Salisbury is a constituency in Wiltshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by John Glen of the Conservative Party.
Constituency profile
Salisbury is a constituency in Wiltshire in South West England, named after its main settlement, the city of Salisbury. The Salisbury built-up area had an estimated population of around 49,000 in 2024. Other settlements include the former county town of Wilton and the villages of Old Sarum, Downton and Tisbury.
Salisbury is a historic city known for its 13th-century cathedral. It is mostly affluent and was a major centre for the production of Supermarine Spitfires during World War II. The constituency is predominantly rural and most of it is within the Cranborne Chase National Landscape, an area of rolling chalk hills. The rural area contains many small villages and hamlets and is also predominantly wealthy, especially to the east of Salisbury. House prices across the constituency are generally higher than regional and national averages.
The Salisbury constituency has a high retired population and a low proportion of young adults. Residents have above-average levels of income and homeownership and the child poverty rate is low. They are generally well-educated and a high proportion work in the health, science and agriculture sectors. The percentage of residents claiming unemployment benefits is low. White people made up 94% of the population at the 2021 census.
At the local council, Salisbury is mostly represented by Liberal Democrats whilst the rural areas outside the city elect Conservatives. An estimated 51% of voters in this constituency supported remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, above the UK-wide figure of 48%.
History From the Model Parliament of 1295, a constituency with a much narrower area than that of today, the small parliamentary borough of Salisbury, returned two MPs to the House of Commons of England. Elections were held using the Plurality-at-large voting system, but with no secrecy of the ballot. From 1430, those with the right to vote in the borough elections were the "forty-shilling freeholders", meaning men who owned property rated for Land Tax at more than £2 () a year. The franchise (right to vote) was thus largely restricted to male tradesmen and gentlemen within the historic city. From 1290 to 1832, they could also vote in the elections for two "knights of the shire" to represent the whole county of Wiltshire, if they could get to the polling place at Wilton.
The Salisbury borough constituency co-existed with many others in Wiltshire, including the neighbouring minuscule-electorate seat of Old Sarum, described by the time of its abolition in the Great Reform Act as a rotten borough, which covered the mostly abandoned older settlement on high ground to the north-east.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the borough's representation was reduced to one member. The parliamentary borough of Salisbury was abolished for the 1918 general election, but the name was transferred immediately to a new county division covering most of the southern fifth of Wiltshire.
Boundaries The constituency is based around the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire. A large portion of the former Salisbury district is included within the constituency. The small town of Downton was a borough constituency until abolished as a rotten borough, like Old Sarum, in 1832. 1918–1950: The Municipal Boroughs of Salisbury and Wilton, and the Rural Districts of Amesbury, Salisbury, Tisbury, and Wilton.
1950–1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Salisbury and Wilton, and the Rural Districts of Amesbury, and Salisbury and Wilton.
1983–2010: The District of Salisbury wards of Alderbury, Amesbury, Bemerton, Bishopdown, Bulford, Chalke Valley, Donhead, Downton, Durrington, Ebble, Fisherton and Bemerton Village, Fonthill, Fovant, Harnham, Idmiston, Laverstock, Milford, Nadder, Redlynch, St Edmund, St Mark, St Martin, St Paul, Stratford, Till Valley, Tisbury, Upper Bourne, Whiteparish, Wilton, Winterbourne, Winterslow, Woodford Valley, and Wylye.
2010–2024: The District of Salisbury wards of Alderbury and Whiteparish, Amesbury East, Amesbury West, Bemerton, Bishopdown, Chalke Valley, Downton and Redlynch, Ebble, Fisherton and Bemerton Village, Harnham East, Harnham West, Laverstock, Lower Wylye and Woodford Valley, St Edmund and Milford, St Francis and Stratford, St Martin and Milford, St Paul, Till Valley and Wylye, Upper Bourne, Idmiston and Winterbourne, Wilton, and Winterslow.
2024–present: Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 4 May 2021):
The Wiltshire electoral divisions of: Alderbury & Whiteparish; Downton & Ebble Valley; Fovant & Chalke Valley; Laverstock; Nadder Valley; Old Sarum & Lower Bourne Valley; Redlynch & Landford; Salisbury Bemerton Heath; Salisbury Fisherton & Bemerton Village; Salisbury Harnham East; Salisbury Harnham West; Salisbury Milford; Salisbury St Edmund’s; Salisbury St Francis & Stratford; Salisbury St Paul’s; Tisbury; Wilton; Winterslow & Upper Bourne Valley.
Amesbury and the Till Valley were transferred to the new constituency of East Wiltshire. To partly compensate, Tisbury and the Nadder Valley were transferred from South West Wiltshire.
Traditions According to a local tradition, the Member of Parliament for Salisbury sings the song The Vly be on the Turmut from the balcony of the White Hart Hotel in St John's Street after winning each Parliamentary election.D. A. E. Cross, Salisbury: a history and celebration of the city (Teffont: Frith Book Co., 2004, ) p. 80The Vly be on the Turmut at wiltshire.gov.uk, accessed 22 October 2011
Members of Parliament Constituency created 1295
MPs 1295–1660 ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1386Thomas Burford David White 1388 (Feb) John Bitterley Thomas Burford 1388 (Sep) David White John Hethe 1390 (Jan) John Bitterley William Warmwell 1390 (Nov) 1391 1393John Bitterley William Warmwell 1394John Bitterley Thomas Burford 1395William Warmwell Richard Spencer 1397 (Jan) Richard Spencer John Moner 1397 (Sep) Richard Juel John Cary 1399William Hulle I William Walters 1401Richard Spencer John Levesham 1402John Wallop William Boyton 1404 (Jan) William Waryn John Levesham 1404 (Oct) John Wallop Richard Juel 1406William Bailey William Boyton 1407Thomas Child John Becket 1410William Bourer William Bailey, died 1410 1411Richard Spencer Walter Shirley 1413 (Feb) Walter Shirley William Waryn 1413 (May) Walter Shirley William Waryn 1414 (Apr) Walter Shirley John Becket 1414 (Nov) Walter Shirley John Becket 1415Walter Shirley Henry Man 1416 (Mar) Walter Shirley Henry Man 1416 (Oct) Walter ShirleyThomas Mason 1417Walter Shirley William Waryn 1419Walter Shirley William Waryn 1420Walter Shirley Robert Poynaunt 1421 (May) Walter Shirley Robert Poynaunt 1421 (Dec) Walter Shirley Thomas Boner 1422 Henry Man 1423 William Alexander 1425 William AlexanderHenry Man 1426 Henry Man 1427 William Alexander 1429 Henry Man 1431 William Alexander 1432 William Alexander 1485 William BoketRoger Holes 1510Thomas Coke I William Webbe alias Kellowe 1512Thomas Coke I Richard Bartholomew 1515Thomas Coke I, repl. Oct 1515 by John Abarough Richard Bartholomew, repl. Oct 1515 by Thomas Brodegate 1523Robert Keilway John Abarough 1529William Webbe II Thomas Chaffyn I 1536William Webbe II 1539Robert South Henry Coldston 1542Charles Bulkeley Edward Chaffyn 1545Thomas Gawdy I John Story 1547Sir John Thynne Henry Clifford 1553 (Mar) George Penruddock John Beckingham 1553 (Oct) John Hooper John Abyn 1554 (Apr) Robert Griffith John Abyn 1554 (Nov) Robert Griffith John Hooper 1555Thomas Chaffyn II John Hooper 1558John Hooper Robert Eyre 1559William Webbe John Webbe 1562–3 Anthony Weekes Giles Estcourt 1571John Eyre Giles Estcourt 1572Giles Estcourt Hugh Tucker 1584Giles Estcourt Christopher Weekes 1586Giles Estcourt Christopher Weekes 1588Christopher Weekes John Bayley 1593Giles Hutchens Robert Bower 1597Thomas Eyre Giles Hutchens 1601Giles Tooker John Puxton 1604 Giles Tooker Richard Godfrey 1614 Giles Tooker Roger Gauntlett 1621 Roger Gauntlett Thomas Hussey 1624 Henry Sherfield Roger Gauntlett 1625 Henry Sherfield Walter Long 1626 Henry Sherfield John Puxton 1628 Henry Sherfield Bartholemew Tookey 1629–1640No Parliaments summoned 1640 (Apr) Robert HydeMichael Oldisworth 1640 (Nov) Robert HydeMichael Oldisworth 1645 Michael OldisworthJohn Dove 1648 Michael OldisworthJohn Dove 1653Salisbury not represented in Barebones Parliament 1654 Edward Tooker William Stevens 1656 William Stone James Heeley 1659 Henry Eyre Humphry Ditton snr
MPs 1660–1885 ElectionFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party 1660 Henry Eyre Edward Tooker April 1661 Francis Swanton November 1661 Stephen Fox 1664 Edward Hyde 1665 Richard Colman 1673 William Swanton 1679 Sir Thomas Mompesson Alexander Thistlethwayte 1681 John Wyndham 1685 Sir Stephen Fox January 1689 Thomas Hoby Whig Giles Eyre May 1689 Thomas Pitt 1695 Sir Thomas Mompesson 1698 Charles Fox Robert Eyre January 1701 Sir Thomas Mompesson July 1701 Charles Fox 1710 Robert Pitt 1713 Richard Jones 1714 Sir Stephen Fox 1715 Francis Swanton Edmund Lambert 1721 Anthony Duncombe 1722 Francis Kenton 1727 Thomas Lewis 1734 Peter Bathurst Henry Hoare 1741 Sir Jacob Bouverie Sir Edward Seymour 1747 Hon. William Bouverie Edward Poore 1754 Julines Beckford 1761 Hon. Edward Bouverie 1765 Samuel Eyre 1768 Hon. Stephen Fox 1771 Viscount Folkestone 1774 William Hussey Whig 1776 Hon. William Henry Bouverie 1802 Viscount Folkestone Whig 1813 George Purefoy-Jervoise Whig 1818 Wadham Wyndham Tory 1828 Hon. Duncombe Pleydell-Bouverie Whig 1832 William Bird Brodie Whig 1833 Hon. Duncombe Pleydell-Bouverie Whig 1835 Wadham Wyndham Conservative May 1843 by-election Ambrose Hussey Conservative Nov 1843 by-election John Campbell Conservative Jan. 1847 by-election William James Chaplin Whig Jul. 1847 Charles Baring Wall Peelite 1853 by-election Edward Pery Buckley Whig 1857 Matthew Henry MarshWhig 1859 Liberal Liberal 1865 Edward Hamilton Liberal 1868 John Alfred Lush Liberal 1869 by-election Alfred Seymour Liberal 1874 Granville Ryder Conservative 1880 William Grenfell Liberal John Passmore Edwards Liberal 1882 by-election Coleridge Kennard Conservative 1885 representation reduced to one member by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
MPs since 1885 ElectionMemberParty 1885 William Grenfell Liberal 1886 Edward Hulse Conservative 1897 by-election Augustus Allhusen Conservative 1900 Walter Palmer Conservative 1906 Edward Tennant Liberal Jan. 1910 Godfrey Locker-Lampson Conservative 1918 Hugh Morrison Conservative 1923 Hugh Moulton Liberal 1924 Hugh Morrison Conservative 1931 by-election James Despencer-Robertson Conservative 1942 by-election John Morrison Conservative 1965 by-election Michael Hamilton Conservative 1983 Robert Key Conservative 2010 John Glen Conservative
Elections Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s 2019 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 29,138 55.2 Liberal Democrats 10,290 19.5 Labour 9,884 18.7 Green 2,685 5.1 Others 745 1.4Turnout52,74275.1Electorate70,242
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 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Caused by Hulse's resignation.
Elections in the 1880s
Caused by Grenfell's appointment as a Groom in Waiting to Queen Victoria.
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1860s
Caused by Hamilton's resignation.
Elections in the 1850s
Caused by Wall's death
Elections in the 1840s
Caused by Hussey's resignation by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds
Caused by Wyndham's death.