South Norfolk is a constituency in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament represented by Ben Goldsborough, a member of the Labour Party, after winning South Norfolk’s seat in the 2024 general election.

Constituency profile

This is a rural constituency to the south of Norwich with small market towns and villages. Residents' health and wealth are around average for the UK.

History

Following the Reform Act 1832 the historic county constituency Norfolk was for the first time split into two, two member, county divisions - East Norfolk and West Norfolk.

The Reform Act 1867 led, the following year, to the county's redistribution into three, two member, county divisions. The three divisions, from the 1868 United Kingdom general election became this one, the North and modified Western division.

The Southern division had its place of election at Norwich. This was the same place of election as the abolished Eastern division. In 1868 the same two MPs who had sat for East Norfolk were re-elected for this constituency.

Under the provisions of the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, single member constituencies became the norm and greater equalisation in electorate occurred. In Norfolk the three, two member, county divisions were changed to six single member seats. These were this constituency, a revived East Norfolk, Mid Norfolk, North Norfolk, North West Norfolk and South West Norfolk.

The Southern division was very agricultural in character. The largest town was Diss, which had a population of fewer than 4,000 people in 1900.

The seat voted in Liberal-affiliated MPs for over three decades until the 1920s, when it briefly alternated between the Labour and Conservative parties, though aside from a brief period of Labour representation between 1945-50, it gradually became a safe Conservative seat for generations, until Labour won it in 2024 for the first time in nearly eight decades.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1868–1885

  • The Hundreds of Walsham, Blofield, Henstead, Humbleyard, Loddon, Clavering, Diss, Deepwade, Earsham, Guiltcross, Shropham, Taverham, Forhoe, and Mitford.

The seat was formed largely from southern parts of the abolished Eastern Division, with a small part transferred from the Western Division.

1885–1918

  • The Sessional Divisions of Depwade, Diss, Earsham, Loddon and Clavering, and Swainsthorpe.

The northernmost parts were transferred to the re-established Eastern Division and western parts to the new Mid Division. It bordered Mid Norfolk to the west, the borough constituency of Norwich and East Norfolk to the north, the borough of Great Yarmouth and the Suffolk constituency of Lowestoft to the east and another Suffolk division, Eye, to the south.

1918–1950

  • The Urban District of Diss;
  • The Rural Districts of Depwade, Forehoe, Henstead, and Wayland; and
  • Part of the Rural District of Thetford.

Gained southern areas of the abolished Mid Division and a small area in the east of the South-Western Division.  Lost eastern areas, which comprised the Loddon and Clavering Rural District (later renamed the Loddon Rural District), to the Eastern Division.

1950–1974

  • The Municipal Borough of Thetford;
  • The Urban Districts of Diss and Wymondham; and
  • The Rural Districts of Depwade, Loddon, and Wayland.

Thetford and the area comprising the former Rural District of Wayland, including Attleborough, which had been included in the District of Breckland, were transferred to the redrawn South West Norfolk constituency.

1997–2010

  • District of South Norfolk, except the wards of Cringleford and Colney, and New Costessey.

The two excluded wards were transferred to Norwich South.

2010–2024

  • District of South Norfolk wards of Beck Vale, Bressingham and Burston, Brooke, Bunwell, Chedgrave and Thurton, Cringleford, Dickleburgh, Diss, Ditchingham and Broome, Earsham, Easton, Forncett, Gillingham, Harleston, Hempnall, Hethersett, Loddon, Mulbarton, Newton Flotman, Old Costessey, Poringland with the Framinghams, Rockland, Roydon, Scole, Stoke Holy Cross, Stratton, Tasburgh, and Thurlton.

Cringleford and Colney (but not New Costessey) were transferred back from Norwich South. Seven District of South Norfolk wards, including Wymondham and surrounding areas, were transferred to Mid Norfolk.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The District of South Norfolk wards of: Brooke; Central Wymondham; Cringleford; Easton; Forncett; Hempnall; Hethersett; Loddon & Chedgrave; Mulbarton & Stoke Holy Cross; Newton Flotman; North Wymondham; Old Costessey; Poringland, Framinghams & Trowse; Rockland; South Wymondham; Stratton; Thurlton.

The seat was subject to major changes, with areas to the north of the River Waveney, which forms the boundary between Norfolk and Suffolk - including the towns of Diss and Harleston - forming part of the newly created, cross-county boundary, constituency of Waveney Valley. As part compensation, the town of Wymondham was regained from Mid Norfolk. Other minor changes due to ward boundary revisions.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1868 – 1885 (two seats)

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!Election!!colspan="2"|First member!!First party!!colspan="2"|Second member

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| 29,298 ||align=right| 56.5

|-

|

| Labour ||align=right| 12,123 ||align=right| 23.4

|-

|

| Liberal Democrats ||align=right| 8,799 ||align=right| 17.0

|-

|

| Green ||align=right| 1,637 ||align=right| 3.2

|-

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

|-

|colspan="2"|Turnout

|align=right|51,857

|align=right|74.3

|-

|colspan="2"|Electorate

|align=right|69,837

|}

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Election in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1870s

See also

  • List of parliamentary constituencies in Norfolk
  • List of parliamentary constituencies in the East of England (region)

Notes

References

Sources

  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Constituencies: A Statistical Compendium, by Ivor Crewe and Anthony Fox (Faber and Faber 1984)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press, revised edition 1977)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1983)
  • Social Geography of British Elections 1885-1910. by Henry Pelling (Macmillan 1967)
  • 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)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume IV 1945-1979, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1981)
  • South Norfolk UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
  • South Norfolk UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
  • South Norfolk UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK