List of parliamentary constituencies in Wiltshire explained

The ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England, which includes the Borough of Swindon, is divided into eight Parliamentary constituencies. They are all county constituencies.[1]

Constituencies

See also: 2024 United Kingdom general election.

ConstituencyElectorate[2] Majority[3] Member of ParliamentNearest oppositionMap
Chippenham CC72,4928,138  Sarah Gibson¤ Nic Puntis†
East Wiltshire CC72,4094,716 Danny Kruger Rob Newman‡
Melksham and Devizes CC71,9992,401 Brian Mathew¤ Michelle Donelan
Salisbury CC70,2813,807 John Glen Matt Aldridge‡
South Cotswolds CC (part)71,4904,973 Roz Savage¤ James Gray
South West Wiltshire CC71,5743,243 Andrew Murrison Evelyn Akoto†
Swindon North CC73,2384,103 Will Stone Justin Tomlinson
Swindon South CC72,5969,606 Heidi Alexander Robert Buckland

Boundary changes

2024

See 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for further details.

For the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which redrew the constituency map ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the Boundary Commission for England opted to combine Wiltshire with Gloucestershire as a sub-region of the South West Region, with the creation of the cross-county boundary constituency of South Cotswolds, resulting in a major reconfiguration of Chippenham. Devizes and North Wiltshire were abolished and new constituencies named East Wiltshire, and Melksham and Devizes, created.[4] [5] These changes came into effect for the 2024 general election.

The following seats resulted from the review:

Containing electoral wards in Swindon

Containing electoral wards in Wiltshire (unitary authority)

2010

Under the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the Boundary Commission for England decided to increase the number of seats in Wiltshire from 6 to 7, with the re-establishment of Chippenham, which impacted on neighbouring constituencies. An adjusted Westbury constituency was renamed South West Wiltshire.

Results history

Primary data source: House of Commons research briefing – General election results from 1918 to 2019[6]

2024

The number of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Wiltshire in the 2024 general election were as follows:[7]

PartyVotes%Change from 2019SeatsChange from 2019
Conservative125,50532.6%25.2%34
Liberal Democrats96,67725.1%6.5%33
Labour89,88023.3%3.2%22
Reform52,75513.7%New0New
Greens16,8644.4%1.1%00
Others3,8491.0%0.4%00
Total385,530100.08

2019

The number of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Wiltshire in the 2019 general election were as follows:

PartyVotes%Change from 2017SeatsChange from 2017
Conservative217,95557.8%1.0%70
Labour77,34320.1%6.9%00
Liberal Democrats69,87618.6%6.7%00
Greens11,3783.3%1.2%00
Others7450.6%2.0%00
Total377,297100.07

Percentage votes

Election year1918192219231924192919311935194519501951195519591964196619701974(Feb)1974(Oct)197919831987199219972001200520102015201720192024
Conservative52.850.045.753.943.260.756.241.641.050.149.649.343.243.851.041.940.347.450.351.950.940.242.144.347.752.456.857.832.6
Liberal Democrat130.134.642.930.434.819.119.818.419.63.78.710.718.915.211.729.830.227.534.231.228.726.225.026.930.411.811.818.525.1
Labour17.115.411.415.721.920.224.039.939.246.241.738.737.540.637.228.129.322.814.916.718.328.029.024.315.317.327.420.523.3
Reform13.7
Green Party1.04.71.83.04.4
UKIP4.013.51.8
Other0.11.30.40.40.20.30.22.20.70.12.25.63.94.51.60.40.40.21.0
1pre-1979 – Liberal Party; 1983 & 1987 – SDP-Liberal Alliance

* Included in Other

Seats

Election year19501951195519591964196619701974(Feb)1974(Oct)197919831987199219972001200520102015201720192024
Conservative444444444455544467773
Liberal Democrat1000000000000000010003
Labour111111111100022200002
Total555555555555566677778
11974 & 1979 – Liberal Party; 1983 & 1987 – SDP-Liberal Alliance

Maps

2024–present

Historical representation by party

A cell marked → (with a different colour background to the preceding cell) indicates that the previous MP continued to sit under a new party name.

1885 to 1918 (6 seats)

Constituency18851886189218959798001900051906Jan 1910Dec 19101118
CrickladeMaskelyneHusbandHopkinsonFitzMauriceMassieCalleyLambert
ChippenhamFletcherBruceDickson-PoynderTerrell
DevizesLongHobhouseGouldingRogersPeto
SalisburyGrenfellHulseAllhusenPalmerTennantLocker-Lampson
WestburyFullerChalonerFullerHoward
Wiltonbgcolor=GrovePleydell-BouverieJ. MorrisonMorseBathurstH. Morrison

1918 to 1974 (5 seats)

Constituency191819221923192427192931193134193542431945195019511955195962641964651966691970
ChippenhamTerrellBonwickCazaletEcclesAwdry
WestburyPalmerDarbishireShawLongGrimstonWalters
DevizesBellMacfadyenHurdHollisPottC. Morrison
SalisburyH. MorrisonMoultonH. MorrisonDespencer-RobertsonJ. MorrisonHamilton
SwindonYoungBanksAddisonBanksAddisonWakefieldReidNoel-BakerWardStoddart

1974 to 2010 (5, then 6 seats)

ConstituencyFeb 1974Oct 19741979198319871992199720012005
Chippenham / N Wiltshire (1983)AwdryNeedhamGray
DevizesMorrisonAncram
SalisburyHamiltonKey
WestburyWaltersFaberMurrison
Swindon / South Swindon (1997)StoddartCoombsDrownSnelgrove
North SwindonWills

2010 to present (7, then 7.5 seats)

Constituency20102015201720192024
ChippenhamHamesDonelanGibson
Devizes / East Wiltshire (2024)PerryKruger
North Wiltshire / Melksham and Devizes (2024)GrayMathew
SalisburyGlen
South West WiltshireMurrison
Swindon NorthTomlinsonStone
Swindon SouthBucklandAlexander
From 2024, part of northern Wiltshire was included in the South Cotswolds constituency, slightly more than half of which lies in Gloucestershire. Its representation is covered at List of parliamentary constituencies in Gloucestershire.

See also

References

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies2.http://geo.digiminster.com/election/2015-05-07/Search?Query=wiltshire

Notes and References

  1. [South Cotswolds (UK Parliament constituency)|South Cotswolds]
  2. Web site: The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South West. Boundary Commission for England. 9 July 2024.
  3. Web site: UK Election A-Z Constituencies 2024. BBC News. 9 July 2024.
  4. Web site: Drastic election boundary changes proposed for Wiltshire. 2021-10-08. Wiltshire Times. en.
  5. Web site: The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report Boundary Commission for England . 2023-07-10 . boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk . paras 1084–1126.
  6. Watson. Christopher. Uberoi. Elise. Loft. Philip. 2020-04-17. General election results from 1918 to 2019. en-GB.
  7. It should be acknowledged that South Cotswolds is a cross-county constituency between Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. As the results of UK general elections are not disclosed on a sub-constituency level, the following vote shares contain parts of the electorate in the Cotswold and Stroud districts.