Waveney (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Waveney is a county 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.
, which today is generally Labour
-voting, because of its recent history as a declining seaside resort, fishing
and industrial town. However, the constituency also takes in the small towns of Beccles
and Bungay
and the smaller inland rural villages supporting the Tories
. It was held by Labour from their landslide win in 1997 until the 2010 General Election, when it returned to Tory control with a small majority. It had been held for many years by the high profile Conservative cabinet minister James Prior
, a famous 'wet
' in the early years of Margaret Thatcher
's government.
in 2007, the Boundary Commission for England recommended minor alterations to the existing constituency arrangement. The electoral wards used in the creation of this seat are:
.
The seat is based around the town of Lowestoft, and includes several smaller seaside resorts in North-East Suffolk. The area has not suffered as much from the decline in domestic tourism as Great Yarmouth
, across the border in Norfolk
, but the local economy has been hit by the gradual closing of holiday camps and dearth of visiting trade.
This corner of Suffolk has arguably stronger connections with Norfolk - Norwich
is an easier centre to reach than Ipswich
- and there have been unsuccessful proposals to alter the county boundaries to reflect this.
constituency 2010 election were declared on 7 May 2010 at 5am.
Shortly after the general election "None of the above" candidate Louis Barfe
defected to the Green Party
. This was the Labour Party
's second highest share of the vote in East Anglia.
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.
Boundaries
The seat is based on the busy coastal town of LowestoftLowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, which today is generally 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...
-voting, because of its recent history as a declining seaside resort, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and industrial town. However, the constituency also takes in the small towns of Beccles
Beccles
Beccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of the county town of...
and Bungay
Bungay
Bungay is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England.Bungay may also refer to:* Bungay railway station* Frank Bungay , former professional footballer* Stephen Bungay , British management consultant, historian and author...
and the smaller inland rural villages supporting the Tories
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
. It was held by Labour from their landslide win in 1997 until the 2010 General Election, when it returned to Tory control with a small majority. It had been held for many years by the high profile Conservative cabinet minister James Prior
James Prior, Baron Prior
James Michael Leathes Prior, Baron Prior, PC, known as "Jim Prior" , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he was a Member of Parliament from 1959 to 1987, representing the constituency of Lowestoft from 1959 to 1983 and the renamed constituency of Waveney from 1983 to 1987...
, a famous 'wet
Wets
During the 1980s, members of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom who opposed some of the more hard-line policies of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher were often referred to as "wets"...
' in the early years of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's government.
Boundary review
Following their review of parliamentary representation in SuffolkSuffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
in 2007, the Boundary Commission for England recommended minor alterations to the existing constituency arrangement. The electoral wards used in the creation of this seat are:
- BecclesBecclesBeccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of the county town of...
North, Beccles South, BungayBungay, SuffolkBungay is a market town in the English county of Suffolk. It lies in the Waveney valley, west of Beccles on the edge of The Broads, and at the neck of a meander of the River Waveney.-Early history:...
, PakefieldPakefieldPakefield is a suburb of the town of Lowestoft in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. Pakefield is located around 2 miles south of the centre of the town. Although today it forms a suburb of the urban area of Lowestoft, it was until 1934 a village and parish in its own right....
, Carlton, Carlton ColvilleCarlton ColvilleCarlton Colville is an area in the suburbs of Lowestoft in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk, located south-west of the centre of the town. Significant residential development has occurred in the area since the 1960s, including more than 1,000 homes built in Carlton Park...
, GuntonGunton, SuffolkGunton is a suburb of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk. Gunton was a small coastal village but over the years has been suburbanised. Gunton has an estimated population of 6,640. The main A12 or Yarmouth road runs through the area.-Attractions:...
and CortonCorton, SuffolkCorton is a suburb in the town of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk. Corton is located around north of the centre of town. The local church is dedicated to St Bartholomew. The estimated population was 1,140 in 2008. It has boundaries with the suburb of Gunton. -Features:Corton is home to...
, Harbour, KessinglandKessinglandKessingland is a large village in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. It is located around south of Lowestoft. It is of interest to archaeologists as Palaeolithic and Neolithic implements have been found here; the remains of an ancient forest lie buried on the seabed.There has...
, KirkleyKirkleyKirkley is a place within the town of Lowestoft in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. Kirkley is located south of the centre of the town. Although today it forms part of the urban area of Lowestoft, it was originally a village....
, Lothingland, Normanston, Oulton, Oulton BroadOulton BroadOulton Broad refers to both the lake and the suburb of Lowestoft in Suffolk, England located 2 miles west of the centre of the town.-Oulton Broad:...
, St Margaret’s, The Saints, Wainford, Whitton, and WorlinghamWorlinghamWorlingham is a village and civil parish in the Waveney district of Suffolk, England about east of Beccles. As of 2008 it is effectively a suburb of Beccles...
from the district of WaveneyWaveneyWaveney is a local government district in Suffolk, England, named after the River Waveney that forms its north-west border. The district council is based in Lowestoft, the major settlement in Waveney, which is the only unparished area in the district...
.
Constituency profile
Waveney has become something of a bellwether seat in recent years, swinging heavily in line with the mood of the nation. Labour's big majority in 1997 reflected their large overall majority in the commons, and by the 2010 election it had become the seat that the Conservatives needed to win back to secure an overall majority. Fittingly, it is now a marginal Tory seat in a hung parliamentHung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
.
The seat is based around the town of Lowestoft, and includes several smaller seaside resorts in North-East Suffolk. The area has not suffered as much from the decline in domestic tourism as Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
, across the border in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, but the local economy has been hit by the gradual closing of holiday camps and dearth of visiting trade.
This corner of Suffolk has arguably stronger connections with Norfolk - Norwich
Norwich
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...
is an easier centre to reach than Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
- and there have been unsuccessful proposals to alter the county boundaries to reflect this.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
James Prior | 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... |
David Porter David Porter (UK politician) David John Porter , was Conservative Member of Parliament for Waveney from 1987 to 1997.Before going into parliament he was a drama teacher at Kirkley High School. After the 1997 election, he concentrated his efforts on supporting the British film industry... |
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... |
|
| 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... |
Bob Blizzard Bob Blizzard Robert John Blizzard is a British Labour Party politician, who served as the Member of Parliament for Waveney from 1997 to 2010.-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 | Peter Aldous Peter Aldous Peter James Guy Aldous is a Conservative Party politician in England. A former local councillor, he has been the Member of Parliament for the Waveney constituency in Suffolk since winning the seat at the 2010 general election.... |
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... |
|
Elections in the 2010s
Results for the WaveneyWaveney
Waveney is a local government district in Suffolk, England, named after the River Waveney that forms its north-west border. The district council is based in Lowestoft, the major settlement in Waveney, which is the only unparished area in the district...
constituency 2010 election were declared on 7 May 2010 at 5am.
Shortly after the general election "None of the above" candidate Louis Barfe
Louis Barfe
Louis Barfe is an English writer of non-fiction . A Politics graduate of Lancaster University , he worked as a journalist on the book trade magazine Publishing News from 1998 to 2002, and, as a freelance journalist, has worked extensively for Private Eye, The Oldie and Radio Times, and has also...
defected to the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. This was the Labour Party
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...
's second highest share of the vote in East Anglia.