Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (UK Parliament constituency)

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Patrick Spencer of the Conservative Party, currently suspended and sitting as an Independent.^{[n 2]}

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
County constituency for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Boundary of Central Suffolk and North Ipswich in the East of England
County	Suffolk
Population	98,935 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate	71,020 (2023)[2]
Major settlements	Needham Market, Kesgrave and Framlingham
Current constituency
Created	1997
Member of Parliament	Patrick Spencer (Independent)
Seats	One
Created from	Central Suffolk

Constituency profile

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich was a safe seat for the Conservative Party, primarily made up of rural farming communities and retirement properties. The exception to this are the three wards from Ipswich Borough Council, which polarise support between the Conservatives and Labour, and Kesgrave, a new satellite town, which shows strong support for the Conservatives. The rural areas which make up the majority of the constituency, consistently return a majority of Conservative councillors. The local government make up of the seat, in respect of the number of borough and district councillors elected by party is 27 Conservative, 5 Labour, 4 Independent, 3 Liberal Democrat, and 2 Green. (Barking by-election 2016 was a Green gain). Significant Green gains were made in the 2023 District council elections.

History

The county constituency was formed for the 1997 general election, largely from eastern parts of the abolished constituency of Central Suffolk, including the north-western wards of the Borough of Ipswich. It also included western fringes of Suffolk Coastal.

Sir Michael Lord, knighted in 2001, who had held the predecessor seat of Central Suffolk, was the first MP who served the seat, from 1997 until 2010. The 2010 general election saw the fourth win for a Conservative with the election of Dan Poulter, who retained the seat at the three subsequent elections. Dan Poulter announced his defection to Labour in April 2024, and did not seek re-election.^[3] At the 2024 election, Patrick Spencer was elected for the Conservative Party^[4], but he currently sits as an Independent following his suspension from the party in May 2025.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1997–2010

• The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Barham, Barking, Bramford, Claydon, Creeting, Debenham, Eye, Fressingfield, Helmingham, Hoxne, Mendlesham, Palgrave, Stonham, Stradbroke, Wetheringsett, Weybread, and Worlingworth;
• The District of Suffolk Coastal wards of Bealings, Dennington, Earl Soham, Framlingham, Glemham, Grundisburgh and Witnesham, Hasketon, Kesgrave, Otley, Rushmere, and Wickham Market; and
• The Borough of Ipswich wards of Broom Hill, Castle Hill, Whitehouse, and Whitton.^[5]

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

2010–2024

• The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Barking and Somersham, Bramford and Blakenham, Claydon and Barham, Debenham, Eye, Fressingfield, Helmingham and Coddenham, Hoxne, Mendlesham, Palgrave, Stradbroke and Laxfield, The Stonhams, Wetheringsett, and Worlingworth;
• The District of Suffolk Coastal wards of Earl Soham, Framlingham, Grundisburgh, Hacheston, Kesgrave East, Kesgrave West, Otley, Rushmere St Andrew, Wickham Market, and Witnesham; and
• The Borough of Ipswich wards of Castle Hill, Whitehouse, and Whitton.^[6]

Lost the Borough of Ipswich ward of Broom Hill which had been abolished by a revision of the borough wards; area covered by the ward now included in Ipswich. Other marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

2024–present

Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows:

• The District of East Suffolk wards of: Carlford & Fynn Valley; Framlingham; Kesgrave; Rushmere St. Andrew; Wickham Market.

• The Borough of Ipswich wards of: Castle Hill; Whitehouse; Whitton.

• The District of Mid Suffolk wards of: Battisford & Ringshall; Blakenham; Bramford; Claydon & Barham; Debenham; Needham Market; Stonham.^[7]

Northern areas, including Eye, now form part of the newly created constituency of Waveney Valley, with transfers in from Bury St Edmunds of the town of (Needham Market) and from Suffolk Coastal.

Members of Parliament

Central Suffolk prior to 1997

Election		Member	Party
	1997	Sir Michael Lord	Conservative
	2010	Dan Poulter	Conservative
	April 2024		Labour
	2024	Patrick Spencer	Conservative
	May 2025		Independent

Elections

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich election results 1997–2024

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich^[8][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Patrick Spencer	15,144	32.6	−29.3
	Labour	Kevin Craig[a]	10,854	23.4	+1.6
	Reform UK	Tony Gould	8,806	19.0	N/A
	Green	Daniel Pratt	5,652	12.2	+6.6
	Liberal Democrats	Brett Mickelburgh	5,407	11.6	+1.0
	Independent	Charlie Caiger	366	0.8	N/A
	Independent	Mike Hallatt	194	0.4	N/A
Majority			4,290	9.2	−30.9
Turnout			46,423	64.5	−6.5
Registered electors			71,975
	Conservative hold		Swing	−15.5

1. After nominations for the 2024 general election closed, the Labour Party withdrew support for Kevin Craig on 25 June due to placing a bet on the outcome of the election in the seat. Kevin Craig was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing and reinstated as a member of the Labour Party. ^[9][10]

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[11]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	31,222	61.9
	Labour	11,009	21.8
	Liberal Democrats	5,365	10.6
	Green	2,816	5.6
Turnout		50,412	71.0
Electorate		71,020

General election 2019: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich^[12][13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dan Poulter	35,253	62.7	+2.6
	Labour	Emma Bonner-Morgan	11,862	21.1	−8.6
	Liberal Democrats	James Sandbach	6,485	11.5	+7.2
	Green	Daniel Pratt	2,650	4.7	+1.8
Majority			23,391	41.6	+11.2
Turnout			56,250	73.8	+1.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.6

General election 2017: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich^[14][15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dan Poulter	33,992	60.1	+4.0
	Labour	Elizabeth Hughes	16,807	29.7	+10.9
	Liberal Democrats	Aidan Van de Weyer	2,431	4.3	−1.8
	Green	Regan Scott	1,659	2.9	−2.0
	UKIP	Stephen Searle	1,635	2.9	−10.9
Majority			17,185	30.4	−6.9
Turnout			56,524	72.4	+1.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	−3.4

General election 2015: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich^[16][17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dan Poulter	30,317	56.1	+5.3
	Labour	Jack Abbott	10,173	18.8	+2.6
	UKIP	Mark Cole	7,459	13.8	+9.4
	Liberal Democrats	Jon Neal	3,314	6.1	−18.9
	Green	Rhodri Griffiths	2,664	4.9	+2.2
	English Democrat	Tony Holyoak	162	0.3	N/A
Majority			20,144	37.3	+11.5
Turnout			54,089	68.7	−1.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.4

General election 2010: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dan Poulter	27,125	50.8	+6.2
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne	13,339	25.0	+4.7
	Labour	Bhavna Joshi	8,636	16.2	−12.3
	UKIP	Roy Philpott	2,361	4.4	+0.9
	Green	Andrew Stringer	1,452	2.7	−0.6
	Independent	Mark Trevitt	389	0.7	N/A
	New Party	Richard Vass	118	0.2	N/A
Majority			13,786	25.8	+10.4
Turnout			53,420	70.4	+3.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.8

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Lord	22,333	43.9	−0.5
	Labour	Neil Macdonald	14,477	28.5	−8.6
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Houseley	10,709	21.1	+5.0
	UKIP	John West	1,754	3.4	+1.0
	Green	Martin Wolfe	1,593	3.1	N/A
Majority			7,856	15.4	+8.1
Turnout			50,866	66.7	+3.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.1

General election 2001: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Lord	20,924	44.4	+1.8
	Labour	Carole Jones	17,455	37.1	+1.2
	Liberal Democrats	Ann Elvin	7,593	16.1	−4.5
	UKIP	Jonathan Wright	1,132	2.4	N/A
Majority			3,469	7.3	+0.6
Turnout			47,104	63.5	−11.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.3

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Lord	22,493	42.6	−7.0
	Labour	Carole Jones	18,955	35.9	+12.4
	Liberal Democrats	Minone Goldspink	10,709	21.1	−5.4
	Independent Conservative	Stephanie A. Bennell	489	0.9	+0.9
Majority			3,538	6.7
Turnout			52,823	75.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	−12.4

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Suffolk

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.