Norwich South
Encyclopedia
Norwich South is a parliamentary constituency
represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It elects one Member of Parliament
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
The constituency was created for the 1950 general election
, when the 2-seat Norwich constituency
was divided into Norwich North and Norwich South.
. Prior to the 2010 election, it included the Norwich City wards of Bowthorpe, Crome (part) Eaton, Lakenham, Nelson, Mancroft, Thorpe Hamlet (part), Town Close, University and Wensum. In addition the South Norfolk district
wards of New Costessey and Cringleford (part) are within the constituency. Boundaries changed at the 2010 General Election (see below).
Changes were necessary in order to re-align the constituency boundaries with the new local government ward boundaries introduced in South Norfolk and Norwich in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Norfolk was also granted an additional, ninth seat, by the Boundary Commission. The part of the Crome ward around Morse Road will move to Norwich North, while the area around Mousehold Street in Thorpe Hamlet will move in to Norwich South. Additionally, the villages of Cringleford and Colney will move to the South Norfolk
constituency.
The composition of the new Norwich South will be:
The following wards from the city of Norwich: Bowthorpe, Eaton, Lakenham, Nelson, Mancroft, Thorpe Hamlet, Town Close, University and Wensum.
And the New Costessey ward from the district of South Norfolk.
who served in cabinet
for five years from 2001 to 2006, first as Minister without Portfolio
, then as Secretary of State for Education and Skills
and latterly as Home Secretary
.
Norwich South was by far Labour's safest seat in Norfolk throughout the Thatcher
years and up until 2005. Although it was lost to the Conservatives
in 1983, it was regained by Labour in 1987 and was the only Labour seat in Norfolk until 1997. In 2005 the Labour majority was cut by over 5000 leaving Norwich North as the safest Labour
seat in the county.
The seat was considered a true three way marginal in the 2010 election between the incumbent Labour party the Liberal Democrts and the Conservatives. The seat was also targeted by the Green Party. The seat was won with the lowest percentage share of the vote in a constituency in the 2010 election. The loss was considered to be an embarrassment for the Labour Party as it was the seat of a former Home Secretary.
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It elects one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
The constituency was created for the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, when the 2-seat Norwich constituency
Norwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Norwich was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England from 1298 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election...
was divided into Norwich North and Norwich South.
Boundaries
The constituency is one of two covering the city of NorwichNorwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. Prior to the 2010 election, it included the Norwich City wards of Bowthorpe, Crome (part) Eaton, Lakenham, Nelson, Mancroft, Thorpe Hamlet (part), Town Close, University and Wensum. In addition the South Norfolk district
South Norfolk
South Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in Long Stratton.-History:The district was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of Diss Urban District, Wymondham Urban District, Depwade Rural District, Forehoe and Henstead...
wards of New Costessey and Cringleford (part) are within the constituency. Boundaries changed at the 2010 General Election (see below).
Boundary review
Following their review of parliamentary constituencies in Norfolk that concluded in 2004, the Boundary Commission for England created a slightly modified Norwich South constituency. The changes took effect at the 2010 General Election.Changes were necessary in order to re-align the constituency boundaries with the new local government ward boundaries introduced in South Norfolk and Norwich in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Norfolk was also granted an additional, ninth seat, by the Boundary Commission. The part of the Crome ward around Morse Road will move to Norwich North, while the area around Mousehold Street in Thorpe Hamlet will move in to Norwich South. Additionally, the villages of Cringleford and Colney will move to the South Norfolk
South Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
South Norfolk is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1868 until 1885 it returned two members but thereafter elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituency.
The composition of the new Norwich South will be:
The following wards from the city of Norwich: Bowthorpe, Eaton, Lakenham, Nelson, Mancroft, Thorpe Hamlet, Town Close, University and Wensum.
And the New Costessey ward from the district of South Norfolk.
History
The Labour MP for this seat from 1997 to 2010 was Charles ClarkeCharles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
who served in cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
for five years from 2001 to 2006, first as Minister without Portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
, then as Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
and latterly as Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
.
Norwich South was by far Labour's safest seat in Norfolk throughout the Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
years and up until 2005. Although it was lost to the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
in 1983, it was regained by Labour in 1987 and was the only Labour seat in Norfolk until 1997. In 2005 the Labour majority was cut by over 5000 leaving Norwich North as the safest Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
seat in the county.
The seat was considered a true three way marginal in the 2010 election between the incumbent Labour party the Liberal Democrts and the Conservatives. The seat was also targeted by the Green Party. The seat was won with the lowest percentage share of the vote in a constituency in the 2010 election. The loss was considered to be an embarrassment for the Labour Party as it was the seat of a former Home Secretary.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 United Kingdom general election, 1950 The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five... |
Henry Strauss | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1955 United Kingdom general election, 1955 The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year... |
Geoffrey Rippon Geoffrey Rippon Geoffrey Frederick Rippon, Baron Rippon of Hexham, PC, was a British Conservative politician. He was Chairman of the European-Atlantic Group.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1964 United Kingdom general election, 1964 The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power... |
Christopher Norwood Christopher Norwood Christopher Bonnewell Burton Norwood was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1964 until he stood down at the 1970 general election.... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1970 United Kingdom general election, 1970 The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their... |
Thomas Stuttaford Thomas Stuttaford Dr Irving Thomas Stuttaford OBE, is a British doctor, author, medical columnist of The Times and former Conservative Member of Parliament. In 2002 he retired as Senior Medical Advisor for Barclays Bank.-Politics:... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| Feb 1974 United Kingdom general election, February 1974 The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,... |
John Garrett | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1983 United Kingdom general election, 1983 The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945... |
John Powley John Powley John Albert Powley is a British Conservative Party politician.In the 1979 election he contested Harlow, securing a very large 13% swing from Labour to Conservative, which just failed to oust Labour MP Stan Newens... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1987 United Kingdom general election, 1987 The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd... |
John Garrett | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997 The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general... |
Charles Clarke Charles Clarke Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 2010 | Simon Wright Simon Wright (politician) Simon James Wright is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Norwich South, defeating incumbent Charles Clarke winning 29.7% of the votes cast.... |
Liberal Democrats | |