BRISTOL WEST (UK PARLIAMENT CONSTITUENCY)

'Bristol West' is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. As of 2005, the Member of Parliament (MP) is the Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams, elected in the 2005 election.

Contents

Boundaries

Boundary review

History

Members of Parliament

Election results

See also

References

Boundaries

Bristol West is situated in the central and western parts of Bristol, and currently comprises the Bristol City Council wards of Ashley, Bishopston, Clifton, Cabot, Clifton East, Cotham, Henleaze, Redland, Stoke Bishop, Westbury on Trym and small parts of Horfield, Lockleaze and Kingsweston. This area consists largely of middle-class suburbs, but also includes poorer areas, particularly in St Pauls. The area is also home to the University of Bristol and the main residential districts of students from both of the city's universities.

Boundary review

Following their review into parliamentary representation in Bristol, the Boundary Commission for England has created a modified Bristol West made from the following electoral wards:

★ Bristol:- Ashley, Bishopston, Cabot, Clifton, Clifton East, Cotham, Easton, Lawrence Hill, Redland.

History

The seat was held by the Conservatives for 112 years before Labour's Valerie Davey won it at the 1997 general election; Labour had been third in 1992.
At the 2005 election the seat was Liberal Democrat target number 18, and Conservative target number 50; it had been frequently described in the media as a "three-way marginal", and all parties fought hard for the constituency. The seat was taken by Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams with a large majority, thought to have been aided by the large student electorate, hostile to Labour's top-up fees policy. This Lib Dem success is remarkably similar to other seats with a large student population (Cambridge, Manchester Withington, Leeds North West and Cardiff Central).

Members of Parliament

★ ''Constituency created'' (1885)

Election		Member	Party
	1885	Michael Hicks-Beach	Conservative
	1906	George Abraham Gibbs	Conservative
	1928	Cyril Culverwell	Conservative
	1945	Oliver Stanley	Conservative
	1951	Walter Monckton	Conservative
	1957	Robert Cooke	Conservative
	1979	William Waldegrave	Conservative
	1997	Valerie Davey	Labour
	2005	Stephen Williams	Liberal Democrats

Election results

See also

★ List of Parliamentary constituencies in Avon

References

★ The House of Commons (B)