Swindon South (UK Parliament constituency)

South Swindon is a constituency in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Sir Robert Buckland, a Conservative, who previously served as Justice Secretary and Welsh Secretary.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be formally renamed Swindon South, to be first contested at the 2024 general election.

Boundaries

1997–2010: The Borough of Thamesdown wards of Central, Chiseldon, Dorcan, Eastcott, Freshbrook, Lawns, Park, Ridgeway, Toothill, Walcot, and Wroughton.

2010–present: The Borough of Swindon wards of Central, Covingham and Dorcan (part), Eastcott, Liden + Eldene and Park South, Lydiard and Freshbrook, Old Town, Chiseldon and Lawn, Ridgeway, Shaw, Mannington and Western (part), Walcot and Park North, and Wroughton and Wichelstowe.

The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of the Swindon and Devizes seats. It covers the southern half of the town as well as farms, villages and hamlets to the immediate south and east of Swindon.

There were slightly amended boundaries for the 2010 election, which saw it lose South Marston to North Swindon. The boundary now runs from Dorcan across to Bishopstone and then down to Russley Park before turning west to Barbury Castle. From there it runs north to the Roughmoor area and loops back down to incorporate West Swindon, before following the railway east through the town and back to Dorcan. Settlements outside the Swindon built-up area include Wroughton, Chiseldon, Wanborough, and Liddington.

Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The Borough of Swindon wards of: Central; Chiseldon and Lawn (polling districts CLA, CLC and CLD); Covingham and Dorcan; Eastcott; Liden, Eldene and Park South; Lydiard and Freshbrook; Mannington and Western; Old Town; Shaw; Walcot and Park North.

Minor changes including the transfer in of the Covingham and Nythe districts from North Swindon, offset by the transfer out of the Chiseldon and Wroughton districts to the new constituency of East Wiltshire.

History

Historically Swindon is a railway town and until the latter part of the 20th century the related works were the primary employer. Today Swindon is the home of a number of large companies: examples specific to South Swindon include Intel's European headquarters, Nationwide's headquarters and Zurich Financial Services' UK headquarters.

Members

Created in 1997, the Swindon South constituency, swinging in line with the national average in the New Labour landslide, produced a fairly safe majority for the Labour winner. Julia Drown had a lead of more than 5,000 which was extended in 2001 to more than 7,000 but then dropped dramatically on a new candidate's selection, to just 1,353 in 2005. In 2010 Robert Buckland, a Conservative, gained South Swindon at the general election with a majority of just over 3500. In 2015, the Conservative majority increased to 5785; in 2017, the Conservative majority fell to 2,464 on a 3.5% swing to Labour. In 2019, Buckland's majority rose to 6625 (13%) and 52% of the vote with a swing of 4.1% to Conservative. These patterns suggest a seat that is more marginal than its neighbour North Swindon, and one which has acted as a bellwether of the national result. Incumbent MP Buckland was the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice between July 2019 and September 2021, and Secretary of State for Wales from July 2022.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Neighbouring constituencies

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Wiltshire

Notes

References

External links

• South Swindon UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Swindon South UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK