St Austell and Newquay (UK Parliament constituency)

St Austell and Newquay is a constituency^{[n 1]} in Cornwall represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Noah Law, a Labour MP.^{[n 2]} It is on the South West Peninsula of England, bordered by both the Celtic Sea to the northwest and English Channel to the southeast.

St Austell and Newquay
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of St Austell and Newquay in Cornwall
Location of Cornwall within England
County	Cornwall
Electorate	76,076 (2024)[1]
Major settlements	St Austell, Newquay
Current constituency
Created	2010
Member of Parliament	Noah Law (Labour Party)
Seats	One
Created from	North Cornwall South East Cornwall Truro & St Austell

History

2010 election

On its creation in 2010, the constituency had, based on complex forecasts involving its three constitutive seats, which factored in to different degrees the recent local election results, a widely varying notional Liberal Democrat majority (see results below). In analysis, one forecast suggested that St Austell and Newquay would prove to be a safe seat, whereas another suggested an extremely marginal seat. The majority achieved was lower than an average of the two forecasts, but by no means the most slender of majorities achieved in that election.

In 2010, the Labour Party candidate polled in line with results of the recent decades in the forerunner seats, with 7.2% of the vote. Mebyon Kernow, the Cornish devolutionist party, achieved its highest share of the vote in any constituency, but narrowly lost its deposit by not reaching the 5% threshold.

2015 election

The seat was won by a Conservative on a majority of more than 15% which would rarely be termed marginal; however, approximately half the electorate of the seat fell within areas represented by a Liberal or Liberal Democrat MP between October 1974 and 2015 - Truro (later adopting a suffix- and St Austell). In terms of the important consideration of length of tenure the seat fails to be describable as in any analysis "safe".

2017 election

Theresa May announced a snap election would take place on 8 June 2017. In this constituency, Conservative incumbent Steve Double won with an increased majority of 11,142. The constituency also saw a gigantic 18.8% increase in the Labour vote, in common with many south-west seats, pushing the Liberal Democrats into third place.

2019 election

The Liberal Democrats further faded into a more distant third place, with their policy of cancelling Brexit failing to attract voters, in a constituency which voted 64% to Leave the European Union. Unlike many seats across the UK, the Labour vote held up pretty well, with only a 2.6% drop in their vote share.

2024 election

The seat was won by Labour MP Noah Law at the general election on 4 July 2024. Noah defeated incumbent Tory representative Steve Double with a majority of 2,470. Mr Double blamed the loss on a large Reform UK vote (Reform UK took 9,212 votes, and came third.)

Boundaries

Map of 2010-2024 boundaries

2010–2024

The Borough of Restormel wards of Bethel, Crinnis, Edgcumbe North, Edgcumbe South, Fowey and Tywardreath, Gannel, Gover, Mevagissey, Mount Charles, Poltair, Rialton, Rock, St Blazey, St Columb, St Enoder, St Ewe, St Stephen, and Treverbyn.

The constituency was created for the 2010 general election, following a review of parliamentary representation by the Boundary Commission, which increased the number of seats in the county from five to six.^[2] It has the same boundaries as the former Borough of Restormel, with the exception of the ward of Lostwithiel, which remains in the South East Cornwall constituency. Previously, the historic area was divided between the North Cornwall, South East Cornwall and Truro and St Austell seats.^[3]

2024–present

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which became effective for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following electoral divisions of Cornwall (as they existed on 4 May 2021):

• Fowey, Tywardreath & Par; Mevagissey & St Austell Bay; Newquay Central & Pentire; Newquay Porth & Tretherras; Newquay Trenance; Penwithick & Boscoppa; Roche & Bugle; St Austell Bethel & Holmbush; St Austell Central & Gover; St Austell Poltair & Mount Charles; St Blazey; St Columb Minor & Colan; St Dennis & St Enoder; St Mewan & Grampound; St Stephen-in-Brannel.^[4]

Minor changes to align with revised electoral division boundaries and bring the electorate within the permitted range.

Constituency profile

Workless claimants (registered jobseekers) were in November 2012 higher than the national average of 3.8%, at 4.2% of the population, based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.^[5]

Members of Parliament

Election		Member[6]	Party
	2010	Steve Gilbert	Liberal Democrats
	2015	Steve Double	Conservative
	2024	Noah Law	Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: St Austell and Newquay^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Noah Law	15,958	34.1	+7.5
	Conservative	Steve Double	13,488	28.9	–26.7
	Reform UK	Stephen Beal	9,212	19.7	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Joanna Kenny	4,805	10.3	–0.5
	Green	Amanda Pennington	2,337	5.0	+1.9
	Liberal	Jay Latham	490	1.0	–0.1
	Independent	Angie Rayner	442	0.9	N/A
Majority			2,470	5.2	N/A
Turnout			46,732	61.4	−12.5
Registered electors			76,140
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	17.1

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[8]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	30,620	55.6
	Labour	14,678	26.6
	Liberal Democrats	5,964	10.8
	Others	2,146	3.9
	Green	1,690	3.1
Turnout		55,098	73.9
Electorate		74,585

General election 2019: St Austell and Newquay^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Double	31,273	56.1	+6.6
	Labour	Felicity Owen	14,747	26.4	–2.6
	Liberal Democrats	Tim Styles	5,861	10.5	–11.0
	Mebyon Kernow	Dick Cole	1,660	3.0	N/A
	Green	Collin Harker	1,609	2.9	N/A
	Liberal	Richard Byrne	626	1.1	N/A
Majority			16,526	29.6	+9.1
Turnout			55,776	69.8	+0.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.5

General election 2017: St Austell and Newquay

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Double	26,856	49.5	+9.3
	Labour	Kevin Neil	15,714	29.0	+18.8
	Liberal Democrats	Steve Gilbert	11,642	21.5	–2.5
Majority			11,142	20.5	+4.3
Turnout			56,212	69.0	+3.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	–4.7

General election 2015: St Austell and Newquay^[10][11][12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Double	20,250	40.2	+0.2
	Liberal Democrats	Steve Gilbert	12,077	24.0	–18.7
	UKIP	David Mathews	8,503	16.9	+13.2
	Labour	Deborah Hopkins	5,150	10.2	+3.0
	Green	Steve Slade	2,318	4.6	N/A
	Mebyon Kernow	Dick Cole	2,063	4.1	–0.1
Majority			8,173	16.2	N/A
Turnout			50,361	65.7	+3.8
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	+9.5

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § St Austell and Newquay

General election 2010: St Austell and Newquay^[13][14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Steve Gilbert	20,189	42.7	–4.5
	Conservative	Caroline Righton	18,877	40.0	+5.1
	Labour	Lee Jameson	3,386	7.2	–6.6
	Mebyon Kernow	Dick Cole	2,007	4.2	N/A
	UKIP	Clive Medway	1,757	3.7	–0.4
	BNP	James Fitton	1,022	2.2	N/A
Majority			1,312	2.7
Turnout			47,238	61.9
	Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Cornwall

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.