Bristol South is a traditional white working class seat. Residents' wealth is around average for the UK.[3]
Boundaries
Map of present boundaries
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–present: The City of Bristol wards of Bedminster, Bishopsworth, Filwood, Hartcliffe, Hengrove, Knowle, Southville, Whitchurch Park, and Windmill Hill.
The constituency covers the south-west of
Bristol, bounded by the
Avon New Cut to the north, the
A37 Wells Road to the east, and the city boundaries to the south and west.
The City of Bristol wards of: Bedminster; Bishopsworth; Filwood; Hartcliffe & Withywood; Hengrove & Whitchurch Park; Southville; Windmill Hill.[4]
In order to bring the electorate within the permitted range, the
Knowle ward will be moved to
Bristol East.[5][6]
History
The seat has elected Labour MPs at every election since 1935, the only seat in the south of England outside
Greater London with such a record. The closest result, giving a marginal majority, was the 1987 election where
Dawn Primarolo won a majority of 2.7% of the vote — in that election the
Social Democratic Party, a 'moderate' breakaway party from the Labour Party,[n 3] won 19.6% of the vote.