Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates
Template:Infobox UK constituency main Central Suffolk and North Ipswich is a constituencyTemplate:Refn represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Patrick Spencer of the Conservative Party, currently suspended and sitting as an Independent.Template:Refn
Constituency profile
Central Suffolk and North Ipswich has been considered a safe seat for the Conservative Party at the parliamentary level, primarily made up of rural farming communities and retirement properties. At the local government level, the Ipswich wards are generally divided between the Conservatives and Labour, whilst the rural wards were previously dominated by the Conservatives but have seen large-scale gains by the Green Party in the 2020s.
History
The county constituency was formed for the 1997 general election, largely from eastern parts of the abolished constituency of Central Suffolk, including the north-western wards of the Borough of Ipswich. It also included western fringes of Suffolk Coastal.
Sir Michael Lord, knighted in 2001, who had held the predecessor seat of Central Suffolk, was the first MP who served the seat, from 1997 until 2010. The 2010 general election saw the fourth win for a Conservative with the election of Dan Poulter, who retained the seat at the three subsequent elections. Dan Poulter announced his defection to Labour in April 2024, and did not seek re-election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the 2024 election, Patrick Spencer was elected for the Conservative Party,<ref name="m842"/> but he currently sits as an Independent following his suspension from the party in May 2025.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1997–2010
- The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Barham, Barking, Bramford, Claydon, Creeting, Debenham, Eye, Fressingfield, Helmingham, Hoxne, Mendlesham, Palgrave, Stonham, Stradbroke, Wetheringsett, Weybread, and Worlingworth;
- The District of Suffolk Coastal wards of Bealings, Dennington, Earl Soham, Framlingham, Glemham, Grundisburgh and Witnesham, Hasketon, Kesgrave, Otley, Rushmere, and Wickham Market; and
- The Borough of Ipswich wards of Broom Hill, Castle Hill, Whitehouse, and Whitton.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Maplink
2010–2024
- The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Barking and Somersham, Bramford and Blakenham, Claydon and Barham, Debenham, Eye, Fressingfield, Helmingham and Coddenham, Hoxne, Mendlesham, Palgrave, Stradbroke and Laxfield, The Stonhams, Wetheringsett, and Worlingworth;
- The District of Suffolk Coastal wards of Earl Soham, Framlingham, Grundisburgh, Hacheston, Kesgrave East, Kesgrave West, Otley, Rushmere St Andrew, Wickham Market, and Witnesham; and
- The Borough of Ipswich wards of Castle Hill, Whitehouse, and Whitton.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Lost the Borough of Ipswich ward of Broom Hill which had been abolished by a revision of the borough wards; area covered by the ward now included in Ipswich. Other marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.
2024–present
Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows:
- The District of East Suffolk wards of: Carlford & Fynn Valley; Framlingham; Kesgrave; Rushmere St. Andrew; Wickham Market.
- The Borough of Ipswich wards of: Castle Hill; Whitehouse; Whitton.
- The District of Mid Suffolk wards of: Battisford & Ringshall; Blakenham; Bramford; Claydon & Barham; Debenham; Needham Market; Stonham.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Northern areas, including Eye, now form part of the newly created constituency of Waveney Valley, with transfers in from Bury St Edmunds of the town of Needham Market with surroundings and from Suffolk Coastal.
Members of Parliament
Central Suffolk prior to 1997
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 1997 | Michael Lord | Conservative |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 2010 | Dan Poulter | Conservative |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | April 2024 | Labour | |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color"| | 2024 | Patrick Spencer | Conservative |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color"| | May 2025 | Independent | |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Template:Election box begin Template:Election box winning candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box majority Template:Election box turnout Template:Election box registered electors Template:Election box hold with party link Template:Election box end Template:Notelist
Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Conservative | 31,222 | 61.9 | |
| Template:Party color cell | Labour | 11,009 | 21.8 | |
| Template:Party color cell | Liberal Democrats | 5,365 | 10.6 | |
| Template:Party color cell | Green | 2,816 | 5.6 | |
| Turnout | 50,412 | 71.0 | ||
| Electorate | 71,020 | |||
Template:Election box begin Template:Election box winning candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box majority Template:Election box turnout Template:Election box hold with party link Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin Template:Election box winning candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box majority Template:Election box turnout Template:Election box hold with party link Template:Election box end Template:Election box begin Template:Election box winning candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box majority Template:Election box turnout Template:Election box hold with party link Template:Election box end Template:Election box begin Template:Election box winning candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box majority Template:Election box turnout Template:Election box hold with party link Template:Election box end
Elections in the 2000s
Template:Election box begin Template:Election box winning candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box majority Template:Election box turnout Template:Election box hold with party link Template:Election box end Template:Election box begin Template:Election box winning candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box majority Template:Election box turnout Template:Election box hold with party link Template:Election box end
Elections in the 1990s
Template:Election box begin Template:Election box winning candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box majority Template:Election box turnout Template:Election box new seat win Template:Election box end
See also
Notes
References
External links
- nomis Constituency Profile for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich — presenting data from the ONS annual population survey and other official statistics.
- Central Suffolk and North Ipswich UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
- Central Suffolk and North Ipswich UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Central Suffolk and North Ipswich UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK
Template:Constituencies in the East of England Template:Authority control Template:Coord