Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)

Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since the 2024 general election by Rupert Lowe of Reform UK.

History
The Parliamentary Borough of Great Yarmouth had been represented by two members of parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801. The borough was unaffected by the Great Reform Act of 1832, but it was disenfranchised for corruption by the Reform Act 1867, when its voters were absorbed into the North Division of the Parliamentary County of Norfolk.

The seat was re-established as a single-member Borough by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and remained unchanged until the Representation of the People Act 1948, which came into effect for the 1950 general election. This abolished the Parliamentary Borough and replaced it with the County Constituency of Yarmouth, which incorporated the County Borough and surrounding rural areas.

Further to the local government reorganisation of 1974, which was reflected in the redistribution of seats which came into effect for the 1983 general election, the constituency was formally renamed Great Yarmouth and its boundaries coincided with those of the local authority of the Borough of Great Yarmouth. It has remained unchanged since then.

1885–1918

 * The Municipal Borough of Great Yarmouth, including the parish of Gorleston, and part of the parish of Runham.

1918–1950

 * The County Borough of Great Yarmouth.

1950–1974

 * The County Borough of Great Yarmouth; and
 * The Rural District of Blofield and Flegg except the civil parishes of Great and Little Plumstead, Postwick, and Thorpe-next-Norwich (later renamed Thorpe St Andrew).

The parts of the Rural District of Blofield and Flegg had previously been included in the abolished Eastern Division of Norfolk.

1974–1983
The remaining parishes of the Rural District of Blofield and Flegg were transferred from the abolished constituency of Central Norfolk.
 * The County Borough of Great Yarmouth; and
 * the Rural District of Blofield and Flegg.

1983–present

 * The Borough of Great Yarmouth.

''Thorpe St Andrew was transferred to Norwich North and remaining western parts to the new constituency of Mid Norfolk. Gained a small area from the abolished Suffolk constituency of Lowestoft, including Bradwell, which had been transferred to Norfolk as a result of the local government reorganisation of 1974, as laid out in the Local Government Act 1972.''

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is unchanged.

The constituency covers the area in and around Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Despite its rural area, there is a substantial amount of industry in the constituency.

Great Yarmouth borough
Great Yarmouth was a 2-seat constituency from 1660 until 1868 when it was disenfranchised. It was recreated for the 1885 general election as a single-seat constituency.

MPs 1885–1950

 * 1885: Constituency revived, electing only a single member

Elections in the 1910s
* Wilson - who stood as a 'Patriotic Trade Unionist's and Seamen's' candidate - supported the Coalition Government and was supported by the National Sailors' and Firemen's Union. He claimed to have been adopted by both the Liberal Party and National Democratic and Labour Party, but only appeared on the former's official list. ** Dawson initially was endorsed by the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers who then repudiated him.

Elections in the 1910s
General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
 * Unionist: Arthur Fell
 * Liberal:

Elections in the 1830s
Wilshere resigned, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1840s
The election of Lennox and Coope was declared void on petition on 14 February 1848 due to bribery, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s
The election was declared void on petition due to bribery by McCullagh and Watkin's agents, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s
Extensive bribery was found in the seat and its right to return a member was lost. It was then incorporated into East Suffolk and North Norfolk.