North Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885-1918, 1950-1983 and 2010 onwards

North Somerset

County constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of North Somerset in South West England

County| Somerset
Electorate| 73,963 (2023)[1]
Major settlements| Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead
Current constituency
Created| 2010
Member of Parliament| Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour)
Seats| One
Created from| Woodspring
1950–1983
Created from| Frome and Weston-super-Mare
Replaced by| Woodspring, Wansdyke and Wells[2]
1885–1918
Created from| East Somerset
Replaced by| Frome and Weston-super-Mare

North Somerset is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Sadik Al-Hassan of the Labour Party.[n 2]

## History

[edit]

Earlier versions of the seat existed in 1885–1918 and 1950–1983.

First creation

Parliament passed the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 creating the larger constituency of North Somerset from the 1885 general election, which was later abolished for the 1918 general election.

Second creation

North Somerset was re-established for the 1950 general election, and abolished again for the 1983 general election.

Third creation

Following the review of parliamentary representation in the North Somerset district by the Boundary Commission for England, the former Woodspring constituency was renamed as North Somerset without substantial boundary changes.[3]

The Woodspring seat returned Conservative MPs, and had been held by Liam Fox from 1992 until its abolition. Fox won the new constituency by nearly 14 percentage points over the Liberal Democrats in 2010, while Labour took second place in 2015, 2017 and 2019. In 2024, with the Conservatives doing poorly around Bristol and surrounding constituencies in losing all their seats, Sadik Al-Hassan was elected as MP - the first to have been returned to Parliament for the Labour Party.

## Boundaries

[edit]

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Keynsham, Long Ashton, and Temple Cloud, and the civil parishes of Binegar, Chilcompton, and Midsomer Norton.

1950–1983: The Urban Districts of Keynsham, Norton Radstock, and Portishead, the Rural Districts of Bathavon and Clutton, and part of the Rural District of Long Ashton.

2010–2024: The District of North Somerset wards of Backwell, Clevedon Central, Clevedon East, Clevedon North, Clevedon South, Clevedon Walton, Clevedon West, Clevedon Yeo, Easton-in-Gordano, Gordano, Nailsea East, Nailsea North and West, Pill, Portishead Central, Portishead Coast, Portishead East, Portishead Redcliffe Bay, Portishead South and North Weston, Portishead West, Winford, Wraxall and Long Ashton, Wrington, and Yatton.

2024–present: The District of North Somerset wards of: Backwell; Clevedon East; Clevedon South; Clevedon Walton; Clevedon West; Clevedon Yeo; Gordano Valley; Long Ashton; Nailsea Golden Valley; Nailsea West End; Nailsea Yeo; Nailsea Youngwood; Pill; Portishead East; Portishead North; Portishead South; Portishead West; Winford; Wrington.[4]

Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to moderate boundary changes involving the loss of the Yatton area which was transferred to the new constituency of Wells and Mendip Hills, first contested at the 2024 general election.[5]

## Constituency profile

[edit]

This is essentially the former Woodspring seat with a new name. A coastal strip between the Severn Estuary and the M5 motorway includes the towns of Clevedon and Portishead, while inland from the motorway is the town of Nailsea and a predominantly rural area dotted with villages. This is a fairly affluent constituency with average incomes and low proportion of unemployment claimants[6] – about a third of the population commute to work, mostly in Bristol and Bath.[7]

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Year  | Member  | Party

|
|

1885 | Evan Henry Llewellyn |  | Conservative
1892 | Courtenay Warner |  | Liberal
1895 | Evan Henry Llewellyn |  | Conservative
1906 | William Henry Bateman Hope |  | Liberal
1910 | Joseph King |  | Liberal
1918 | constituency abolished
1950 | Sir Ted Leather |  | Conservative
1964 | Paul Dean |  | Conservative
1983 | constituency abolished: see Woodspring
2010 | Liam Fox |  | Conservative
2024 | Sadik Al-Hassan |  | Labour

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 2020s

[edit]

General election 2024: North Somerset[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Sadik Al-Hassan | 19,138  | 35.6  | +10.6
| Conservative | Liam Fox | 18,499  | 34.4  | −19.1
| Liberal Democrats | Ashley Cartman  | 7,121  | 13.2  | −3.4
| Reform UK | Alexander Kokkinoftas  | 5,602  | 10.4  | New
| Green | Oscar Livesey-Lodwick  | 3,273  | 6.1  | +1.2
| Workers Party | Suneil Basu  | 133  | 0.2  | New
Majority | 639  | 1.2  | N/A
Turnout | 53,766  | 76.3  | −0.6
Registered electors | 74,426  |  |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.8  |

### Elections in the 2010s

[edit]

2019 notional result[9]

Party  | Vote  | %
| Conservative | 30,411 | 53.5
| Labour | 14,227 | 25.0
| Liberal Democrats | 9,425 | 16.6
| Green | 2,801 | 4.9
Turnout | 56,864  | 76.9
Electorate | 73,963
General election 2019: North Somerset[10] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Liam Fox | 32,801  | 52.9  | −1.3
| Labour | Hannah Young  | 15,265  | 24.6  | −2.0
| Liberal Democrats | Ashley Cartman  | 11,051  | 17.8  | +8.2
| Green | Phil Neve  | 2,938  | 4.7  | +1.5
Majority | 17,536  | 28.3  | +0.7
Turnout | 62,055  | 77.4  | +0.5
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4  |
General election 2017: North Somerset[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Liam Fox | 33,605  | 54.2  | +0.7
| Labour | Greg Chambers  | 16,502  | 26.6  | +12.3
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Foord | 5,982  | 9.6  | −3.1
| Independent | Donald Davies  | 3,929  | 6.3  | New
| Green | Charley Pattison  | 1,976  | 3.2  | −3.3
Majority | 17,103  | 27.6  | −11.6
Turnout | 61,994  | 76.9  | +3.3
| Conservative hold | Swing | −5.8  |
General election 2015: North Somerset[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Liam Fox | 31,540  | 53.5  | +4.2
| Labour | Greg Chambers  | 8,441  | 14.3  | +3.2
| UKIP | Ian Kealey[13] | 7,669  | 13.0  | +9.1
| Liberal Democrats | Marcus Kravis  | 7,486  | 12.7  | −23.0
| Green | David Derbyshire  | 3,806  | 6.5  | +6.5
Majority | 23,099  | 39.2  | +25.6
Turnout | 58,942  | 73.6  | −1.4
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 2010: North Somerset[14][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Liam Fox | 28,549  | 49.3  |
| Liberal Democrats | Brian Mathew | 20,687  | 35.7  |
| Labour | Steve Parry-Hearn  | 6,448  | 11.1  |
| UKIP | Sue Taylor  | 2,257  | 3.9  |
Majority | 7,862  | 13.6  |
Turnout | 57,941  | 75.0  |
| Conservative win (new seat)

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1979: North Somerset  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Paul Dean | 43,173  | 54.34  | +9.4
| Labour | AJ Smith  | 22,122  | 27.85  | −3.8
| Liberal | David Sanders  | 12,898  | 16.23  | −6.7
| Ecology | R Carder  | 1,254  | 1.58  | New
Majority | 21,051  | 26.49  | +13.26
Turnout | 79,447  | 82.24  | +1.81
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election October 1974: North Somerset  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Paul Dean | 32,146  | 44.88  |
| Labour | HR White  | 22,671  | 31.65  |
| Liberal | JM Bourne  | 16,428  | 22.93  |
| United Democratic Party  | JK Polling  | 387  | 0.54  | New
Majority | 9,475  | 13.23  |
Turnout | 71,632  | 80.43  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election February 1974: North Somerset  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Paul Dean | 34,576  | 46.09  |
| Labour | HR White  | 22,421  | 29.89  |
| Liberal | JM Bourne  | 18,023  | 24.02  | New
Majority | 12,155  | 16.20  |
Turnout | 75,020  | 85.06  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1970: North Somerset  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Paul Dean | 38,975  | 58.1  | +11.7
| Labour | John T Mitchard  | 28,121  | 41.9  | −0.8
Majority | 10,854  | 16.2  | +12.5
Turnout | 67,096  | 79.1  | −6.2
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1966: North Somerset  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Paul Dean | 28,824  | 46.4  | ±0.0
| Labour | Brian Tilley  | 26,526  | 42.7  | +2.9
| Liberal | Mark E Willies  | 6,745  | 10.9  | −2.9
Majority | 2,298  | 3.7  | −2.9
Turnout | 62,095  | 85.3  | −0.1
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1964: Somerset North  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Paul Dean | 27,814  | 46.4  | −9.9
| Labour | DT White  | 23,896  | 39.8  | −3.9
| Liberal | Mark E Willies  | 8,253  | 13.8  | New
Majority | 3,918  | 6.6  | −6.0
Turnout | 59,963  | 85.4  | −0.1
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1959: Somerset North  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ted Leather | 30,432  | 56.3  | +2.1
| Labour | E Fraser Wilde  | 23,649  | 43.7  | −2.1
Majority | 6,783  | 12.6  | +4.2
Turnout | 54,081  | 85.5  | +0.1
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1955: Somerset North  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ted Leather | 26,985  | 54.2  | +1.8
| Labour | David Llewellyn | 22,802  | 45.8  | −1.8
Majority | 4,183  | 8.4  | +3.6
Turnout | 54,081  | 85.4  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1951: Somerset North  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ted Leather | 27,465  | 52.4  | +6.8
| Labour | Robert J Hurst  | 24,917  | 47.6  | +3.8
Majority | 2,548  | 4.8  | +3.0
Turnout | 52,382  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1950: Somerset North  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ted Leather | 23,953  | 45.6  |
| Labour | Xenia Field | 23,050  | 43.8  |
| Liberal | Albert Ernest Whitcher  | 5,573  | 10.6  |
Majority | 903  | 1.8  |
Turnout | 52,576  | 87.7  |
| Conservative win (new seat)

## Election results 1885–1918

[edit]

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

Strachey General election 1885: North Somerset[16][17][18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Evan Henry Llewellyn | 4,170  | 54.4  |
| Liberal | Edward Strachey | 3,491  | 45.6  |
Majority | 679  | 8.8  |
Turnout | 7,661  | 75.0  |
Registered electors | 10,209  |  |
| Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: North Somerset[16][17] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Evan Henry Llewellyn | 4,252  | 67.1  | +12.7
| Liberal | James Dormer Marshall[19] | 2,087  | 32.9  | −12.7
Majority | 2,165  | 34.2  | +25.4
Turnout | 6,339  | 62.1  | −12.9
Registered electors | 10,209  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +12.7  |

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

Warner General election 1892: North Somerset[16][17] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Courtenay Warner | 3,920  | 50.1  | +17.2
| Conservative | Evan Henry Llewellyn | 3,901  | 49.9  | −17.2
Majority | 19  | 0.2  | N/A
Turnout | 7,821  | 77.5  | +15.4
Registered electors | 10,086  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +17.2  |
General election 1895: North Somerset[16][17][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Evan Henry Llewellyn | 4,652  | 54.0  | +4.1
| Liberal | Courtenay Warner | 3,966  | 46.0  | −4.1
Majority | 686  | 8.0  | N/A
Turnout | 8,618  | 84.4  | +6.9
Registered electors | 10,208  |  |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.1  |

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

General election 1900: North Somerset[16][17][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Even Llewellyn | 4,530  | 53.0  | −1.0
| Liberal | William Hope | 4,014  | 47.0  | +1.0
Majority | 516  | 6.0  | −2.0
Turnout | 8,544  | 80.0  | −4.4
Registered electors | 10,682  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −1.0  |
Hope General election 1906: North Somerset[16][17] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Hope | 6,626  | 60.2  | +13.2
| Conservative | William Mason | 4,380  | 39.8  | −13.2
Majority | 2,246  | 20.4  | N/A
Turnout | 11,006  | 88.9  | +8.9
Registered electors | 12,381  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.2  |

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

King General election January 1910: North Somerset[16][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Joseph King | 6,568  | 53.2  | −7.0
| Conservative | Frank Beachim Beauchamp  | 5,768  | 46.8  | +7.0
Majority | 800  | 6.4  | −14.0
Turnout | 12,336  | 91.4  | +2.5
| Liberal hold | Swing | −7.0  |
General election December 1910: North Somerset[16][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Joseph King | 6,299  | 53.9  | +0.7
| Conservative | Frank Beachim Beauchamp  | 5,378  | 46.1  | −0.7
Majority | 921  | 7.8  | +1.4
Turnout | 11,677  | 86.5  | −4.9
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.7  |

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;

* Liberal: Joseph King
* Unionist: J Windsor Levis[22]

## See also

[edit]

* List of parliamentary constituencies in Avon

## 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.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
2. ^ "'Somerset North', Feb 1974 – May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
3. ^ "FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES IN THE UNITARY AUTHORITY OF NORTH SOMERSET". Boundary Commission for England. 8 November 2000. Archived from the original on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
5. ^ "South West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
6. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
7. ^ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
8. ^ "Election Results for North Somerset". Retrieved 18 March 2025.
9. ^ "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.
10. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF).
11. ^ "Somerset North". BBC. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
12. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
13. ^ "UK Polling Report".
14. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
15. ^ "Somerset North". BBC News. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
16. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 380\. ISBN 9781349022984.
17. ^ a b c d e f The Liberal Year Book, 1907
18. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
19. ^ "The Nomination". Shepton Mallet Journal. 9 July 1886. p. 7. Retrieved 11 December 2017 - via British Newspaper Archive.
20. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
21. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
22. ^ Standard 21 June 1913

## External links

[edit]

* North Somerset UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
* North Somerset UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

* v
* t
* e

Somerset constituencies

Current|

* Bath
* Bridgwater
* Frome and East Somerset
* Glastonbury and Somerton
* North East Somerset and Hanham
* North Somerset
* Taunton and Wellington
* Tiverton and Minehead
* Wells and Mendip Hills
* Weston-super-Mare
* Yeovil

Historic|

* Somerset (1290–1832)

* Taunton (1295–2010)
* Wells (1295–2024)
* Minehead (1563–1832)
* Ilchester (1621–1832)
* Milborne Port (1628–1832)
* Frome (1832–1950)
* Mid Somerset (1868–1885)
* East Somerset (1832–1918)
* West Somerset (1832–1918)
* South Somerset (1885–1918)
* Wellington (1885–1918)
* Somerton and Frome (1983–2024)
* Woodspring (1983–2010)
* Bridgwater and West Somerset (2010–2024)
* North East Somerset (2010–2024)
* Taunton Deane (2010–2024)

* v
* t
* e

Constituencies in South West England (58)

Labour (22)|

* 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 Somerset
* Plymouth Moor View
* Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
* 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

Independent (2)|

* North East Somerset and Hanham
* Poole

Authority control databases: People |

* UK Parliament

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