Wikipedia

Lowestoft (UK Parliament constituency)

Lowestoft (LOH-(ih)-stoft, LOH-stəf) is a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Lowestoft in Suffolk. It returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

Lowestoft
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Lowestoft in the East of England
CountySuffolk
Electorate73,967 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsLowestoft
Current constituency
Created2024
Member of ParliamentJess Asato (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromWaveney
1885–1983
SeatsOne
Created fromEast Suffolk
Replaced byWaveney and Great Yarmouth[2]

The constituency was originally created for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1983 general election. It was succeeded by the constituency of Waveney.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Waveney was abolished and Lowestoft re-established for the 2024 general election.[3]

History

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The Northern or Lowestoft Division was one of five single-member county divisions of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 to replace the existing two 2-member divisions for the 1885 general election. It was formed from parts of the Eastern Division of Suffolk. It became a county constituency from the 1950 general election and was abolished for the 1983 general election, being replaced by the county constituency of Waveney.

It was more often won by the Conservative Party than not, although its representatives include two from the Liberal Party and one from the Labour Party.

Boundaries and boundary changes

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1885–1918

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  • The Borough of Southwold;
  • The Sessional Divisions of Beccles, Bungay, Lothingland, and Mutford;
  • Part of the Sessional Division of Blything; and
  • The part of the Borough of Great Yarmouth in the county of Suffolk.[4]

As Great Yarmouth formed a separate Parliamentary Borough, only non-resident freeholders of the Borough were entitled to vote in this constituency.

Throughout its existence, the Lowestoft constituency covered the North-Eastern corner of Suffolk and, although encompassing some rural areas, drew the majority of its voters from the towns of Lowestoft, a resort and fishing port, and Beccles; it also included the smaller towns of Bungay and Southwold, with its brewing interests. Southwold is now in the Suffolk Coastal constituency.

The constituency established in 1885, which was formally named The Northern or Lowestoft Division of Suffolk (and was sometimes referred to simply as "Suffolk North"), also included the town of Halesworth and the rural areas in between.

1918–1950

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  • The Boroughs of Beccles, Lowestoft, and Southwold;
  • The Urban Districts of Bungay and Oulton Broad;
  • The Rural Districts of Mutford and Lothingland, and Wangford; and
  • The Rural District of Blything parishes of Benacre, Covehithe, Easton Bavents, Frostenden, Henstead, Reydon, South Cove, and Wrentham.[5]

In the boundary changes of 1918, when the constituency became simply the "Lowestoft Division of East Suffolk" or East Suffolk, Lowestoft, Halesworth was transferred to the neighbouring Eye division.

1950–1983

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  • The Boroughs of Beccles, Lowestoft, and Southwold;
  • The Urban Districts of Bungay and Halesworth; and
  • The Rural Districts of Lothingland and Wainford.[6]

At the 1950 general election, Halesworth was once more placed in the revised Lowestoft County Constituency, but it otherwise underwent only minor changes to reflect local government rationalisations. The boundaries were not altered in the boundary review implemented in 1974.

The constituency was revised in 1983 and renamed Waveney, as its new boundaries were now identical with those of the local government district of that name. The new constituency was very similar to the old Lowestoft one except a small area in the north, including Bradwell (comprising about 10,000 voters), which had been transferred from Suffolk to Norfolk as a result of the Local Government Act 1972, and was now transferred to the county constituency of Great Yarmouth.

Current

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The re-established constituency, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, is composed of the following wards of the District of East Suffolk (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • Beccles & Worlingham; Carlton & Whitton; Carlton Colville; Gunton & St. Margarets; Harbour & Normanston; Kessingland; Kirkley & Pakefield; Lothingland; Oulton Broad.[7]

The bulk of the existing Waveney seat, including Lowestoft, Somerleyton and Beccles, was included in the re-established seat, whereas Bungay and The Saints were transferred to the newly created constituency of Waveney Valley.

Members of Parliament

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MPs 1885–1983

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East Suffolk prior to 1885

Election Member Party
1885 Sir Savile Crossley Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1892 Harry Foster Conservative
1900 Lt Colonel Francis Lucas Conservative
1906 Edward Beauchamp Liberal
1910 (January) Harry Foster Conservative
1910 (December) Sir Edward Beauchamp Liberal
1918 Coalition Liberal
1922 Sir Gervais Rentoul Conservative
1934 by-election Pierse Loftus Conservative
1945 Edward Evans Labour
1959 Jim Prior Conservative
1983 constituency abolished, became Waveney

MPs since 2024

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Waveney prior to 2024

Election Member Party
2024 Jess Asato Labour


Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jess Asato[8] 14,464 34.6 +6.4
Conservative Peter Aldous*[9] 12,448 29.8 −31.1
Reform UK June Mummery[10] 10,328 24.7 N/A
Green Toby Hammond[11] 3,095 7.4 +2.2
Liberal Democrats Adam Robertson[12] 1,489 3.6 −1.5
Majority 2,016 4.8 N/A
Turnout 41,824 56.3 –5.1
Registered electors 74,332
Labour gain from Conservative Swing  18.8

* Incumbent MP for Waveney

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[13]
Party Vote %
Conservative 27,648 60.9
Labour 12,798 28.2
Green 2,362 5.2
Liberal Democrats 2,333 5.1
Others 245 0.5
Turnout 45,386 61.4
Electorate 73,967

Election results 1885-1983

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Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1885: Lowestoft[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Savile Crossley 4,324 53.6
Conservative Heneage Bagot-Chester[16] 3,743 46.4
Majority 581 7.2
Turnout 8,067 73.6
Registered electors 10,956
Liberal win (new seat)
General election 1886: Lowestoft[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Savile Crossley Unopposed
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal

Elections in the 1890s

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General election 1892: Lowestoft[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harry Foster 5,099 56.6 N/A
Liberal James Judd[17] 3,909 43.4 New
Majority 1,190 13.2 N/A
Turnout 9,008 76.2 N/A
Registered electors 11,827
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: Lowestoft[18][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harry Foster 5,199 57.6 +1.0
Liberal Alfred Sington 3,820 42.4 −1.0
Majority 1,379 15.2 +2.0
Turnout 9,019 74.2 −2.0
Registered electors 12,153
Conservative hold Swing +1.0

Elections in the 1900s

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General election 1900: Lowestoft[18][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Lucas 5,077 60.3 +2.7
Liberal Adam Adams 3,348 39.7 −2.7
Majority 1,729 20.6 +5.4
Turnout 8,425 66.5 −7.7
Registered electors 12,678
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
 
Edward Beauchamp
General election 1906: Lowestoft[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Beauchamp 6,510 57.0 +17.3
Conservative Francis Lucas 4,905 43.0 −17.3
Majority 1,605 14.0 N/A
Turnout 11,415 81.5 +15.0
Registered electors 14,002
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +17.3

Elections in the 1910s

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General election January 1910: Lowestoft[19][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harry Foster 6,530 50.9 +7.9
Liberal Edward Beauchamp 6,294 49.1 −7.9
Majority 236 1.8 N/A
Turnout 12,824 85.0 +3.5
Registered electors 15,084
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.9
General election December 1910: Lowestoft[19][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Beauchamp 6,248 51.1 +2.0
Conservative Harry Foster 5,983 48.9 −2.0
Majority 265 2.2 N/A
Turnout 12,231 81.1 −3.9
Registered electors 15,084
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.0

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1918: Lowestoft[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Edward Beauchamp Unopposed
Liberal hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1922: Lowestoft[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Gervais Rentoul 14,154 57.0 New
National Liberal Brograve Beauchamp 6,205 24.9 N/A
Labour Robert Arthur Mellanby 4,511 18.1 New
Majority 7,949 32.1 N/A
Turnout 24,870 71.0 N/A
Registered electors 35,012
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1923: Lowestoft[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Gervais Rentoul 11,103 45.8 −11.2
Liberal Frederick Paterson 8,362 34.5 +9.6
Labour Robert Arthur Mellanby 4,788 19.7 +1.6
Majority 2,741 11.3 −19.8
Turnout 24,253 67.6 −3.4
Registered electors 35,881
Unionist hold Swing −10.4
General election 1924: Lowestoft[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Gervais Rentoul 13,422 50.6 +4.8
Labour Robert Arthur Mellanby 6,570 24.8 +5.1
Liberal Frederick Paterson 6,532 24.6 −9.9
Majority 6,852 25.8 +14.5
Turnout 26,524 73.0 +5.4
Registered electors 36,321
Unionist hold Swing −0.2
General election 1929: Lowestoft[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Gervais Rentoul 13,624 39.8 −10.8
Liberal Albert Edward Owen-Jones 10,707 31.3 +6.7
Labour Basil Hall 9,903 28.9 +4.1
Majority 2,917 8.5 −17.3
Turnout 34,234 84.8 +11.8
Registered electors 46,359
Unionist hold Swing −8.8

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1931: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gervais Rentoul 22,886 67.8 +28.0
Labour E. J. C. Neep 10,894 32.2 +3.3
Majority 11,992 35.6 +27.1
Turnout 33,780
Conservative hold Swing
1934 Lowestoft by-election[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pierse Loftus 15,912 47.9 −19.9
Labour Reginald Sorensen 13,992 42.1 +9.8
Liberal William Smith 3,304 10.0 New
Majority 1,920 5.8 −29.8
Turnout 48,900 67.9
Conservative hold Swing −14.9
General election 1935: Lowestoft[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pierse Loftus 21,064 61.21
Labour Frederick Wise 13,348 38.79
Majority 7,716 22.42
Turnout 34,412 69.00
Conservative hold Swing

General Election 1939–40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Evans 12,759 42.1 +3.3
Conservative Pierse Loftus 10,996 36.3 −24.9
Liberal Matthew P Crosse 6,545 21.6 New
Majority 1,763 5.8 N/A
Turnout 44,679 67.8 −1.2
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1950: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Evans 20,838 44.83
Conservative Philip Geoffrey Whitefoord 17,516 37.68
Liberal Ruth Crisp English 8,132 17.49
Majority 3,322 7.15
Turnout 55,456 83.83
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Evans 23,591 50.91
Conservative Alfred Henry Willetts 22,744 49.09
Majority 847 1.82
Turnout 56,582 81.89
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Evans 23,587 52.12
Conservative J T Griffiths 21,672 47.88
Majority 1,915 4.24
Turnout 56,850 79.61
Labour hold Swing
General election 1959: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Prior 24,324 51.58
Labour Edward Evans 22,835 48.42
Majority 1,489 3.16 N/A
Turnout 49,653 64.4 −15.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing −3.1

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1964: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Prior 23,976 47.80
Labour Ronald Atkins 21,272 42.41
Liberal Charles Gordon A. Steele 4,911 9.79
Majority 2,704 5.39
Turnout 60,775 82.53
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1966: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Prior 24,063 46.03
Labour Michael D Cornish 23,705 45.34
Liberal David R Crome 4,513 8.63
Majority 358 0.69
Turnout 62,881 83.14
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1970: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Prior 28,842 50.69
Labour Douglas A Baker 23,319 40.98
Liberal David R Crome 4,737 8.33
Majority 5,523 9.71
Turnout 72,320 78.68
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Prior 26,157 40.89
Labour Douglas A Baker 22,553 35.26
Liberal P Hancock 15,261 23.86
Majority 3,604 5.63
Turnout 76,350 83.79
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Prior 25,510 42.43
Labour Douglas A Baker 23,448 39.00
Liberal P Hancock 11,165 18.57
Majority 2,062 3.43
Turnout 76,936 78.15
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Lowestoft
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Prior 33,376 50.46
Labour Alan Lark 25,555 38.63
Liberal Barrie Skelcher 6,783 10.25
Ecology T Pye 435 0.66 New
Majority 7,821 11.83
Turnout 82,733 79.95
Conservative hold Swing

See also

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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 – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  2. ^ "'Lowestoft', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  3. ^ 2023 review Eastern Boundary Commission for England
  4. ^ Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  5. ^ Fraser, Hugh (1918). The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes. University of California Libraries. London : Sweet and Maxwell.
  6. ^ "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  7. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  8. ^ "Jess Asato for Lowestoft". Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  9. ^ [candidates.htmlhttps://www.lowestoftconservatives.org.uk(UK) "Lowestoft Conservatives"]. Retrieved 4 June 2024. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  10. ^ Reform UK [@reformparty_uk] (31 May 2024). "🚨 NEW: June Mummery is your Reform UK candidate for Lowestoft" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "Our Candidates". Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Lowestoft". BBC News. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ a b c The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  16. ^ "The Northern or Lowestoft Division of the County of Suffolk". Lowestoft Journal. 12 December 1885. p. 4. Retrieved 3 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ Wodehouse, John (1997). Hawkins, Angus; Powell, John (eds.). The Journal of John Wodehouse, First Earl of Kimberley for 1862-1902. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521623285.
  18. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  19. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  20. ^ a b c d e f g Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
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