Walsall South (UK Parliament constituency)

Walsall South was a constituency in the West Midlands in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was represented since 1974 until abolition by members of the Labour Party.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. Subject to boundary changes, it was reformed as Walsall and Bloxwich, first contested at the 2024 general election

Constituency profile
The constituency was in the heart of an area traditionally focussed on manufacturing, which retained many mechanical and engineering jobs in its economy. This constituency had accessible links to the cities of Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 higher than the national average of 3.8% and regional average of 4.7%, at 7.7% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.

Boundaries
Walsall South was one of three constituencies in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall and specifically covered Darlaston, Moxley, Pheasey and the southern part of Walsall, including the town centre.

1955–1974: The County Borough of Walsall wards of Bridge, Caldmore, Paddock, Palfrey, and Pleck, and the Urban District of Aldridge.

1974–1983: The County Borough of Walsall wards of Darlaston North, Darlaston South, Hatherton, Paddock, Palfrey, Pleck, and St Matthew's.

1983–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall wards of Bentley and Darlaston North, Darlaston South, Paddock, Palfrey, Pheasey, Pleck, and St Matthew's.

2010–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall wards of Bentley and Darlaston North, Darlaston South, Paddock, Palfrey, Pheasey Park Farm, Pleck, and St Matthew's.

History
The constituency was first contested in 1955 largely from Walsall constituency, and won by its only Conservative MP to date, Major-General Sir Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid.

Bruce George of the Labour Party won the seat when the Major-General stood down in the February 1974 general election, he too was a prominent supporter of the armed services and led Britain's NATO delegation to its Parliament, subsequently becoming its vice-president. While never a prominent frontbencher, George held Walsall South until his retirement at the 2010 general election, when he was succeeded by Valerie Vaz (also of the Labour Party).

The Conservative holding of the seat through the First Wilson Ministry reveals that in these early elections the seat was not a bellwether. On the 1974 transfer in power to Wilson again, here the result proved to be a watershed election. Labour's majorities since this, only in fairly good years for the Conservatives, such as during the Thatcher ministry as well as in 1992 and 2010 and 2019 general elections have been marginal. In terms of length of a party's representation, Labour represented this area continuously for a total of 45 years as of 2019.
 * Synopsis of results

Abolition
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished for the 2024 general election, with its contents distributed three ways:


 * Approximately half the electorate, including Walsall town centre, combined with the majority of Walsall North (also to be abolished) to form the new seat of Walsall and Bloxwich
 * Pheasey Park Farm and part of the Paddock ward transferred to Aldridge-Brownhills
 * Darlaston and Bentley transferred to Wolverhampton South East