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South Cotswolds

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
South Cotswolds
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map of constituency
Boundary of South Cotswolds in South West England
CountyGloucestershire and Wiltshire
Electorate72,865 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsCirencester, Tetbury, Malmesbury, Cricklade, Fairford, Lechlade, Purton
Current constituency
Created2024
Member of ParliamentRoz Savage (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromThe Cotswolds
North Wiltshire

South Cotswolds is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament.[2] Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, it was first contested at the 2024 general election,[3] when it was won by Roz Savage of the Liberal Democrats. She defeated James Gray, the Conservative MP for North Wiltshire from 1997 to 2024.

Previously, approximately half of its area was in The Cotswolds constituency and the rest was in the North Wiltshire constituency; thus it straddles the boundary between the historic counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The other half of the former Cotswolds constituency became part of the new North Cotswolds constituency.

Constituency profile

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Market Place, Cirencester

South Cotswolds is a constituency in South West England, covering parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Its largest town is Cirencester, which has a population of around 18,000.[4] Other settlements include the towns of Malmesbury, Tetbury, Cricklade, Lechlade and Fairford and the villages of Purton and South Cerney.

This constituency is named after the Cotswolds, a range of rolling hills popular with tourists for its picturesque stone-built towns and villages, although only the north-western portion of this constituency falls within the official boundaries of the National Landscape. South Cotswolds covers a large, rural area with many small settlements and historic towns; Cirencester is a market town of Roman origins and Malmesbury is known for its abbey, which was established in the 7th century. This constituency is affluent with low levels of deprivation,[5] and house prices here are generally higher than regional and UK averages.[6]

South Cotswolds has a large retired population and a low proportion of young adults.[7] Residents have high levels of income and homeownership and the child poverty rate is around half the overall UK figure.[6][8] They are generally well-educated and a high proportion work in the science, agriculture and tourism sectors.[6][9] The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is half the UK-wide rate.[8] White people made up 95% of the population at the 2021 census.[10]

Almost all seats in this constituency are represented by Liberal Democrats at the local council level, with Conservative councillors elected in some rural villages. An estimated 52% of voters in South Cotswolds supported remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the UK-wide figure of 48%.[6]

Boundaries

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Map
Map of boundaries from 2024

The constituency is composed of:

  • The following wards of the District of Cotswold (as they existed on 1 December 2020): Abbey; Chesterton; Fairford North; Four Acres; Grumbolds Ash with Avening; Kemble; Lechlade, Kempsford & Fairford South; New Mills; St. Michael’s; Siddington & Cerney Rural; South Cerney Village; Stratton; Tetbury East & Rural; Tetbury Town; Tetbury with Upton; The Ampneys & Hampton; The Beeches; Watermoor.
  • The District of Stroud ward of Kingswood (as it existed on 1 December 2020).
  • The following electoral divisions of Wiltshire (as they existed on 4 May 2021): Brinkworth; By Brook; Cricklade & Latton; Kington; Malmesbury; Minety; Purton; Sherston.[11]

It comprises the following areas:[12]

Members of Parliament

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ElectionMember Party
2024 Roz Savage Liberal Democrats

Election results

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: South Cotswolds[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Roz Savage 22,961 43.9 +16.3
Conservative James Gray 17,988 34.4 −23.5
Reform Desi Latimer 5,146 9.8 N/A
Labour Zoë Billingham 3,942 7.5 −3.2
Green Bob Eastoe 1,564 3.0 −0.8
Liberal Chris Twells 225 0.4 N/A
Independent Sandy Steel 183 0.3 N/A
SDP Martin Broomfield 156 0.3 N/A
Independent Owen Humphreys 122 0.2 N/A
Majority 4,973 9.5 N/A
Turnout 52,287 73.1 +0.1
Registered electors 71,490
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +19.9

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[14]
Party Vote %
Conservative30,79857.9
Liberal Democrats14,70627.6
Labour5,66910.7
Green2,0163.8
Turnout 53,189 73.0
Electorate 72,865

See also

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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 28 June 2024.
  2. ↑ Council, SDC | Stroud District. "2023 Parliamentary Boundary - Final Public Consultation | Stroud District Council". www.stroud.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
  3. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
  4. ↑ "Cirencester". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Seat Details - Cotswolds South". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Constituency data: Population, by age". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Constituency dashboard". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
  12. ↑ "New Seat Details - Cotswolds South". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Election: South Cotswolds results". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "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.
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