260 51.3 +4.5
Conservative Simon Coombs 14,919 34.4 –1.4
Liberal Democrats Geoff Brewer 5,165 11.9 –2.5
UKIP Vicki Sharp 713 1.6 N/A
Rock 'n' Roll Loony Roly Gillard 327 0.8 N/A
Majority 7,341 16.9 +5.9
Turnout 43,384 61.0 –11.9
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: South Swindon[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julia Drown 23,943 46.8
Conservative Simon Coombs 18,298 35.8
Liberal Democrats Stanley Pajak 7,371 14.4
Referendum David McIntosh 1,273 2.5
Independent Richard Charman 181 0.2
Natural Law Keith Buscombe 96 0.2
Majority 5,645 11.0
Turnout 51,162 72.9
Labour win (new seat)

Neighbouring constituencies

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See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  3. ^ "2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England" (PDF).
  4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
  5. ^ "Swindon History - the GWR Works - SwindonWeb". www.swindonweb.com.
  6. ^ "!company_name! - Company Profile from Hoover's".
  7. ^ "About Nationwide - Accessibility - Admin centres". Archived from the original on 14 May 2006.
  8. ^ "Swindon South - General election results 2024". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 6)
  10. ^ a b "Swindon South". BBC News. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Labour selections: parliamentary candidates selected so far for the general election". LabourList. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Sir Robert Buckland reselected as Tory candidate for Swindon South". The Swindonian. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Swindon South Constituency". Reform UK. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Stand at the next general election". South West Green Party. 17 September 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  15. ^ Pack, Mark (10 May 2024). "Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Mark Pack. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  17. ^ Council, Swindon Borough. "Statement of Persons Nominated, Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations South Swindon | Swindon Borough Council". www.swindon.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Swindon South parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News".
  19. ^ "Labour announce candidate to contest General Election in South Swindon". Swindon Advertiser.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. ^ "UKIP names general election candidates". Swindon Advertiser.
  22. ^ "General Election 2015 Candidates - Liberal Democrats". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014.
  23. ^ "General Election 2015". southwest.greenparty.org.uk.
  24. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  25. ^ Taylor, Stephen P (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Returning Officer. Swindone Borough Council. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  26. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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51°33′32″N 1°46′55″W / 51.559°N 1.782°W / 51.559; -1.782

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