Southampton Test (UK Parliament constituency)

The constituency was created for the 1950 general election, when the previous two-member Southampton constituency was abolished. The boundaries of the seat have changed at most of the Boundary Commissions' periodic reviews.

Horace King, the MP between 1950 and 1955, before switching to the neighbouring seat of Southampton Itchen, would later become the first Speaker of the House of Commons from the Labour Party. The seat was contested unsuccessfully in 1955 and 1959 respectively by Anthony Crosland and Shirley Williams, who would both later be elected for other seats and become prominent ministers in the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s.

Southampton Test proved to be a bellwether (mirroring the national result) from 1966 until 2010, with the exception of the minority government of Harold Wilson from February to October 1974 {{crossreference|(see third Wilson ministry)}}.

In the 2010 general election, Alan Whitehead for Labour performed better here than John Denham in Southampton Itchen, the other Southampton seat, which the party also held more narrowly that year. The area from 2010 to 2015 was one of four Labour seats in South East England and from 2017 to 2019 among two of eighteen in Hampshire won by Labour candidates.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/region/8.stm|title=South East Results after 84 of 84|publisher=BBC News}} Whitehead was re-elected in 2017 with a majority of over 10,000 votes, and in 2019 over 6,000, making Southampton Test a relatively comfortable Labour seat. Whitehead did not stand at the 2024 general election;{{Cite news |date=2022-01-14 |title=Southampton Test Labour MP Alan Whitehead to step down|publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-59996813 |access-date=2023-07-05}} he was succeeded by fellow Labour Party member, Satvir Kaur, with a majority of over 9,000.

The seat covers the western part of the City of Southampton and is named after the River Test, one of the city's two rivers. It covers some of the leafy northern suburbs (though the northernmost Bassett Ward ceased to form part of the constituency in 1997) and the western port areas as well as the social housing estates of the western fringes. It is traditionally the marginally more affluent of the two constituencies in the city, before 2010 having a higher number of Tory representatives than its neighbour Southampton Itchen – named after the other major river. The area includes the University of Southampton, though its halls of residence fall almost entirely within Romsey and Southampton North or Southampton Itchen.

The seat is home to Southampton's football ground at St Mary's.

1950–1955: The County Borough of Southampton wards of All Saints, Banister, Freemantle, Millbrook, St Nicholas, Shirley, and Town; and the (civil) Parish of Millbrook (which was then in the Romsey and Stockbridge Rural District).Representation of the People Act 1948, Sch. 1.

1955–1983: The County Borough of Southampton wards of Banister, Bargate, Bassett, Coxford, Freemantle, Millbrook, Portswood, Redbridge, and Shirley.

1983–1997: The City of Southampton wards of Bassett, Coxford, Freemantle, Millbrook, Portswood, Redbridge, and Shirley.

1997–2010: The City of Southampton wards of Coxford, Freemantle, Millbrook, Portswood, Redbridge, St Luke's, and Shirley.The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995, SI 1995 No 1626

2010–2023 The City of Southampton wards of Bevois, Coxford, Freemantle, Millbrook, Portswood, Redbridge, and Shirley.

Following a review of local authority ward boundaries, which became effective in May 2023,{{Cite web |last=LGBCE |title=Southampton {{!}} LGBCE |url=https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/southampton |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=lgbce.org.uk}}{{Cite web |title=The Southampton (Electoral Changes) Order 2023 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/204/contents/made}} the constituency now comprises the following:

• The City of Southampton wards of: Banister & Polygon (majority); Bevois; Coxford; Freemantle; Millbrook; Portswood; Redbridge; Shirley; Swaythling (small part).{{Cite web |title=New Seat Details – Southampton Test |url=https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/calcwork23.py?seat=Southampton+Test |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=electoralcalculus.co.uk}}

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.{{Cite web |title=The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1230/schedules/made |at=Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region}}

The constituency is bounded to the east by Southampton Itchen, to the north by Romsey and Southampton North and to the west by New Forest East.

Southampton prior to 1950

{{Election box begin|title=General election 2024: Southampton Test[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001500 Southampton Test]

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Satvir Kaur|votes=15,945|percentage=44.5|change=-5.0}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=Ben Burcombe-Filer|votes=6,612|percentage=18.5|change=-17.2}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Reform UK|candidate=John Edwards|votes=5,261|percentage=14.7|change=+11.2}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Katherine Barbour|votes=3,594|percentage=10.0|change=+6.8}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Thomas Gravatt|votes=3,252|percentage=9.1|change=+1.4}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Workers Party of Britain|candidate=Wajahat Shaukat|votes=775|percentage=2.2|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition|candidate=Maggie Fricker|votes=366|percentage=1.0|change=N/A}}

{{Election box majority|votes=9,333|percentage=26.0|change=+12.2}}

{{Election box turnout|votes=35,805|percentage=54.7|change=–9.6}}

{{Election box registered electors

|reg. electors = 65,520

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = {{increase}}6.1

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 2019: Southampton Test{{cite news |title=Southampton Test Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000956 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=27 November 2019}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Alan Whitehead|votes=22,256|percentage=49.5|change=-9.2}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=Steven Galton|votes=16,043|percentage=35.7|change=+1.6}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Joe Richards|votes=3,449|percentage=7.7|change=+3.7}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Brexit Party|candidate=Philip Crook|votes=1,591|percentage=3.5|change=N/A}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Katherine Barbour|votes=1,433|percentage=3.2|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independent politician|candidate=Kev Barry|votes=222|percentage=0.5|change=N/A}}

{{Election box majority|votes=6,213|percentage=13.8|change=-10.8}}{{Election box turnout|votes=44,994|percentage=64.2|change=-2.6}}{{Election box hold with party link||swing=-5.4|winner=Labour Party (UK)}}{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin

|title= General election 2017: Southampton Test}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link||party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Alan Whitehead|votes=27,509|percentage=58.7|change=+17.4}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=Paul Holmes|votes=16,006|percentage=34.1|change=+1.6}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Thomas Gravatt|votes=1,892|percentage=4.0|change=-0.9}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = Southampton Independents

|candidate = Andrew Pope

|votes = 816

|percentage = 1.7

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Independent (politician)|candidate=Keith Morrell|votes=680|percentage=1.4|change=N/A}}

{{Election box majority||votes=11,508|percentage=24.6|change=+15.8}}

{{Election box turnout||votes=46,908|percentage=66.8|change=+4.7}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = +7.9

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 2015: Southampton Test{{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}}{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000685 | publisher=BBC News | title=BBC NEWS – Election 2015 – Southampton Test}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Alan Whitehead

|votes = 18,017

|percentage = 41.3

|change = +2.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Jeremy Moulton

|votes = 14,207

|percentage = 32.5

|change = -0.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = United Kingdom Independence Party

|candidate = Pearline Hingston

|votes = 5,566

|percentage = 12.8

|change = +8.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Green Party of England and Wales

|candidate = Angela Mawle

|votes = 2,568

|percentage = 5.9

|change = +3.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Adrian Ford

|votes = 2,121

|percentage = 4.9

|change = -17.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Chris Davis

|votes = 770

|percentage = 1.8

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

|candidate = Nick Chaffey

|votes = 403

|percentage = 0.9

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 3,810

|percentage = 8.8

|change = +3.3

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 43,652

|percentage = 62.1

|change = +0.7

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = +1.7

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 2010: Southampton Test{{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 }}{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/e31.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Southampton Test}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Alan Whitehead

|votes = 17,001

|percentage = 38.5

|change = -5.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Jeremy Moulton

|votes = 14,588

|percentage = 33.0

|change = +8.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Dave Callaghan

|votes = 9,865

|percentage = 22.3

|change = -1.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = United Kingdom Independence Party

|candidate = Pearline Hingston

|votes = 1,726

|percentage = 3.9

|change = +0.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Green Party of England and Wales

|candidate = Chris Bluemel

|votes = 881

|percentage = 2.0

|change = -1.6

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 2,413

|percentage = 5.5

|change = -11.3

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 44,187

|percentage = 61.4

|change = +5.4

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = −6.9

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 2005: Southampton Test{{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 = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Alan Whitehead

|votes = 17,845

|percentage = 42.7

|change = −9.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Stephen MacLoughlin

|votes = 10,827

|percentage = 25.9

|change = +0.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Steve Sollitt

|votes = 10,368

|percentage = 24.8

|change = +6.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Green Party of England and Wales

|candidate = John Spottiswoode

|votes = 1,482

|percentage = 3.5

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = United Kingdom Independence Party

|candidate = Peter Day

|votes = 1,261

|percentage = 3.0

|change = +1.1

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 7,018

|percentage = 16.8

|change = -10.2

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 41,783

|percentage = 53.7

|change = −2.6

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = −5.1

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 2001: Southampton Test{{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 = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Alan Whitehead

|votes = 21,824

|percentage = 52.5

|change = -1.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Richard Gueterbock

|votes = 10,617

|percentage = 25.5

|change = -2.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = John Shaw

|votes = 7,522

|percentage = 18.1

|change = +4.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = United Kingdom Independence Party

|candidate = Garry Rankin-Moore

|votes = 792

|percentage = 1.9

|change = +1.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Socialist Alliance (England)

|candidate = Mark Abel

|votes = 442

|percentage = 1.1

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Paramjit Bahia

|votes = 378

|percentage = 0.9

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 11,207

|percentage = 27.0

|change = +1.0

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 41,575

|percentage = 56.3

|change = -15.6

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1997: Southampton Test{{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=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Alan Whitehead|votes=28,396|percentage=54.1|change=+11.7}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=James Hill|votes=14,712|percentage=28.1|change=−15.3}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Alan Dowden|votes=7,171|percentage=13.7|change=+0.6}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Referendum Party|candidate=Peter Day|votes=1,397|percentage=2.7|change= N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Legalise Cannabis Alliance|candidate=Howard Marks|votes=388|percentage=0.7|change= N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=United Kingdom Independence Party|candidate=Anthony McCabe|votes=219|percentage=0.4|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independent (politician)|candidate=Paul Taylor|votes=81|percentage=0.2|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Natural Law Party|candidate=John Sinel|votes=77|percentage=0.1|change=N/A}}

{{Election box majority|votes=13,684|percentage=26.0|change= N/A}}

{{Election box turnout|votes=52,441|percentage=71.9|change=-5.5}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1992: Southampton Test{{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=6 December 2010}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = James Hill

|votes = 24,504

|percentage = 43.4

|change = −2.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Alan Whitehead|votes=23,919|percentage=42.4|change=+9.1}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Diana Maddock|votes=7,391|percentage=13.1|change=−8.1}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Jonathan M. Michaelis|votes=535|percentage=0.9|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Natural Law Party|candidate=David Plummer|votes=101|percentage=0.2|change=N/A}}

{{Election box majority||votes=585|percentage=1.0|change=−11.3}}

{{Election box turnout||votes=56,450|percentage=77.4|change=+1.0}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = −5.6

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1987: Southampton Test{{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 = James Hill

|votes = 25,722

|percentage = 45.6

|change = +0.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Alan Whitehead

|votes = 18,768

|percentage = 33.3

|change = +5.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Vivienne Rayner

|votes = 11,950

|percentage = 21.2

|change = -5.5

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 6,954

|percentage = 12.3

|change = -4.8

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 56,440

|percentage = 76.4

|change = +3.3

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = -2.4

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1983: Southampton Test{{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 = James Hill

|votes = 24,657

|percentage = 45.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Alan Whitehead

|votes = 15,311

|percentage = 28.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Social Democratic Party (UK)

|candidate = Adrian Vinson

|votes = 14,592

|percentage = 26.7

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 9,346

|percentage = 17.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 54,560

|percentage = 73.1

|change = -3.2

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1979: Southampton Test

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = James Hill

|votes = 27,198

|percentage = 46.36

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Bryan Gould

|votes = 25,075

|percentage = 42.74

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = D. Hughes

|votes = 6,393

|percentage = 10.90

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 2,123

|percentage = 3.62

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 58,666

|percentage = 76.30

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election October 1974: Southampton Test}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Bryan Gould

|votes = 22,780

|percentage = 42.17

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = James Hill

|votes = 22,250

|percentage = 41.19

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = J.R. Wallis

|votes = 8,994

|percentage = 16.65

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 530

|percentage = 0.98

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 54,024

|percentage = 73.11

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election February 1974: Southampton Test}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = James Hill

|votes = 23,742

|percentage = 40.88

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Bryan Gould

|votes = 22,339

|percentage = 38.46

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = J.R. Wallis

|votes = 12,000

|percentage = 20.66

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 1,403

|percentage = 2.42

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 58,081

|percentage = 79.21

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1970: Southampton Test{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1970}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = James Hill

|votes = 24,660

|percentage = 47.54

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Bob Mitchell

|votes = 22,858

|percentage = 44.07

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Jack Wallis

|votes = 4,349

|percentage = 8.38

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 1,802

|percentage = 3.47

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 51,867

|percentage = 73.33

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1966: Southampton Test{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1966}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Bob Mitchell

|votes = 24,628

|percentage = 48.37

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Fletcher-Cooke

|votes = 22,188

|percentage = 43.58

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Graham Cleverley

|votes = 4,102

|percentage = 8.06

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 2,440

|percentage = 4.79

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 51,918

|percentage = 78.13

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1964: Southampton Test{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1964}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Fletcher-Cooke

|votes = 25,700

|percentage = 50.34

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Bob Mitchell

|votes = 25,352

|percentage = 49.66

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 348

|percentage = 0.68

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 51,052

|percentage = 76.69

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1959: Southampton Test{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1959}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Howard

|votes = 30,176

|percentage = 56.31

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Shirley Williams

|votes = 23,410

|percentage = 43.69

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 6,766

|percentage = 12.62

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 53,586

|percentage = 79.88

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1955: Southampton Test{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1955}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Howard

|votes = 26,707

|percentage = 51.21

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Anthony Crosland

|votes = 22,865

|percentage = 43.84

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Stanley Little

|votes = 2,583

|percentage = 4.95

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 3,842

|percentage = 7.37

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 52,155

|percentage = 78.72

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1951: Southampton Test{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1951}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Horace King

|votes = 26,430

|percentage = 50.44

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative and National Liberal

|candidate = John Paul

|votes = 25,965

|percentage = 49.56

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 465

|percentage = 0.88

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 52,395

|percentage = 83.52

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 1950: Southampton Test{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1950}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Horace King

|votes = 25,052

|percentage = 47.08

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = National Liberal and Conservative

|candidate = P. Brembridge

|votes = 23,663

|percentage = 45.15

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Stephen Fry

|votes = 3,697

|percentage = 7.05

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 1,389

|percentage = 1.93

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 52,412

|percentage = 84.39

|change =

}}

{{Election box new seat win

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

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

{{Reflist|group=n}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/13358.html Southampton, Test UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/65580.html Southampton, Test UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/168723.html Southampton Test UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

{{Constituencies in South East England}}

{{Districts of Southampton}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord |50|56|N|1|25|W|type:adm3rd_region:GB-STH|display=title}}

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Hampshire

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

Category:Politics of Southampton