Central Suffolk and North Ipswich is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Patrick Spencer of the Conservative Party, currently suspended and sitting as an Independent.

Constituency profile

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich is a large rural constituency located in Suffolk. It contains some northern suburbs of the large town of Ipswich (Castle Hill and Whitehouse) and the rural area to its north. The constituency's largest town is Kesgrave with a population of around 15,000. Other settlements in the constituency include the small towns of Needham Market and Framlingham, the villages of Debenham and Bramford and many smaller villages. Kesgrave is affluent and suburban in character, and Needham Market and Framlingham are historic market towns. The constituency is predominantly agricultural.

Compared to nationwide averages, residents of the constituency are older, wealthier and have average levels of education and professional employment. White people make up 93% of the population. Most of the constituency is represented by Green Party councillors at the district council level, whilst Kesgrave elected Conservatives and the Ipswich suburbs elected Labour Party representatives. A majority of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, with an estimated 56% voting in favour of Brexit. At the 2024 election, Patrick Spencer was elected for the Conservative Party,

2010–2024

  • The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Barking and Somersham, Bramford and Blakenham, Claydon and Barham, Debenham, Eye, Fressingfield, Helmingham and Coddenham, Hoxne, Mendlesham, Palgrave, Stradbroke and Laxfield, The Stonhams, Wetheringsett, and Worlingworth;
  • The District of Suffolk Coastal wards of Earl Soham, Framlingham, Grundisburgh, Hacheston, Kesgrave East, Kesgrave West, Otley, Rushmere St Andrew, Wickham Market, and Witnesham; and
  • The Borough of Ipswich wards of Castle Hill, Whitehouse, and Whitton.

Lost the Borough of Ipswich ward of Broom Hill which had been abolished by a revision of the borough wards; area covered by the ward now included in Ipswich. Other marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

2024–present

Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows:

  • The District of East Suffolk wards of: Carlford & Fynn Valley; Framlingham; Kesgrave; Rushmere St. Andrew; Wickham Market.
  • The Borough of Ipswich wards of: Castle Hill; Whitehouse; Whitton.
  • The District of Mid Suffolk wards of: Battisford & Ringshall; Blakenham; Bramford; Claydon & Barham; Debenham; Needham Market; Stonham.

Northern areas, including Eye, now form part of the newly created constituency of Waveney Valley, with transfers in from Bury St Edmunds of the town of Needham Market with surroundings and from Suffolk Coastal.

Members of Parliament

Central Suffolk prior to 1997

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!colspan="2"|Election

!Member

!Party

|-

|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |

| 1997

|Michael Lord

| Conservative

|-

|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |

| 2010

| rowspan=2 | Dan Poulter

| Conservative

|-

| bgcolor=|

|April 2024

| Labour

|-

| style="color:inherit;background-color: "|

| 2024

| rowspan="2" | Patrick Spencer

| Conservative

|-

| style="color:inherit;background-color: "|

|2025

|Independent

|}

Elections

thumb|centre|upright=2.5|Central Suffolk and North Ipswich election results 1997–2024

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! colspan="4" | 2019 notional result

|-

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | %

|-

|

| Conservative ||align=right| 31,222 ||align=right| 61.9

|-

|

| Labour ||align=right| 11,009 ||align=right| 21.8

|-

|

| Liberal Democrats ||align=right| 5,365 ||align=right| 10.6

|-

|

| Green ||align=right| 2,816 ||align=right| 5.6

|-

|colspan="4" bgcolor="#EAECF0"|

|-

|colspan="2"|Turnout

|align=right|50,412

|align=right|71.0

|-

|colspan="2"|Electorate

|align=right|71,020

|}

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

See also

  • List of parliamentary constituencies in Suffolk

Notes

References

  • nomis Constituency Profile for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich — presenting data from the ONS annual population survey and other official statistics.
  • Central Suffolk and North Ipswich UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
  • Central Suffolk and North Ipswich UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
  • Central Suffolk and North Ipswich UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK