Somerton and Frome (UK Parliament constituency)

Somerton and Frome was a constituency^{[n 1]} in Somerset represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.^{[n 2]}

Somerton and Frome
Former county constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Somerton and Frome in Somerset
Location of Somerset within England
County	Somerset
Electorate	87,921 (2011)[1]
Major settlements	Frome, Somerton, Wincanton and Martock
1983–2024
Seats	One
Created from	Wells and Yeovil[2]
Replaced by	Frome and East Somerset, Glastonbury and Somerton

It was formerly represented by David Warburton, who was elected as a Conservative, but latterly sat as an Independent after losing the Conservative whip in April 2022 following allegations of misconduct. Warburton resigned as an MP on 17 June 2023, thus triggering the first by-election in this constituency since its creation at the 1983 general election, which was won by Sarah Dyke of the Liberal Democrats.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. Subject to major boundary changes – including incorporation of the town of Frome and surrounding rural areas in the former Mendip District into the newly created constituency of Frome and East Somerset, and the transferring in of the towns of Glastonbury and Street from the constituency of Wells (to be renamed Wells and Mendip Hills) to partly compensate – the constituency was reformed as Glastonbury and Somerton, to be first contested at the 2024 general election.^[3] Sarah Dyke, the winner of the 2023 by-election, became the inaugural MP for the succeeding constituency.^[4][5]

Constituency profile

This area has a mixed economy, including agriculture and high-tech defence related industries.^[6] In November 2012, it had below the national average proportion of jobseekers (3.8%) at 1.6% of the population.^[7]

Boundaries

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

1983–1997: The District of Yeovil wards of Blackmoor Vale, Brue, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Ivelchester, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Badcox, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Selwood and Berkley, Stratton, and Vale.

1997–2010: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackmoor Vale, Brue, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Ivelchester, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Badcox, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Frome Welshmill, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Stratton, and Vale.

2010–2024: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackmoor Vale, Bruton, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Tower, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Berkley Down, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Frome Park, Frome Welshmill, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Stratton, and Vale.

The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the seat of Wells. It covers the east of the district of Mendip and the north of the district of South Somerset.

Members of Parliament

Election	Member[8]	Party
1983	Robert Boscawen		Conservative
1992	Mark Robinson		Conservative
1997	David Heath		Liberal Democrats
2015	David Warburton		Conservative
April 2022			Independent
2023 by-election	Sarah Dyke		Liberal Democrats
2024	Constituency abolished, replaced by Frome and East Somerset Glastonbury and Somerton

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

2023 Somerton and Frome by-election^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Dyke	21,187	54.6	+28.4
	Conservative	Faye Purbrick	10,179	26.2	−29.6
	Green	Martin Dimery	3,944	10.2	+5.1
	Reform UK	Bruce Evans	1,303	3.4	New
	Labour	Neil Guild	1,009	2.6	−10.3
	Independent	Rosie Mitchell	635	1.6	New
	UKIP	Peter Richardson	275	0.7	New
	CPA	Lorna Corke	256	0.7	New
Majority			11,008	28.4	N/A
Turnout			38,788	44.2	−31.4
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	+29.0

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Somerton and Frome^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Warburton	36,230	55.8	–0.9
	Liberal Democrats	Adam Boyden	17,017	26.2	+5.3
	Labour	Sean Dromgoole	8,354	12.9	–4.3
	Green	Andrea Dexter	3,295	5.1	+1.4
Majority			19,213	29.6	–6.2
Turnout			64,896	75.6	–0.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	–3.1

General election 2017: Somerton and Frome^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Warburton	36,231	56.7	+3.7
	Liberal Democrats	Mark Blackburn	13,325	20.9	+1.5
	Labour	Sean Dromgoole	10,998	17.2	+9.9
	Green	Theo Simon	2,347	3.7	–5.3
	Independent	Richard Hadwin	991	1.6	New
Majority			22,906	35.8	+2.2
Turnout			63,892	75.8	+3.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.4

General election 2015: Somerton and Frome^[12][13][14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Warburton	31,960	53.0	+8.5
	Liberal Democrats	David Rendel	11,692	19.4	−28.1
	UKIP	Alan Dimmick	6,439	10.7	+7.5
	Green	Theo Simon	5,434	9.0	New
	Labour	David Oakensen	4,419	7.3	+2.9
	Independent	Ian Angell	365	0.6	New
Majority			20,268	33.6	N/A
Turnout			60,309	72.2	−2.1
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	+18.3

General election 2010: Somerton and Frome^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	David Heath	28,793	47.5	+3.8
	Conservative	Annunziata Rees-Mogg	26,976	44.5	+1.9
	Labour	David Oakensen	2,675	4.4	−6.4
	UKIP	Barry Harding	1,932	3.2	+1.3
	Independent	Niall Warry	236	0.4	New
Majority			1,817	3.0	+1.9
Turnout			60,612	74.3	+5.1
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	+0.9

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Somerton and Frome

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	David Heath	23,759	43.9	+0.3
	Conservative	Clive Allen	22,947	42.4	0.0
	Labour	Joseph Pestell	5,865	10.8	−0.8
	UKIP	Bill Lukins	1,047	1.9	+0.2
	Veritas	Carl Beaman	484	0.9	New
Majority			812	1.5	+0.3
Turnout			54,102	70.7	+1.4
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	+0.2

General election 2001: Somerton and Frome

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	David Heath	22,983	43.6	+4.1
	Conservative	Jonathan Marland	22,315	42.4	+3.1
	Labour	Andy Perkins	6,113	11.6	−4.7
	UKIP	Peter Bridgwood	919	1.7	+1.1
	Liberal	Jean Pollock	354	0.7	New
Majority			668	1.2	+1.0
Turnout			52,684	69.3	−8.0
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Somerton and Frome

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	David Heath	22,684	39.5	−0.7
	Conservative	Mark Robinson	22,554	39.3	−8.2
	Labour	Robert Ashford	9,385	16.3	+5.9
	Referendum	Robert Rodwell	2,449	4.3	New
	UKIP	R.P. Gadd	331	0.6	New
Majority			130	0.2	N/A
Turnout			57,403	77.3	−5.4
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	+4.5

General election 1992: Somerton and Frome^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Mark Robinson	28,052	47.5	−6.2
	Liberal Democrats	David Heath	23,711	40.2	+3.9
	Labour	Robert Ashford	6,154	10.4	+0.4
	Green	Ms. LA Graham	742	1.3	New
	Liberal	Ms. J Pollock	388	0.7	New
Majority			4,341	7.3	−10.1
Turnout			59,047	82.7	+3.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	−5.1

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Somerton and Frome

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Boscawen	29,351	53.7	−0.7
	Liberal	Rowland Morgan	19,813	36.3	+0.5
	Labour	Ian Kelly	5,461	10.0	+0.2
Majority			9,538	17.4	−1.2
Turnout			54,625	79.4	+2.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	-0.6

General election 1983: Somerton and Frome

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Boscawen	26,988	54.4
	SDP	Nicholas Hinton	17,761	35.8
	Labour	Jeffrey Osborn	4,867	9.8
Majority			9,227	18.6
Turnout			49,616	76.7
	Conservative win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Somerset

Notes

1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.