This is a rural constituency which retains a significant agricultural and food-production sector.[2] The population is largely White and predominantly homeowners, with incomes and house prices slightly below the UK average.[3]Electoral Calculus describes this as a "Strong Right" seat characterised by socially conservative values and strong support for Brexit.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the three two-member county divisions of Norfolk were replaced with six single-member divisions, including the newly created South-Western Division of Norfolk, largely formed from southern parts of the abolished Western Division, including Thetford. From the 1950 general election onwards, it has been formally known as the county constituency of South West Norfolk.
South West Norfolk has been held solidly by Conservatives since 1964, but for twenty years prior; it had been ultra-marginal. Labour first held it briefly from 1929 to 1931, and Sidney Dye of the Labour Party gained it in 1945 with a narrow majority of 53 votes. Dye retained the seat at the 1950 general election with an increased, but nevertheless, small majority of 260 votes. He lost it to Denys Bullard of the Conservatives in 1951 by 442 votes and regained the seat from Bullard in 1955 with a small majority of 193 votes. Dye died at the end of 1958, and at the by-election, the Labour Party candidate Albert Hilton retained the seat with an increased majority of 1,354 votes. At the 1959 general election that soon followed, Hilton's safe majority was drastically reduced to a thin margin of 78 votes.[4]
Although Labour had held the seat at two general elections, despite two consecutive overall Conservative victories; the Conservatives won the seat at the 1964 general election, which was a Labour victory nationwide, and the party returned to government after 13 years in opposition. Paul Hawkins, then Gillian Shephard held the seat. Shephard's majority was slashed at the 1997 general election, in what would be the worst defeat nationwide for the Conservative Party in 91 years, before recovering at the 2001 general election. Both occasions resulted in an overall Labour victory.[4]
Shephard decided not to run again in 2005 and was elevated to a peerage. The Conservative Party selected Christopher Fraser, former MP for Mid Dorset and Poole North and he was elected with a comfortable majority of over 10,000 votes.
On 28 May 2009, Fraser announced that he would be standing down at the 2010 general election citing family reasons.[5] This was after his expenses claims were highlighted in The Daily Telegraph; according to the newspaper, Fraser claimed £1,800 in public money for buying 215 trees and marking out the boundary of his second home in the constituency.[6]
The District of Breckland wards of All Saints, Besthorpe, Buckenham, Conifer, East Guiltcross, Haggard De Toni, Harling, Haverscroft, Heathlands, Mid Forest, Nar Valley, Necton, Peddars Way, Queen's, Swaffham, Templar, Thetford Abbey, Thetford Barnham Cross, Thetford Guildhall, Thetford Saxon, Watton, Wayland, Weeting, West Guiltcross, and Wissey; and
The Borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk wards of Airfield, Denton, Denver, Downham Market, Emneth, Ten Mile, Upwell Outwell and Delph, Watlington, and Wissey.[10][11]
Thetford transferred back from South Norfolk, together with areas comprising the former Rural District of Wayland, including Attleborough. North-eastern areas, including East Dereham, transferred to the re-established constituency of Mid Norfolk. Minor re-alignment of boundary with North West Norfolk.
The District of Breckland wards of Conifer, East Guiltcross, Harling and Heathlands, Mid Forest, Nar Valley, Swaffham, Thetford Abbey, Thetford Castle, Thetford Guildhall, Thetford Saxon, Wayland, Weeting, and West Guiltcross; and
Map of current boundaries
The Borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk wards of Airfield, Denton, Downham Old Town, East Downham, Emneth with Outwell, Hilgay with Denver, Mershe Lande, North Downham, St Lawrence, South Downham, Upwell and Delph, Walton, Watlington, Wiggenhall, and Wimbotsham with Fincham Wissey.[12]
As a result of the Boundary Commission's report which came into effect for the 2010 general election, South West Norfolk gained wards from neighbouring North West Norfolk including Walpole, Tilney St Lawrence, and Wiggenhall villages. It lost to Mid Norfolk the wards of All Saints, Buckenham, Burgh and Haverscroft, Haggard De Toni, Necton, Queen's, Templar and Watton, which included the villages of Necton, Great Ellingham and Watton.
The constituency includes Downham Market, Swaffham, Thetford, Outwell, Upwell, and Feltwell.
The District of Breckland wards of: Ashill; Bedingfeld; Forest; Guiltcross; Harling & Heathlands; Nar Valley; Swaffham; Thetford Boudica; Thetford Burrell; Thetford Castle; Thetford Priory.
The Borough of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk wards of: Airfield; Denver; Downham Old Town; East Downham; Emneth & Outwell; Feltwell; Methwold; North Downham; South Downham; Tilney, Mershe Lande & Wiggenhall; Upwell & Delph; Watlington; Wissey.[13]
The boundaries of the seat will be redrawn as a result of modifications to ward boundaries in both local authorities, resulting in the small net loss of voters to both neighbouring constituencies of Mid Norfolk and North West Norfolk.
Having been reformed for the 2010 election, the changes in percentage figures are based on results if the current constituency had been fought in the 2005 election.
^Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
^ abS., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885–1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN0900178094. OCLC539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ abcdCraig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN0-900178-06-X.
Map of current boundaries
