Stoke-on-Trent South (UK Parliament constituency)

Stoke-on-Trent South is a constituency created in 1950, and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Allison Gardner, a Labour party representative. The local electorate returned a Labour MP in every election until 2017, when Jack Brereton became its first Conservative MP. The seat is non-rural and in the upper valley of the Trent covering half of the main city of the Potteries, a major ceramics centre since the 17th century.

In the 2024 election Labour overturned a majority of over 11,000, to regain the seat from the Conservatives.

Boundaries
2024-present: The Borough of Stafford wards of: Barlaston; Fulford; Swynnerton & Oulton; the District of Staffordshire Moorlands wards of: Checkley; Forsbrook; and the City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of: Blurton; Dresden & Florence; Hanford, Newstead & Trentham; Hollybush; Lightwood North & Normacot; Longton & Meir Hay South (nearly all); Meir Hay North, Parkhall & Weston Coney (majority); Meir North; Meir Park; Meir South.

2010–2024: The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of Blurton, Fenton, Longton North, Longton South, Meir Park and Sandon, Trentham and Hanford, and Weston and Meir North.

1983–2010: The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of Blurton, Fenton Green, Great Fenton, Longton South, Meir Park, Trentham Park, and Weston.

1955–1983: The County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent wards numbers 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24.

1950–1955: The County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent wards numbers 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26.

Constituency profile
A former safe Labour seat, like the other Stoke-on-Trent constituencies, it includes the city's most middle-class electoral wards of Meir that contrast with much of the neighbouring, predominantly lower income, population of the other wards.

The seat is home to Stoke City F.C. whose Bet365 Stadium is at the northern edge of the constituency.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 equal to the regional average of 4.7% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.

Political history
The constituency and its predecessor was a safe Labour seat from 1935 until the 2010s when it became marginal. It was won by the Conservative Party for the first time in 2017. At the 2019 general election, the Conservatives increased their majority to over 11,000 votes; with a vote share of 62%.

In 2023 parliament accepted the proposal of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and enacted changes to constituencies, which resulted in the following boundaries (as of 1 December 2020):


 * The Borough of Stafford wards of: Barlaston; Fulford; Swynnerton & Oulton.
 * The District of Staffordshire Moorlands wards of: Checkley; Forsbrook.
 * The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of: Blurton East; Blurton West and Newstead; Broadway and Longton East; Dresden and Florence; Hanford and Trentham; Hollybush and Longton West; Lightwood North and Normacot; Meir North; Meir Park; Meir South; Weston Coyney.

However following a further local government boundary review in the City of Stoke-on-Trent which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency obtained boundaries for the 2024 election onwards.

Changes to the constituency since 2024 were described as following:
 * Significant changes, with northern parts, including the town of Fenton to be transferred to Stoke-on-Trent Central. To compensate and bring the electorate within the permitted range, the parts in the Stafford and Staffordshire Moorlands local authorities will be added from the current constituency of Stone (to be abolished).

Prominent members
Jack Ashley (later Lord Ashley) became deaf as a result of an operation, but his disability campaigns led to major enactments and public sector changes to improve ordinary life for deaf people, including the inclusion of sign language in television programmes and campaigns to help other disabled people.

Members of Parliament
Stoke-on-Trent/"Stoke" prior to 1950