Wikipedia

St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)

(Redirected from St. Ives (UK Parliament constituency))

St Ives is a parliamentary constituency covering the western end of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.[n 1] The constituency has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Andrew George, a Liberal Democrat; George previously represented the constituency from 1997 to 2015.[n 2]

St Ives
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map of constituency
Boundary of St Ives in Cornwall
Outline map
Location of Cornwall within England
CountyCornwall
Electorate69,978 (2024) [1]
Major settlementsSt Ives, Penzance and Helston
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentAndrew George (Lib Dem)
SeatsOne
Created fromHelston, St Ives and West Cornwall
1558–1885
Seats1558–1832: two
1832–1885: one
Type of constituencyBorough constituency
Replaced bySt Ives, Penzance and Helston

Constituency profile

edit

The seat covers the southern end of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Tourism is a significant sector in this former mining area.[2]

History

edit

St Ives has elected MPs to every Parliament since 1558, except for a brief period during the Protectorate. It was originally a mere parliamentary borough that returned two MPs until the Great Reform Act of 1832, when its representation was cut to a single member. In 1885 the borough was abolished, but the St Ives name was transferred to the surrounding county constituency.

St Ives borough

edit

The borough established under Queen Mary consisted of the parish of St Ives in western Cornwall, a seaport and market town in which the main economic interests were fishing and the export of ores mined nearby. In 1831, the population of the borough was 4,776, and contained 1,002 houses.

The franchise was initially restricted to the town corporation, but after a judgment in a disputed election in 1702 the right to vote was given to all inhabitants paying scot and lot; in the early 19th century this amounted to a little over 300 voters. This was a wide franchise for the period, and its reasonable size meant that St Ives was one of the few Cornish boroughs that could claim not to be rotten.

Elections were usually contested. Local wealthiest families were able to exercise considerable influence on the outcome yet none was predominant. The result could rarely be taken for granted and it was necessary to court the voters assiduously. From the 17th century were three such families from the first: the Hobart family,[n 3] the Praeds (at the time of Treventhoe manor), and the Dukes of Bolton (the Paulet family) [n 4] – to which added by the mid 18th century the Stephens family. In 1751, however, John Stephens, who had previously allied himself with the Earl of Buckinghamshire (a Hobart) and managed the borough's elections on his behalf, "struck out on his own account" (defected independently) and secured the election of his son. Later in the decade Stephens and the Earl once more began to work together, but were unable to prevent Humphrey Mackworth Praed from establishing sufficient influence to sway one of the two seats.

By 1761 alliances coalesced, the Earl and Praed on one side nominating candidates against Stephens and the Duke of Bolton on the other. The by-election in 1763, when Buckinghamshire's brother-in-law Charles Hotham was re-elected after being appointed to a position in the Royal Household, cost the Earl £1,175 including 7 guineas each to 124 people, resulting in an uncontested election.[n 5]

There was a further bitterly contested election in 1774: allegations of bribery were investigated by a House of Commons committee, whose proceedings are recounted at length by the contemporary historian of electoral abuses, Thomas Oldfield.[n 6] Samuel Stephens, defeated by 7 votes, accused William Praed and Adam Drummond (the Duke of Bolton's candidate) of benefiting from several types of corruption. Humphrey Mackworth Praed, William's father, was said to have lent large sums to voters on the understanding that repayment would not be demanded if they voted for Praed and Drummond; but opposing counsel adduced evidence that Stephens had also resorted to bribery. However, it was alleged that many of Stephens' supporters had been prevented from voting, by rating them as not liable for scot and lot and so not eligible to vote; this disenfranchisement was a frequent abuse in such boroughs. His side, as petitioners, failed to bring any evidence of criminal misconduct by the parish overseers so the committee decided they had no jurisdiction to interfere. In the end, the committee upheld Drummond's election and declared that neither Stephens nor Praed had been properly elected, thus a writ was issued for a by-election to fill the second seat.

The cost of electioneering in St Ives seems eventually to have led to Buckinghamshire and Bolton withdrawing, and by 1784 Praed was considered unchallenged as patron. Nevertheless, Stephens' influence was not extinguished, and it was recorded that the patrons at the time of the Reform Act were Samuel Stephens of Tregarron and Sir Christopher Hawkins of Trewithan (who had purchased the manor of Mr Praed).

The Reform Act extended the boundaries, bringing in the neighbouring parishes of Lelant and Towednack and reduced the two St Ives seats to one. A new high of 584 voters qualified at the first reformed election, that of 1832.

On extension of the franchise in 1868 of the "second Reform Act", the electorate never passed 1,500, and had fallen to barely 1,000 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the cornerstone of the third reform legislation, under which the "borough" for its parliamentary definition was abolished that year, the area becoming contributory to a larger county division.

St Ives county constituency

edit
1885–1918

Division of counties into single-member constituencies was effected in 1885: Cornwall having six. The westernmost of these, in which St Ives stood, was formally The Western or St Ives Division of Cornwall but was most often referred to simply as St Ives or as West Cornwall.

This area included Penzance, Paul, Ludgvan and St Just, and stretched not only from Land's End to St Erth but also included the Isles of Scilly. This duchy seat was abnormally low in owner-occupiers, with many "nonconformist" Christians[3] and the Conservatives were consequently very weak. However, local sentiment was strongly against Irish Home Rule or independence, seen as a particular threat to the livelihood of the fishermen and other maritime employees who made up much of the electorate, and St Ives therefore became a Liberal Unionist stronghold from 1886.[n 7]

1918–present

After the boundary revisions introduced at the general election of 1918, which brought in most of the villages on the Lizard Peninsula (though not Helston), the constituency was simply called Cornwall, St Ives. It underwent further boundary changes in 1950, bringing Helston into the constituency, and in 1983, when it was extended to include all of the Penwith local government district.

The character of the constituency was little changed by any of these revisions, but party loyalties may have been disrupted by the 1918 changes. Labour put up a candidate for the first time in 1918, and took more than a third of the vote; at the next election, with Labour withdrawing and the Irish issue no longer able to help Cory, a Conservative was elected for the first time. For the next decade St Ives was a Conservative-Liberal marginal, changing hands four times in the 1920s. However, the formal split of National Liberals from the Liberals offered a popular compromise which suited the voters, so much so as to be a safe seat, and later for Conservatives when the National Liberals finally merged with them in the 1960s, until the formation of the Liberal Democrats re-invigorated the competition in the 1990s.

Having contested the seat in 1992 and reduced the Conservative majority to 2.8%, Andrew George captured the seat in 1997 for the Liberal Democrats after the retirement of the sitting Conservative MP, David Harris. George took over half the vote in both 2001 and 2005, but his majority was reduced in 2010, before he lost the seat to Conservative Derek Thomas in 2015. Having unsuccessfully attempted to recapture the constituency in 2017 and 2019, Andrew George won comfortably at the 2024 general election - the ninth time he had contested the seat over a period of 32 years.

Prominent members

edit
1885–date

Walter Runciman held the most senior positions in Education, Agriculture and Trade taking together the period from 1908 until 1916 during the Asquith ministry. He was later re-appointed as the most senior minister in Trade from 1931 to 1937 in the all-party National Coalition Government.

Sir John Nott also held the most senior position in the Trade department before becoming Secretary of State for Defence, including during the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands and the ensuing Falklands War. His assertion that he was cutting the defence budget before the war was not capricious and he offered his resignation to Margaret Thatcher, however she kept him for the duration of the conflict and he stood down in 1983.

Usual late count in modern elections

edit

At general elections, the constituency is usually one of the last to declare a result - the delay in bringing the ballot boxes over from the Isles of Scilly means that counting does not begin until the following day.[4] In the 2015 general election it was the last constituency in the United Kingdom to declare, because the ballot boxes were flown in from the Isles of Scilly only on the first scheduled flight the following morning, having been kept in police cells overnight on St Mary's,[5] with the declaration taking place at 15:30 on Friday afternoon.[6] However, in 1987 and 1992 the constituency did count during the night rather than the next day. The seat was declared at about 1:30 am in 1987 and about 3:45 am in 1992. In 2019 it was planned to fly the ballot boxes in overnight, but bad weather prevented this and the seat was the last to declare in the UK.

Boundaries

edit

Historic

edit
 
Map of current boundaries

1885–1918: The Boroughs of St Ives and Penzance, the Sessional Division of West Penwith (including the Isles of Scilly), and the parishes of St Erth and Uny-Lelant.

1918–1950: The Boroughs of St Ives and Penzance, the Urban Districts of Ludgvan, Madron, Paul, and St Just, the Rural District of West Penwith, the Isles of Scilly, and part of the Rural District of Helston.

1950–1983: The Boroughs of St Ives, Penzance, and Helston, the Urban District of St Just, the Isles of Scilly, and parts of the Rural Districts of Kerrier and West Penwith.

1983–2010: The District of Penwith, the District of Kerrier wards of Breage and Germoe, Crowan, Grade-Ruan and Landewednack, Helston North, Helston South, Meneage, Mullion, Porthleven, St Keverne and Wendron, and Sithney, and the Isles of Scilly.

2010–2024: The District of Penwith wards of Goldsithney, Gulval and Heamoor, Lelant and Carbis Bay, Ludgvan and Towednack, Madron and Zennor, Marazion and Perranuthnoe, Morvah, Pendeen and St Just, Penzance Central, Penzance East, Penzance Promenade, Penzance South, St Buryan, St Erth and St Hilary, St Ives North, and St Ives South, the District of Kerrier wards of Breage and Crowan, Grade-Ruan and Landewednack, Helston North, Helston South, Meneage, Mullion, Porthleven and Sithney, and St Keverne, and the Isles of Scilly.

Following the Boundary Commission' Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Parliament increased the number of seats in the county from five to six for the 2010 general election,[7] thus St Ives saw a loss of wards to the new Camborne and Redruth seat, including the St Ives Bay town of Hayle.[8]

Current

edit

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which became effective for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following electoral divisions of Cornwall (as they existed on 4 May 2021):

  • Crowan, Sithney & Wendron; Helston North; Helston South & Meneage; Land’s End; Long Rock, Marazion & St Erth; Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval & Heamoor; Mousehole, Newlyn & St Buryan; Mullion & St Keverne; Penzance East; Penzance Promenade; Porthleven, Breage & Germoe; St Ives East, Lelant & Carbis Bay; St Ives West & Towednack; and
  • The Isles of Scilly.[9]

Minor changes to align with revised electoral division boundaries and bring the electorate within the permitted range.

The St Ives constituency covers the southwest of Cornwall, taking in the most southerly and westerly points of England (both its mainland and if islands are included), taking in parts of the former Penwith and Kerrier Districts. The main towns in the constituency are Penzance, St Ives and Helston. It also includes the Isles of Scilly, not shown on the map (having 1,700 electors out of a total of 63,000). The seat includes the Tate St Ives, St Michael's Mount (also an island) and Land's End.

Members of Parliament

edit

1558–1629

edit
Parliament of 1558 Thomas Randolph William Chambers
Parliament of 1559 Robert Harrington William Glasiour
Parliament of 1563–1567 John Harrington[n 8]
Parliament of 1571 Thomas Clinton John Newman
Parliament of 1572–1581 Thomas Randolph Edward Williams
Parliament of 1584–1585 John James Charles Blount[n 9]
Parliament of 1586–1587 Thomas Colby John Morley
Parliament of 1588–1589 Mark Steward Henry Hobart
Parliament of 1593 Noel Sotherton Nicholas Saunders
Parliament of 1597–1598 Vincent Skinner
Parliament of 1601 Thomas St Aubyn Thomas Barton
Parliament of 1604–1611 John Tregannon William Brook
Addled Parliament (1614) Sir Joseph Killigrew Sir Anthony Maney also elected for Cirencester
Thomas Tindall
Parliament of 1621–1622 Lord St John Robert Bacon
Happy Parliament (1624–1625) William Lake Sir Francis Godolphin
Useless Parliament (1625) Sir William Parkhurst
Parliament of 1625–1626 Edward Savage Benjamin Tichborne also elected for Petersfield
William Noy
Parliament of 1628–1629 John Payne Francis Godolphin
No Parliament summoned 1629–1640

1640–1832

edit
Year First member[10] First party Second member[10] Second party
April 1640 William Dell Sir Henry Marten
November 1640 Lord Lisle[n 10] Parliamentarian Francis Godolphin Parliamentarian
1641 (?) Edmund Waller Royalist
July 1643 Waller disabled from sitting – seat vacant
1647 John Feilder Recruiter
December 1648 Godolphin not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge
1653 St Ives was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
January 1659 John St Aubyn Peter Silly
May 1659 John Feilder One seat vacant
May 1660[n 11] James Praed John St Aubyn
July 1660 Edward Nosworthy, senior
March 1661 James Praed
December 1661 John Basset
1662 Daniel O'Neill
1665 Edward Nosworthy, senior
1679 Edward Nosworthy, junior
1681 James Praed
1685 Charles Davenant Tory James St. Amand
1689 James Praed Walter Vincent
1690 William Harris
1695 John Michell
1698 Sir Charles Wyndham
January 1701 Benjamin Overton
December 1701 Sir John Hawles Whig
1702 Richard Chaundler
1702 John Pitt
1705 Sir Bartholomew Gracedieu John Borlase
1708 John Praed
1710 John Hopkins
1713 Sir William Pendarves
1715 Lord Harry Powlett Whig Sir John Hobart
1722 Henry Knollys
1727 Major-General Sir Robert Rich
1734 William Mackworth Praed
1741 John Bristow Lieutenant-Colonel Gregory Beake
July 1747 Lord Hobart[n 12]
December 1747 John Plumptre
1751 Samuel Stephens
1754 Hon. George Hobart James Whitshed
1761 Humphrey Mackworth Praed Colonel Charles Hotham
1768 Thomas Durrant Adam Drummond
1774 William Praed [n 13]
1775 Thomas Wynn[n 14]
1778 Philip Dehany
1780 William Praed Abel Smith
1784 Richard Barwell
1790 William Mills
1796 Sir Richard Glyn
1802 Jonathan Raine
1806 Samuel Stephens Francis Horner Whig
1807 Sir Walter Stirling, 1st Baronet
1812 William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley Tory
1818 Samuel Stephens
1820 Lyndon Evelyn Tory James Graham Whig
1821 Sir Christopher Hawkins, Bt Tory[11]
1826 James Halse Tory[11]
1828 Charles Arbuthnot Tory
1830 William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley Ultra Tory James Morrison Whig[11]
1831 James Halse Tory[11] Edward Bulwer-Lytton Whig[11]
1832 Representation reduced to one member

1832–1885

edit
Election Member[10] Party
1832 James Halse Tory[11]
1834 Conservative[11]
1838 by-election William Tyringham Praed Conservative[11]
1846 by-election Lord William Powlett Conservative
1852 Robert Laffan Peelite[12]
1857 Henry Paull Conservative
1868 Charles Magniac Liberal
1874 Edward Davenport Conservative
1874 by-election Charles Praed Conservative
1875 by-election Charles Praed Conservative
1880 Sir Charles Reed Liberal
1881 by-election Charles Campbell Ross Conservative
1885 Borough abolished; name transferred to county division

Since 1885

edit
Election Member[10] Party
1885 Sir John St Aubyn Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1887 by-election Thomas Bedford Bolitho Liberal Unionist
1900 Edward Hain Liberal Unionist
1904 Liberal
1906 Clifford Cory Liberal
1922 Anthony Hawke Conservative
1923 Clifford Cory Liberal
1924 Anthony Hawke Conservative
1928 by-election Hilda Runciman Liberal
1929 Walter Runciman Liberal
1931 National Liberal
1937 by-election Alec Beechman National Liberal
1950 Greville Howard National Liberal
1966 John Nott National Liberal
1968 Conservative
1983 David Harris Conservative
1997 Andrew George Liberal Democrat
2015 Derek Thomas Conservative
2024 Andrew George Liberal Democrat

Elections

edit
 
St Ives electoral history

Elections in the 2020s

edit
General election 2024: St Ives[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 25,033 52.0 +12.7
Conservative Derek Thomas 11,247 23.4 –25.6
Reform UK Giane Mortimer 6,492 13.5 N/A
Labour Filson Ali 2,788 5.8 –3.3
Green Ian Flindall 1,797 3.7 +1.9
Independent Dave Laity 360 0.7 N/A
Liberal Paul Nicholson 187 0.4 –0.2
UKIP Jason Saunders 111 0.2 N/A
The Common People John Harris 91 0.2 ±0.0
Majority 13,786 28.6 N/A
Turnout 48,106 68.7 –8.2
Registered electors 69,980
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing  19.1

Elections in the 2010s

edit
2019 notional result[15]
Party Vote %
Conservative 26,403 49.0
Liberal Democrats 21,176 39.3
Labour 4,893 9.1
Green 981 1.8
Others 446 0.8
Turnout 53,899 76.9
Electorate 70,107
General election 2019: St Ives[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Derek Thomas 25,365 49.3 +6.1
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 21,085 41.0 −1.6
Labour Alana Bates 3,553 6.9 −7.4
Green Ian Flindall 964 1.9 N/A
Liberal Robert Smith 314 0.6 N/A
Common People John Harris 132 0.3 N/A
Majority 4,280 8.3 +7.7
Turnout 51,413 74.9 −1.0
Conservative hold Swing +3.9
General election 2017: St Ives[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Derek Thomas 22,120 43.2 +4.9
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 21,808 42.6 +9.4
Labour Christopher Drew 7,298 14.3 +5.0
Majority 312 0.6 −4.5
Turnout 51,226 75.9 +2.2
Conservative hold Swing -2.3
General election 2015: St Ives[18][19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Derek Thomas 18,491 38.3 −0.7
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 16,022 33.2 −9.5
UKIP Graham Calderwood 5,720 11.8 +6.2
Labour Cornelius Olivier 4,510 9.3 +1.1
Green Tim Andrewes 3,051 6.3 +3.5
Mebyon Kernow Rob Simmons 518 1.1 +0.3
Majority 2,469 5.1 N/A
Turnout 48,312 73.7 +5.1
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +4.5
General election 2010: St Ives[21][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 19,619 42.7 −9.1
Conservative Derek Thomas 17,900 39.0 +11.7
Labour Philippa Latimer 3,751 8.2 −4.4
UKIP Michael Faulkner 2,560 5.6 +1.3
Green Tim Andrewes 1,308 2.8 −1.1
Cornish Democrats Johnathan Rogers 396 0.9 N/A
Mebyon Kernow Simon Reed 387 0.8 N/A
Majority 1,719 3.7 −19.3
Turnout 45,921 68.6 +0.8
Registered electors 66,944
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -10.4

Elections in the 2000s

edit
General election 2005: St Ives
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 25,577 50.7 −0.9
Conservative Christian Mitchell 13,968 27.7 −3.5
Labour Michael Dooley 6,583 13.1 −0.2
UKIP Michael Faulkner 2,551 5.1 +2.2
Green Katrina Slack 1,738 3.4 N/A
Majority 11,609 23.0 +2.6
Turnout 50,417 72.4 +6.1
Registered electors 74,716
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +1.3
General election 2001: St Ives
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 25,413 51.6 +7.1
Conservative Joanna Richardson 15,360 31.2 0.0
Labour William Morris 6,567 13.3 −1.9
UKIP Michael Faulkner 1,926 3.9 +2.8
Majority 10,053 20.4 +7.1
Turnout 49,266 66.3 −8.9
Registered electors 74,256
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -3.6

Elections in the 1990s

edit
General election 1997: St Ives
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 23,966 44.5 +4.4
Conservative William Rogers 16,796 31.2 −11.7
Labour Christopher Fegan 8,184 15.2 −0.8
Referendum Michael Faulkner 3,714 6.9 N/A
UKIP Patricia Garnier 567 1.1 N/A
Liberal Frederick Stephens 425 0.8 −0.2
Independent Kevin Lippiat 178 0.3 N/A
Independent William Hitchins 71 0.1 N/A
Majority 7,170 13.3 N/A
Turnout 55,260 75.2 −5.1
Registered electors 71,680
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +8.1
General election 1992: St Ives[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Harris 24,528 42.9 −5.5
Liberal Democrats Andrew George 22,883 40.1 +6.3
Labour Stephen Warren 9,144 16.0 −1.8
Liberal Graham Stephens 577 1.0 N/A
Majority 1,645 2.8 −11.8
Turnout 57,132 80.3 +3.1
Registered electors 71,152
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

edit
General election 1987: St Ives[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Harris 25,174 48.4 −3.0
SDP Hugh Carter 17,619 33.8 −1.0
Labour Ian Hope 9,275 17.8 +6.6
Majority 7,555 14.6 −2.0
Turnout 52,059 77.2 +3.3
Registered electors 67,448
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: St Ives[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Harris 24,297 51.4 −2.6
SDP Hugh Carter 16,438 34.8 +14.7
Labour Mary Crowley 5,310 11.2 −9.7
Mebyon Kernow Pedyr Prior 569 1.2 −2.8
Ecology H. Hoptrough 439 0.9 −0.1
Independent W.N.A. Horner 219 0.5 N/A
Majority 7,859 16.6 −16.5
Turnout 47,272 73.9 −3.1
Registered electors 64,012
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

edit
General election 1979: St Ives[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Nott 22,352 54.0 +8.6
Labour Richard Evans 8,636 20.9 −3.9
Liberal J. Cotton 8,299 20.1 −9.7
Mebyon Kernow Colin Murley 1,662 4.0 N/A
Ecology H. Hoptrough 427 1.0 N/A
Majority 13,716 33.1 +17.7
Turnout 41,376 77.0 +3.3
Registered electors 53,715
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: St Ives
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Nott 17,198 45.4 +0.3
Liberal Terence Tonkin 11,330 29.8 −1.9
Labour Bruce Tidy 9,388 24.8 +4.7
Majority 5,868 15.4 +2.0
Turnout 37,916 73.7 −5.7
Registered electors 51,440
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: St Ives
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Nott 18,290 45.1 −5.8
Liberal Terence Tonkin 12,865 31.7 +9.8
Labour Bruce Tidy 9,231 20.1 −7.1
Independent G. T. Taylor 177 0.4 N/A
Majority 5,425 13.4 −10.3
Turnout 40,561 79.4 +4.3
Registered electors 51,092
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: St Ives[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Nott 18,581 50.9 +9.6
Labour Maureen Castle 9,913 27.2 −3.8
Liberal Howard Levett Fry 7,981 21.9 −5.8
Majority 8,688 23.7 +13.4
Turnout 36,476 75.1 −2.8
Registered electors 48,063
Conservative hold Swing +6.7

Elections in the 1960s

edit
General election 1966: St Ives[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal John Nott 14,312 41.3 −1.3
Labour Thomas F. G. Jones 10,713 31.0 +2.9
Liberal John C. T. Trewin 9,593 27.7 −1.6
Majority 3,599 10.3 −3.0
Turnout 34,620 77.9 +2.8
Registered electors 44,419
National Liberal hold Swing -2.1
General election 1964: St Ives[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Greville Howard 14,040 42.6 −5.3
Liberal Gerald Edward Leaman Whitmarsh 9,641 29.3 +4.1
Labour Thomas F. G. Jones 9,265 28.1 +1.2
Majority 4,399 13.3 −7.7
Turnout 32,946 75.1 +0.7
Registered electors 43,890
National Liberal hold Swing -4.7

Elections in the 1950s

edit
General election 1959: St Ives[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Greville Howard 15,700 47.9 −4.1
Labour Duncan Longden 8,802 26.9 −2.8
Liberal Gerald Edward Leaman Whitmarsh 8,258 25.2 +6.6
Majority 6,898 21.0 −1.3
Turnout 32,760 74.4 +0.5
Registered electors 44,010
National Liberal hold Swing -0.7
General election 1955: St Ives[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Greville Howard 17,063 52.0 −1.3
Labour Leslie Statton Pawley 9,728 29.7 −2.1
Liberal Desmond Banks 6,020 18.6 +3.7
Majority 7,335 22.3 +0.7
Turnout 32,811 73.9 −4.8
Registered electors 44,374
National Liberal hold Swing +0.4
General election 1951: St Ives[27][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Greville Howard 18,828 53.3 +7.3
Labour Co-op Arthur Maddison 11,216 31.8 +1.1
Liberal John Denis Gilbert Kellock 5,273 14.9 −8.4
Majority 7,612 21.6 +6.3
Turnout 35,317 78.7 −2.9
Registered electors 44,885
National Liberal hold Swing +3.1
General election 1950: St Ives[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Greville Howard 16,653 46.0 −1.3
Labour Peter Shore 11,118 30.7 +3.5
Liberal Eric Farquhar Allison 8,421 23.3 −2.2
Majority 5,535 15.3 −4.8
Turnout 36,192 81.6 +11.0
Registered electors 44,342
National Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

edit
General election 1945: St Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Alec Beechman 14,256 47.3 −3.1
Labour Henry Brinton 8,190 27.2 N/A
Liberal Eric Farquhar Allison 7,692 25.5 −24.1
Majority 6,066 20.1 +19.3
Turnout 30,138 70.6 +4.5
Registered electors 42,706
National Liberal hold Swing N/A

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 1930s

edit
1937 St Ives by-election[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Alec Beechman 13,044 50.4 N/A
Liberal Isaac Foot 12,834 49.6 N/A
Majority 210 0.8 N/A
Turnout 25,878 66.1 N/A
Registered electors 39,149
National Liberal hold Swing
General election 1935: St. Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Walter Runciman Unopposed
Registered electors 39,378
National Liberal hold
General election 1931: St. Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Walter Runciman Unopposed
Registered electors 38,230
National Liberal hold

Elections in the 1920s

edit
General election 1929: St Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Walter Runciman 12,443 43.2 +0.6
Unionist Andrew Caird 11,411 39.7 +0.3
Labour William Edward Arnold-Forster 4,920 17.1 −0.9
Majority 1,032 3.5 +0.3
Turnout 28,764 76.5 −0.9
Registered electors 37,593
Liberal hold Swing +0.2
1928 St Ives by-election: St Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hilda Runciman 10,241 42.6 −4.4
Unionist Andrew Caird 9,478 39.4 −13.6
Labour Frederick Jesse Hopkins 4,343 18.0 N/A
Majority 763 3.2 N/A
Turnout 24,062 77.4 +8.3
Registered electors 31,096
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +4.6
General election 1924: St Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Anthony Hawke 11,159 53.0 +12.4
Liberal Clifford Cory 9,912 47.0 +0.5
Majority 1,247 6.0 N/A
Turnout 21,071 69.1 −2.3
Registered electors 30,512
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +6.0
General election 1923: St Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Clifford Cory 9,922 46.5 0.0
Unionist Anthony Hawke 8,652 40.6 −12.9
Labour Albert Dunn 2,749 12.9 N/A
Majority 1,270 5.9 12.9
Turnout 21,323 71.4 +5.8
Registered electors 29,877
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +6.5
General election 1922: St Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Anthony Hawke 10,388 53.5 N/A
National Liberal Clifford Cory 9,016 46.5 −12.1
Majority 1,372 7.0 N/A
Turnout 19,404 65.6 +13.9
Registered electors 29,561
Unionist gain from National Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

edit
General election 1918: St Ives[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Clifford Cory 8,659 58.6 +2.6
Labour Albert Dunn 5,659 38.4 N/A
Ind. Unionist Thomas Francis Tregoy Mitchell 436 3.0 N/A
Majority 3,000 20.2 +8.2
Turnout 14,754 51.7 −29.0
Registered electors 28,537
Liberal hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

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 December 1910: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Clifford Cory 4,253 56.0 +0.6
Liberal Unionist Roland Edmund Lomax Vaughan-Williams 3,338 44.0 −0.6
Majority 915 12.0 +1.2
Turnout 7,591 80.7 −4.8
Registered electors 9,411
Liberal hold Swing +0.6
General election January 1910: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Clifford Cory 4,458 55.4 −2.8
Liberal Unionist Cecil Levita 3,586 44.6 +2.8
Majority 872 10.8 −5.6
Turnout 8,044 85.5 +4.3
Registered electors 9,411
Liberal hold Swing -2.8

Elections in the 1900s

edit
 
Clifford Cory
General election 1906: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Clifford Cory 4,244 58.2 N/A
Liberal Unionist Philip Pilditch 3,052 41.8 N/A
Majority 1,192 16.4 N/A
Turnout 7,296 81.2 N/A
Registered electors 8,980
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing N/A
General election 1900: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Edward Hain Unopposed
Registered electors 8,369
Liberal Unionist hold

Elections in the 1890s

edit
General election 1895: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Thomas Bedford Bolitho Unopposed
Registered electors 7,569
Liberal Unionist hold
General election 1892: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Thomas Bedford Bolitho Unopposed
Registered electors 7,130
Liberal Unionist hold

Elections in the 1880s

edit
By-election, 9 July 1887: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Thomas Bedford Bolitho Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
  • Caused by St. Aubyn's elevation to the peerage, becoming Lord St. Levan.
General election 1886: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist John St Aubyn 3,395 79.3 +35.6
Liberal Samuel Barrow[31] 888 20.7 −35.6
Majority 2,507 58.6 N/A
Turnout 4,283 56.3 −21.1
Registered electors 7,606
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +35.6
General election 1885: St Ives[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John St Aubyn 3,313 56.3 +3.7
Conservative Charles Campbell Ross 2,576 43.7 −3.7
Majority 737 12.6 +7.4
Turnout 5,889 77.4 −4.2
Registered electors 7,606
Liberal hold Swing +3.7
By-election, 13 April 1881: St Ives[32][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Campbell Ross 462 56.2 +8.8
Liberal William Cole Pendarves 360 43.8 −8.8
Majority 102 12.4 N/A
Turnout 822 81.2 −0.4
Registered electors 1,012
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +8.8
  • Caused by Reed's death.
General election 1880: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Reed 487 52.6 +16.1
Conservative Charles Campbell Ross 439 47.4 −16.1
Majority 48 5.2 N/A
Turnout 926 81.6 −1.1
Registered electors 1,135
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +16.1

Elections in the 1870s

edit
1875 St Ives by-election[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Praed 658 54.5 −9.0
Liberal Francis Lycett 550 45.5 +9.0
Majority 108 9.0 −18.0
Turnout 1,208 85.7 +3.0
Registered electors 1,410
Conservative hold Swing -9.0
  • Caused by the previous by-election being declared void on petition, on grounds of "general treating".[34]
By-election, 30 December 1874: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Praed 617 52.8 −10.7
Liberal Francis Lycett 552 47.2 +10.7
Majority 65 5.6 −21.4
Turnout 1,169 81.7 −1.0
Registered electors 1,430
Conservative hold Swing −10.7
  • Caused by Davenport's death.
General election 1874: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Davenport 751 63.5 N/A
Liberal John Bedford Bolitho[35] 432 36.5 N/A
Majority 319 27.0 N/A
Turnout 1,183 82.7 N/A
Registered electors 1,430
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1860s

edit
General election 1868: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Magniac Unopposed
Registered electors 1,398
Liberal gain from Conservative
General election 1865: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Paull 233 56.8 −9.6
Liberal Edward Vivian[36] 177 43.2 +9.6
Majority 56 13.6 −19.2
Turnout 410 84.4 +10.3
Registered electors 486
Conservative hold Swing −9.6

Elections in the 1850s

edit
General election 1859: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Paull 257 66.4 N/A
Liberal Charles Frederick Giesler[37] 130 33.6 N/A
Majority 127 32.8 N/A
Turnout 387 74.1 N/A
Registered electors 522
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1857: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Paull Unopposed
Registered electors 536
Conservative gain from Peelite
General election 1852: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite Robert Laffan 256 52.0 N/A
Conservative Henry Paull 218 44.3 −20.7
Radical Philip Edward Barnes[38][39] 18 3.7 N/A
Majority 38 7.7 N/A
Turnout 492 85.1 +17.3
Registered electors 578
Peelite gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1840s

edit
General election 1847: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Powlett 262 65.0 +14.6
Conservative Peter Borthwick[40] 141 35.0 −14.6
Majority 121 30.0 +29.2
Turnout 403 67.8 −22.2
Registered electors 594
Conservative hold Swing +14.6
By-election, 21 July 1846: St Ives[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Powlett Unopposed
Conservative hold
  • Caused by Praed's death.
General election 1841: St Ives[33][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Tyringham Praed 272 50.4 +5.3
Conservative Edwin Ley 268 49.6 −5.3
Majority 4 0.8 −9.0
Turnout 540 90.0 +4.5
Registered electors 600
Conservative hold Swing +5.3

Elections in the 1830s

edit
By-election, 24 May 1838: St Ives[33][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Tyringham Praed 256 50.8 +5.7
Conservative Francis Hearle Stephens 248 49.2 −5.7
Majority 8 1.6 −8.2
Turnout 504 86.0 +0.5
Registered electors 586
Conservative hold Swing +5.7
  • Caused by Halse's death
General election 1837: St Ives[33][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative James Halse 272 54.9
Conservative William Tyringham Praed 223 45.1
Majority 49 9.8
Turnout 495 85.5
Registered electors 579
Conservative hold
General election 1835: St Ives[33][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative James Halse Unopposed
Registered electors 599
Conservative hold
General election 1832: St Ives[33][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory James Halse 302 59.3
Tory William Mackworth Praed 168 33.0
Tory Henry Lewis Stephens 39 7.7
Majority 134 26.3
Turnout 509 87.2
Registered electors 584
Tory hold
General election 1831: St Ives[11][41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory James Halse Unopposed
Whig Edward Lytton Bulwer Unopposed
Registered electors c. 499
Tory hold
Whig hold
General election 1830: St Ives[11][41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley 217 39.5
Whig James Morrison 181 33.0
Tory James Halse 151 27.5
Turnout 316 c. 63.3
Registered electors c. 499
Majority 36 6.5
Tory hold Swing
Majority 30 5.5 N/A
Whig gain from Tory Swing

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  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. ^ Earls of Buckinghamshire from 1746.
  4. ^ Lord of a local manor.
  5. ^ Presumably paid to qualified voters, ensuring that it would be futile to contest here.
  6. ^ in his Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland.
  7. ^ Even though its MP from 1906, Sir Clifford Cory, was nominally a Liberal rather than a Unionist and stood against Liberal Unionists, he consistently stated his opposition to Irish Home Rule to voters at each election.
  8. ^ Possibly this is John Harington (treasurer).
  9. ^ The Dictionary of National Biography records that Blount was elected for Berealston, which he certainly represented in the following two Parliaments; but Browne Willis (whose information on the Parliament of 1584-5 Neale refers to as "fairly reliable") gives two other names for Berealston and lists Blount for St Ives.
  10. ^ Lisle was also elected for Yarmouth (Isle of Wight), which he chose to represent, and did not sit for St Ives.
  11. ^ In April 1660, St Ives made a double return; on 5 May 1660, the Commons resolved "That John St Aubyn and James Praed, esqrs, being duly returned by the proper officers, they ought to sit".
  12. ^ Hobart was also elected for Norwich, which he chose to represent, and never sat for St Ives.
  13. ^ On petition, Praed was declared not to have been duly elected, and a by-election was held.
  14. ^ Created The Lord Newborough (in the Peerage of Ireland) in 1776.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Result for St Ives constituency - 4 July 2024 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  2. ^ UK Polling Report http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/stives/
  3. ^ "There are places of worship for the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion, Primitive Methodists, and Wesleyans, which last have also a meeting-house in the village of Halsetown" Samuel Lewis, ed. (1848). "Ives, St. (parish of St Andrew)". A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Order of Declaration in the 2001 Election". demon.co.uk.
  5. ^ Scilly’s Polling Stations Open But Result Expected To Be Latest In UK, Scilly Today, 7 May 2015
  6. ^ BBC News Lib Dems defeated by Conservatives in Cornwall (8 May 2015)
  7. ^ "Final recommendations for Parliamentary constituencies in the county of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly". Boundary Commission for England. 9 January 2005. Archived from the original on 2 November 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  8. ^ Fifth periodic report - Non-Metropolitan Counties and the Unitary Authorities The Stationery Office Published 26 February 2007 ISBN 0-10-170322-8
  9. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
  10. ^ a b c d Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 1)
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 47–48. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  12. ^ "The General Election". Morning Post. 13 July 1852. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  13. ^ Kate Kennally (7 June 2024). "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED, NOTICE OF POLL AND SITUATION OF POLLING STATIONS - St Ives" (PDF). Cornwall Council. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Result for St Ives constituency - 4 July 2024 - Cornwall Council". cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "St Ives Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  17. ^ "St Ives parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  18. ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
  19. ^ "Candidates (PPCs) for St Ives in the UK 2015 general election – YourNextMP.com". YourNextMP. 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  20. ^ "St Ives". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  21. ^ Lavery, Kevin (20 April 2010). "St. Ives statement of persons nominated and notice of poll" (PDF). Acting Returning Officer, Cornwall Council. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  22. ^ "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – St Ives". BBC News.
  23. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  24. ^ "UK General Election results June 1987". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resource. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  25. ^ "UK General Election results June 1983". Politics Resources. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  26. ^ "UK General Election results May 1979". Politics Resources. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  28. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  31. ^ "The General Election". Huddersfield Chronicle. 8 July 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 10 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  32. ^ "St Ives Election. Return Of Mr C C Ross". The Cornishman. No. 144. 14 April 1881. p. 8.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  34. ^ "The St Ives Election Petition". Cornish Telegraph. 24 February 1875. p. 3. Retrieved 19 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  35. ^ "St Ives". Western Morning News. 2 February 1874. p. 5. Retrieved 19 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  36. ^ "Candidates". Western Morning News. 3 July 1865. p. 3. Retrieved 17 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  37. ^ "St Ives". Royal Cornwall Gazette. 6 May 1859. p. 10. Retrieved 7 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  38. ^ "Borough of St. Ives". Royal Cornwall Gazette. 16 July 1852. p. 7. Retrieved 7 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  39. ^ "Election Intelligence". Morning Chronicle. 12 July 1852. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 7 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  40. ^ "The General Election". Western Times. 7 August 1847. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 30 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  41. ^ a b Jenkins, Terry. "St. Ives". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 23 April 2020.

Sources

edit
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=St_Ives_(UK_Parliament_constituency)&oldid=1264381798"