North Dorset is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Simon Hoare of the Conservative Party.
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.
Members of Parliament ElectionMemberParty 1885 Edwin Berkeley Portman Liberal 1892 John Wingfield Digby Conservative 1905 by-election Arthur Walters Wills Liberal January 1910 Sir Randolf Baker Conservative 1918 Philip Colfox Unionist 1922 John Emlyn-Jones Liberal 1924 Sir Cecil Hanbury Unionist 1937 by-election Angus Hambro Conservative 1945 Frank Byers Liberal 1950 Robert Crouch Conservative 1957 by-election Richard Glyn Conservative 1970 David James Conservative 1979 Sir Nicholas Baker Conservative 1997 Robert Walter Conservative 2015 Simon Hoare Conservative
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
2019 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 34,085 63.8 Liberal Democrats 10,890 20.4 Labour 6,379 11.9 Green 2,110 3.9Turnout53,46474.1Electorate72,109
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
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 ByersThe Liberal Magazine, 1939 Labour: CL LanderReport of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1880s
See also List of parliamentary constituencies in Dorset
Notes
References
External links North Dorset UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK North Dorset UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK North Dorset UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK