Suffolk Coastal (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 52°09′N 1°30′E / 52.15°N 1.50°E / 52.15; 1.50
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Suffolk Coastal
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Suffolk Coastal in Suffolk
Outline map
Location of Suffolk within England
CountySuffolk
Electorate76,932 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsFelixstowe
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentThérèse Coffey (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromSudbury & Woodbridge, and Eye[2]

Suffolk Coastal (sometimes known as Coastal Suffolk) is a parliamentary constituency in the county of Suffolk, England[n 1] which has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Thérèse Coffey, a Conservative Member of Parliament. She served as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from October 2022 to November 2023

Constituency profile[edit]

The constituency is in the far East of England, and borders the North Sea. The main town is Felixstowe, which is a commercial port for imports and exports. The ONS considers Woodbridge to form part of the extended Ipswich Built-up Area.[3] The seat includes the seaside destinations of Aldeburgh and Southwold.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.0% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[4] Since its inception Suffolk Coastal has been a safe seat for the Conservative Party typical of more rural districts of East Anglia. In the 1997 Labour national landslide the Conservative candidate held on by a margin of a few thousand votes.

History[edit]

This East Anglian constituency was created for the 1983 general election from eastern parts of the abolished county constituencies of Eye, and Sudbury and Woodbridge, including the towns of Felixstowe and Woodbridge. Its initial boundaries were coterminous with the recently created District of Suffolk Coastal.

The current constituency area includes three former borough constituencies which sent their own MPs to Parliament until abolished as 'rotten boroughs' by the Great Reform Act, 1832 – Aldeburgh, Dunwich and Orford.

The seat was held from its creation until the 2010 election by the Conservative John Gummer who had previously represented the former seat of Eye from 1979. He was the Secretary of State for the Environment for four years during the Second Major ministry and before that was for four years the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. He stood down in 2010 and was elevated to the House of Lords as Lord Deben.

The current MP is the Conservative Thérèse Coffey,[5] who served in the Sunak ministry as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. She also previously served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions between 2019 and 2022,[6][7] and as the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care[8] during the short-lived Truss ministry from September to October 2022.[9]

Boundaries and boundary changes[edit]

1983–1997[edit]

  • The District of Suffolk Coastal.[10]

1997–2010[edit]

  • The District of Suffolk Coastal wards of Aldeburgh, Alderton and Sutton, Bramfield and Cratfield, Buxlow, Felixstowe Central, Felixstowe East, Felixstowe North, Felixstowe South, Felixstowe South East, Felixstowe West, Hollesley, Kelsale, Kirton, Leiston, Martlesham, Melton, Nacton, Orford, Saxmundham, Snape, Trimleys, Tunstall, Ufford, Walberswick, Westleton, Woodbridge Centre, Woodbridge Farlingaye, Woodbridge Kyson, Woodbridge Riverside, Woodbridge Seckford, and Yoxford; and
  • The District of Waveney wards of Blything, Halesworth, and Southwold.[11]

Westernmost areas included in the new constituency of Central Suffolk and North Ipswich. Extended northwards to include three wards from the District of Waveney, transferred from the constituency of Waveney.

Map
Map of current boundaries

2010–present[edit]

  • The District of Suffolk Coastal wards of Aldeburgh, Farlingaye, Felixstowe East, Felixstowe North, Felixstowe South, Felixstowe South East, Felixstowe West, Hollesley with Eyke, Kyson, Leiston, Martlesham, Melton and Ufford, Nacton, Orford and Tunstall, Peasenhall, Rendlesham, Riverside, Saxmundham, Seckford, Snape, Sutton, Trimleys with Kirton, Walberswick and Wenhaston, and Yoxford; and
  • The District of Waveney wards of Blything, Halesworth, Southwold and Reydon, and Wrentham.[12]

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

Proposed[edit]

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following wards of the District of East Suffolk (as they existed on 1st December 2020):

Aldeburgh & Leiston; Deben; Eastern Felixstowe; Kelsale & Yoxford; Martlesham & Purdis Farm; Melton; Orwell & Villages; Rendlesham & Orford; Saxmundham; Southwold; Western Felixstowe; Woodbridge; Wrentham, Wangford & Westleton.[13]

Largely unchanged, except the inclusion of Halesworth in the newly created constituency of Waveney Valley.

Members of Parliament[edit]

Election Member[14] Party
1983 John Gummer Conservative
2010 Thérèse Coffey Conservative

Elections[edit]

Elections in the 2020s[edit]

Next general election: Suffolk Coastal
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jenny Riddell-Carpenter[15]
Conservative Thérèse Coffey[16]
Green Julian Cusack[17]
Liberal Democrats Julia Ewart[18]
Majority
Turnout
Registered electors
Swing

Elections in the 2010s[edit]

General election 2019: Suffolk Coastal[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thérèse Coffey 32,958 56.5 -1.6
Labour Cameron Matthews 12,425 21.3 -9.2
Liberal Democrats Julia Ewart 8,719 15.0 +8.0
Green Rachel Smith-Lyte 2,713 4.7 +1.6
Independent Tony Love 1,493 2.6 New
Majority 20,533 35.2 +7.6
Turnout 58,308 71.2 -2.0
Conservative hold Swing +3.9

Tony Love was originally standing as the Brexit Party candidate for this constituency.[20]

General election 2017: Suffolk Coastal[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thérèse Coffey 33,713 58.1 +6.2
Labour Cameron Matthews 17,701 30.5 +12.5
Liberal Democrats James Sandbach 4,048 7.0 -1.6
Green Eamonn O'Nolan 1,802 3.1 -2.8
Independent Philip Young 810 1.4 New
Majority 16,012 27.6 -6.3
Turnout 58,074 73.2 +2.6
Conservative hold Swing -3.2
General election 2015: Suffolk Coastal[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thérèse Coffey 28,855 51.9 +5.5
Labour Russell Whiting 10,013 18.0 +1.9
UKIP Daryll Pitcher 8,655 15.6 +9.9
Liberal Democrats James Sandbach 4,777 8.6 −21.2
Green Rachel Smith-Lyte 3,294 5.9 +3.9
Majority 18,842 33.9 +17.3
Turnout 55,594 70.6 −0.6
Conservative hold Swing +1.8
General election 2010: Suffolk Coastal[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thérèse Coffey 25,475 46.4 +1.8
Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper 16,347 29.8 +7.7
Labour Adam Leeder 8,812 16.1 −10.1
UKIP Stephen Bush 3,156 5.7 +1.9
Green Rachel Fulcher 1,103 2.0 −1.3
Majority 9,128 16.6 −1.8
Turnout 54,893 71.2 +3.9
Conservative hold Swing −2.9

Elections in the 2000s[edit]

General election 2005: Suffolk Coastal[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gummer 23,415 44.6 +1.3
Labour David Rowe 13,730 26.1 −8.7
Liberal Democrats David Young 11,637 22.1 +3.9
UKIP Richard Curtis 2,020 3.8 +0.1
Green Paul Whitlow 1,755 3.3 New
Majority 9,685 18.5 +10.0
Turnout 52,557 67.9 +2.3
Conservative hold Swing +5.0
General election 2001: Suffolk Coastal[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gummer 21,847 43.3 +4.7
Labour Nigel Gardner 17,521 34.8 +2.0
Liberal Democrats Tony Schur 9,192 18.2 −3.2
UKIP Michael Burn 1,847 3.7 New
Majority 4,326 8.5 +2.7
Turnout 50,407 65.6 −10.2
Conservative hold Swing +1.4

Elections in the 1990s[edit]

General election 1997: Suffolk Coastal[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gummer 21,696 38.6 −15.0
Labour Mark Campbell 18,442 32.8 +9.0
Liberal Democrats Alexandra Jones 12,036 21.4 −2.4
Referendum Stephen Caulfield 3,416 6.1 New
Green Anthony Slade 514 0.9 −0.6
Natural Law Felicity Kaplan 152 0.3 −0.1
Majority 3,254 5.8 −24.0
Turnout 56,256 75.8 −5.8
Conservative hold Swing −12.0
General election 1992: Suffolk Coastal[28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gummer 34,680 53.6 −2.1
Liberal Democrats Peter Monk 15,395 23.8 −6.0
Labour Terence Hodgson 13,508 20.9 +8.1
Green Anthony Slade 943 1.5 −0.3
Natural Law Felicity Kaplan 232 0.4 New
Majority 19,285 29.8 +3.9
Turnout 64,758 81.6 +3.7
Conservative hold Swing +1.9

Elections in the 1980s[edit]

General election 1987: Suffolk Coastal[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gummer 32,834 55.7 −2.5
SDP Joan Miller 17,554 29.8 +0.7
Labour Susan Reeves 7,534 12.8 +0.2
Green James Holloway 1,049 1.8 New
Majority 15,280 25.9 -3.2
Turnout 58,971 77.9 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Suffolk Coastal[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gummer 31,240 58.2
SDP David Houseley 15,618 29.1
Labour Denis Ballantyne 6,780 12.6
Majority 15,622 29.1
Turnout 53,638 75.0
Conservative win (new seat)

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ^ "'Suffolk Coastal', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Built-up areas". Open Geography portalx. Office of National Statistics. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  4. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  5. ^ "Therese Coffey". United Kingdom Parliament. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  6. ^ Proctor, Kate; Mason, Rowena (12 February 2020). "Cabinet reshuffle: expected winners and losers in Johnson's new order". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Cabinet reshuffle: Who is in Boris Johnson's new cabinet?". BBC News. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Liz Truss: New prime minister installs allies in key cabinet roles". BBC News. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Liz Truss – live updates: Truss outlines three priorities as PM – as Raab and Shapps confirm departure". Sky News. Archived from the original on 6 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  10. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  11. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  12. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  13. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  14. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 6)
  15. ^ https://twitter.com/EofELabour/status/1767606783512580289. Retrieved 12 March 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. ^ Therese Coffey [@theresecoffey] (25 February 2023). "Thank you to the Selection Council of Suffolk Coastal Conservative Association for re-adopting me aa their candidate for the next General Election #VoteConservative" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ^ "Julian Cusack will be Green challenger to Coffey in election". East Anglian Daily Times. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Julia Ewart announced as Lib Dem candidate for Suffolk Coastal". Suffolk News. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Suffolk Coastal Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  20. ^ Geater, Paul (14 November 2019). "Who's standing in Suffolk in 2019 General Election? How you can take part". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  21. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. ^ "2015 Election Results". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  24. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  30. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

52°09′N 1°30′E / 52.15°N 1.50°E / 52.15; 1.50

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