North Cornwall is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Ben Maguire, a Liberal Democrat since the 2024 general election. Like all British constituencies, the seat elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years. The seat was created in 1918. Since 1950, the constituency has been held by MPs from either the Conservative Party or the Liberal Democrats (including the party's predecessor, the Liberal Party).
With exceptions in 1997, 2001 and 2019, the seat's margin of victory has been less than 20% of the vote. It has been consistently fought over between and won by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats' candidate (or predecessor party in the latter case), and can be considered a marginal seat. In 1997 and 2001 the seat turned out strongly overall for the latter party. However, in the 2019 general election, the Conservatives won a large majority of 28.6% over the Liberal Democrat candidate.
A third-placed (other party) candidate has not polled more in North Cornwall than 16.38%, which took place in 1951. The seat saw three years of defection of its Liberal MP to join the post-World War IIAttlee Ministry however in 2015 saw the lowest share of the Labour Party's vote nationally – reinforcing a consistent result by a great majority supporting left-wing politics to vote for a Liberal and later Liberal Democrat at general elections since the seat's inception.
Boundaries
Map of current boundaries
1918–1950: The Borough of Launceston, the Urban Districts of Newquay, Padstow, Stratton and Bude, and Wadebridge, the Rural Districts of Calstock, Camelford, Launceston, St Columb Major, and Stratton, and parts of the Rural Districts of Bodmin and Holsworthy (these areas such as Whitstone and Week St Mary were on the Cornish side of the border).
1950–1974: The Borough of Launceston, the Urban Districts of Bude-Stratton, Newquay, and Padstow, the Rural Districts of Camelford, Launceston, and Stratton, and parts of the Rural Districts of St Austell and Wadebridge.
1974–1983: The Borough of Launceston, the Urban Districts of Bude-Stratton and Newquay, the Rural Districts of Camelford, Launceston, and Stratton, and parts of the Rural Districts of St Austell, and Wadebridge and Padstow.
1983–2010: The District of North Cornwall wards of Allan, Altarnun, Bodmin St Mary's, Bodmin St Petroc, Bude and Poughill, Camelford, Grenville, Lanivet, Launceston North, Launceston South, Lesnewth, North Petherwin, Ottery, Padstow and St Merryn, Penfound, Rumford, St Breward, St Endellion, St Minver, St Teath, South Petherwin, Stratton, Tintagel, Trigg, Wadebridge, and Week St Mary, and the Borough of Restormel wards of Edgcumbe, Gannel, Rialton, St Columb, and St Enoder.
Altarnun & Stoke Climsland; Bodmin St Mary’s & St. Leonard; Bodmin St Petroc’s; Bude; Camelford & Boscastle; Lanivet, Blisland & Bodmin St Lawrence; Launceston North & North Petherwin; Launceston South; Padstow; Poundstock; St Columb Major, St Mawgan & St Wenn; St Teath & Tintagel; Stratton, Kilkhampton & Morwenstow; Wadebridge East & St Minver; Wadebridge West & St Mabyn.[3]
The St Columb Major, St Mawgan & St Wenn division will be transferred from St Austell and Newquay. Otherwise unchanged.
^The largest two-party swing in this election was (Con-Ref): 10.5%
References
^"Result for North Cornwall constituency - 4 July 2024 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
^"The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes". https://archive.org. 1918. {{cite journal}}: External link in |journal= (help)
^"The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
^Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 6)
^"Result for North Cornwall constituency - 4 July 2024 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
^"Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
^"Cornwall North". BBC News. 2019. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
^"Cornwall North parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
^"Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^Lavery, Kevin (20 April 2010). "North Cornwall statement of persons nominated and notice of poll" (MSWord). Acting Returning Officer. Cornwall Council. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
^"Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
^"Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
Sources
British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
External links
North Cornwall UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
North Cornwall UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK