Bury St Edmunds was a constituency in Suffolk from 1621 to 2024, most recently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2015 to 2024 by Jo Churchill, a Conservative.
Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to moderate boundary changes and was abolished for the 2024 general election, with the bulk of the electorate being included in the new constituency of Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket.
Constituency profile
The constituency covered Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and smaller settlements on the A14 corridor. Residents' wealth was around average for the UK.
History
The constituency was created as a Parliamentary Borough in 1614, returning two MPs to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and from 1800 to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. By the mid eighteenth century the seat was seen as heavily influenced by the Earl of Bristol and the Duke of Grafton. Its representation was reduced to one seat under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, it was abolished as a borough and reconstituted as a division of the Parliamentary County of West Suffolk. As well as the abolished borough, the expanded seat comprised most of the abolished Stowmarket Division, except for the town of Stowmarket itself. From 1950, it has been classified as a county constituency in terms of election expenses and type of returning officer.
The electorate has elected Conservative Party candidates at the general elections and two by-elections since a Liberal victory in 1880. The closest contest since that year was in 1997 when the Labour Party candidate fell 368 votes, less than 1%, short of winning the seat in 1997 during Tony Blair's first landslide result.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1918–1950
- The Borough of Bury St Edmunds;
- The Urban District of Newmarket;
- The Rural Districts of Brandon, Mildenhall, and Thedwastre; and
- Parts of the Rural Districts of Moulton and Thingoe.
1950–1983
- The Borough of Bury St Edmunds:
- The Urban Districts of Haverhill and Newmarket; and
- The Rural Districts of Clare, Mildenhall, Thedwastre, and Thingoe.
Southern areas, including Haverhill, were transferred to the new constituency of South Suffolk. The easternmost area, equivalent to the former Rural District of Thedwastre, was transferred to the new constituency of Central Suffolk.
1997–2010
- The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Horringer Court, Northgate, Pakenham, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Sextons, Southgate, Westgate, and Whelnetham; and
- The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Badwell Ash, Elmswell, Gislingham, Haughley and Wetherden, Needham Market, Norton, Onehouse, Rattlesden, Rickinghall, Ringshall, Stowmarket Central, Stowmarket North, Stowmarket South, Stowupland, Thurston, Walsham-le-Willows, and Woolpit.
Major reconfiguration, with the majority of the constituency, including Newmarket, forming the basis of the new County Constituency of West Suffolk. Extended eastwards, gaining western half of Central Suffolk, including Stowmarket.
2010–2024
- The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Horringer and Whelnetham, Minden, Moreton Hall, Northgate, Pakenham, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Southgate, and Westgate; and
- The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Bacton and Old Newton, Badwell Ash, Elmswell and Norton, Gislingham, Haughley and Wetherden, Needham Market, Onehouse, Rattlesden, Rickinghall and Walsham, Ringshall, Stowmarket Central, Stowmarket North, Stowmarket South, Stowupland, Thurston and Hessett, and Woolpit.
Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.
The constituency contained the towns of Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market. Its boundaries did not match those of the former borough of St Edmundsbury, which included Haverhill (part of West Suffolk constituency), and excludes Stowmarket and Needham Market.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1621–1660
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Parliament!!First member!!Second member
|-
| 1621|| Sir Thomas Jermyn || John Woodford
|-
| 1624|| Sir Thomas Jermyn || Anthony Crofts
|-
| 1625|| Sir Thomas Jermyn || Sir William Spring
|-
| 1626|| Sir Thomas Jermyn|| Emanuel Gifford
|-
| 1628|| Sir Thomas Jermyn|| Sir William Hervey
|-
| 1629–1640|| colspan = "2"|No Parliaments summoned
|-
| 1640 April|| Sir Thomas Jermyn|| John Godbolt
|-
| 1640 November|| Thomas Jermyn, <br /> disabled on 14 February 1644 || Henry Jermyn, ennobled 6 September 1643
|-
| 1645|| Sir Thomas Barnardiston|| Sir William Spring, <br /> excluded in Pride's Purge in 1648
|-
| 1653|| colspan = "2"| Bury St Edmunds not represented in Barebones Parliament
|-
| 1654|| Samuel Moody|| John Clarke
|-
| 1656|| Samuel Moody|| John Clarke
|-
| 1659|| John Clarke|| Thomas Chaplin
|-
| 1659 Restored Rump Parliament|| Sir Thomas Barnardiston||No second member
|}
MPs 1660–1885
Two Members
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year!!!!First member!!First party!!!!Second member || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Sir Henry Crofts<!-- c 1590 31 March 1667 --> ||<!-- party -->
|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="3"|Sir John Duncombe<!-- (to 1679) 20 July 1622 4 March 1687 --> ||rowspan="3"|<!-- party -->
|-
|1661 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Sir Edmund Poley||<!-- party --> <!-- 16 December 1619 22 October 1671 -->
|-
|1673 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|William Duncombe||<!-- party --> <!-- c 1647 13 April 1704 -->
|-
|1679 ||rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="3" |Sir Thomas Hervey ||rowspan="3" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1690) 25 May 1625 27 May 1694 -->
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Thomas Jermyn ||<!-- party --><!-- 10 November 1633 1 April 1703 -->
|-
|1685 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|William Crofts||<!-- party --> <!-- c 1639 29 January 1695 -->
|-
|1689 ||rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="3" |Sir Robert Davers, Bt ||rowspan="3" |Tory
|-
|1690 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Henry Goldwell||<!-- party --> <!-- c 1653 Mar 1694 -->
|-
|1694 ||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="2"|John Hervey||rowspan="2"|Whig
|-
|1701 ||rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="3" |Sir Thomas Felton, Bt ||rowspan="3" |Whig
|-
|1703 || style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|Sir Robert Davers, Bt ||Tory
|-
|Dec. 1705 ||rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="4" |Aubrey Porter ||rowspan="4" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1717) c 1660 14 April 1717 -->
|-
|1709 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Joseph Weld||<!-- party --> <!-- 29 December 1651 18 January 1712 -->
|-
|1712 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Samuel Batteley||<!-- party --> <!-- c 1652 15 July 1714 -->
|-
|1713||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="2" |Lord Hervey ||rowspan="2" |<!-- party --> <!-- styled Baron Hervey from 1714 (to 1722) 17 September 1691 14 November 1723 -->
|-
|1717||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="2" |James Reynolds ||rowspan="2" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1725) 6 January 1686 9 February 1739 -->
|-
|1722 ||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="2" |Sir Jermyn Davers, Bt ||rowspan="2" |Tory
|-
|1725 ||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="2" |Lord Hervey ||rowspan="2" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1733) 15 October 1696 5 August 1743 -->
|-
|1727||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="2" |Thomas Norton ||rowspan="2" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1747) c 1684 28 April 1748 -->
|-
|1733 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Thomas Hervey||<!-- party --> <!-- 20 January 1699 18 January 1775, younger son of 1st Earl of Bristol -->
|-
|1747 ||rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="3" |Felton Hervey ||rowspan="3" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1761) 12 February 1712 16 August 1773 -->
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Viscount Petersham ||<!-- party --><!-- (to 1756) 18 December 1719 1 April 1779 -->
|-
|1756|| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|The Earl of Euston||<!-- party -->
|-
|1757 ||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="2" |Hon. Augustus Hervey ||rowspan="2" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1763) -->
|-
|1761 ||rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="3" |Hon. Charles Fitzroy ||rowspan="3" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1774) 25 June 1737 21 March 1797 -->
|-
|1763 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|William Hervey||<!-- party --> <!-- 13 May 1732 15 January 1815 -->
|-
|1768 ||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="2" |Hon. Augustus Hervey ||rowspan="2" |<!-- party -->
|-
|1774||rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="5" |Sir Charles Davers, Bt ||rowspan="5" |<!-- party --> <!-- (to 1802) 4 June 1737 4 June 1806 -->
|-
|1775|| style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|Henry Seymour Conway|| Whig <!-- 12 August 1719 9 July 1795 -->
|-
|1784 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Hon. George FitzRoy||<!-- party --> <!-- 7 August 1761 24 June 1810 -->
|-
|1787 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|Lord Charles FitzRoy||<!-- party --> <!-- 14 July 1764 20 December 1829 -->
|-
|1796 ||rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="2" |Lord Hervey ||rowspan="2" |<!-- party -->
|-
|1802 ||rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|rowspan="3" |Lord Charles FitzRoy <!-- (to 1818) 14 July 1764 20 December 1829 -->
|rowspan="3" |<!-- party -->
|-
|1803 || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|The Lord Templetown <!-- 8 November 1771 21 September 1846 -->
|<!-- party -->
|-
|1812 || style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|Frederick Foster||Whig <!-- 2 October 1777 after 1831 -->
|-
|1818 || style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|The Earl of Euston|| Whig
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="2" |Hon. Arthur Upton ||rowspan="2" | Whig
|-
| 1834 || rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| rowspan="5" | Conservative
|-
|1852
| style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| John Stuart <!-- 1793 29 October 1876 -->
| Conservative
|-
|Dec 1852 by-election
| style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| James Oakes
| Conservative
|-
|1857
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="4" |Joseph Hardcastle <!-- (to 1874) 1815-1899 -->
|rowspan="2" |Whig
|-
|1859 by-election
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="2" | Lord Alfred Hervey <!-- 25 June 1816 15 April 1875 -->
| rowspan="2" | Peelite
|-
|1859
| rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| rowspan="2" | Liberal
|-
|1865
|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="3" | Edward Greene <!-- party --> <!-- (to 1885) 1815 5 April 1891 -->
|rowspan="3" | Conservative
|-
|1874
| style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| Lord Francis Hervey <!-- 16 October 1846 10 January 1931 -->
| Conservative
|-
|1880
| style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| Joseph Hardcastle <!-- 1815-1899 -->
| Liberal
|-
|1885 || colspan="6" | representation reduced to one member
|-
|}
MPs since 1885
{| class="wikitable"
!colspan="2" | Year !! Member !! Party!! Notes
|-
|rowspan=5 style= "background-color: " |
| 1885
| Lord Francis Hervey
|rowspan=5| Conservative
|
|-
| 1892 by-election
| Henry Cadogan
|
|-
| 1900
| Edward Greene
|
|-
| 1906
| Frederick Hervey
| Succeeded to the peerage as 4th Marquess of Bristol
|-
| 1907 by-election
| Walter Guinness
|
|-
|colspan="5"| Constituency merged with majority of the abolished Stowmarket
|-
|rowspan=7 style= "background-color: " |
| 1918
| Walter Guinness
|rowspan=7| Conservative
| Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (1925–1929)
|-
| 1931
| Frank Heilgers
| Died January 1944
|-
| 1944 by-election
| Edgar Keatinge
|
|-
| 1945
| Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
|
|-
| 1950
| William Aitken
| Died January 1964
|-
| 1964 by-election
| Eldon Griffiths
| Minister for Sport (1970–1974)
|-
| 1992
| Richard Spring
|Contested West Suffolk following redistribution
|-
|colspan="5"| Constituency split, majority renamed West Suffolk, minority merged with parts of the abolished Central Suffolk
|-
|rowspan=2 style= "background-color: " |
| 1997
| David Ruffley
|rowspan=2| Conservative
|
|-
| 2015
| Jo Churchill
| Minister of State for Employment (2023–2024)
|}
Election results 1997–2024
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2020s
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2010s – 2000s – 1990s – 1980s – 1970s – 1960s – 1950s – 1940s – 1930s – 1920s – 1910s – 1900s – 1890s – 1880s – 1870s – 1860s– 1850s– 1840s– Back to Top
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thumb|centre|upright=2.5|Election results 1950-2019
Elections in the 2010s
Note: Independent politician St Edmundsbury Borough Councillor and Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor Paul Hopfensperger submitted a valid nomination but this was subsequently withdrawn. Because of the timing of the withdrawal, his name appears in the Statement of Persons Nominated for this election.
Elections in the 2000s
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Elections in the 1990s
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Election results 1918–1997
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
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Elections in the 1970s
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Elections in the 1960s
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2010s – 2000s – 1990s – 1980s – 1970s – 1960s – 1950s – 1940s – 1930s – 1920s – 1910s – 1900s – 1890s – 1880s – 1870s – 1860s– 1850s– 1840s– Back to Top
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Elections in the 1950s
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2020s
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2010s – 2000s – 1990s – 1980s – 1970s – 1960s – 1950s – 1940s – 1930s – 1920s – 1910s – 1900s – 1890s – 1880s – 1870s – 1860s– 1850s– 1840s– Back to Top
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Elections in the 1940s
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Following the death of Frank Heilgers on 16 January 1944 a by-election was held on 29 February 1944.