East Devon was a UK parliamentary constituency, represented most recently in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Simon Jupp of the Conservative Party.

A report by the Electoral Reform Society found the seat (and its precursors) had been held by the Conservative Party since 1835, meaning it had been held for 186 years, the longest held seat by one party anywhere in the country.

The 2023 review of Westminster constituencies abolished the constituency with the majority of the electorate, including Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton, being absorbed into Exmouth and Exeter East, which was first contested at the 2024 general election. Sidmouth and Ottery St Mary were transferred to the new seat of Honiton and Sidmouth.

Boundaries

1868–1885: The Hundreds of Axminster, Cliston, Colyton, East Budleigh, Exminster, Ottery St. Mary, Haytor, and Teignbridge, and Exeter Castle, and the parts of the hundred of Wonford that are not included in the city of Exeter.

1997–2010: The District of East Devon wards of Axminster Hamlets, Axminster Town, Beer, Budleigh Salterton, Colyton, Edenvale, Exmouth Brixington, Exmouth Halsdon, Exmouth Littleham Rural, Exmouth Littleham Urban, Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh, Exmouth Withycombe Urban, Lympstone, Newbridges, Newton Poppleford and Harpford, Raleigh, Seaton, Sidmouth Rural, Sidmouth Town, Sidmouth Woolbrook, Trinity, Upper Axe, Woodbury, and Yarty.

2010–2024: The District of East Devon wards of Broadclyst, Budleigh, Clyst Valley, Exmouth Brixington, Exmouth Halsdon, Exmouth Littleham, Exmouth Town, Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh, Newton Poppleford and Harpford, Ottery St Mary Rural, Ottery St Mary Town, Raleigh, Sidmouth Rural, Sidmouth Sidford, Sidmouth Town, Whimple, and Woodbury and Lympstone, and the City of Exeter wards of St Loyes and Topsham.

The constituency was in the county of Devon, including eastern wards of Exeter City, and had a shoreline on the Jurassic Coast. It was bounded on the west by the constituencies of Central Devon and Exeter and on the east by Tiverton and Honiton.

Following a review of parliamentary representation in Devon by the Boundary Commission for England, which increased the number of seats in the county from 11 to 12, East Devon was subject to significant boundary changes at the 2010 general election. In particular, the towns of Axminster and Seaton were transferred to the Tiverton and Honiton constituency. In addition, two wards from the City of Exeter became part of the East Devon seat.

Constituency profile

The main settlements in the constituency were the City Of Exeter Ward, St Loyes and neighbouring Topsham, the resorts of Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth, and the inland towns of Ottery St Mary and Cranbrook.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1868–1885

  • Constituency created – two seats (1868)

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!colspan="3"|Election!!First member

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Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1870s

See also

  • parliamentary constituencies in Devon

Notes

References

Sources

  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832–1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume II 1886–1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1978)
  • East Devon UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
  • East Devon UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK