Truro and St Austell (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = Truro and St Austell
Map1 = TruroStAustell
Map2 = Cornwall
Type = County
Year = 1295
Entity = Cornwall
County = Cornwall
EP = South West England
MP = Matthew Taylor
Party = Liberal Democrat

Truro and St Austell is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Boundaries

The constituency is centred on the district of Carrick, which contains the city of Truro and the borough of Restormel which contains the town of St Austell.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Cornwall, the Boundary Commission for England have created an extra seat for the county which means consequential changes for the existing seats. Truro and St Austell is disbanded, and is partly succeeded by St Austell and Newquay.

Truro forms part of the newly drawn Truro and Falmouth constituency.

History

The constituency has existed in a number of different forms. The constituency of Truro, up until 1885 elected two members to parliament; this was reduced to one. In 1918 the constituency was abolished but it was recreated again in 1950.

In 1997, in spite of the fact that no changes in boundaries were made to Truro, the Boundary Commission nonetheless saw fit to change its name to Truro and St. Austell, reflecting the fact that St Austell has a larger population than Truro. The seat became a safe Lib Dem bet thanks to the popularity and eloquence of its former MP, David Penhaligon. His tragic death in a car crash, aged only 42, robbed the House of Commons of one of its most independent-minded and pragmatic members. His successor, Matthew Taylor, has held the seat comfortably since a by-election in 1987.

Members of Parliament

1295-1660

1586-1587 John Stanhope

1625-1629 Henry Rolle

1625 Francis Rous

1640-1653 Francis Rous

1660-1885

1885-present

Election results

2005

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: Truro and St AustellElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Matthew Taylor
votes = 24,089
percentage = 46.7
change = -1.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Fiona Kemp
votes = 16,686
percentage = 32.4
change = +0.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Charlotte Mackenzie
votes = 6,991
percentage = 13.6
change = -0.1Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = David Noakes
votes = 2,736
percentage = 5.3
change = +2.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Mebyon Kernow
candidate = Conan Jenkin
votes = 1,062
percentage = 2.1
change = -0.2Election box majority
votes = 7,403
percentage = 14.4
change = Election box turnout
votes = 51,564
percentage = 64.2
change = 0.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing = -0.8

2001

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: Truro and St AustellElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Matthew Taylor
votes = 24,296
percentage = 48.3
change = -0.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Tim Bonner
votes = 16,231
percentage = 32.3
change = +5.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = David Phillips
votes = 6,889
percentage = 13.7
change = -1.6Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = James Wonnacott
votes = 1,664
percentage = 3.3
change = +2.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Mebyon Kernow
candidate = Conan Jenkin
votes = 1,137
percentage = 2.3
change = +1.5Election box candidate
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = John Lee
votes = 78
percentage = 0.2
change = -0.3Election box majority
votes = 8,065
percentage = 16.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 50,295
percentage = 63.5
change = -10.6Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing =

1997

Election box begin
title=General Election 1997: Truro and St AustellElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Matthew Taylor
votes = 27,502
percentage = 48.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Neil Badcock
votes = 15,001
percentage = 26.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Michael Dooley
votes = 8,697
percentage = 15.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = Carl Hearn
votes = 3,682
percentage = 6.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Alan Haithwaite
votes = 576
percentage = 1.0
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Dorienne Robinson
votes = 482
percentage = 0.8
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Mebyon Kernow
candidate = Davyth Hicks
votes = 450
percentage = 0.8
change = Election box candidate
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Lorna Yelland
votes = 240
percentage = 0.4
change =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Natural Law Party
candidate = Peter Bolland
votes = 117
percentage = 0.2
change =

Election box majority
votes = 12,501
percentage = 22.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 56,747
percentage = 74.0
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing =

1992

Election box begin
title=General Election 1992: TruroElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Matthew Taylor
votes = 31,230
percentage = 50.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Nick St Aubyn
votes = 23,660
percentage = 38.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = J Geach
votes = 6,078
percentage = 9.8
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = L Keating
votes = 569
percentage = 0.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
candidate = C Tankard
votes = 208
percentage = 0.3
change = Election box candidate
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = M Hartley
votes = 108
percentage = 0.2
change = Election box majority
votes = 7,570
percentage = 12.2
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing =

The Liberal Party and the SDP merged between these elections and became the Liberal Democrats. C Tankard represented the newly formed Liberal Party.

1987

Election box begin
title=General Election 1987: TruroElection box candidate for alliance
party = SDP-Liberal Alliance
side = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Matthew Taylor
votes = 28,368 | percentage = 49.0 | change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Nick St Aubyn
votes = 23,615
percentage = 40.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John King
votes = 5,882
percentage = 10.2
change = Election box majority
votes = 4,753
percentage = 8.2
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 79.9
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = SDP-Liberal Alliance
swing =

Truro by-election, 1987

Election box begin
title=Truro by-election, 1987Election box candidate for alliance
party = SDP-Liberal Alliance
side = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Matthew Taylor
votes = 30,599 | percentage = 60.4 | change = 3.1 Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Nick St Aubyn
votes = 15,982
percentage = 31.5
change = −6.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John King
votes = 3,603
percentage = 7.1
change = 2.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Howard Hoptrough
votes = 403
percentage = 0.8
change = Election box candidate
party = Death off Road: Freight on Rail
candidate = Helen Anscomb
votes = 75
percentage = 0.1
change = Election box majority
votes = 14,617
percentage = 28.9
change = Election box turnout
votes = 50,662
percentage = 70.2
change = −9.4Election box hold with party link
winner = SDP-Liberal Alliance
swing =

1983

Election box begin
title=General election 1983: TruroElection box candidate for alliance
party = SDP-Liberal Alliance
side = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = David Penhaligon
votes = 31,279 | percentage = 57.3 | change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = P Buddell
votes = 20,799
percentage = 38.1
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = J Beecroft
votes = 2,479
percentage = 4.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 10,480
percentage = 19.2
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 79.6
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = SDP-Liberal Alliance
swing =

References

*rayment-hc

ee also

*List of Parliamentary constituencies in Cornwall