Battleground Anglia: Suffolk South

The Conservatives won the South Suffolk constituency at the 2010 General Election with a majority of nearly 9,000 votes. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Suffolk South is a rural seat centred around Sudbury, the areas largest town. It takes in the scenic area around the river Stour popularly known as 'Constable country' and runs along much of the Essex boundary.

The area is famous for its picturesque villages, which have attracted affluent second-home buyers, and is home for commuters to Ipswich, Cambridge and London.

  • Conservative majority in 2010: 8,689

  • The Suffolk consituency with the least voters

  • The Liberal Democrats would need a swing of 8% to win in 2015 and Labour would need a 17% swing

The local Conservatives controversially de-selected long-serving MP Tim Yeo. He's been the MP for 32 years and has been chair of the Energy & Climate Change Select Committee throughout this parliament.

He served as a Health minister and an Environment minister in John Major's government in the 1990s.

Candidates in 2015

  • Jane Basham - Labour

  • James Cartlidge - Conservative

  • Robert Lindsay - Green

  • Grace Weaver - Liberal Democrats

  • Stephen Todd - Christian Peoples Alliance

  • Steven Whalley - UKIP

On 11 March 2015, students at Thomas Gainsborough School in Sudbury held a debate with a panel of the parliamentary candidates from the five main political parties.