Bristol North West (UK Parliament constituency)

Bristol North West is a constituency^[a] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Darren Jones of the Labour Party.^[b]

Bristol North West
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Boundary of Bristol North West in South West England
County	Bristol
Population	100,809 (2011 UK Census)[1]
Electorate	76,783 (2023)[2]
Major settlements	Avonmouth, Sea Mills, Shirehampton
Current constituency
Created	1950
Member of Parliament	Darren Jones (Labour)
Seats	One
Created from	Bristol West and Thornbury

Constituency profile

The seat covers northwest parts of Bristol, extending to the Severn Estuary.^[3] It includes traditional post-war council estates such as Lawrence Weston and Southmead, as well as more affluent areas including Westbury-on-Trym and Stoke Bishop.^[4]

History

Bristol North West has traditionally been a Conservative–Labour swing seat, having elected five Conservative Party and five Labour Party Members of Parliament since its creation in 1950.

The 2017 win was a surprise to the successful Labour candidate Darren Jones.^[5] Jones was re-elected in 2019 with an increased majority at an election where Labour suffered one of its worst ever defeats. ^[6] He was re-elected in 2024 with a majority of 15,669, the largest recorded since the constituency was created, with the Conservatives falling to third place behind the Green Party.

Boundaries

The constituency boundary extends into the Severn Estuary.^[7]

1950–1955: The County Borough of Bristol wards of Avon, Durdham, Horfield, and Westbury-on-Trym.

1955–1983: The County Borough of Bristol wards of Avon, Henbury, Horfield, Southmead, and Westbury-on-Trym.

1983–1997: The City of Bristol wards of Avonmouth, Henbury, Horfield, Kingsweston, Lockleaze, Southmead, and Westbury-on-Trym, and the District of Northavon wards of Filton Charborough, Filton Conygre, Filton Northville, Stoke Gifford North, and Stoke Gifford South.

1997–2010: The City of Bristol wards of Avonmouth, Henbury, Horfield, Kingsweston, Lockleaze, and Southmead, and the South Gloucestershire wards of Filton Charborough, Filton Conygre, Filton Northville, Patchway Callicroft, Patchway Coniston, Patchway Stoke Lodge, Stoke Gifford North, and Stoke Gifford South.

2010–2024: The City of Bristol wards of Avonmouth, Henbury, Henleaze, Horfield, Kingsweston, Lockleaze, Southmead, Stoke Bishop, and Westbury-on-Trym.

Following the review by the Boundary Commission for England into parliamentary representation in the former county of Avon Somerset and Gloucestershire the constituency had boundary changes at the 2010 general election.^[8] In particular, the constituency is now wholly contained within the City of Bristol: the areas of Filton, Patchway, Stoke Gifford, Bradley Stoke and Aztec West which are in the South Gloucestershire district were transferred to a new Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency. At the same time, the areas of Stoke Bishop, Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym were gained from Bristol West.

2024–present: The City of Bristol wards of: Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston; Bishopston & Ashley Down; Henbury & Brentry; Horfield; Southmead; Stoke Bishop; and Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze.^[9]

Moderate boundary changes involving the gain of Bishopston and Ashley Down from Bristol West,^[10] offset by the loss of Lockleaze moved into the re-established Bristol North East constituency.^[11]

Members of Parliament

Election		Member[12]	Party
	1950	Gurney Braithwaite	Conservative
	1955	Christopher Boyd	Labour
	1959	Martin McLaren	Conservative
	1966	John Ellis	Labour
	1970	Martin McLaren	Conservative
	Oct 1974	Ronald Thomas	Labour
	1979	Michael Colvin	Conservative
	1983	Michael Stern	Conservative
	1997	Doug Naysmith	Labour
	2010	Charlotte Leslie	Conservative
	2017	Darren Jones	Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Bristol North West^[13][14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Darren Jones	24,058	49.6	+0.7
	Green	Mary Page	8,389	17.3	+10.9
	Conservative	Laura Saunders[c]	6,773	14.0	−22.5
	Reform UK	Scarlett O'Connor	4,863	10.0	+9.9
	Liberal Democrats	Caroline Gooch	4,159	8.6	+0.5
	SDP	Ben Smith	222	0.5	N/A
Majority			15,669	32.3	+19.9
Turnout			48,464	64.7	−11.4
Registered electors			74,869
	Labour hold		Swing	5.1

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[16]
Party		Vote	%
	Labour	28,547	48.9
	Conservative	21,312	36.5
	Liberal Democrats	4,735	8.1
	Green	3,728	6.4
	Brexit Party	83	0.1
Turnout		58,405	76.1
Electorate		76,783

General election 2019: Bristol North West^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Darren Jones	27,330	48.9	−1.8
	Conservative	Mark Weston	21,638	38.7	−3.1
	Liberal Democrats	Chris Coleman	4,940	8.8	+3.6
	Green	Heather Mack	1,977	3.5	+1.2
Majority			5,692	10.2	+1.3
Turnout			55,885	73.3	+1.6
	Labour hold		Swing	+0.7

General election 2017: Bristol North West ^{[18][19][20][21]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Darren Jones	27,400	50.7	+16.3
	Conservative	Charlotte Leslie	22,639	41.8	−2.1
	Liberal Democrats	Celia Downie	2,814	5.2	−1.0
	Green	Sharmila Bousa (withdrawn)	1,243	2.3	−3.4
Majority			4,761	8.9	N/A
Turnout			54,096	71.7	+4.1
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+9.2

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Bristol North West

General election 2015: Bristol North West^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charlotte Leslie	22,767	43.9	+5.9
	Labour	Darren Jones	17,823	34.4	+8.5
	UKIP	Michael Frost	4,889	9.4	+7.1
	Liberal Democrats	Clare Campion-Smith	3,214	6.2	−25.3
	Green	Justin Quinnell	2,952	5.7	+4.7
	TUSC	Anne Lemon	160	0.3	N/A
Majority			4,944	9.5	+3.0
Turnout			51,805	67.6	−0.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	-1.3

General election 2010: Bristol North West^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charlotte Leslie	19,115	38.0	+5.5
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Harrod	15,841	31.5	+6.6
	Labour	Sam Townend	13,059	25.9	−12.2
	UKIP	Robert Upton	1,175	2.3	+0.7
	English Democrat	Ray Carr	635	1.3	−0.4
	Green	Alex Dunn	511	1.0	N/A
Majority			3,274	6.5	N/A
Turnout			50,336	68.5	−0.3
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+15.45[d]

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Bristol North West^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Doug Naysmith	22,192	46.7	−5.4
	Conservative	Alastair Watson	13,230	27.9	−0.8
	Liberal Democrats	Bob Hoyle	9,545	20.1	+4.2
	UKIP	Christopher Lees	1,132	2.4	−0.1
	English Democrat	Michael Blundell	828	1.7	N/A
	Socialist Alternative	Graeme Jones	565	1.2	N/A
Majority			8,962	18.8	−4.6
Turnout			47,492	61.1	+0.7
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	−2.3

General election 2001: Bristol North West^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Doug Naysmith	24,236	52.1	+2.2
	Conservative	Charles Hansard	13,349	28.7	−0.6
	Liberal Democrats	Peter Tyzack	7,387	15.9	+2.7
	UKIP	Diane Carr	1,140	2.5	N/A
	Socialist Labour	Vince Horrigan	371	0.8	−0.1
Majority			10,887	23.4	+2.8
Turnout			46,483	60.4	−13.3
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	+1.4

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Bristol North West^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Doug Naysmith	27,575	49.9	+7.6
	Conservative	Michael Stern	16,193	29.3	−13.0
	Liberal Democrats	Ian Parry	7,263	13.2	−1.0
	Independent Labour	Charles Horton	1,718	3.1	N/A
	Referendum	John Quintanillia	1,609	2.9	N/A
	Socialist Labour	Giles Shorter	482	0.9	N/A
	BNP	Stephen Parnell	265	0.5	N/A
	Natural Law	Thomas Leighton	140	0.3	N/A
Majority			11,382	20.6	N/A
Turnout			55,245	73.7	−8.6
	Labour Co-op gain from Conservative		Swing	+10.3

General election 1992: Bristol North West^[27][28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Stern	25,354	42.3	−4.3
	Labour Co-op	Doug Naysmith	25,309	42.3	+7.7
	Liberal Democrats	John D. Taylor	8,498	14.2	−4.6
	Independent Ind SD	Hilary S. Long	729	1.2	N/A
Majority			45	0.1	−12.0
Turnout			59,890	82.3	+2.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	−6.0

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Bristol North West^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Stern	26,953	46.6	+2.7
	Labour	Terence Walker	20,001	34.6	+2.0
	SDP	John Kirkaldy	10,885	18.8	−4.8
Majority			6,952	12.0	+0.7
Turnout			57,839	79.4	+2.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.7[e]

General election 1983: Bristol North West^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Stern	24,617	43.9
	Labour Co-op	Sarah R. Palmer	18,290	32.6
	SDP	Hilary S. Long	13,228	23.6	N/A
Majority			6,327	11.3
Turnout			56,135	76.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	-8.65[f]

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Bristol North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Colvin	25,915	48.6	+7.7
	Labour	Ronald Thomas	21,238	39.8	−2.3
	Liberal	G.A. Davis	5,857	11.0	−6.0
	National Front	P.M. Kingston	264	0.5	N/A
	More Prosperous Britain	T.L. Keen	73	0.1	N/A
Majority			4,677	8.8	N/A
Turnout			53,347	81.3	+2.0
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+5.0

General election October 1974: Bristol North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ronald Thomas	22,156	42.1	+3.5
	Conservative	Martin McLaren	21,523	40.9	+1.1
	Liberal	E. David	8,914	17.0	−3.9
Majority			633	1.2	N/A
Turnout			52,593	79.3	−3.2
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+1.2

General election February 1974: Bristol North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin McLaren	21,569	39.8	−7.8
	Labour	Ronald Thomas	20,919	38.6	−6.9
	Liberal	E. David	11,312	20.9	+14.4
	Independent	T.E. Wetherall	440	0.8	N/A
Majority			650	1.2	−0.9
Turnout			54,240	82.5	+4.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	-0.5

General election 1970: Bristol North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin McLaren	24,124	47.6	−1.1
	Labour	John Ellis	23,075	45.5	−4.6
	Liberal	H.J. Stevens	3,299	6.5	N/A
	Communist	W.E. Williams	227	0.5	−0.7
Majority			1,049	2.1	N/A
Turnout			50,725	78.0	−4.0
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+1.75

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Bristol North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Ellis	24,195	50.1	+7.2
	Conservative	Martin McLaren	23,526	48.7	+3.6
	Communist	B. Underwood	595	1.2	N/A
Majority			669	1.4	N/A
Turnout			48,316	82.0	−1.1
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+1.8[g]

General election 1964: Bristol North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin McLaren	22,129	45.1	−6.9
	Labour	David Watkins	21,030	42.9	−5.1
	Liberal	T.G. Douglas	5,883	12.0	N/A
Majority			1,099	2.2	−1.8
Turnout			49,042	83.1	+0.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	-0.9

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Bristol North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin McLaren	24,938	52.0	+3.9
	Labour	Christopher Boyd	23,019	48.0	−3.9
Majority			1,919	4.0	N/A
Turnout			47,957	82.9	+3.8
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+3.9

General election 1955: Bristol North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Christopher Boyd	22,950	51.9	+5.5
	Conservative	Gurney Braithwaite	21,295	48.1	−5.5
Majority			1,655	3.8	N/A
Turnout			44,245	79.1	−7.0
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+5.5

General election 1951: Bristol North West^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gurney Braithwaite	28,394	53.6	+5.9
	Labour	Claud Morris	24,553	46.4	+3.7
Majority			3,841	7.2	+2.2
Turnout			52,947	86.1	+1.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.2[h]

General election 1950: Bristol North West^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gurney Braithwaite	23,884	47.7
	Labour	Claud Morris	21,394	42.7
	Liberal	Frances Mary Pugh	4,784	9.6
Majority			2,490	5.0
Turnout			50,062	85.1
	Conservative win (new seat)

• Constituency created 1950 from parts of Bristol West and Thornbury constituencies

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Avon

Notes

1. A borough 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.
3. After nominations for the 2024 general election closed, the Conservative Party withdrew support for Laura Saunders on 25 June due to alleged placing of bets on the date of the election.^[15]
4. Labour to Conservative: for Others to Conservative the swing was 10.1%
5. Others to Conservative; Labour to Conservative swing was 0.7%
6. Conservative to Liberal/SDP. Labour to Conservative: 2.5%
7. 4.6% swing Others to Labour
8. Others to Conservative swing: 5.9%