Southampton Itchen
Encyclopedia
Southampton, Itchen is a parliamentary constituency
in Hampshire
, which returns one Member of Parliament
(MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. The constituency was created in 1950
, when the previous two-member Southampton constituency
was abolished.
, the lesser of the two major rivers that flow through the city. Although until the 1970s it was a safe Labour
seat, it elected a Conservative MP, Christopher Chope
in 1983 and 1987 after the then sitting MP Bob Mitchell left Labour in 1981 for the SDP
. The combination of Mitchell as a strong Alliance candidate in both 1983
and 1987
, together with Conservative landslides, made Southampton Itchen highly competitive.
The current Labour MP, John Denham
, narrowly defeated Chope by 551 votes in 1992 and held the seat safely until 2010 when he scraped home by just 192 votes. These two election results cause Southampton Itchen to be thought of currently as a marginal which just favours Labour.
, in southern England
, specifically the city centre, the eastern port areas (the Port of Southampton
is one of the principal ports of the UK), the exclusive Ocean Village quarter and the inner city council estates including the impoverished Thornhill area. It is seen as the more working class of the two constituencies in the city (the other is Southampton Test - named after the other major river
).
Southampton Itchen covers the city wards of (with their associated neighbourhoods):
The constituency is bounded to the west by Southampton Test (Labour
), to the north and east by Eastleigh (Liberal Democrat) and in the far north by Romsey and Southampton North (Conservative
).
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:...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, which returns 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) to 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...
. The constituency was created in 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...
, when the previous two-member Southampton constituency
Southampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Southampton was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. Centred on the town of Southampton, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1295 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election....
was abolished.
History
The constituency is named after the River ItchenRiver Itchen, Hampshire
The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of , and is noted as one of England's - if not one of the World's - premier chalk streams for fly fishing,...
, the lesser of the two major rivers that flow through the city. Although until the 1970s it was a safe 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, it elected a Conservative MP, Christopher Chope
Christopher Chope
Christopher Robert Chope OBE is a British barrister and Conservative politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Christchurch.-Early life:...
in 1983 and 1987 after the then sitting MP Bob Mitchell left Labour in 1981 for the SDP
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
. The combination of Mitchell as a strong Alliance candidate in both 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...
and 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...
, together with Conservative landslides, made Southampton Itchen highly competitive.
The current Labour MP, John Denham
John Denham
John Denham may refer to:* John Denham , British Member of Parliament for Southampton Itchen* John Denham , English poet* John 'Abs' Denham is a fictional nurse in the UK television drama Casualty...
, narrowly defeated Chope by 551 votes in 1992 and held the seat safely until 2010 when he scraped home by just 192 votes. These two election results cause Southampton Itchen to be thought of currently as a marginal which just favours Labour.
Boundaries
The seat covers the eastern part of the City of SouthamptonSouthampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, in southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, specifically the city centre, the eastern port areas (the Port of Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
is one of the principal ports of the UK), the exclusive Ocean Village quarter and the inner city council estates including the impoverished Thornhill area. It is seen as the more working class of the two constituencies in the city (the other is Southampton Test - named after the other major river
River Test
The River Test is a river in Hampshire, England. The river has a total length of 40 miles and it flows through downland from its source near Ashe, 10 km to the west of Basingstoke , to the sea at the head of Southampton Water...
).
Southampton Itchen covers the city wards of (with their associated neighbourhoods):
- BargateBargate (ward)Bargate Ward is an Electoral Ward in the Unitary Authority of Southampton, England. It covers Southampton City Centre, and stretches as far as Ocean Village and St Mary's to the east, and West Quay and The Polygon to the west...
(City CentreSouthampton City CentreSouthampton City Centre is the commercial and organisational centre of the City of Southampton, and the transport hub of the city. Because Southampton is on the South Coast of England, the city centre is not at the geometric centre of the city, but at the southern extremity.The traditional heart...
, Ocean VillageOcean VillageOcean Village was a British-American owned cruise line, based in Southampton, England. Designed to offer and alternative cruise experience, Ocean Village was founded by P&O Princess Cruises PLC, which later merged with Carnival Corporation to form Carnival Corporation & PLC...
, PolygonThe Polygon, SouthamptonThe Polygon is an area in the city of Southampton, England.The area is located just to the north of the railway station and Commercial Road...
, part of St. Marys, includes Southampton Solent UniversitySouthampton Solent UniversitySouthampton Solent University is a university of 17,000 students based in Southampton, United Kingdom. Its main campus is located on East Park Terrace near the city centre....
) - BitterneBitterneBitterne is an eastern suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England.Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the Bittern but from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words byht and ærn together mean "house near a bend", most likely a reference to Bitterne Manor...
(BitterneBitterneBitterne is an eastern suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England.Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the Bittern but from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words byht and ærn together mean "house near a bend", most likely a reference to Bitterne Manor...
, ThornhillThornhill, Hampshire-About Thornhill:Thornhill is a suburb of Southampton, United Kingdom. Situated on the Eastern border of the City and bounded by three major roads; the area is effectively an island. According to the the population was 11,460...
) - Bitterne ParkBitterne ParkBitterne Park is a suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England, on the Eastern bank of the River Itchen, built on sloping parkland which once formed part of Bitterne Manor....
(Bitterne ParkBitterne ParkBitterne Park is a suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England, on the Eastern bank of the River Itchen, built on sloping parkland which once formed part of Bitterne Manor....
, Bitterne ManorBitterne ManorBitterne Manor is a suburb of Southampton surrounding the manor house of the same name.- History :Bitterne Manor is the site of the original Roman settlement of Clausentum, the forerunner to today's City of Southampton....
, Townhill ParkTownhill ParkTownhill Park is a suburb of Southampton, England, bordering Swaythling, Bitterne Park and West End. It is built on land which once belonged to the house which carries the same name.- History :...
, MidanburyMidanburyMidanbury is a small suburb of Southampton, England, bordering Bitterne, Bitterne Park and Townhill Park.-History:It is named after the country house "Midanbury Lodge" which was situated on the summit of a hill to the east of Southampton. The house no longer stands, and the land was used for...
) - Harefield (Harefield, Thornhill Park)
- PeartreePeartree (ward)Peartree Ward is an Electoral Ward in the Unitary Authority of Southampton, England.It covers the suburbs of Merry Oak, Peartree Green and Itchen, and is bordered by Bargate Ward, Bevois Ward, Bitterne Park Ward, Harefield Ward, Sholing Ward, and Woolston Ward....
(Merry Oak, Peartree GreenPeartree GreenPeartree Green is an open space on high ground on the East bank of the River Itchen in Hampshire which adjoins the districts of Woolston, Bitterne, Sholing and Merryoak within the city of Southampton....
, Itchen) - SholingSholingSholing, previously Scholing, is a district on the eastern side of the city of Southampton in southern England. It is located between the districts of Bitterne, Thornhill and Woolston....
(SholingSholingSholing, previously Scholing, is a district on the eastern side of the city of Southampton in southern England. It is located between the districts of Bitterne, Thornhill and Woolston....
, Sholing Common) - Woolston (Woolston, Weston)
The constituency is bounded to the west by Southampton Test (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...
), to the north and east by Eastleigh (Liberal Democrat) and in the far north by Romsey and Southampton North (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...
).
Members of Parliament
Former Cabinet minister John Denham currently represents the seat.| 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... |
Ralph Morley Ralph Morley Ralph Morley was a Labour politician in the United Kingdom. He was a Member of Parliament from 1929 to 1931, and from 1945 until his death.... |
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... |
|
| 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... |
Dr Horace King | 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... |
|
| 1965 | Speaker Speaker of the British House of Commons The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin... |
||
| 1971 by-election Southampton Itchen by-election, 1971 The Southampton Itchen by-election of 27 May 1971 was held after the Speaker of the British House of Commons and Member of Parliament Horace King retired. The seat was gained by the Labour Party... |
Bob Mitchell | 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... |
|
| 1981 | SDP Social Democratic Party (UK) The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams... |
||
| 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... |
Christopher Chope Christopher Chope Christopher Robert Chope OBE is a British barrister and Conservative politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Christchurch.-Early life:... |
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... |
|
| 1992 United Kingdom general election, 1992 The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil... |
John Denham | 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... |
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