South Leicestershire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Alberto Costa, a member of the Conservative Party.
The current constituency has similar boundaries to the previous Blaby constituency. Historically the "Southern Division of Leicestershire", was a county constituency, less formally known as South Leicestershire. From 1832 to 1885 it elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election.
Constituency profile
South Leicestershire is a constituency in Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England, covering parts of the Blaby and Harborough districts. It includes the town of Lutterworth and the villages of New Lubbesthorpe, Enderby, Narborough, Glen Parva, Whetstone, Blaby, Cosby, Countesthorpe, Stoney Stanton, Sapcote, Broughton Astley and Fleckney.
This constituency covers suburban commuter villages on the southern edge of Leicester and the rural areas to their south. These villages are highly-affluent with very low levels of deprivation, especially in Broughton Astley and Narborough. The rural areas are mostly agricultural and contain many small villages. The constituency's only town, Lutterworth, is located in this area. It is situated close to the M1 and M6 motorways and is generally considered the centre of the "golden logistics triangle", an area containing a large number of logistics and warehousing facilities. Lutterworth and its surroundings are also wealthy and affluent. House prices across the constituency are generally higher than the rest of the East Midlands but lower than the UK average.
South Leicestershire has an above-average retired population and a below-average proportion of young adults. Residents have high levels of income and homeownership and the child poverty rate is low. They have average levels of education and a high proportion work in the science, retail and transport sectors. The percentage of residents claiming unemployment benefits is half the UK-wide rate. White people made up 94% of the population at the 2021 census.
At the local district council level, most of the suburban villages are represented by Liberal Democrats, the rural villages by Conservatives and Lutterworth by Labour Party representatives. At the county council, most of the constituency elected Reform UK councillors. An estimated 58% of voters in South Leicestershire supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the UK-wide figure of 52%.
Boundaries Historic 1832–1885: The Hundreds of Gartree (excluding the parishes of Baggrave, Burrough, Knossington, Marefield, Pickwell-cum-Leesthorpe, Ouston, and Newbold-Saucey), Sparkenhoe and Guthlaxton, and the Borough of Leicester and the Liberties thereof.
2010–2024 Following its review of parliamentary representation in Leicestershire, the Boundary Commission for England recommended replacing the Blaby constituency with a new South Leicestershire seat, with some boundary changes. This change occurred for the 2010 general election.
The electoral wards used to create the new constituency were; Broughton Astley-Astley, Broughton Astley-Broughton, Broughton Astley-Primethorpe, Broughton Astley-Sutton, Dunton, Lutterworth Brookfield, Lutterworth Orchard, Lutterworth Springs, Lutterworth Swift, Misterton, Peatling, and Ullesthorpe in the Harborough District Blaby South, Cosby with South Whetstone, Countesthorpe, Croft Hill, Enderby and St John's, Millfield, Narborough and Littlethorpe, Normanton, North Whetstone, Pastures, Ravenhurst and Fosse, Saxondale, Stanton and Flamville, and Winstanley in the Blaby District2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England
Current Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was defined as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
The District of Blaby wards of: Blaby South; Cosby with South Whetstone; Countesthorpe; Croft Hill; Enderby and St. John’s; Narborough and Littlethorpe; Normanton; North Whetstone; Pastures; Saxondale; Stanton and Flamville.
The District of Harborough wards of: Bosworth; Broughton Astley-Primethorpe & Sutton; Broughton Astley South & Leire; Dunton; Fleckney; Lutterworth East; Lutterworth West; Misterton; Ullesthorpe.
The Blaby District wards of Millfield, Ravenhurst and Fosse, and Winstanley (comprising the community of Braunstone Town) were transferred to the new constituency of Mid Leicestershire; the Harborough District wards of Bosworth and Fleckney were transferred in from Harborough.
Following a local government boundary review in Blaby which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
The District of Blaby wards of: Blaby; Cosby & South Whetstone; Countesthorpe; Enderby; Fosse Highcross; Fosse Normanton; Fosse Stoney Cove; Glen Parva; Narborough & Littlethorpe; North Whetstone; and a small part of Leicester Forest & Lubbesthorpe.
The District of Harborough wards of: Bosworth; Broughton Astley-Primethorpe & Sutton; Broughton Astley South & Leire; Dunton; Fleckney; Lutterworth East; Lutterworth West; Misterton; Ullesthorpe.
History
1832–1885 The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election, when the two-seat Leicestershire constituency was replaced by the Northern and Southern divisions, each of which elected two MPs.
Both divisions of the county were abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, when they were replaced by four new single-seat constituencies: Bosworth, Harborough, Loughborough and Melton.
Prominent members in this period included Thomas Paget (Jnr) (1807–1892) who followed the footsteps of his father in this role (his father having represented Leicestershire) and as partner in Leicester Bank, and Albert Pell, a member of a group of MPs, which included Henry Chaplin, Sir Massey Lopes and Clare Sewell Read, who supported farming interests. He was also a member of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1832–1885
Leicestershire prior to 1832
Election1st Member1st Party2nd Member2nd Party 1832 Edward Dawson Whig Sir Henry Halford, Bt Tory 1834 Conservative 1835 Thomas Frewen Turner Conservative 1836 by-election Charles Packe Conservative 1857 Viscount Curzon Conservative 1867 by-election Thomas Paget Liberal 1868 Albert Pell Conservative 1870 by-election William Unwin Heygate Conservative 1880 Thomas Paget Liberal1885 Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished
MPs since 2010
Blaby and Harborough prior to 2010
ElectionMemberParty 2010 Andrew Robathan Conservative 2015 Alberto Costa Conservative
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
* Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 Parliament
Elections 1832–1880 Elections in the 1830s
Caused by Turner's resignation
Elections in the 1840s
Elections in the 1850s
Elections in the 1860s
Caused by Packe's death.
Elections in the 1870s
Caused by Curzon-Howe succeeding to the peerage, becoming Earl Howe.
Elections in the 1880s
See also Parliamentary constituencies in Leicestershire and Rutland
References
External links South Leicestershire UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK South Leicestershire UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK