North Dorset is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Simon Hoare of the Conservative Party.
Contents
Constituency profile
North Dorset is a constituency in Dorset in South West England. Its largest town is Verwood, which has a population of around 14,000. Other settlements include the towns of Blandford Forum, Sturminster Newton, Stalbridge, Shaftesbury and Gillingham and the village of Alderholt.
This is a large, rural constituency with many small, historic market towns and villages lying within the Blackmore Vale and Cranborne Chase natural areas. The constituency is situated close to the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole urban area. Blandford Camp, the headquarters of the British Army's Royal Signals, is located just outside Blandford Forum. The constituency's towns generally have above-average levels of wealth, with Verwood being the most affluent. The average house price here is marginally higher than the national and regional averages.
North Dorset has a very high retired population and a low proportion of young adults. Residents have average levels of education and high rates of homeownership. Household income is average and the child poverty rate is low. A high proportion of residents work in the agriculture, retail and education sectors and the percentage claiming unemployment benefits is low. White people made up 97% of the population at the 2021 census.
Most of the constituency is represented by Conservatives at the local council, although some Liberal Democrats were elected in Shaftesbury and in the rural areas closer to the suburbs of Poole and Bournemouth. An estimated 56% of voters in North Dorset supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the UK-wide figure of 52%.
History
This seat was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, since which it has been won at elections by candidates from only two parties. For nineteen of the years between 1885 and 1950, North Dorset was represented by Liberals, and at all other times since 1885 it has been represented by Conservatives. It is historically one of Labour's weakest seats in the country - for example, it gave the party its lowest vote share out of all the seats it contested in 1950 and 1951.
Boundaries
1885–1918: The Borough of Shaftesbury, the Sessional Divisions of Blandford, Shaftesbury, and Sturminster, and part of the Sessional Division of Sherborne.
1918–1950: The Boroughs of Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury, the Urban District of Sherborne, the Rural Districts of Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, and Sturminster, and part of the Rural District of Wimborne and Cranborne.
1950–1974: The Boroughs of Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury, the Urban District of Wimborne Minster, and the Rural Districts of Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sturminster, and Wimborne and Cranborne.
1974–1983: As 1950 but with redrawn boundaries.
1983–1997: The District of North Dorset, the District of Wimborne wards of Colehill, Corfe Mullen Central, Corfe Mullen North, Corfe Mullen South, Crane, Holt, Sixpenny Handley, Sturminster Marshall, Vale of Allen, and Wimborne Minster, and the District of Purbeck wards of Lytchett Matravers and Lytchett Minster.
1997–2010: The District of North Dorset, and the District of East Dorset wards of Colehill, Crane, Holt, Longham, Sixpenny Handley, Stapehill, Sturminster Marshall, Vale of Allen, and Wimborne Minster.
2010–2024: The District of North Dorset, and the District of East Dorset wards of Alderholt, Crane, Handley Vale, Holt, Stour, Three Cross and Potterne, Verwood Dewlands, Verwood Newtown, and Verwood Stephen's Castle.
2024–present: The District of Dorset wards of Beacon, Blackmore Vale, Blandford, Cranborne & Alderholt, Cranborne Chase, Gillingham, Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants, Puddletown & Lower Winterborne, Shaftesbury Town, Stalbridge & Marnhull, Sturminster Newton, Verwood, and Winterborne North.
Minor changes following re-organisation of local authorities and wards in Dorset.
Elections
Elections in the 1940s
General Election 1939–40
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
Conservative: Angus Hambro
Liberal: Frank Byers
Labour: CL Lander