Severn (UK Parliament constituency)

Severn (UK Parliament constituency)
Name	Severn
Parliament	uk
Map1	Severn2007
Map2	EnglandGloucestershire1983
Map entity	Gloucestershire
Map year	1983
Year	1983
Abolished	1997
Type	County
County	Gloucestershire
Elects howmany	One
Previous	Stroud
Next	Stroud

Severn (UK Parliament constituency) was a county constituency in the historic county of Gloucestershire, represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. It existed for a single parliamentary term from the 1983 United Kingdom general election until its abolition for the 1997 United Kingdom general election. The seat was a relatively safe Conservative holding, encompassing a mix of affluent rural areas and smaller towns within the Stroud district.

History

The constituency was created under the Third Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies implemented for the 1983 general election, formed primarily from the southern parts of the abolished Stroud constituency. Its creation reflected population changes and the need to balance electorates across the county, which also saw the establishment of the new Gloucester and Cheltenham seats. The area had a long tradition of Conservative representation, though it bordered the more politically varied territory of the Cotswolds. The seat was abolished in the Fourth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, with its territory largely returning to a reconstituted Stroud constituency ahead of the 1997 United Kingdom general election, a change influenced by further population shifts and a nationwide boundary review conducted by the Boundary Commission for England.

Boundaries

The constituency covered the southern part of the Stroud district in Gloucestershire. Its boundaries were defined by the Statutory Instrument enacting the 1983 review. To the north, it bordered the Cotswolds constituency, while the River Severn formed a natural western boundary, adjacent to the Forest of Dean. The main population centres included the towns of Dursley, Berkeley, and Stonehouse, along with numerous villages in the Vale of Berkeley and the southern reaches of the Cotswold Edge. The area was predominantly rural, with an economy historically linked to agriculture, the former Berkeley nuclear power station, and light industry in the towns.

Members of Parliament

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system. For its entire existence, it was represented by Conservative MP John Blackburn.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Election ! Member ! Party |- | 1983 | John Blackburn | Conservative |- | 1987 | John Blackburn | Conservative |- | 1992 | John Blackburn | Conservative |- | colspan="3" |Constituency abolished (1997) |}

Elections

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Severn

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Severn

General election 1983: Severn

{{Election box candidate with party link| |} {{Election box|} {{Election box candidate with party|title=Conservative Party|party = 1983|party link=John Blackburn (UK|title=