Waveney (UK Parliament constituency)

Waveney is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Peter Aldous, a Conservative.[n 2]

Waveney
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Waveney in Suffolk
Location of Suffolk within England
CountySuffolk
Electorate79,132 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsLowestoft
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentPeter Aldous (Conservative)
Number of membersOne
Created fromLowestoft

History

The seat was created for the 1983 general election following the implementation of the third periodic review of Westminster constituencies, broadly replacing Lowestoft, which the first victor of the new seat had served since 1959.

Political history

Waveney has been a bellwether since its creation, swinging heavily in line with the mood of the nation. Labour's big majority in 1997 reflected the large overall majority in the Commons, and by the 2010 election it had become touted by one published analysis as the seat that the Conservatives needed to win to secure an overall majority. Fittingly, 2010 saw a marginal majority and the national result was a hung parliament with the Conservative Party the largest party. 2010 here was the Labour Party's second highest share of the vote in the narrow, traditional grouping of East Anglia (Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex).

Prominent frontbenchers

Waveney had been held for many years by James Prior Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1970–1972), Leader of the House of Commons[n 3] (1972–1974), Secretary of State for Employment (1979–1981) then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland during the Heath ministry then the Thatcher ministry with an economic politics considered more centre-ground, then known as forming the wets' ideology.

Bob Blizzard served as a senior Government Whip from 2008 until 2010 when he lost at the election that May.

Constituency profile

The seat is based around the town of Lowestoft, and includes several smaller market towns and seaside resorts in north-east Suffolk. This corner of Suffolk arguably has stronger connections with Norfolk – Norwich is an easier centre to reach than Ipswich – and there have been unsuccessful proposals to alter the county boundary to reflect this.

Workless claimants who were registered jobseekers were in November 2012 higher than the national average of 3.8%, at 4.9% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian. This compares more unfavourably to the regional average of 3.2%.[2]

Boundaries and boundary changes

1983–1997: The District of Waveney.[3]

The constituency was formed from the abolished constituency of Lowestoft, with the exception of a small part in the north which was now part of Norfolk.

1997–2010: The District of Waveney except the wards of Blything, Halesworth, and Southwold.[4]

Three wards transferred to Suffolk Coastal.

2010–present: The District of Waveney wards of Beccles North, Beccles South, Bungay, Carlton, Carlton Colville, Gunton and Corton, Harbour, Kessingland, Kirkley, Lothingland, Normanston, Oulton, Oulton Broad, Pakefield, St Margaret's, The Saints, Wainford, Whitton, and Worlingham.[5]

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

The seat is based on the coastal town of Lowestoft, 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. These along with the smaller inland rural villages are considerably more supportive of Conservatives.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember[6] Party
1983 Jim Prior Conservative
1987 David Porter Conservative
1997 Bob Blizzard Labour
2010 Peter Aldous Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Waveney[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Aldous 31,778 62.2 +7.8
Labour Sonia Barker 13,776 26.9 -9.9
Green Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw 2,727 5.3 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Helen Korfanty 2,603 5.1 +3.2
CPA Dave Brennan 245 0.5 +0.5
Majority 18,002 35.3 +17.8
Turnout 51,129 61.8 -3.4
Conservative hold Swing +8.9
General election 2017: Waveney[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Aldous 28,643 54.4 +12.0
Labour Sonia Barker 19,428 36.9 −0.9
UKIP Bert Poole 1,933 3.7 −10.9
Green Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw 1,332 2.5 −0.8
Liberal Democrats Jacky Howe 1,012 1.9 −0.1
Independent Allyson Barron 326 0.6 N/A
Majority 9,215 17.5 +12.9
Turnout 52,674 65.2 +2.7
Conservative hold Swing +6.5
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Waveney
General election 2015: Waveney[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Aldous 22,104 42.3 +2.1
Labour Bob Blizzard 19,696 37.7 −1.0
UKIP Simon Tobin 7,580 14.5 +9.3
Green Graham Elliott 1,761 3.4 +1.1
Liberal Democrats Stephen Gordon 1,055 2.0 −11.3
Majority 2,408 4.6 +3.1
Turnout 52,196 65.1 0.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.6
General election 2010: Waveney[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Aldous 20,571 40.2 +6.9
Labour Bob Blizzard 19,802 38.7 −6.6
Liberal Democrats Alan Dean 6,811 13.3 −1.8
UKIP Jack Tyler 2,684 5.2 +1.5
Green Graham Elliott 1,167 2.3 −0.1
NOTA Louis Barfe 106 0.2 N/A
Majority 769 1.5 N/A
Turnout 51,141 65.1 +1.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +6.8

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Waveney[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Blizzard 22,505 45.3 −5.4
Conservative Peter Aldous 16,590 33.4 +0.8
Liberal Democrats Nick Bromley 7,497 15.1 +3.7
UKIP Brian Aylett 1,861 3.7 +1.4
Green Graham Elliott 1,200 2.4 +0.3
Majority 5,915 11.9 −6.2
Turnout 49,653 64.4 +3.6
Labour hold Swing −3.1
General election 2001: Waveney[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Blizzard 23,914 50.7 −5.3
Conservative Lee Scott 15,361 32.6 −1.9
Liberal Democrats David Young 5,370 11.4 +2.4
UKIP Bryan Aylett 1,097 2.3 N/A
Green Graham Elliott 983 2.1 N/A
Socialist Alliance Rupert Mallin 442 0.9 N/A
Majority 8,553 18.1 −3.4
Turnout 47,167 60.8 −13.8
Labour hold Swing −1.7

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Waveney[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Blizzard 31,486 56.0 +16.2
Conservative David Porter 19,393 34.5 −12.5
Liberal Democrats Christopher Thomas 5,054 9.0 −3.8
Independent Neil Clark 318 0.6 N/A
Majority 12,093 21.5 N/A
Turnout 56,251 74.7 −7.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +15.6
General election 1992: Waveney[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Porter 33,174 48.2 −0.2
Labour Ezra Leverett 26,472 38.4 +8.4
Liberal Democrats Adrian Rogers 8,925 13.0 −8.6
Natural Law David Hook 302 0.4 N/A
Majority 6,702 9.8 −8.4
Turnout 68,873 81.8 +3.4
Conservative hold Swing −4.3

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Waveney[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Porter 31,067 48.4 −3.4
Labour Jack Lark 19,284 30.0 +2.6
SDP David Beavan 13,845 21.6 +0.7
Majority 11,783 18.4 −6.0
Turnout 81,889 78.4 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing −3.0
General election 1983: Waveney[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Prior 30,371 51.8 N/A
Labour Jack Lark 16,073 27.4 N/A
SDP Gillian Artis 12,234 20.9 N/A
Majority 14,298 24.4 N/A
Turnout 77,960 75.3 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. and Lord President of the Council

References
  1. "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  4. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  5. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  6. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 2)
  7. "Waveney Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  8. "Statement of persons nominated, notice of poll and situation of polling stations" (PDF). Waveney District Council. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  9. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  16. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

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