Reading South (UK Parliament constituency)

The Reading South parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. These constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency in for the 1955 general election.

The Reading South constituency was recreated in 1974, when the majority comprised areas outside the County Borough. In 1983 the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West.

The County Borough of Reading wards of Church, East, Katesgrove, Minster, Redlands, and West.{{Cite book |title=Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972 |last=Craig |first=Fred W.S. |date=1972|publisher=Political Reference Publications|isbn=0900178094|location=Chichester |oclc=539011}}

It was then abolished and absorbed into the re-established constituency of Reading, with the exception of the East ward, which was transferred to Wokingham.

• The County Borough of Reading wards of Christchurch, Park, Redlands, and Whitley; and
• The Rural District of Wokingham parishes of Arborfield and Newland, Barkham, Earley, Finchampstead, Shinfield, Sonning, Swallowfield, Winnersh, and Woodley and Sandford.{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1970/1674/contents/made/data.htm|title=The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|access-date=2019-02-02}}

The Park ward of the County Borough of Reading was transferred from Wokingham, along with western parts of the Rural District thereof. The remaining wards of the County Borough were previously part of the abolished constituency of Reading.

The constituency was abolished again for the 1983 general election, with the majority forming the basis of the new County Constituency of Reading East. The north-western areas transferred back to Wokingham.

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1979: Reading South{{cite web|title='Reading South', February 1974 – May 1983|url=http://electionweb.co.uk/Bp/P74481.htm|website=ElectionWeb Project|publisher=Cognitive Computing Limited|access-date=24 March 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403165435/http://electionweb.co.uk/Bp/P74481.htm|archive-date=3 April 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|last1=Kimber|first1=Richard|title=UK General Election results May 1979|url=http://politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge79/i17.htm|website=Political Science Resources|access-date=24 March 2016}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Gerard Vaughan

|votes = 30,067

|percentage = 53.9

|change = +11.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Bernard Gale

|votes = 14,422

|percentage = 25.8

|change = –2.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Keith Watts

|votes = 10,642

|percentage = 19.1

|change = –10.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Ecology Party (UK)

|candidate = Peter Dunn

|votes = 700

|percentage = 1.3

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 15,645

|percentage = 28.0

|change = +15.1

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 55,831

|percentage = 76.5

|change = +1.8

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

| reg. electors = 73,001

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +6.67

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election October 1974: Reading South{{cite web|last1=Kimber|first1=Richard|title=UK General Election results October 1974|url=http://politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge74b/i17.htm|website=Political Science Resources|access-date=24 March 2016}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Gerard Vaughan

|votes = 21,959

|percentage = 42.5

|change = –0.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Paul Burall

|votes = 15,293

|percentage = 29.6

|change = –3.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Lawrence Silverman

|votes = 14,375

|percentage = 27.8

|change = +3.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 6,666

|percentage = 12.9

|change = +3.3

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 51,627

|percentage = 74.7

|change = –6.3

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

| reg. electors = 69,124

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +1.6

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|

|title=General election February 1974: Reading South{{cite web|last1=Kimber|first1=Richard|title=UK General Election results February 1974|url=http://politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge74a/i17.htm|website=Political Science Resources|access-date=24 March 2016}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Gerard Vaughan

|votes = 23,735

|percentage = 42.8

|change = –4.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Paul Burall

|votes = 18,376

|percentage = 33.1

|change = +17.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Gerd Kaufman

|votes = 13,358

|percentage = 24.1

|change = –12.4

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 5,349

|percentage = 9.7

|change = –1.4

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 55,469

|percentage = 81.0

|change = +8.4

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

| reg. electors = 68,500

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = –10.8

}}

{{Election box end}}

class="wikitable"
colspan="4" | 1970 notional result{{cite web |title=1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dX47DuTxmFg6SXaizeo3TQwvlEEOKPdCWQCTABWyN40/edit?gid=0#gid=0 |author1=Michael Stead |publisher=BBC |access-date=18 March 2025 }}
bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | %
{{party color cell|Conservative Party (UK)}} | Conservative	align=right| 22,400	align=right| 47.5
{{party color cell|Labour Party (UK)}} | Labour	align=right| 17,200	align=right| 36.4
{{party color cell|Liberal Party (UK)}} | Liberal	align=right| 7,600	align=right| 16.1
colspan="4" bgcolor="#EAECF0"|
colspan="2"|Turnout |align=right|47,200 |align=right|72.5
colspan="2"|Electorate |align=right|65,074

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1951: Reading South{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1951}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Ian Mikardo

|votes = 18,570

|percentage = 51.4

|change = +2.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Harold Pryce

|votes = 17,561

|percentage = 48.6

|change = +6.1

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,009

|percentage = 2.8

|change = –3.4

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 36,131

|percentage = 86.7

|change = –1.4

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

| reg. electors = 41,694

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = –1.7

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change|

|title=General election 1950: Reading South

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Ian Mikardo

|votes = 17,704

|percentage = 48.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = DC Rissik

|votes = 15,450

|percentage = 42.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate =Gerald Opperman

|votes = 3,225

|percentage = 8.9

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 2,254

|percentage = 6.2

}}

{{Election box turnout no change|

|votes = 36,379

|percentage = 88.1

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

| reg. electors = 41,307

}}

{{Election box new seat win no change|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

The Reading South parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. The seat was contested and won for the Labour Party by Ian Mikardo, the sitting MP for the Reading constituency, who held the seat until it was merged back into a single Reading constituency for the 1955 general election.

The Reading South constituency was recreated in 1974, when it was contested and won for the Conservative Party by Gerard Vaughan, the sitting MP for the Reading constituency. For the 1983 general election the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West. Gerard Vaughan went on to hold the Reading East constituency until he stood down at the 1997 general election.

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Rayment-hc|r|1|date=March 2012}}

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire

Category:Politics of Reading, Berkshire

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire (historic)

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1950

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1955

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1974

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1983