County Suffolk Major settlements Ipswich European Parliament constituency East of England Major settlement Ipswich Party Conservative Party | Electorate 75,195 (December 2010) Created 1295 Member of parliament Ben Gummer Number of members 1 | |
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Ipswich /ˈɪpswɪtʃ/ is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Ben Gummer, a Conservative.
Contents
Boundaries
1918-1983: The County Borough of Ipswich.
1983-2010: The Borough of Ipswich wards of Bixley, Bridge, Chantry, Gainsborough, Priory Heath, Rushmere, St Clement's, St John's, St Margaret's, Sprites, Stoke Park, and Town.
2010-present: The Borough of Ipswich wards of Alexandra, Bixley, Bridge, Gainsborough, Gipping, Holywells, Priory Heath, Rushmere, St John’s, St Margaret’s, Sprites, Stoke Park, and Westgate.
The present-day constituency consists of most of the Borough of Ipswich, although the north-western part was transferred to the Central Suffolk constituency at the 1983 general election. Prior to this, the Parliamentary and Municipal Boroughs were always the same. Before the Reform Act 1832, the franchise in Ipswich was in the hands of the Ipswich Corporation and the Freemen. It has generally been favourable to Labour since World War II, although they have lost the seat on three occasions, and have sometimes won with very sparse majorities. From 1997 until a Conservative gain in 2010, Labour won the contests with safer margins.
Constituency profile
The constituency includes Ipswich town centre and docks, with its mix of historic buildings and new developments. Ipswich is a bustling town that serves as a centre for the rest of Suffolk which is predominantly rural and remote, and is the only serious concentration of Labour voters in the county, other than in Lowestoft.
Portman Road Football Ground to the West of the centre, and the new University to the East are both in the seat, as is the vast Chantry council estate to the South.
Ipswich's Tory-leaning suburbs, such as Castle Hill, Westerfield and Kesgrave, extend beyond the constituency's boundaries – the northernmost wards are in the Suffolk Central constituency, and several strong Conservative areas are just outside the borough's tightly-drawn limits, making Ipswich a favourable seat for Labour.
For many years a small red island in a sea of blue, Ipswich was lost by Labour in the 2010 general election.
Members of Parliament
Freemen belonging to the Ipswich Corporation was entitled to elect two burgesses to the Parliament of England from the fourteenth century which continued uninterrupted after the parliament united with Scotland and Ireland. only becoming a single member constituency in 1918.
MPs 1832–1918
During the period between 1835 and 1842 there were five elections and all were found to have been corrupt. After the 1835 election Dundas and Kelly were unseated on the charge of bribery. After the 1837 election Tufnell was unseated on a scrutiny. Gibson who was elected in 1838 resigned. Cochrane was elected in 1839 after which a petition was presented complaining of gross bribery – it was not progressed because a general election was expected. After the 1841 election Wason and Rennie were unseated, being declared guilty of bribery by their agents.
Elections in the 2000s
Following the death of Jamie Cann on 21 October 2001 a by-election was held on 22 November 2001.
Elections in the 1910s
General election 1914/15:
Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;