The ceremonial county of Dorset (which comprises the two unitary authorities of Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) is divided into 8 parliamentary constituencies: 3 borough constituencies and 5 county constituencies.
Constituencies
† Conservative ‡ Labour ¤ Liberal Democrat
2024 Boundary changes
See 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for further details.
For the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which redrew the constituency map ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the Boundary Commission for England opted to retain the eight current constituencies in Dorset, with minor boundary changes to reflect changes to ward boundaries following the reorganisation of local government authorities within the county.
The boundary commission recommended the following seats within Dorset:
Containing electoral wards from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Bournemouth East
- Bournemouth West
- Christchurch (part)
- Mid Dorset and North Poole (part)
- Poole
Containing electoral wards from Dorset (unitary authority)
- Christchurch (part)
- Mid Dorset and North Poole (part)
- North Dorset
- South Dorset
- West Dorset
Results history
Primary data source: House of Commons research briefing - General election results from 1918 to 2019
2024
The number of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Dorset in the 2024 general election were as follows:
Percentage votes
Note that before 1983 Dorset did not include the Bournemouth and Christchurch areas (see below).
11950-1979: Liberal Party; 1983 & 1987 - SDP-Liberal Alliance
* Included in Other
Accurate vote percentages are not applicable for the 1918 election because one candidate stood unopposed.
Seats
11950-1979: Liberal Party; 1983 & 1987 - SDP-Liberal Alliance
Maps
1885-1910
1918-1945
1950-1979
1983-present
Historical representation by party
A cell marked → (with a different colour background to the preceding cell) indicates that the previous MP continued to sit under a new party name.
Before 1885
1885 to 1918
Conservative Liberal
1original candidate, F. Guest (Lib), disqualified; fresh by-election held June 1910
1918 to 1950
Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Conservative Independent Conservative Liberal
1950 to 1983
Conservative Labour
1983 to present (7, then 8 MPs)
Conservative Independent Labour Liberal Democrats
See also
- List of constituencies in South West England
Notes
References
