The Cotswolds (UK Parliament constituency)

(Redirected from Cotswold (constituency))

The Cotswolds was a constituency[n 1] in Gloucestershire in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was represented by Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, a Conservative, since its 1997 creation.[n 2]

The Cotswolds
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of The Cotswolds in Gloucestershire for the 2010 general election
Outline map
Location of Gloucestershire within England
CountyGloucestershire
Electorate78,439 (December 2010)[1]
19972024
SeatsOne
Created fromCirencester and Tewkesbury
Replaced byNorth Cotswolds, South Cotswolds

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. It was split into two smaller constituencies: North Cotswolds and South Cotswolds, to even up voter numbers relative to other constituencies.[2][3]

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[4]Party
1997Sir Geoffrey Clifton-BrownConservative1992–1997: represented Cirencester and Tewkesbury.

Constituency profile

The Cotswolds was a safe Conservative seat.[5][6]

The largest town in the constituency was Cirencester, a compact traditional town. Other settlements included Andoversford, Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Campden, Fairford, Lechlade, Moreton-in-Marsh, Northleach, Stow-on-the-Wold, Tetbury (and the neighbouring village of Doughton, location of Highgrove, the Prince of Wales's estate), and Wotton-under-Edge.

The seat had the highest number of listed buildings of any constituency in Britain.[citation needed] It also contained eight of the 20 most popular attractions in Gloucestershire, including Westonbirt Arboretum, Hidcote Manor, and Chedworth Roman Villa.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 1.6% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[7]

This was also the constituency that, when declared during the 2015 UK general election, saw the Conservatives win a surprise majority, in which David Cameron was re-elected as prime minister; a hung parliament had been widely expected.

Boundaries

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

The constituency was created in 1997 as Cotswold, mostly from the former seat of Cirencester and Tewkesbury. In 2010 the name was changed to The Cotswolds to reflect the commonly used name of the area.

1997–2010: The District of Cotswold, and the District of Stroud ward of Wotton and Kingswood.

2010–2024: The District of Cotswold, and the District of Stroud wards of Kingswood, Minchinhampton, and Wotton-under-Edge.

Abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished prior to the 2024 general election, with its contents distributed to two new constituencies:[2][3]

Wotton-under-Edge will be transferred to Stroud.

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

2019 general election: The Cotswolds[8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeGeoffrey Clifton-Brown 35,484 58.0 -2.1
Liberal DemocratsLiz Webster15,27025.0+8.7
LabourAlan MacKenzie7,11011.6-6.3
GreenSabrina Poole3,3125.4+2.5
Majority20,21433.0-9.3
Turnout61,17674.7+0.4
Registered electors81,939
Conservative holdSwing−5.4
2017 general election: The Cotswolds[9][10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeGeoffrey Clifton-Brown 36,201 60.1 +4.1
LabourMark Huband10,70217.9+8.7
Liberal DemocratsAndrew Gant9,74816.3−2.3
GreenSabrina Poole1,7472.9−1.7
UKIPChris Harlow1,1972.0−8.9
IndependentSandy Steel1070.2N/A
Majority25,49942.3+4.8
Turnout59,70274.2+1.8
Registered electors80,449
Conservative holdSwing−2.3
2015 general election: The Cotswolds[11][12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeGeoffrey Clifton-Brown 32,045 56.5 +3.5
Liberal DemocratsPaul Hodgkinson[13]10,56818.6−10.9
UKIPChris Harlow6,18810.9+6.7
LabourManjinder Kang5,2409.2−1.5
GreenPenny Burgess2,6264.6+2.9
Majority21,47737.9+14.4
Turnout56,66772.4+0.9
Registered electors78,292+2.0
Conservative holdSwing+7.2
2010 general election: The Cotswolds[14][15][16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeGeoffrey Clifton-Brown 29,075 53.0 +3.7
Liberal DemocratsMike Collins16,21129.6+1.5
LabourMark Dempsey5,88610.7−7.9
UKIPAdrian Blake2,2924.2+1.0
GreenKevin Lister9401.7N/A
IndependentAlex Steel4280.8N/A
Majority12,86423.5+2.2
Turnout54,83271.5+4.2
Registered electors76,728+2.3
Conservative holdSwing+1.1

Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Cotswold[17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeGeoffrey Clifton-Brown 23,326 49.3 −1.0
Liberal DemocratsPhilip Beckerlegge13,63828.8+4.6
LabourMark Dempsey8,45717.9−4.7
UKIPRichard Buckley1,5383.2+0.3
IndependentJames Derieg3920.8N/A
Majority9,68820.5−5.6
Turnout47,35166.7−0.8
Registered electors71,039+4.2
Conservative holdSwing−2.8
2001 general election: Cotswold[18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeGeoffrey Clifton-Brown 23,133 50.3 +4.0
Liberal DemocratsAngela Lawrence11,15024.2+1.3
LabourRichard Wilkins10,38322.6−0.1
UKIPJill Stopps1,3152.9N/A
Majority11,98326.1+2.7
Turnout45,98167.5−8.5
Registered electors68,157+1.2
Conservative holdSwing+1.3

Elections in the 1990s

1997 general election: Cotswold[19][20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeGeoffrey Clifton-Brown 23,698 46.4 −8.0
Liberal DemocratsDavid Gayler11,73322.9−10.4
LabourDavid Elwell11,60822.7+11.8
ReferendumRupert Lowe3,3936.6-
GreenValerie Michael5601.1-
Natural LawHenry Brighouse1290.3-
Majority11,96523.4+2.4
Turnout51,12175.9−6.5
Registered electors67,333+5.9
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

References