North Devon (UK Parliament constituency)

Boundaries

1832–1868: The Hundreds of Bampton, Black Torrington, Braunton, Crediton, Fremington, Halberton, Hartland, Hayridge, Hemyock, North Tawton and Winkleigh, Shebbear, Sherwill, South Molton, Tiverton, Witheridge, and West Budleigh.

1868–1885: The Hundreds of Bampton, Braunton, Crediton, Fremington, Halberton, Hartland, Hayridge, Hemyock, North Tawton, Shebbear, Sherwill, South Molton, Tiverton, Winkleigh, Witheridge, and West Budleigh.

1950–1974: The Boroughs of Barnstaple and South Molton, the Urban Districts of Ilfracombe and Lynton, and the Rural Districts of Barnstaple and South Molton.

1974–1983: The Boroughs of Barnstaple and Bideford, the Urban Districts of Ilfracombe, Lynton, and Northam, and the Rural Districts of Barnstaple, Bideford, and South Molton.

1983–2010: The District of North Devon, and the District of Mid Devon wards of Taw, Taw Vale, and West Creedy.

2010–present: The District of North Devon.

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged.

History

| image-width = 1500 | image-left = -450 | image-top = -1300 A two-seat constituency of the same name existed from 1832 to 1885, formally titled the 'Northern Division of Devon'.

This began at the 1832 general election, when the Reform Act 1832 divided the former two-seat Devon into Northern and Southern divisions, each of which elected two MPs using the bloc vote system of election. The constituency was abolished for the 1885 general election, when the Redistribution of Seats Act split the county into smaller single-seat divisions. Its second creation is current, and began at the 1950 general election (covering a smaller area than before). Prior to 1950, its territory was split between the old constituencies of Barnstaple and South Molton.

In the 20th century this area had a prominent national MP, Jeremy Thorpe, who led a Liberal Party revival countrywide, with particular strength in the south-west. The Liberal Democrats and its predecessor the Liberal Party have, since the Second World War, performed strongly in this seat; it was held for twenty years by Thorpe as the Liberal leader. He lost it in the 1979 general election, amid a scandal as a married man in love with Norman Scott and Thorpe's alleged involvement in a plot to murder him, of which he was found not guilty the same year.

At the 1992 general election Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey regained the seat from the Conservatives. He held the seat for 23 years until he lost it at the 2015 general election. Conservatives Peter Heaton-Jones, then Selaine Saxby held the seat for the next nine years, until it switched back to the Liberal Democrats in 2024, with the election of Ian Roome.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1832–1885

MPs since 1950

The Member of Parliament for the constituency is Ian Roome of the Liberal Democrats who succeeded the previous Conservative MP Selaine Saxby at the 2024 general election.

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

|reg. electors = 79,068

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1880s

• Caused by Northcote's appointment as First Lord of the Treasury and elevation to the peerage, becoming Earl of Iddesleigh.

|reg. electors = 9,496

Elections in the 1870s

• Caused by Northcote's appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

|reg. electors = 9,829

Elections in the 1860s

|reg. electors = 9,260

• Caused by Northcote's appointment as Secretary of State for India

• Caused by Northcote's appointment as President of the Board of Trade

• Caused by Trefusis' elevation to the peerage, becoming Lord Clinton.

|reg. electors = 8,746

• Caused by Buller's death.

Elections in the 1850s

|reg. electors = 8,764

|reg. electors = 7,264

|reg. electors = 8,064

Elections in the 1840s

|reg. electors = 8,597

|reg. electors = 8,869

Elections in the 1830s

|reg. electors = 7,871

• Caused by Fortescue's succession to the peerage as 2nd Earl Fortescue

|reg. electors = 7,757

|reg. electors = 6,236

|reg. electors = 5,368

Notes

References

Sources

References

1. (1832). "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament.". His Majesty's statute and law printers.
2. (1867). "Representation of the People Act 1867".
3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
4. {{Rayment-hc. d. 2. (March 2012)
5. (1838). "The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838".
6. (1836). "The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836".
7. Beckett, Ian F. W.. (3 January 2008). "Buller, Sir Redvers Henry (1839–1908)".
8. [https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/parl.north-devon.2024-07-04/north-devon/ North Devon constituency]
9. "Parliamentary election 12 December 2019".
10. "Parliamentary election 8 June 2017". North Devon Council.
11. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
12. "UK ELECTION RESULTS". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk.
13. (2 January 2014). "Steve Crowther to stand for UKIP in North Devon at 2015 general election". North Devon Journal.
14. (20 March 2014). "Ricky is Green's 2015 candidate". North Devon Journal.
15. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
16. Pratt, D J. (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Acting Returning Officer, North Devon Council.
17. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
18. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
19. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
20. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
21. (9 April 1992). "Politics Resources". Politics Resources.
22. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
23. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].
24. (1955). "The Times' Guide to the House of Commons".
25. (30 June 1885). "North Devon Election". Exeter and Plymouth Gazette.
26. (1977). "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885". Macmillan Press.