Bury St Edmunds (UK Parliament constituency)

Bury St Edmunds was a constituency in Suffolk from 1621 to 2024, most recently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2015 to 2024 by Jo Churchill, a Conservative.

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to moderate boundary changes and was abolished for the 2024 general election, with the bulk of the electorate being included in the new constituency of Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket.

Constituency profile
The constituency covered Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and smaller settlements on the A14 corridor. Residents' wealth was around average for the UK.

History
The constituency was created as a Parliamentary Borough in 1614, returning two MPs to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and from 1800 to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. By the mid eighteenth century the seat was seen as heavily influenced by the Earl of Bristol and the Duke of Grafton. Its representation was reduced to one seat under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, it was abolished as a borough and reconstituted as a division of the Parliamentary County of West Suffolk. As well as the abolished borough, the expanded seat comprised most of the abolished Stowmarket Division, except for the town of Stowmarket itself. From 1950, it has been classified as a county constituency in terms of election expenses and type of returning officer.

The electorate has elected Conservative Party candidates at the general elections and two by-elections since a Liberal victory in 1880. The closest contest since that year was in 1997 when the Labour Party candidate fell 368 votes, less than 1%, short of winning the seat in 1997 during Tony Blair's first landslide result.

1918–1950

 * The Borough of Bury St Edmunds;
 * The Urban District of Newmarket;
 * The Rural Districts of Brandon, Mildenhall, and Thedwastre; and
 * Parts of the Rural Districts of Moulton and Thingoe.

1950–1983

 * The Borough of Bury St Edmunds:
 * The Urban Districts of Haverhill and Newmarket; and
 * The Rural Districts of Clare, Mildenhall, Thedwastre, and Thingoe.

Extended to the south-west, gaining western and northern parts of the abolished Sudbury Division of West Suffolk, including Haverhill.

1983–1997

 * The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Barningham, Barrow, Chevington, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Honington, Horringer, Ixworth, Northgate, Pakenham, Risby, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Sextons, Southgate, Stanton, Westgate, and Whelnetham; and
 * The District of Forest Heath.

''Southern areas, including Haverhill, were transferred to the new constituency of South Suffolk. The easternmost area, equivalent to the former Rural District of Thedwastre, was transferred to the new constituency of Central Suffolk.''

1997–2010

 * The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Horringer Court, Northgate, Pakenham, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Sextons, Southgate, Westgate, and Whelnetham; and
 * The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Badwell Ash, Elmswell, Gislingham, Haughley and Wetherden, Needham Market, Norton, Onehouse, Rattlesden, Rickinghall, Ringshall, Stowmarket Central, Stowmarket North, Stowmarket South, Stowupland, Thurston, Walsham-le-Willows, and Woolpit.

''Major reconfiguration, with the majority of the constituency, including Newmarket, forming the basis of the new County Constituency of West Suffolk. Extended eastwards, gaining western half of Central Suffolk, including Stowmarket.''

2010–2024

 * The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Horringer and Whelnetham, Minden, Moreton Hall, Northgate, Pakenham, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Southgate, and Westgate; and
 * The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Bacton and Old Newton, Badwell Ash, Elmswell and Norton, Gislingham, Haughley and Wetherden, Needham Market, Onehouse, Rattlesden, Rickinghall and Walsham, Ringshall, Stowmarket Central, Stowmarket North, Stowmarket South, Stowupland, Thurston and Hessett, and Woolpit.

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

The constituency contained the towns of Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market. Its boundaries did not match those of the former borough of St Edmundsbury, which included Haverhill (part of West Suffolk constituency), and excludes Stowmarket and Needham Market.

MPs 1660–1885
Two Members

Elections in the 2010s
Note: Independent politician St Edmundsbury Borough Councillor and Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor Paul Hopfensperger submitted a valid nomination but this was subsequently withdrawn. Because of the timing of the withdrawal, his name appears in the Statement of Persons Nominated for this election.

Elections in the 1940s
Following the death of Frank Heilgers on 16 January 1944 a by-election was held on 29 February 1944.

Elections in the 1920s
On Guinness's nomination as Minister of Agriculture a by-election in 1925 was required under the electoral law of the time, which he won.

Elections in the 1850s

 * Caused by Hervey's succession to the peerage, becoming 2nd Marquess of Bristol


 * Caused by Stuart's resignation after being appointed a Vice-Chancellor of the Court of Chancery.

Elections in the 1840s

 * Caused by Hervey's appointment as Treasurer of the Household

Elections in the 1830s

 * Caused by FitzRoy's appointment as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household