Kingswood (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1974–2024

Kingswood

Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of Kingswood in Avon

Location of Avon within England

County| 1974–1997 Avon
1997–present South Gloucestershire
Electorate| 65,543 (2023)[1]
Major settlements| Kingswood
1974 (1974)–2024
Seats| One
Created from| Bristol South East and South Gloucestershire
Replaced by| Bristol North East
Filton and Bradley Stoke
North East Somerset and Hanham

Kingswood was a borough constituency for the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) at least once every five years by the first-past-the-post electoral system.

The seat was abolished for the 2024 general election.[2]

## History

[edit]

The constituency existed from the February 1974 general election. It had been held by the Conservative and Labour parties. Before the 2010 election, when the seat was held by Labour, it was 135th on the Conservative Party target seats list[3] and in the 2015 election it was 41st on the Labour Party's target seats.[4]

On 26 November 2022, the previous MP, Conservative Chris Skidmore, announced that he would not seek re-election at the next election.[5][6] On 5 January 2024, Skidmore announced he would resign from parliament "as soon as possible" in protest at the introduction of the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill.[7][8] On 8 January 2024, he formally resigned as an MP which triggered a by-election.[9] Labour's Damien Egan won the by-election, and would sit for it for the last four months of the constituency's existence before its abolition at the 2024 general election.

## Boundaries

[edit]

Map of boundaries 2019–2024

1974–1983: The Urban Districts of Kingswood and Mangotsfield, alongside the Rural District of Warmley.

1983–1997: The District of Kingswood wards of Chase, Chiphouse, Downend, Forest, Hanham, Mangotsfield, New Cheltenham, Soundwell, Staple Hill, Woodstock, alongside the City of Bristol wards of Frome Vale, Hillfields, St George East, St George West.

1997–2010: The Borough of Kingswood wards of Badminton, Blackhorse, Bromley Heath, Chase, Chiphouse, Downend, Forest, Hanham, Mangotsfield, New Cheltenham, Oldland Barrs Court, Oldland Cadbury Heath, Oldland Longwell Green, Siston, Soundwell, Springfield, Staple Hill, Woodstock, alongside the City of Bristol wards of Frome Vale and Hillfields.

2010–2019: The District of South Gloucestershire wards of Bitton, Hanham, Kings Chase, Longwell Green, Oldland Common, Parkwall, Rodway, Siston, Woodstock.

2019 to 2024: The District of South Gloucestershire wards of Bitton and Oldland Common, Hanham, Kingswood, New Cheltenham, Woodstock, Longwell Green, Parkwall and Warmley.

The constituency covered part of the South Gloucestershire unitary authority, consisting of the eastern suburbs of Bristol and commuter villages outside of the city boundary, including the town of Kingswood. It largely corresponded to the former Borough of Kingswood.

The Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies prompted the boundary changes with effect from the 2010 general election.[10] In particular, all wards in the constituency were now from the South Gloucestershire authority. Prior to 2010, the Frome Vale and Hillfields wards of the City of Bristol were part of the Kingswood constituency, but were transferred to Bristol East. Within South Gloucestershire, the Kingswood seat gained Hanham, Bitton and Oldland Common from the former Wansdyke constituency, but lost Downend and Staple Hill to the new Filton and Bradley Stoke seat.

## Abolition

[edit]

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished for the 2024 general election, with its contents distributed three ways:[2]

* Southern areas, comprising the District of South Gloucestershire wards of Bitton and Oldland Common, Hanham, Longwell Green, and Parkwall and Warmley, included with the majority of North East Somerset to form the new constituency of North East Somerset and Hanham
* The town of Kingswood, comprising the Kingswood, New Cheltenham and Woodstock wards of South Gloucestershire, included in the re-established seat of Bristol North East
* Emersons Green transferred to Filton and Bradley Stoke

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member[11] | Party

|
|

| Feb 1974 | Terry Walker | Labour
| 1979 | Jack Aspinwall | Conservative
| 1983 | Robert Hayward | Conservative
| 1992 | Roger Berry | Labour
| 2010 | Chris Skidmore | Conservative
| 2024 | Independent
| 2024 by-election | Damien Egan | Labour
2024 | constituency abolished

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 2020s

[edit]

2024 Kingswood by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Damien Egan | 11,176  | 44.9  | +11.5
| Conservative | Sam Bromiley  | 8,675  | 34.9  | –21.3
| Reform UK | Rupert Lowe | 2,578  | 10.4  | New
| Green | Lorraine Francis  | 1,459  | 5.8  | +3.4
| Liberal Democrats | Andrew Brown  | 861  | 3.5  | –3.4
| UKIP | Nicholas Wood  | 129  | 0.5  | New
Majority  | 2,501  | 10.0  | N/A
Turnout | 24,905  | 37.1  | –21.8
Registered electors |  |  |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +17.5  |

### Elections in the 2010s

[edit]

General election 2019: Kingswood[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Chris Skidmore | 27,712  | 56.2  | +1.3
| Labour | Nicola Bowden-Jones  | 16,492  | 33.4  | –6.1
| Liberal Democrats | Dine Romero  | 3,421  | 6.9  | +3.3
| Green | Joseph Evans  | 1,200  | 2.4  | +0.4
| Animal Welfare | Angelika Cowell  | 489  | 1.0  | New
Majority  | 11,220  | 22.8  | +7.4
Turnout | 49,314  | 71.5  | +1.3
Registered electors | 68,972  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.7  |
General election 2017: Kingswood[13][14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Chris Skidmore | 26,754  | 54.9  | +6.6
| Labour | Mhairi Threlfall  | 19,254  | 39.5  | +9.9
| Liberal Democrats | Karen Wilkinson  | 1,749  | 3.6  | –0.2
| Green | Matt Furey-King  | 984  | 2.0  | –0.8
Majority  | 7,500  | 15.4  | –3.3
Turnout | 48,741  | 70.2  | –0.6
Registered electors | 69,426  |  | +2.1
| Conservative hold | Swing | –1.7  |
General election 2015: Kingswood[15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Chris Skidmore | 23,252  | 48.3  | +7.9
| Labour | Jo McCarron[16] | 14,246  | 29.6  | –5.7
| UKIP | Duncan Odgers[17] | 7,133  | 14.8  | +11.6
| Liberal Democrats | Adam Boyden[18] | 1,827  | 3.8  | –13.0
| Green | Cezara Nanu[19] | 1,370  | 2.8  | +2.0
| BNP | Julie Lake[20] | 164  | 0.3  | –2.4
| TUSC | Richard Worth[21] | 84  | 0.2  | New
| Vapers in Power  | Liam Bryan  | 49  | 0.1  | New
Majority  | 9,006  | 18.7  | +13.6
Turnout | 48,125  | 70.8  | –1.4
Registered electors | 67,992  |  | +2.5
| Conservative hold | Swing | +6.8  |

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Kingswood

General election 2010: Kingswood[22][23] [24] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Chris Skidmore | 19,362  | 40.4  | +8.3
| Labour | Roger Berry | 16,917  | 35.3  | –10.6
| Liberal Democrats | Sally Fitzharris  | 8,072  | 16.8  | –1.2
| UKIP | Neil Dowdney  | 1,528  | 3.2  | +0.8
| BNP | Michael Carey  | 1,311  | 2.7  | New
| Green | Nick Foster  | 383  | 0.8  | New
| English Democrat | Michael Blundell  | 333  | 0.7  | New
Majority  | 2,445  | 5.1  | N/A
Turnout | 47,906  | 72.2  | +4.5
Registered electors | 66,361  |  | +0.6
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +9.4  |

### Elections in the 2000s

[edit]

General election 2005: Kingswood[25] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Roger Berry | 26,491  | 47.0  | –7.9
| Conservative | Owen Inskip  | 18,618  | 33.1  | +4.7
| Liberal Democrats | Geoff Brewer  | 9,089  | 16.1  | +1.4
| UKIP | John Knight  | 1,444  | 2.6  | +0.5
| Independent | David Burnside  | 669  | 1.2  | New
Majority  | 7,873  | 13.9  | –12.6
Turnout | 56,311  | 66.7  | +1.3
Registered electors | 88,400  |  | +4.8
| Labour hold | Swing | –6.3  |
General election 2001: Kingswood[26] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Roger Berry | 28,903  | 54.9  | +1.2
| Conservative | Robert Marven  | 14,941  | 28.4  | –1.5
| Liberal Democrats | Christopher Greenfield  | 7,747  | 14.7  | +1.8
| UKIP | David Smith  | 1,085  | 2.1  | New
Majority  | 13,962  | 26.5  | +2.7
Turnout | 52,676  | 65.4  | –12.3
Registered electors | 80,531  |  | +4.6
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.4  |

### Elections in the 1990s

[edit]

General election 1997: Kingswood[27][28][29][30][31] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Roger Berry | 32,181  | 53.7  | +13.1
| Conservative | Jon Howard  | 17,928  | 29.9  | –15.9
| Liberal Democrats | Jeanne B. Pinkerton  | 7,672  | 12.9  | –0.8
| Referendum | Alexandra Reather  | 1,463  | 2.4  | New
| BNP | Peter Hart  | 290  | 0.5  | New
| Natural Law | Andrew Harding  | 238  | 0.4  | New
| Independent | Andrew Nicolson  | 115  | 0.2  | New
Majority  | 14,253  | 23.8  | +18.6
Turnout | 59,884  | 77.7  | –6.8
Registered electors | 77,026  |  | +0.9
| Labour win
General election 1992: Kingswood[32][33] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Roger Berry | 26,774  | 44.5  | +7.1
| Conservative | Robert Hayward | 24,404  | 40.6  | –4.3
| Liberal Democrats | Jeanne B. Pinkerton  | 8,967  | 14.9  | –2.8
Majority  | 2,370  | 3.9  | N/A
Turnout | 60,145  | 83.8  | +3.6
Registered electors | 71,727  |  | –1.9
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.7  |

### Elections in the 1980s

[edit]

General election 1987: Kingswood[34] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Robert Hayward | 26,300  | 44.9  | +4.5
| Labour | Roger Berry | 21,907  | 37.4  | +0.3
| SDP | Pamela Whittle  | 10,382  | 17.7  | –4.8
Majority  | 4,393  | 7.5  | +4.2
Turnout | 58,589  | 80.2  | +2.7
Registered electors | 73,089  |  | +1.3
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.1  |
General election 1983: Kingswood[35] [36] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Robert Hayward | 22,573  | 40.4  | –0.8
| Labour | Terry Walker | 20,776  | 37.1  | –10.8
| SDP | Martyn Gilbert  | 12,591  | 22.5  | +12.6
Majority  | 1,797  | 3.3  | –3.5
Turnout | 55,940  | 77.5  | –3.5
Registered electors | 72,159  |  | +1.6
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1979: Kingswood  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Jack Aspinwall | 23,553  | 45.4  | +6.8
| Labour | Terry Walker | 23,250  | 44.8  | +0.8
| Liberal | A Wilson  | 4,852  | 9.3  | –8.1
| National Front | R Bale  | 258  | 0.5  | New
Majority  | 303  | 0.6  | N/A
Turnout | 51,913  | 86.2  | +2.0
Registered electors | 60,229  |  | +7.6
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +3.0  |
General election October 1974: Kingswood  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Terry Walker | 20,703  | 44.0  | +5.3
| Conservative | David Hunt | 18,137  | 38.6  | +3.3
| Liberal | Jack Aspinwall | 8,216  | 17.4  | –8.5
Majority  | 2,566  | 5.4  | +2.0
Turnout | 47,092  | 84.2  | –2.5
Registered electors | 55,952  |  | +0.9
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.0  |
General election February 1974: Kingswood [37] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Terry Walker | 18,616  | 38.7  | –8.4
| Conservative | Charles Irving | 16,975  | 35.3  | –17.5
| Liberal | Jack Aspinwall | 12,471  | 25.9  | New
Majority  | 1,641  | 3.4  | –2.3
Turnout | 48,062  | 86.7  | +12.7
Registered electors | 55,462  |  | +1.2
| Labour win (new seat)

## See also

[edit]

* List of parliamentary constituencies in Avon

## Notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010–2023". Boundary Commission for England. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
2. ^ a b "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
3. ^ "ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidates blog: Hits and misses on the Tory target list at the 2010 general election". conservativehome.blogs.com.
4. ^ "Labour's 106 battleground target seats for 2015 – LabourList". 8 January 2013.
5. ^ "Tory MP Chris Skidmore to step down at next general election". Sky News. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
6. ^ PA (26 November 2022). "Chris Skidmore ninth Tory MP to set exit plan as party hit with dire opinion polls". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
7. ^ https://twitter.com/CSkidmoreUK/status/1743324376479486007 [bare URL]
8. ^ Horton, Helena (5 January 2024). "Chris Skidmore resigns Conservative whip over Sunak's oil and gas licence plan". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
9. ^ "Conservative MP Chris Skidmore formally resigns triggering by-election in Kingswood". ITV. ITV. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
10. ^ "Final Recommendations for Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in the Unitary Authority of South Gloucesterhire". Boundary Commission for England. 14 November 2001. Archived from the original (MS Word) on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
11. ^ "Members 1979–2010" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
12. ^ "Kingswood Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
13. ^ "Election 2017: Kingswood parliamentary constituency". Retrieved 11 June 2017.
14. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
15. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
16. ^ "Kingswood Labour". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
17. ^ "Kingswood – 2015 Election Results". General Elections Online. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
18. ^ "General Election 2015 Candidates – Liberal Democrats". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014.
19. ^ "A Green MP for Kingswood, Bristol". 4 February 2015.
20. ^ "Bristol and Exeter Raise Appeal | Regional News | British National Party". Archived from the original on 30 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
21. ^ "TUSC parliamentary candidates in May 2015" (PDF). Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. 4 February 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 February 2015.
22. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
23. ^ "Election 2010: Kingswood". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
24. ^ Percentage change and swing for 2010 is calculated relative to the PA (Rallings and Thrasher) 2005 notional result, not actual 2005 result "Press Association Elections". Press Association. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
25. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
26. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
27. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
28. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
29. ^ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.106 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
30. ^ The 1997 swings are calculated relative to the notional, not the actual, 1992 result.
31. ^ Boundary changes meant that Kingswood was notionally a Conservative seat in 1992, which is why this is described as a Labour gain despite the fact that Roger Berry was the incumbent Labour MP.
32. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
33. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
34. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
35. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
36. ^ Percentage change and swing for 1983 is calculated relative to the BBC/ITN 1979 notional constituency result, not actual 1979 result. See British Broadcasting Corporation; Independent Television News. The BBC/ITN Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies (Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services 1983)
37. ^ Percentage change and swing for February 1974 is calculated relative to the BBC notional 1970 constituency result, not actual 1970 result. Notional 1970 results were rounded to the nearest hundred. Constituency data for 1974–83 including 1970 notionals, retrieved 18 July 2017

## External links

[edit]

* Kingswood UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
* Kingswood UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK

* v
* t
* e

Constituencies in South West England (58)

Labour (24)|

* Bournemouth East
* Bournemouth West
* Bristol East
* Bristol North East
* Bristol North West
* Bristol South
* Camborne and Redruth
* Exeter
* Filton and Bradley Stoke
* Forest of Dean
* Gloucester
* North East Somerset and Hanham
* North Somerset
* Plymouth Moor View
* Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
* Poole
* South Dorset
* South East Cornwall
* St Austell and Newquay
* Stroud
* Swindon North
* Swindon South
* Truro and Falmouth
* Weston-super-Mare

Liberal Democrats (22)|

* Bath
* Cheltenham
* Chippenham
* Frome and East Somerset
* Glastonbury and Somerton
* Honiton and Sidmouth
* Melksham and Devizes
* Mid Dorset and North Poole
* Newton Abbot
* North Cornwall
* North Devon
* South Cotswolds
* South Devon
* St Ives
* Taunton and Wellington
* Tewkesbury
* Thornbury and Yate
* Tiverton and Minehead
* Torbay
* Wells and Mendip Hills
* West Dorset
* Yeovil

Conservative (11)|

* Bridgwater
* Central Devon
* Christchurch
* East Wiltshire
* Exmouth and Exeter East
* North Cotswolds
* North Dorset
* Salisbury
* South West Devon
* South West Wiltshire
* Torridge and Tavistock

Green (1)|

* Bristol Central

Authority control databases: People |

* UK Parliament

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