South Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency)

South Suffolk is one of seven constituencies in the county of Suffolk and was created by boundary changes which came into force for the 1983 general election. It was formed primarily from areas to the west of Ipswich and the River Orwell, including the towns of Sudbury and Hadleigh, which had formed the majority of the abolished constituency of Sudbury and Woodbridge. Extended westwards to include Haverhill and surrounding areas, transferred from Bury St Edmunds.

Between 1559 and 1844, the constituency of Sudbury represented the town on the southwestern border with Essex, but this constituency was disenfranchised for corruption in 1844.

In every election, the Conservative candidate has been elected or re-elected; until 2015, said candidate was Tim Yeo, who was deselected prior to the 2015 general election; he was succeeded as Conservative candidate, and subsequently MP, by James Cartlidge.

South Suffolk is a large and predominantly rural seat, sharing a long border with the county of Essex but retaining a rather different identity and character – distinctly East Anglian rather than Home Counties.

The largest settlements, Sudbury and Hadleigh, are small, quiet towns, somewhat off the beaten track, and the only other significantly built-up area in the seat is the suburb of Pinewood, just outside the limits of Ipswich, where there are many new developments. There is still some industry in Brantham, close to the Essex border, but most of the seat is traditional agriculture, sitting alongside remote commuter bases for those working in London, Ipswich, Colchester or Chelmsford.

In common with many seats of this type, it is fairly safe for the Conservatives, with the opponents being significantly lower in terms of the vote share.

Workless claimants were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.5% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/nov/17/unemployment-and-employment-statistics-economics Unemployment claimants by constituency] The Guardian

{{maplink|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/South Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency) 1997}}|frame=yes|frame-height=230|text=Map of boundaries 1997–2024}}

• The District of Babergh; and
• The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Cangle, Castle, Cavendish, Chalkstone, Clare, Clements, Hundon, Kedington, St Mary's and Helions, Wickhambrook, and Withersfield.{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1983/417/contents/made/data.htm|title=The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|access-date=2019-03-22}}

• The District of Babergh, and
• The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Cavendish, and Clare.{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/1626/made/data.htm|title=The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-03-22}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/1681/made/data.htm|title=The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|access-date=2019-03-22}}

All but two of the Borough of St Edmundsbury wards, including the town of Haverhill, were transferred to the new constituency of West Suffolk.

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is now coterminous with the District of Babergh.{{Cite web |title=The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1230/schedules/made |at=Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region}}

The small part previously in the former Borough of St Edmundsbury – now part of the District of West Suffolk – was transferred to the constituency of West Suffolk.

Sudbury & Woodbridge prior to 1983

File:S Suff Election Results.png

{{Election box begin|title=General election 2024: South Suffolk{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001494|title=South Suffolk - General election results 2024|publisher=BBC News|access-date=19 March 2025}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=James Cartlidge|votes=16,082|percentage=33.0|change=−29.1}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Emma Bishton|votes=13,035|percentage=26.7|change=+7.5}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Reform UK|candidate=Bev England|votes=9,252|percentage=19.0|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Tom Bartleet|votes=6,424|percentage= 13.2|change=+0.5}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Jessie Carter|votes=4,008|percentage=8.2|change=+2.2|}}

{{Election box majority|votes=3,047|percentage=6.3|change=−36.6}}

{{Election box turnout|votes=48,801|percentage=65.7|change=−4.8}}

{{Election box registered electors

|reg. electors = 73,385

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Conservative Party (UK)|swing=−18.3}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin

|title=General election 2019: South Suffolk{{cite news |title=Suffolk South Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000946 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=19 November 2019}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = James Cartlidge

|votes = 33,270

|percentage = 62.2

|change = +1.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Elizabeth Hughes

|votes = 10,373

|percentage = 19.4

|change = −8.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = David Beavan

|votes = 6,702

|percentage = 12.5

|change = +6.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Green Party of England and Wales

|candidate = Robert Lindsay

|votes = 3,144

|percentage = 5.9

|change = +2.7

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 22,897

|percentage = 42.8

|change = +10.1

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 53,489

|percentage = 70.2

|change = −1.6

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +5.1

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 2017: South Suffolk{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000946|title=Suffolk South parliamentary constituency – Election 2017|via=www.bbc.com}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = James Cartlidge

|votes = 32,829

|percentage = 60.5

|change = +7.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Emma Bishton

|votes = 15,080

|percentage = 27.8

|change = +8.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne

|votes = 3,154

|percentage = 5.8

|change = −2.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Green Party of England and Wales

|candidate = Robert Lindsay

|votes = 1,723

|percentage = 3.2

|change = −1.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = UK Independence Party

|candidate = Aidan Powlesland

|votes = 1,449

|percentage = 2.7

|change = −12.5

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 17,749

|percentage = 32.7

|change = −1.1

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 54,235

|percentage = 71.8

|change = +0.8

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = −0.5

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 2015: South Suffolk{{cite web|title=Election Data 2015|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt|archive-date=17 October 2015}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = James Cartlidge

|votes = 27,546

|percentage = 53.1

|change = +5.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Jane Basham

|votes = 10,001

|percentage = 19.3

|change = +5.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = UK Independence Party

|candidate = Steven Whalley{{cite web|url=http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/suffolksouth/|title=UK Polling Report|website=ukpollingreport.co.uk}}

|votes = 7,897

|percentage = 15.2

|change = +8.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Grace Weaver

|votes = 4,044

|percentage = 7.8

|change = −23.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Green Party of England and Wales

|candidate = Robert Lindsay

|votes = 2,253

|percentage = 4.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Christian Peoples Alliance

|candidate = Stephen Todd{{cite web |url=http://www.cpaparty.net/genelect.html |title=CPA Candidates for the General Election |publisher=Christian Peoples Alliance |access-date=1 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207133411/http://cpaparty.net/genelect.html |archive-date=7 February 2015 }}

|votes = 166

|percentage = 0.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 17,545

|percentage = 33.8

|change = +16.9

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 51,907

|percentage = 71.0

|change = +0.1

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +0.2

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 2010: South Suffolk{{cite web|title=Election Data 2010|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726162034/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt|archive-date=26 July 2013}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Tim Yeo

|votes = 24,550

|percentage = 47.7

|change = +5.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Nigel Bennett

|votes = 15,861

|percentage = 30.8

|change = +2.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Emma Bishton

|votes = 7,368

|percentage = 14.3

|change = −10.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = UK Independence Party

|candidate = David Campbell Bannerman

|votes = 3,637

|percentage = 7.1

|change = +2.1

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 8,689

|percentage = 16.9

|change = +3.3

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 51,416

|percentage = 70.9

|change = +2.1

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +1.6

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 2005: South Suffolk{{cite web|title=Election Data 2005|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054249/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Tim Yeo

|votes = 20,471

|percentage = 42.0

|change = +0.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Kathy Pollard

|votes = 13,865

|percentage = 28.5

|change = +3.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Kevin Craig

|votes = 11,917

|percentage = 24.5

|change = −5.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = UK Independence Party

|candidate = James Carver

|votes = 2,454

|percentage = 5.0

|change = +1.5

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 6,606

|percentage = 13.6

|change = +2.4

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 48,707

|percentage = 71.8

|change = +5.6

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = −4.7

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 2001: South Suffolk{{cite web|title=Election Data 2001|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054450/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Tim Yeo

|votes = 18,748

|percentage = 41.4

|change = +4.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Marc Young

|votes = 13,667

|percentage = 30.2

|change = +0.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Tessa Munt

|votes = 11,296

|percentage = 24.9

|change = −2.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = UK Independence Party

|candidate = Derek Allen

|votes = 1,582

|percentage = 3.5

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 5,081

|percentage = 11.2

|change = +3.2

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 45,293

|percentage = 66.2

|change = −11.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +3.5

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1997: South Suffolk{{cite web|title=Election Data 1997|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054424/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Tim Yeo

|votes = 19,402

|percentage = 37.3

|change = −14.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Paul Bishop

|votes = 15,227

|percentage = 29.3

|change = +7.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Kathy Pollard

|votes = 14,395

|percentage = 27.7

|change = +2.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Referendum Party

|candidate = Somerset Carlo de Chair

|votes = 2,740

|percentage = 5.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Natural Law Party

|candidate = Angela Holland

|votes = 211

|percentage = 0.4

|change = −0.2

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 4,175

|percentage = 8.0

|change = −25.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 51,976

|percentage = 77.2

|change = −4.5

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = −9.1

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1992: South Suffolk{{cite web|title=Election Data 1992|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992ob.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054418/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992ob.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}{{cite web|

url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm|title=Politics Resources|date=9 April 1992|work=Election 1992|publisher=Politics Resources|access-date=2010-12-06}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Tim Yeo

|votes = 34,793

|percentage = 50.2

|change = −3.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Kathy Pollard

|votes = 17,504

|percentage = 25.2

|change = −2.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Stephen Hesford

|votes = 16,623

|percentage = 24.0

|change = +5.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Natural Law Party

|candidate = T. Aisbitt

|votes = 420

|percentage = 0.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 17,289

|percentage = 25.0

|change = −0.5

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 69,340

|percentage = 81.7

|change = +4.1

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = −4.3

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1987: South Suffolk{{cite web|title=Election Data 1987|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1987.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054243/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1987.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Tim Yeo

|votes = 33,972

|percentage = 53.4

|change = +2.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Christopher Bradford

|votes = 17,729

|percentage = 27.9

|change = −3.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Anthony Bavington

|votes = 11,876

|percentage = 18.7

|change = +0.6

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 16,243

|percentage = 25.5

|change = +6.2

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 81,954

|percentage = 77.6

|change = +1.3

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +3.1

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1983: South Suffolk{{cite web|title=Election Data 1983|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1983.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054231/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1983.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Tim Yeo

|votes = 29,469

|percentage = 50.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Richard Kemp

|votes = 18,200

|percentage = 31.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Stephen Billcliffe

|votes = 10,516

|percentage = 18.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 11,269

|percentage = 19.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 76,209

|percentage = 76.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Suffolk
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the East of England (region)

{{Reflist|group=n}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/13370.html South Suffolk UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/65614.html South Suffolk UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/168436.html South Suffolk UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

{{Constituencies in the East of England}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|52.06|0.94|type:adm2nd_dim:45000_region:GB-SFK|display=title}}

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Suffolk

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

Category:Babergh District