Reading South (UK Parliament constituency)

Reading South was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency covered an area in and around the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire.

Reading South
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Reading South in Berkshire, boundaries 1974-83
CountyBerkshire
Major settlementsReading
1950–1955
Created fromReading
Replaced byReading
1974 (1974)–1983
Type of constituencyBorough constituency
Created fromReading
Replaced byReading East, Reading West and Wokingham[1]

History

The Reading South parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. These constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency in for the 1955 general election.

The Reading South constituency was recreated in 1974, when the majority comprised areas outside the County Borough. In 1983 the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West.

Boundaries

1950–1955

The County Borough of Reading wards of Church, East, Katesgrove, Minster, Redlands, and West.[2]

It was then abolished and absorbed into the re-established constituency of Reading, with the exception of the East ward, which was transferred to Wokingham.

1974–1983
  • The County Borough of Reading wards of Christchurch, Park, Redlands, and Whitley; and
  • The Rural District of Wokingham parishes of Arborfield and Newland, Barkham, Earley, Finchampstead, Shinfield, Sonning, Swallowfield, Winnersh, and Woodley and Sandford.[3]

The Park ward of the County Borough of Reading was transferred from Wokingham, along with western parts of the Rural District thereof. The remaining wards of the County Borough were previously part of the abolished constituency of Reading.

The constituency was abolished again for the 1983 general election, with the majority forming the basis of the new County Constituency of Reading East. The north-western areas transferred back to Wokingham.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1950–1955
ElectionMemberParty
1950 Ian Mikardo Labour
1955 constituency abolished – see Reading

MPs 1974–1983
ElectionMemberParty
Feb 1974 Gerard Vaughan Conservative
1983 constituency abolished – see Reading East and Reading West

Election results

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Reading South[1][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 30,067 53.85 +11.32
Labour Bernard Gale 14,422 25.83 -2.01
Liberal Keith Ernest Vincent Watts 10,642 19.06 -10.56
Ecology Peter George Chaloner Dunn 700 1.25 New
Majority 15,645 28.02 +15.89
Turnout 55,831 76.48 +1.77
Conservative hold Swing +6.67
General election October 1974: Reading South[1][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 21,959 42.53 -0.26
Liberal Paul Richard Burall 15,293 29.62 -3.51
Labour Lawrence Silverman 14,375 27.84 +3.76
Majority 6,666 12.91 +3.25
Turnout 51,627 74.71 -6.23
Conservative hold Swing +1.63
General election February 1974: Reading South[1][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 23,735 42.79
Liberal Paul Richard Burall 18,376 33.13 New
Labour Gerd Hugo Kaufman 13,358 24.08
Majority 5,349 9.66
Turnout 55,469 80.94
Conservative win (new seat)

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1951: Reading South[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ian Mikardo 18,570 51.40 +2.73
Conservative Harold Pryce 17,561 48.60 +6.13
Majority 1,009 2.80 -3.40
Turnout 36,131 86.86 -1.41
Labour hold Swing
General election 1950: Reading South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ian Mikardo 17,704 48.67 n/a
Conservative DC Rissik 15,450 42.47 n/a
Liberal Gerald Laurence Opperman 3,225 8.87 n/a
Majority 2,254 6.20 n/a
Turnout 36,379 88.07 n/a
Labour win (new seat)

Politics and history of the constituency

The Reading South parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. The seat was contested and won for the Labour Party by Ian Mikardo, the sitting MP for the Reading constituency, who held the seat until it was merged back into a single Reading constituency for the 1955 general election.

The Reading South constituency was recreated in 1974, when it was contested and won for the Conservative Party by Gerard Vaughan, the sitting MP for the Reading constituency. For the 1983 general election the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West. Gerard Vaughan went on to hold the Reading East constituency until he stood down at the 1997 general election.

References
  1. "'Reading South', February 1974 – May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  2. Craig, Fred W.S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
  3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  4. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results May 1979". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  5. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results October 1974". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  6. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results February 1974". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  7. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.

See also
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