General Election: West Country boundary changes explained

Millions of people in the South West will cast their vote for a new local MP on 4 July, and thousands will be affected by constituency boundary changes.

These were carried out in 2023 to ensure every parliamentary seat is roughly a similar size and is adjusted for changes in the population since the last review in 2010.

The changes mean tactical voting may be more difficult in this election, while previous boundary changes have tended to benefit the Conservatives nationally.

In the West Country, all but two seats have changed in some way and the region has gained three new constituencies - meaning three more MPs on 5 July.

It has led to a shake up of where a few familiar faces are standing and could potentially affect some candidates' chances of winning in the West Country.

New seats: 'The biggest change in decades that'll make it harder to tactically vote'

The recent boundary review "looks like it's had the most change compared to the previous ones of 2006 and 1995", according to Dr Hannah Bunting, the co-director of the Election Centre at the University of Exeter.

That's because in 2023, the Boundary Commission for England decided each seat should include 77,000 potential voters, to within five percent.

Previous reviews have put more emphasis on keeping communities together or drawing what 'looks' like a typical constituency, which led to some seats with 20,000 more voters than the average.

But this year, the constituencies have been drawn to hit the 77,000 number much more tightly, according to Dr Bunting.

"From a voter's perspective, it makes it more difficult to tactically vote," she said.

"It makes it a lot more difficult to assess that electoral situation and sort of say, 'okay who is the best candidate here to get rid of my existing MP if I don't like them anymore?'

Dr Bunting: 'Boundary changes tend to benefit the Conservatives'

"ln terms of results, they [boundary changes] seem to happen at quite momentous elections," she said.

"So, 1997 was on new boundaries, 2010 was on new boundaries and now we've got 2024 on new boundaries."

1997 saw Labour leader Tony Blair carry his party to a landslide victory, while 2010 saw the UK's first coalition since the Second World War.

But the timing of these changes also makes it harder for political experts like Dr Bunting to establish what the impact of the changes to electoral boundaries will actually have.

Take a look at how constituencies have changed across the region since 2019

"Overall, over the past three or definitely the last two boundary changes, it tends to benefit the Conservatives a little bit," Dr Bunting added.

This is partly due to population growth. Whereas Labour tends to be more successful in urban areas, more rural areas tend to vote Conservative.

"I guess from Labour's perspective, any gain in this area is a big deal for them because it's not an area that they've done well in for quite a long time.

"But I don't think anybody is particularly celebrating that the fact that 'yep, there's these new boundaries and so we're definitely going to be doing a lot better than if we fought them on the old boundaries'", Dr Bunting concluded.

So, where are the newly names seats for the 2024 general election?

Find your constituency:

• Bridgwater

This historic seat is making a return after it was scrapped in 2010, and replaced by the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency.

It dates back to 1295, but has a changed a lot over its more than 700-year history.

In 2024, it will be re-established and cover largely the same wards as Bridgwater and West Somerset, minus the area of the former district of West Somerset.

The seat has elected consecutive Conservative MPs since the 1950 general election. But the most recent former MP for the area, Conservative politician Ian Liddell-Grainger, is instead now standing in the new constituency of Tiverton and Minehead.

• Bristol Central

Bristol Central has been created to account for population growth across the city.

A constituency of the same name existed between 1918 and 1974, but did not cover exactly the same area.

Bristol Central replaces the former Bristol West seat, but areas including Bishopston and Ashley Down will now fall into Bristol North West, while Lawrence Hill and Easton will become part of Bristol East.

This is a target seat for the Green Party and is where party co-leader Carla Denyer is standing to be an MP.

Thangam Debbonaire, the Labour candidate and shadow culture secretary, previously held a majority of more than 28,000 votes in Bristol West. In the local elections held last month, the Greens won all of the wards that make up the Parliamentary seat.

Carla Denyer and Thangam Debbonaire are standing alongside Samuel Williams (Conservative), Nicholas Coombes (Lib Dem), Robert Clarke (Reform UK) and Kellie-Jay Keen (Party of Women).

• Bristol North East

Bristol North East is another seat that is having a second life, having initially been created in 1950 and abolished in 1983.

This is a new seat for most voters in Bristol, and will be compromised of former parts of Bristol East (Eastville, Frome Vale and Hillfields); Bristol North West (Lockleaze); Filton and Bradley Stoke (Staple Hill and Mangotsfield); and parts of the former Kingswood seat - which has been scrapped.

Labour politician Damien Egan, who took the former Kingswood seat from the Conservatives in a by-election earlier this year, is contesting this seat.

But he is going up against Rose Hulse (Conservative), Louise Harris (Lib Dem), Lorraine Francis (Green), Anthony Michael New (Reform UK), Dan Smart (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition), Tommy Trueman (SDP) and Asif Ali (independent).

• East Wiltshire

East Wiltshire will cover some boroughs of Swindon, though not Swindon itself. It has also taken parts of the former Devizes constituency, which has been scrapped - though, not Devizes itself.

The new seat also covers areas including Malborough, and has taken places from South Swindon (Wroughton and Chiseldon), and Salisbury (Tilshead, Shrewton and Amesbury).

Former Devizes MP and Conservative politician Danny Kruger will now be standing in this seat after his previous constituency was abolished. He faces Rob Newman (Labour), David Kinnaird (Lib Dems), Stephen Talbot (Reform UK), Emily Herbert (Green), and Peter Force-Jones (True & Fair).

See how the 19 new constituencies have emerged since the 2019 general election

• Exmouth and Exeter East

This seat covers Exmouth and the eastern suburbs of Exeter, as well as three wards in the city itself.

The seat covers around three quarters of the former East Devon constituency, which has been scrapped. These include Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth and Topsham.

It also has taken Pinhoe from Exeter and the Exe Valley ward from Central Devon.

• Frome and East Somerset

This seat has taken areas from the former constituency of Somerton and Frome, which has been redrawn and renamed, and has also incorporated parts of the former North East Somerset seat, which has also been renamed and redrawn.

• Glastonbury and Somerton

The new seat of Glastonbury and Somerton covers the majority of the former Somerton and Frome constituency and has added Glastonbury and Street. These two towns have been taken from the former Wells constituency, which in itself has been scrapped.

Glastonbury and Somerton also now covers a small part of the former Yeovil constituency.

Liberal Democrat politician Sarah Dyke is standing here, having previously been elected to the seat's precursor in a by-election in 2023. Her party have traditionally viewed areas in Somerset like this as some of their heartlands and hope to turn swathes of Somerset yellow in July.

Ms Dyke is running against Faye Purbrick (Conservatives), Hal Hooberman (Labour), Jon Cousins (Green), Tom Carter (Reform UK), and Angela Henderson (Workers Party).

• Honiton and Sidmouth

This seat includes Axminster, Honiton and Seaton, which has been taken from the former seat of Tiverton and Honiton, which has been abolished. It also now covers Ottery St Mary and Sidmouth, which used to make up part of the former seat of East Devon.

This is one of the only seats in the country where two incumbents, the Conservatives' Simon Jupp and the Liberal Democrats' Richard Foord are going head to head. Both were sitting MPs until Parliament was dissolved for the election.

They will also be fighting for votes against Jake Bonetta (Labour), Paul Quickenden (Reform UK), Henry Gent (Green), Hazel Exon (Party of Women) and Vanessa Coxon (independent).

This race will be "really interesting", according to Dr Hannah Bunting, the co-director of the Election Centre at the University of Exeter.

"In Tiverton and Honiton, the Liberal Democrats there have been campaigning to keep the seat since they won it in the by-election. So, they've been contacting local businesses, they've been really responsive, they've been a model MP, a model representative party there," she said.

"But once you bring in the fact that the other MP from the other area, the Conservative, has got more of a name recognition and what we call an incumbency effect - they've been there for a long time, people know who they are - then you've got that really interesting head-to-head going on."

Dr Hannah Bunting explains the unique position of the Honiton and Sidmouth seat

Dr Bunting added: "I'm not sure which way it will go really, I'm not sure how the boundary changes will impact that, but if you're living in that constituency, it must be really interesting to have such a fierce competition for your vote."

• Melksham and Devizes

Melksham and Devizes is a new seat that has incorporated parts of the Chippenham constituency, as well as Devizes from the former constituency of the same name.

It also includes a number of wards from North Wiltshire, a seat that will also be abolished.

Science and Technology minister Michelle Donelan is now standing in this new seat for the Conservatives, having previously represented Chippenham since 2015.

She is standing against Kerry Postlewhite (Labour), Brian Matthew (Lib Dem), Malcolm John Cupis (Reform UK), and Catherine Read (Green).

• North Cotswolds

Covering the northern parts of the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty, this seat has taken around half of the former The Cotswolds constituency, as well as communities between Cheltenham and Gloucester, which have come from the Tewkesbury seat.

North Cotswolds also incorporates the most northern parts of the Stroud constituency.

• North East Somerset and Hanham

This new seat covers slightly more than half of the old North East Somerset constituency, which has been abolished. To this, it has now added Hanham and the southern-most areas of Gloucestershire - roughly 45% of the former Kingswood constituency, mentioned above.

Former Business Secretary and now Conservative candidate Jacob Rees-Mogg is standing in this seat, having been elected as the parliamentary representative for the former North East Somerset seat since 2010.

Rees-Mogg will be going up against Dan Norris, Labour's candidate for the constituency and the Mayor for the West of England. He has previously also served as an MP for 13 years, but was defeated by Rees-Mogg when he stood in North East Somerset in 2010.

The pair will also be competing once more, alongside Bath Mayor Dine Romero (Lib Dems), as well as Edmund Cannon (Green), Paul MacDonnell (Reform UK), Barmy Brunch (Monster Raving Loony Party) and Nicholas Hales (independent).

• South Cotswolds

As with the new North Cotswolds seat, the South Cotswolds constituency covers around half of the former constituency known as The Cotswolds, which has been abolished.

The new seat also takes areas including Cricklade, Purton and Malmesbury from the former seat of North Wiltshire.

James Gray, who has been the Conservative MP for North Wiltshire since 1997, is standing in this new seat. He will be going up against Roz Savage (Lib Dems), Zoë Billingham (Labour), Bob Eastoe (Green), Desi Latimer (Reform UK), Chris Twells (the Liberal Party), Martin Broomfield (SDP), Sandy Steel (independent) and Owen Humphreys (independent).

• South Devon

This is another constituency with historic roots that is being revived, having been first established in 1832.

South Devon will cover the area covered by the former Totnes seat, with only minor changes.

Take a look at where boundaries are changing in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset

• Swindon North

This seat remains largely the same but has been renamed from North Swindon to Swindon North.

Two areas, the districts of Covingham and Nythe, have been transferred to Swindon South.

• Swindon South

As with it's northern counterpart, this seat has largely just been renamed.

The areas of Chiseldon and Wroughton have now moved to the new constituency of East Wiltshire.

Both seats in Swindon are being targeted by Labour and both have most recently elected Conservative MPs.

• Taunton and Wellington

This seat replaces the former Taunton Deane constituency, covering much of the same ground. But Wiveliscombe and the surrounding areas have been transferred to the new Tiverton and Minehead seat.

Junior nature minister and former MP for Taunton Deane, Rebecca Pow, is standing in this new seat, against Brenda Weston (Labour), Gideon Amos (Lib Dems), Ryan Trower (Green), Charles Hansard (Reform UK) and Rochelle Russell (Communist).

See where boundaries are changing in Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol

• Tiverton and Minhead

A new cross-county constituency, Tiverton and Minehead covers the northern parts of the former Tiverton and Honiton seat.

It also includes the towns of Minehead and Watchet, which used to be in the the former Bridgwater and West Somerset seat, and rural areas west of Taunton such as Wiveliscombe, that once formed the now defunct Taunton Deane seat.

• Torridge and Tavistock

This is another seat that has been renamed, with only a few minor changes. Torridge and Tavistock replaces the Torridge and West Devon constituency, which has been abolished, but excludes

• Wells and Mendip Hills

Wells and Mendip Hills is a new seat for the 2024 general election. It is formed of the majority of the former seat of Wells, which includes Axbridge, Cheddar, Shepton Mallet and the titular town.

The seat has also incorporated some areas from the Weston-super-Mare constituency, which has been reduced in size. Wells and Mendip Hills now covers areas including Blagdon, Churchill, Congresbury and Winscombe.

The new constituency has also reduced the size of the North Somerset seat, with Yatton now being covered by Wells and Mendip Hills.

The Polden Hills area, formerly of the now-abolished Bridgwater and West Somerset seat, is also now in the new constituency.

Former Wells MP and Conservative politician James Heappey, who also served as Armed Forces Minister, stood down ahead of the 2024 election. It means there is no recent member of Parliament running for the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency.