Monmouthshire () is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament, and was first contested at the 2024 general election, following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies. Its current MP is Catherine Fookes, a member of the Labour Party.

It previously existed as a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1536 until 1707, of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs).

In 1885 the Monmouthshire constituency was divided to create North Monmouthshire, South Monmouthshire and West Monmouthshire.

History and boundaries Monmouthshire was given representation in the Parliament of England by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. This was later a key point in the long-standing argument about whether the county was or was not part of Wales.

Until the Great Reform Act of 1832, the historic Monmouthshire county constituency covered almost the whole of the county of Monmouth, but not the county town of Monmouth, which was a separate borough constituency. In 1832 this was expanded into the Monmouth Boroughs, taking in more towns to give it more electors.

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 split the county constituency into three, North, South, and West Monmouthshire, and then the Representation of the People Act 1918 abolished these, with most of the county joining a new seat called Monmouth. This included the towns of Chepstow, Monmouth, and Abergavenny.

The Monmouthshire constituency was re-established as part of the 2023 review for the 2024 general election under the June 2023 final proposals of the Boundary Commission for Wales. The boundaries were defined as being coterminous with the unitary authority of the County of Monmouthshire, so it does not now include those parts of the county in the area of the Newport City Council.

Members of Parliament MPs 1542–1885

YearFirst memberSecond member 1542No names known 1545 Walter Herbert Charles Herbert 1547 Sir Thomas Morgan William Herbert 1553 (Mar) 1553 (Oct) Sir Charles Herbert Thomas Somerset 1554 (Apr) Thomas Herbert James Gunter 1554 (Nov) Thomas Somerset David Lewis 1555 William Herbert William Morgan 1558 Francis Somerset William Morgan 1559 (Jan) William Morgan I Thomas Herbert 1562–1563 Matthew Herbert George Herbert 1571 Charles Somerset William Morgan 1572 (May) Charles Somerset Henry Herbert 1584 (Sep) Sir William Herbert Edward Morgan 1586 (Sep) Sir William Herbert Edward Morgan 1588 (Oct) Thomas Morgan II William John Proger 1593 Sir William Herbert (died in office, 1593) Edward Kemeys 1597 (Sep) Henry Herbert John Arnold 1601 (Oct) Thomas Somerset Henry Morgan 1604 Thomas Somerset Sir John Herbert 1614 Walter Montagu William Jones 1621 Sir Edmund Morgan Charles Williams 1624 Robert Viscount Lisle Sir William Morgan 1625 Robert Viscount Lisle Sir William Morgan 1626 Nicholas Arnold William Herbert 1628 Nicholas Arnold Nicholas Kemeys 1629–1640 No Parliaments convened Apr 1640 William Morgan Walter Rumsey Nov 1640 Sir Charles Williams repl. 1642 by Henry Herbert William Herbert, disabled 16441645 John Herbert Henry Herbert1648 John Herbert Henry Herbert1653 Philip Jones

MPs 1654–1660 YearFirst memberSecond memberThird member1654 Richard Cromwell, sat for Hampshire repl. by Thomas Morgan Philip Jones sat for Glamorgan repl. by Thomas Hughes Henry Herbert1656 Major General James Berry, sat for Worcestershire repl. by Nathaniel Waterhouse John Nicholas Edward Herbert 1659 William Morgan John Nicholas

MPs 1660–1885 Year First member First party Second member Second party 1660 (CP) Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort William Morgan 1661 1667 Sir Trevor Williams, Bt Whig Feb 1679 Charles, Lord Herbert Aug 1679 Sir Trevor Williams, Bt Whig 1680 Sir Edward Morgan, Bt 1681 1685 Charles, Marquess of WorcesterSir Charles Kemeys, Bt 1689 (CP) Sir Trevor Williams, Bt Whig 1690 Thomas Morgan 1695 Sir Charles Kemeys, Bt 1698 Sir John Williams, Bt 1700 1701 (Jan) John Morgan Whig 1705 Sir Hopton Williams, Bt 1708 Thomas Windsor Tory 1710 1712 James Gunter Apr 1713 Thomas Lewis Sep 1713 Sir Charles Kemeys, BtTory 1715 Thomas Lewis 1720 John Hanbury Whig 1722 William Morgan, the Elder Whig 1727 1731 Lord Charles Somerset Tory 1734 Thomas Morgan, the Elder 1735 Charles Hanbury Williams Whig 1741 1747 William Morgan, the Younger Whig Capel Hanbury 1754 1761 1763 Thomas Morgan, the Younger 1766 John Hanbury Whig 1768 1771 John Morgan 1774 1780 1784 Henry, Viscount Nevill 1785 James Rooke 1790 1792 Robert Salusbury 1796 Lt Col Sir Charles Morgan Whig 1802 1805 Capt Lord Arthur Somerset 1806 1807 1812 1816 Lord Granville Somerset Tory 1818 1820 1826 1830 1831 William Addams Williams Whig 1832 1834 Conservative 1835 1837 1841 Octavius Morgan Conservative 1847 1848 Edward Arthur Somerset Conservative 1852 1857 1859 Col Poulett Somerset Conservative 1865 1868 1871 Lord Henry Somerset Conservative 1874 Col Frederick Morgan Conservative 1880 John Rolls Conservative 1885 Constituency divided into: North Monmouthshire, South Monmouthshire, and West Monmouthshire

MPs since 2024

Monmouth and Newport East prior to 2024

ElectionMemberParty 2024 Catherine Fookes Labour

Election results Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s 2019 notional result PartyVote % Conservative27,56852.1 Labour16,73131.6 Liberal Democrats5,0719.6 Green Party1,3332.5 Plaid Cymru1,2832.4 Brexit Party4510.9 Independent4350.8Majority10,83720.5Turnout52,87272.7Electorate72,681

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1870s

Somerset was appointed Comptroller of the Household, triggering a by-election.

Somerset resigned, triggering a by-election. Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1850s

Somerset resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Hempholme, triggering a by-election.

Elections in the 1840s

Somerset's death caused a by-election.

Somerset was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, triggering a by-election.

Williams resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, triggering a by-election

Elections in the 1830s

Notes

References

External links

W R Williams Parliamentary History of the Principality of Wales Monmouthshire UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK