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Yeovil (UK Parliament constituency)

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Yeovil is a constituency[n 1] in Somerset created in 1918 and represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since the 2024 General Election, the constituency has been represented by Liberal Democrat MP Adam Dance.

Yeovil
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map of constituency
Boundary of Yeovil in South West England
Electorate76,056 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsYeovil, Chard, Crewkerne, Ilminster
Current constituency
Created1918
Member of ParliamentAdam Dance (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromSouth Somerset and East Somerset (parts of)

Boundaries

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Historic

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1918–1974: The Municipal Boroughs of Yeovil and Chard, the Urban Districts of Crewkerne and Ilminster, the Rural Districts of Chard, Langport, Yeovil.

1974–1983: As 1918 but with redrawn boundaries.

1983–1997: The District of Yeovil wards of Blackdown, Chard North East, Chard North West, Chard Parish, Chard South East, Chard South West, Chinnock, Coker, Crewkerne Town, Dowlish, Egwood, Hazelbury, Houndstone, Ilminster Town, Lynches, Mudford, Neroche, St Michael's, South Petherton, Stoke, Windwhistle, Yeovil Central, Yeovil East, Yeovil North, Yeovil Preston, Yeovil South, Yeovil West.

The communities of Martock, Somerton and Ilchester were now included in the new seat of Somerton and Frome.

1997–2010: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackdown, Chard Avishayes, Chard Combe, Chard Crimchard, Chard Holyrood, Chard Jocelyn, Coker, Crewkerne, Egwood, Hamdon, Houndstone, Ilminster, Mudford, Neroche, Parrett, St Michael's, South Petherton, Tatworth and Forton, Windwhistle, Yeovil Central, Yeovil East, Yeovil Preston, Yeovil South, Yeovil West, Yeovil Without.

2010–2024: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackdown, Brympton, Chard Avishayes, Chard Combe, Chard Crimchard, Chard Holyrood, Chard Jocelyn, Coker, Crewkerne, Egwood, Hamdon, Ilminster, Ivelchester, Neroche, Parrett, St Michael's, South Petherton, Tatworth and Forton, Windwhistle, Yeovil Central, Yeovil East, Yeovil South, Yeovil West, Yeovil Without.

 
Map of boundaries from 2024

Current

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Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

  • The District of South Somerset wards of: Blackdown & Tatworth; Brympton; Chard Avishayes; Chard Combe; Chard Crimchard; Chard Holyrood; Chard Jocelyn; Coker; Crewkerne; Eggwood; Ilminster; Neroche; Parrett; South Petherton; Windwhistle; Yeovil College; Yeovil Lyde; Yeovil Summerlands; Yeovil Westland; Yeovil Without.[2]

With effect from 1 April 2023, the District of South Somerset was abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of Somerset.[3] Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following electoral divisions of Somerset from the 2024 general election:

  • Brympton (most); Chard North; Chard South; Coker (most); Crewkerne; Ilminster; South Petherton and Islemoor (most); Yeovil Central; Yeovil East; Yeovil South; Yeovil West.[4]

In order to bring the electorate within the permitted range, rural areas to the north of the town of Yeovil were transferred to the new constituency of Glastonbury and Somerton.

The seat covers the towns of Yeovil, Chard, Crewkerne and Ilminster in the county of Somerset.

History

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Results of all deposit-keeping candidates since 1983 in their bid be the MP for Yeovil (UK House of Commons).

From 1918 until 1983, Yeovil always returned a Conservative MP (though by only narrow margins over Labour in the 1940s and 1950s). There then followed a period of over 30 years during which the seat was represented by a member of the Liberal Party or their successors, the Liberal Democrats; firstly former leader Paddy Ashdown (1983–2001) and then former Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Laws (2001 to 2015).[5] At the 2015 election, the seat returned to its former Conservative allegiance as Marcus Fysh defeated Laws by over 5,000 votes.[6]

The South Somerset district voted 57% to leave the European Union, and academic analysis estimates that Yeovil itself voted 59% to leave.[7] There was a swing of 7.7% away from the pro-Remain Liberal Democrats towards the pro-Leave Conservatives, which made the seat much safer in 2017, Marcus Fysh's majority increasing to just under 15,000. In 2019 the voters slightly increased this majority (to over 16,000).

In the 2024 General Election, the seat returned to the Liberal Democrats, with Adam Dance defeating the existing Conservative MP, Marcus Fysh, by over 12,000 votes.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[8] Party
1918 Aubrey Herbert Conservative
1923 by-election George Davies
1945 William Kingsmill
1951 John Peyton
1983 Paddy Ashdown Liberal
1988 Liberal Democrats
2001 David Laws
2015 Marcus Fysh Conservative
2024 Adam Dance Liberal Democrats

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Yeovil[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Adam Dance 23,765 48.5 +17.4
Conservative Marcus Fysh 11,497 23.5 −34.7
Reform UK Laura Bailhache 7,677 15.7 N/A
Labour Rebecca Montacute 3,002 6.1 −0.2
Green Serena Wootton 2,403 4.9 +2.1
Independent Steve Ashton 608 1.2 N/A
Majority 12,286 25.2 N/A
Turnout 48,952 61.4 –9.8
Registered electors 79,918
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +26.0

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[10]
Party Vote %
Conservative 31,477 58.2
Liberal Democrats 16,839 31.1
Labour 3,419 6.3
Green 1,518 2.8
Others 875 1.6
Turnout 54,128 71.2
Electorate 76,056
General election 2019: Yeovil[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marcus Fysh 34,588 58.4  3.9
Liberal Democrats Mick Clark 18,407 31.1  1.4
Labour Terence Ledlie 3,761 6.3  6.2
Green Diane Wood 1,629 2.7  0.9
Independent Tony Capozzoli 689 1.2 New
Constitution and Reform Tom Fox 186 0.3 New
Majority 16,181 27.3  2.5
Turnout 59,260 71.9  0.3
Conservative hold Swing  1.3
General election 2017: Yeovil[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marcus Fysh 32,369 54.5 +12.0
Liberal Democrats Jo Roundell Greene 17,646 29.7 –3.4
Labour Ian Martin 7,418 12.5 +5.4
Green Robert Wood 1,052 1.8 –2.0
Independent Katy Pritchard 919 1.5 New
Majority 14,723 24.8 +15.4
Turnout 59,404 71.6 +2.5
Conservative hold Swing +7.7
General election 2015: Yeovil[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marcus Fysh 24,158 42.5 +9.6
Liberal Democrats David Laws 18,885 33.2 −22.5
UKIP Simon Smedley 7,646 13.4 +9.3
Labour Sheena King 4,053 7.1 +1.9
Green Emily McIvor 2,191 3.8 New
Majority 5,293 9.4 N/A
Turnout 56,933 69.1 −0.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +16.1
General election 2010: Yeovil[17][18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Laws 31,843 55.7 +4.2
Conservative Kevin Davis 18,807 32.9 −1.2
Labour Lee Skevington 2,991 5.2 −5.3
UKIP Nigel Pearson 2,357 4.1 +0.3
BNP Robert Baehr 1,162 2.0 New
Majority 13,036 22.8 +5.6
Turnout 57,160 69.4 +5.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +2.7

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Yeovil[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Laws 25,658 51.4 +7.1
Conservative Ian Jenkins 17,096 34.3 −1.8
Labour Colin Rolfe 5,256 10.5 −4.2
UKIP Graham Livings 1,903 3.8 +1.5
Majority 8,562 17.1 +8.9
Turnout 49,913 64.3 +0.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +4.5
General election 2001: Yeovil[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Laws 21,266 44.3 −4.4
Conservative Marco Forgione 17,338 36.1 +8.4
Labour Joe Conway 7,077 14.7 −0.2
UKIP Neil Boxall 1,131 2.3 New
Green Alex Begg 786 1.6 +0.3
Liberal Anthony Prior 534 1.1 New
Majority 3,928 8.2 −12.8
Turnout 48,032 64.2 −8.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −6.5

Elections in the 1990s

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Paddy Ashdown
General election 1997: Yeovil[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown 26,349 48.7 −2.9
Conservative Nicholas Cambrook 14,946 27.7 −9.3
Labour Patrick Conway 8,053 14.9 +5.3
Referendum John Beveridge 3,574 6.6 New
Green David Taylor 728 1.3 +0.2
Independent John Archer 306 0.6 New
Rainbow Dream Ticket Christopher Hudson 97 0.2 New
Majority 11,403 21.0 +6.3
Turnout 54,053 72.3 −9.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +3.2
General election 1992: Yeovil[19][20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown 30,958 51.7 +0.3
Conservative Julian Davidson 22,125 36.9 −4.4
Labour Vivien Elson 5,765 9.6 +2.3
Green Jay Risbridger 639 1.1 New
Monster Raving Loony Screaming Lord Sutch 338 0.6 New
Anti-Paddy Ashdown Keep Britain Independent Reginald Simmerson 70 0.1 New
Majority 8,833 14.8 +4.7
Turnout 59,895 82.0 +2.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +2.4

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Ashdown 28,841 51.4 +0.9
Conservative George Sandeman 23,141 41.3 −2.7
Labour John Fitzmaurice 4,099 7.3 +1.7
Majority 5,700 10.1 +3.6
Turnout 56,081 79.7 −0.1
Liberal hold Swing +2.4
General election 1983: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Ashdown 26,608 50.5 +20.0
Conservative David Martin 23,202 44.0 −3.9
Labour Peter Brushett 2,928 5.6 −16.0
Majority 3,406 6.5 N/A
Turnout 52,738 79.8 −2.3
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +12.0

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 31,321 47.9 +4.9
Liberal Paddy Ashdown 19,939 30.5 +1.5
Labour Ian Luder 14,098 21.6 −7.4
Majority 11,382 17.4 +3.4
Turnout 65,358 82.1 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing +3.2
General election October 1974: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 25,658 43.0 +1.47
Labour M. T. McVicar 17,330 29.0 +1.22
Liberal Geoffrey F. Taylor 17,298 29.0 −0.04
Independent J. E. Tippett 332 0.5 New
Majority 7,379 14.0 +2.02
Turnout 60,618 79.3 −4.56
Conservative hold Swing +0.12
General election February 1974: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 25,955 41.53 −8.16
Liberal Geoffrey F. Taylor 18,465 29.54 +16.23
Labour M.T. McVicar 17,362 27.78 −9.22
Democratic Conservative J.E. Tippett 720 1.15 New
Majority 7,490 11.99 −0.7
Turnout 62,542 83.86 +4.52
Conservative hold Swing -12.2
General election 1970: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 27,689 49.69 +6.52
Labour John A Elswood 20,621 37.00 −2.21
Liberal David E Evans 7,418 13.31 −4.31
Majority 7,068 12.69 +8.73
Turnout 55,728 79.34 −4.24
Conservative hold Swing +4.36

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 22,664 43.17 +0.62
Labour John A Elswood 20,584 39.21 +5.88
Liberal David E Evans 9,248 17.62 −6.50
Majority 2,080 3.96 −5.26
Turnout 52,496 83.63 +0.32
Conservative hold Swing +3.25
General election 1964: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 21,919 42.55 −4.16
Labour Albert C Reed 17,171 33.33 −1.33
Liberal Geoffrey F. Taylor 12,426 24.12 +6.48
Majority 4,748 9.22 −2.83
Turnout 51,516 83.31 −1.88
Conservative hold Swing -2.75

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 23,771 46.71 −1.5
Labour W. Alex Baker 17,638 34.66 −5.0
Liberal Geoffrey Fawsitt Taylor 9,484 18.64 +6.4
Majority 6,133 12.05 +3.5
Turnout 50,893 85.19 +0.1
Conservative hold Swing +3.3
General election 1955: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 24,059 48.17 +1.33
Labour Moss Murray 19,793 39.63 −0.43
Liberal Geoffrey Fawsitt Taylor 6,089 12.19 +0.10
Majority 4,266 8.54 +2.77
Turnout 49,941 85.06 −2.9
Conservative hold Swing +0.88
General election 1951: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Peyton 23,701 46.84 +4.27
Labour Moss Murray 20,780 41.07 +1.74
Liberal Marguerite L Winsor 6,118 12.09 −6.01
Majority 2,921 5.77 +2.53
Turnout 50,599 87.96 +0.5
Conservative hold Swing +3.0
General election 1950: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Kingsmill 21,145 42.57 +4.81
Labour Maurice Shinwell 19,532 39.33 +1.95
Liberal Leon MacLaren 8,990 18.10 −6.74
Majority 1,613 3.24 +2.84
Turnout 49,867 87.46 +12.20
Conservative hold Swing +3.38

Election in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Yeovil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Kingsmill 16,815 37.78 −9.02
Labour Malcolm MacPherson 16,641 37.38 +17.28
Liberal James Douglas Bateman 11,057 24.84 −8.26
Majority 174 0.40 −13.30
Turnout 44,513 75.26 −3.04
Conservative hold Swing -13.15

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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1935: Yeovil[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Davies 17,640 46.8 −4.1
Liberal James Douglas Bateman 12,482 33.1 −2.4
Labour Albert Edward Millett 7,567 20.1 +6.5
Majority 5,158 13.7 −1.7
Turnout 37,689 78.3 −5.8
Conservative hold Swing -0.9
 
Hamilton Fyfe
General election 1931: Yeovil[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Davies 20,165 50.9 +9.8
Liberal Percy Holt Heffer 14,046 35.5 −3.3
Labour Hamilton Fyfe 5,377 13.6 −6.5
Majority 6,119 15.4 +13.1
Turnout 39,588 84.1 +0.7
Conservative hold Swing +6.6

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1929: Yeovil [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Davies 15,526 41.1 −7.2
Liberal Percy Holt Heffer 14,679 38.8 +7.7
Labour Francis Douglas 7,609 20.1 −0.5
Majority 847 2.3 −14.9
Turnout 37,814 83.4 −0.2
Unionist hold Swing -7.5
General election 1924: Yeovil [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Davies 14,477 48.3 +3.8
Liberal Charles Waley Cohen 9,320 31.1 −6.5
Labour James Lievsley George 6,179 20.6 +2.8
Majority 5,157 17.2 +10.2
Turnout 29,976 83.6
Unionist hold Swing +5.1
1923 general election: Yeovil [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Davies 12,690 44.5 −17.3
Liberal Charles Waley Cohen 10,715 37.6 N/A
Labour William Kelly 5,080 17.8 −20.5
Majority 1,975 6.9 −16.6
Turnout 28,485
Unionist hold Swing -7.5
1923 Yeovil by-election[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Davies 13,205 46.6 −15.2
Labour William Kelly 8,140 28.7 −9.6
Liberal Charles Waley Cohen 7,024 24.8 New
Majority 5,065 17.9 −5.6
Turnout 28,369 80.8 +7.8
Unionist hold Swing -2.8
1922 general election: Yeovil [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Aubrey Herbert 15,468 61.8 +11.3
Labour William Kelly 9,581 38.3 +1.9
Majority 5,887 23.5 +9.4
Turnout 25,049 73.0 +11.2
Unionist hold Swing +4.7

Elections in the 1910s

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Aubrey Herbert
General election 14 December 1918: Yeovil [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Aubrey Herbert 10,522 50.5
Labour William Kelly 7,589 36.4
Liberal J. R. Brough 2,743 13.2
Majority 2,933 14.1
Turnout 20,854 61.8
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer).

References

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  2. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
  3. ^ "The Somerset (Structural Changes) Order 2022".
  4. ^ "New Seat Details - Yeovil". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Yeovil". Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Yeovil parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. ^ Hanretty, Chris (6 February 2017). "Ward level results from the EU referendum". Medium.
  8. ^ "Yeovil (UK Parliament Constituency)". Altius Directory. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  9. ^ "UK Parliamentary Election for the YEOVIL County Constituency Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Somerset Council. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF).
  12. ^ "Yeovil parliamentary constituency - Election 2019" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. ^ "Statement as to persons nominated and notice of poll" (PDF). South Somerset District Council. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  14. ^ "Yeovil". BBC. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Yeovil parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Yeovil". BBC News Online. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  19. ^ a b c d e "Parliamentary Elections — Yeovil Constituency" (PDF). South Somerset Council. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  20. ^ a b c d "Yeovil". Guardian. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  21. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  22. ^ Western Gazette, 4 Feb 1938
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
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50°54′N 2°49′W / 50.9°N 2.81°W / 50.9; -2.81

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