Coventry South (UK Parliament constituency)
Coventry South | |
---|---|
Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
![]() Interactive map of boundaries from 2024 | |
![]() Boundary of Coventry South in West Midlands region | |
County | West Midlands |
Electorate | 70,998 (2023)[1] |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1997 |
Member of Parliament | Zarah Sultana (Independent) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Coventry South East, Coventry South West |
1950–1974 | |
Seats | One |
Type of constituency | Borough constituency |
Created from | Coventry East and Coventry West |
Replaced by | Coventry South East, Coventry South West |
Coventry South is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Zarah Sultana, representing the Labour Party until her suspension and whip withdrawn on 23 July 2024 for voting against the two child benefit cap.[n 2] She now sits as an independent MP.[2]
Constituency profile
[edit]Coventry city centre is in the north of the constituency, with its cathedral, expanses of concrete offices and the university, which leads to a significant student vote in the seat.[3] The residential tower blocks in St Michael's ward lie amid one of the most deprived areas in the country but south of the city centre it is more mixed, with the more middle-class areas of Cheylesmore, Earlsdon and Whoberley, Cannon Park, Gibbet Hill (aka Wainbody) and Westwood Heath among areas with large numbers of professionals, comfortably self-employed and academics.
History
[edit]The constituency was created for the 1950 general election, abolished for the February 1974 general election and recreated for the 1997 general election by the merger of the former seats of Coventry South East and Coventry South West. Since 1964 the various forms of the seat, excluding the gap period, have elected the Labour candidate. The Conservative candidates, since a win in 1959, have consistently taken second place. In 2019, following the retirement of Jim Cunningham, Labour narrowly held onto the seat by 401 votes; the Conservatives made their best performance since the seat's recreation,
In 2015, the local UKIP party originally selected Mark Taylor as candidate, but he stood aside when instructed to by "party bosses."[4] UKIP wanted to replace Taylor with "anti-gay Christian preacher"[5] George Hargreaves.[4] The following week, Taylor was reinstated as candidate.[6]
Boundaries
[edit]1950–1974: The County Borough of Coventry wards of Cheylesmore, Earlsdon, Godiva, St Michael's, Westwood, and Whoberley.
From 1974 to 1997, the city centre was part of the now-abolished Coventry South East constituency.
1997–2024: The City of Coventry wards of Binley and Willenhall, Cheylesmore, Earlsdon, St Michael's, Wainbody, and Westwood.
2024–present: The City of Coventry wards of Cheylesmore, Earlsdon, Lower Stoke, St. Michael’s, Wainbody, and Westwood.[7]
- The Binley and Willenhall ward was transferred to the re-established seat of Coventry East in exchange for the Lower Stoke ward from the abolished Coventry North East constituency.
Members of Parliament
[edit]MPs 1950–1974
[edit]Election | Member[8] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1950 | Elaine Burton | Labour | |
1959 | Philip Hocking | Conservative | |
1964 | Bill Wilson | Labour | |
Feb 1974 | constituency abolished |
MPs 1997–present
[edit]Election | Member[8] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Jim Cunningham | Labour | |
2019 | Zarah Sultana | Labour | |
2024 | Independent |
Elections
[edit]Elections in the 2020s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Zarah Sultana | 20,361 | 47.6 | ![]() | |
Conservative | Mattie Heaven | 10,160 | 23.8 | ![]() | |
Reform UK | Chris Baddon | 5,711 | 13.4 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | Stephen Richmond | 2,531 | 5.9 | ![]() | |
Green | Anne Patterson | 2,363 | 5.5 | ![]() | |
Workers Party | Mohammed Syed | 777 | 1.8 | New | |
SDP | Alastair Mellon | 334 | 0.8 | New | |
Independent | Niko Omilana | 263 | 0.6 | New | |
Independent | Joshua Morland | 231 | 0.5 | New | |
Majority | 10,201 | 23.8 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 76,262 | ||||
Turnout | 42,731 | 56.0 | ![]() | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +11.0 |
Elections in the 2010s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Zarah Sultana | 19,544 | 43.4 | −11.6 | |
Conservative | Mattie Heaven | 19,143 | 42.5 | +4.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Stephen Richmond | 3,398 | 7.5 | +4.6 | |
Brexit Party | James Crocker | 1,432 | 3.2 | New | |
Green | Becky Finlayson | 1,092 | 2.4 | +1.1 | |
Independent | Ed Manning | 435 | 1.0 | New | |
Majority | 401 | 0.9 | −16.0 | ||
Turnout | 45,044 | 63.5 | −2.9 | ||
Registered electors | 70,970 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -8.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jim Cunningham[12] | 25,874 | 55.0 | +12.7 | |
Conservative | Michelle Lowe[13] | 17,927 | 38.1 | +3.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Greg Judge | 1,343 | 2.9 | −1.2 | |
UKIP | Ian Rogers | 1,037 | 2.2 | −10.9 | |
Green | Aimee Challenor[14] | 604 | 1.3 | −2.6 | |
Independent | Sandra Findlay | 224 | 0.5 | New | |
Majority | 7,947 | 16.9 | +9.6 | ||
Turnout | 47,009 | 66.4 | +5.2 | ||
Registered electors | 70,754 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +4.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jim Cunningham | 18,472 | 42.3 | +0.5 | |
Conservative | Gary Ridley | 15,284 | 35.0 | +1.6 | |
UKIP | Mark Taylor[6] | 5,709 | 13.1 | +9.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Greg Judge | 1,779 | 4.1 | −13.9 | |
Green | Benjamin Gallaher[16] | 1,719 | 3.9 | +2.5 | |
TUSC | Judy Griffiths | 650 | 1.5 | New | |
Mainstream | Christopher Rooney | 86 | 0.2 | New | |
Majority | 3,188 | 7.3 | −1.1 | ||
Turnout | 43,699 | 61.2 | −1.2 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -0.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jim Cunningham | 19,197 | 41.8 | −4.0 | |
Conservative | Kevin Foster | 15,352 | 33.4 | +2.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Brian Patton | 8,278 | 18.0 | +0.4 | |
UKIP | Mark Taylor | 1,767 | 3.8 | +1.8 | |
Socialist Alternative | Judy Griffiths | 691 | 1.5 | −1.3 | |
Green | Stephen Gray | 639 | 1.4 | New | |
Majority | 3,845 | 8.4 | −6.9 | ||
Turnout | 45,924 | 62.4 | +3.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.4 |
Elections in the 2000s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jim Cunningham | 18,649 | 45.8 | −4.4 | |
Conservative | Heather Wheeler | 12,394 | 30.5 | +1.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Vincent McKee | 7,228 | 17.8 | +3.7 | |
Socialist Alternative | Robert Windsor | 1,097 | 2.7 | New | |
UKIP | William Brown | 829 | 2.0 | New | |
Independent | Irene Rogers | 344 | 0.8 | −0.6 | |
Families First | James Rooney | 144 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 6,255 | 15.3 | −5.4 | ||
Turnout | 40,685 | 59.1 | +3.8 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -2.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jim Cunningham | 20,125 | 50.2 | −0.7 | |
Conservative | Heather Wheeler | 11,846 | 29.5 | +0.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Vincent McKee | 5,672 | 14.1 | +4.9 | |
Socialist Alliance | Robert Windsor | 1,475 | 3.7 | New | |
Independent | Irene Rogers | 564 | 1.4 | New | |
Socialist Labour | Timothy Logan | 414 | 1.0 | New | |
Majority | 8,279 | 20.7 | −1.2 | ||
Turnout | 40,096 | 55.3 | −13.4 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -0.6 |
Election in the 1990s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jim Cunningham | 25,511 | 50.9 | ||
Conservative | Paul Ivey | 14,558 | 29.0 | ||
Liberal Democrats | Gordon MacDonald | 4,617 | 9.2 | ||
Socialist Alternative | Dave Nellist | 3,262 | 6.5 | ||
Referendum | Paul Garratt | 943 | 1.9 | ||
Liberal | Roger Jenking | 725 | 1.4 | ||
BNP | Jeffrey Ashberry | 328 | 0.7 | ||
Rainbow Dream Ticket | Anne−Marie Bradshaw | 180 | 0.4 | ||
Majority | 10,953 | 21.9 | |||
Turnout | 50,124 | 68.7 | |||
Labour win (seat recreated) |
Election in the 1970s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Bill Wilson | 30,010 | 51.90 | ||
Conservative | George Gardiner | 27,816 | 48.10 | ||
Majority | 2,194 | 3.80 | |||
Turnout | 57,826 | 74.42 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1960s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Bill Wilson | 31,237 | 54.87 | ||
Conservative | Philip Hocking | 25,697 | 45.13 | ||
Majority | 5,540 | 9.74 | |||
Turnout | 56,934 | 80.21 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Bill Wilson | 29,240 | 51.62 | ||
Conservative | Philip Hocking | 27,407 | 48.38 | ||
Majority | 1,833 | 3.24 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 56,647 | 79.79 | |||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Philip Hocking | 28,584 | 51.65 | +3.24 | |
Labour | Elaine Burton | 26,754 | 48.35 | −3.24 | |
Majority | 1,830 | 3.30 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 55,338 | 82.11 | |||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +3.24 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Elaine Burton | 27,449 | 51.59 | −3.56 | |
Conservative | Muriel Williamson | 25,761 | 48.41 | +3.56 | |
Majority | 1,688 | 3.18 | −7.12 | ||
Turnout | 53,210 | 81.36 | −4.81 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.56 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Elaine Burton | 29,271 | 55.15 | +2.46 | |
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 23,803 | 44.85 | +3.64 | |
Majority | 5,468 | 10.30 | −1.18 | ||
Turnout | 53,074 | 86.17 | −1.08 | ||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Elaine Burton | 27,977 | 52.69 | ||
Conservative | Leslie Hore-Belisha | 21,885 | 41.21 | ||
Liberal | Richard Soper | 3,239 | 6.10 | ||
Majority | 6,092 | 11.48 | |||
Turnout | 53,101 | 87.25 | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
See also
[edit]- List of parliamentary constituencies in the West Midlands (county)
- List of parliamentary constituencies in West Midlands (region)
Notes
[edit]- ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
References
[edit]- ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – West Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
- ^ https://x.com/leftiestats/status/1815824271781790091?s=46&t=Plop77OWWRPqprDhBsIahQ
- ^ "Local statistics – Office for National Statistics". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 11 February 2003. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
- ^ a b Gilbert, Simon (12 February 2015). "UKIP parachutes controversial 'pop preacher' into Coventry for general election". Coventry Telegraph.
- ^ "UKIP selects candidate who claims gays should 'repent and turn to Christ'". PinkNews. 14 February 2015.
- ^ a b Silvera, Ian (18 February 2015). "Ukip candidate calls for selection rules review after party's Coventry U-turn".
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 8 West Midlands region.
- ^ a b Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 6)
- ^ Coventry South
- ^ "Coventry South Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ "Coventry South parliamentary constituency -Election 2017 -BBC News". Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- ^ "Will Coventry's MPs defend their seats at the 2017 general election?". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "Michelle Lowe and Resham Kotecha Selected for Coventry Conservatives". Mike Rouse. Archived from the original on 30 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "Coventry Green Party 2017 Election Candidates". Coventry Green Party. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "General Election 2017 Candidate -Green Party". Green Party Members' Website.
- ^ "Coventry South". YourNextMP. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
- ^ "Coventry South". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "UK > England > West Midlands > Coventry South". Election 2010. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 11 May 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.
- ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
External links
[edit]- Coventry South UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Coventry South UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK