The Bristol South constituency is located in the city ofBristol inSouth West England. It covers the areas to the south of the city centre, including the inner-city districts ofSouthville andBedminster and the suburban neighbourhoods ofBishopsworth,Hartcliffe,Knowle West andHengrove. Bristol is a majorport city and has a long history of trade, including theslave trade. The areas of Bishopsworth, Hartcliffe and Knowle West contain a large proportion ofsocial housing and are amongst the 10% most deprived parts of the country, whilst the areas closer to the city centre are wealthier.[3]
Compared to national averages, residents of Bristol South are young,irreligious and have average levels of wealth, education and professional employment.White people make up 90% of the population.[4] Atthe city council, areas close to the city centre are represented byGreen Party councillors like much of the rest of Bristol. Suburban areas of the constituency elected a mixture ofLabour Party,Conservative andLiberal Democrat councillors. Voters in Bristol South were estimated to have been marginally in favour of remaining in theEuropean Union in the2016 referendum, with the option receiving 51% of the vote compared to 48% nationally.[4]
The constituency covers the south-west ofBristol, bounded by theAvon New Cut to the north, theA37 Wells Road to the east, and the city boundaries to the south and west.
1885–1918: The Borough of Bristol wards of Bedminster East, Bedminster West, Bristol, and Redcliffe, and part of the civil parish of Bedminster.
1918–1950: The County Borough of Bristol wards of Bedminster East, Bedminster West, and Southville, and part of Somerset ward.
1950–1955: The County Borough of Bristol wards of Bedminster, Somerset, Southville, and Windmill Hill.
1955–1983: The County Borough of Bristol wards of Bedminster, Bishopsworth, Hengrove, Somerset, and Southville.
1983–1997: The City of Bristol wards of Bedminster, Bishopsworth, Filwood, Hartcliffe, Knowle, Southville, Whitchurch Park, and Windmill Hill.
1997–2024: The City of Bristol wards of Bedminster, Bishopsworth, Filwood, Hartcliffe, Hengrove, Knowle, Southville, Whitchurch Park, and Windmill Hill.
2024–present: The City of Bristol wards of Bedminster; Bishopsworth; Filwood; Hartcliffe & Withywood; Hengrove & Whitchurch Park; Southville; and Windmill Hill.[5]
To bring the electorate within the permitted range, theKnowle ward was moved toBristol East.[6][7]
The seat has elected Labour MPs at every election since 1935, the only seat in the south of England outsideGreater London with such a record. The closest result, giving a marginal majority, was the 1987 election whereDawn Primarolo won a majority of 2.7% of the vote — in that election theSocial Democratic Party, a 'moderate' breakaway party from the Labour Party,[n 3] won 19.6% of the vote.
