# Somerton and Frome (UK Parliament constituency)

Somerton and Frome was a constituency in Somerset represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.
It was formerly represented by David Warburton, who was elected as a Conservative, but latterly sat as an Independent after losing the Conservative whip in April 2022 following allegations of misconduct. Warburton resigned as an MP on 17 June 2023, thus triggering the first by-election in this constituency since its creation at the 1983 general election, which was won by Sarah Dyke of the Liberal Democrats.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. Subject to major boundary changes – including incorporation of the town of Frome and surrounding rural areas in the former Mendip District into the newly created constituency of Frome and East Somerset, and the transferring in of the towns of Glastonbury and Street from the constituency of Wells (to be renamed Wells and Mendip Hills) to partly compensate – the constituency was reformed as Glastonbury and Somerton, to be first contested at the 2024 general election. Sarah Dyke, the winner of the 2023 by-election, became the inaugural MP for the succeeding constituency.

## Constituency profile

This area has a mixed economy, including agriculture and high-tech defence related industries. In November 2012, it had below the national average proportion of jobseekers (3.8%) at 1.6% of the population.

## Boundaries

1983–1997: The District of Yeovil wards of Blackmoor Vale, Brue, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Ivelchester, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Badcox, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Selwood and Berkley, Stratton, and Vale.
1997–2010: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackmoor Vale, Brue, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Ivelchester, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Badcox, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Frome Welshmill, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Stratton, and Vale.
2010–2024: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackmoor Vale, Bruton, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Tower, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Berkley Down, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Frome Park, Frome Welshmill, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Stratton, and Vale.
The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the seat of Wells. It covers the east of the district of Mendip and the north of the district of South Somerset.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party | Party |
| 1983 | Robert Boscawen | | Conservative |
| 1992 | Mark Robinson | | Conservative |
| 1997 | David Heath | | Liberal Democrats |
| 2015 | David Warburton | | Conservative |
| April 2022 | David Warburton | | Independent |
| 2023 by-election | Sarah Dyke | | Liberal Democrats |
| 2024 | Constituency abolished, replaced by Frome and East SomersetGlastonbury and Somerton | Constituency abolished, replaced by Frome and East SomersetGlastonbury and Somerton | Constituency abolished, replaced by Frome and East SomersetGlastonbury and Somerton |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

2023 Somerton and Frome by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Dyke | 21,187 | 54.6 | +28.4 |
| | Conservative | Faye Purbrick | 10,179 | 26.2 | −29.6 |
| | Green | Martin Dimery | 3,944 | 10.2 | +5.1 |
| | Reform UK | Bruce Evans | 1,303 | 3.4 | New |
| | Labour | Neil Guild | 1,009 | 2.6 | −10.3 |
| | Independent | Rosie Mitchell | 635 | 1.6 | New |
| | UKIP | Peter Richardson | 275 | 0.7 | New |
| | CPA | Lorna Corke | 256 | 0.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,008 | 28.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,788 | 44.2 | −31.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +29.0 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Warburton | 36,230 | 55.8 | –0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Boyden | 17,017 | 26.2 | +5.3 |
| | Labour | Sean Dromgoole | 8,354 | 12.9 | –4.3 |
| | Green | Andrea Dexter | 3,295 | 5.1 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,213 | 29.6 | –6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,896 | 75.6 | –0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –3.1 | |
General election 2017: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Warburton | 36,231 | 56.7 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Blackburn | 13,325 | 20.9 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | Sean Dromgoole | 10,998 | 17.2 | +9.9 |
| | Green | Theo Simon | 2,347 | 3.7 | –5.3 |
| | Independent | Richard Hadwin | 991 | 1.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,906 | 35.8 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,892 | 75.8 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.4 | |
General election 2015: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Warburton | 31,960 | 53.0 | +8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Rendel | 11,692 | 19.4 | −28.1 |
| | UKIP | Alan Dimmick | 6,439 | 10.7 | +7.5 |
| | Green | Theo Simon | 5,434 | 9.0 | New |
| | Labour | David Oakensen | 4,419 | 7.3 | +2.9 |
| | Independent | Ian Angell | 365 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,268 | 33.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,309 | 72.2 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +18.3 | |
General election 2010: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 28,793 | 47.5 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Annunziata Rees-Mogg | 26,976 | 44.5 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | David Oakensen | 2,675 | 4.4 | −6.4 |
| | UKIP | Barry Harding | 1,932 | 3.2 | +1.3 |
| | Independent | Niall Warry | 236 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,817 | 3.0 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,612 | 74.3 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +0.9 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 23,759 | 43.9 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Clive Allen | 22,947 | 42.4 | 0.0 |
| | Labour | Joseph Pestell | 5,865 | 10.8 | −0.8 |
| | UKIP | Bill Lukins | 1,047 | 1.9 | +0.2 |
| | Veritas | Carl Beaman | 484 | 0.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 812 | 1.5 | +0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,102 | 70.7 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +0.2 | |
General election 2001: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 22,983 | 43.6 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Marland | 22,315 | 42.4 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Andy Perkins | 6,113 | 11.6 | −4.7 |
| | UKIP | Peter Bridgwood | 919 | 1.7 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal | Jean Pollock | 354 | 0.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 668 | 1.2 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,684 | 69.3 | −8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 22,684 | 39.5 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Mark Robinson | 22,554 | 39.3 | −8.2 |
| | Labour | Robert Ashford | 9,385 | 16.3 | +5.9 |
| | Referendum | Robert Rodwell | 2,449 | 4.3 | New |
| | UKIP | R.P. Gadd | 331 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,403 | 77.3 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.5 | |
General election 1992: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Robinson | 28,052 | 47.5 | −6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 23,711 | 40.2 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Ashford | 6,154 | 10.4 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Ms. LA Graham | 742 | 1.3 | New |
| | Liberal | Ms. J Pollock | 388 | 0.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,341 | 7.3 | −10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,047 | 82.7 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −5.1 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Boscawen | 29,351 | 53.7 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal | Rowland Morgan | 19,813 | 36.3 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Ian Kelly | 5,461 | 10.0 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,538 | 17.4 | −1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,625 | 79.4 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.6 | |
General election 1983: Somerton and Frome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Boscawen | 26,988 | 54.4 | |
| | SDP | Nicholas Hinton | 17,761 | 35.8 | |
| | Labour | Jeffrey Osborn | 4,867 | 9.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,227 | 18.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,616 | 76.7 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |