# Yeovil (UK Parliament constituency)

Yeovil is a constituency in Somerset created in 1918 and represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since the 2024 General Election, the constituency has been represented by Liberal Democrat MP Adam Dance.

## Boundaries
### Historic

1918–1974: The Municipal Boroughs of Yeovil and Chard, the Urban Districts of Crewkerne and Ilminster, the Rural Districts of Chard, Langport, Yeovil.
1974–1983: As 1918 but with redrawn boundaries.
1983–1997: The District of Yeovil wards of Blackdown, Chard North East, Chard North West, Chard Parish, Chard South East, Chard South West, Chinnock, Coker, Crewkerne Town, Dowlish, Egwood, Hazelbury, Houndstone, Ilminster Town, Lynches, Mudford, Neroche, St Michael's, South Petherton, Stoke, Windwhistle, Yeovil Central, Yeovil East, Yeovil North, Yeovil Preston, Yeovil South, Yeovil West.
The communities of Martock, Somerton and Ilchester were now included in the new seat of Somerton and Frome.
1997–2010: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackdown, Chard Avishayes, Chard Combe, Chard Crimchard, Chard Holyrood, Chard Jocelyn, Coker, Crewkerne, Egwood, Hamdon, Houndstone, Ilminster, Mudford, Neroche, Parrett, St Michael's, South Petherton, Tatworth and Forton, Windwhistle, Yeovil Central, Yeovil East, Yeovil Preston, Yeovil South, Yeovil West, Yeovil Without.
2010–2024: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackdown, Brympton, Chard Avishayes, Chard Combe, Chard Crimchard, Chard Holyrood, Chard Jocelyn, Coker, Crewkerne, Egwood, Hamdon, Ilminster, Ivelchester, Neroche, Parrett, St Michael's, South Petherton, Tatworth and Forton, Windwhistle, Yeovil Central, Yeovil East, Yeovil South, Yeovil West, Yeovil Without.

### Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:
* The District of South Somerset wards of: Blackdown & Tatworth; Brympton; Chard Avishayes; Chard Combe; Chard Crimchard; Chard Holyrood; Chard Jocelyn; Coker; Crewkerne; Eggwood; Ilminster; Neroche; Parrett; South Petherton; Windwhistle; Yeovil College; Yeovil Lyde; Yeovil Summerlands; Yeovil Westland; Yeovil Without.
With effect from 1 April 2023, the District of South Somerset was abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of Somerset. Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following electoral divisions of Somerset from the 2024 general election:
* Brympton (most); Chard North; Chard South; Coker (most); Crewkerne; Ilminster; South Petherton and Islemoor (most); Yeovil Central; Yeovil East; Yeovil South; Yeovil West.
In order to bring the electorate within the permitted range, rural areas to the north of the town of Yeovil were transferred to the new constituency of Glastonbury and Somerton.
The seat covers the towns of Yeovil, Chard, Crewkerne and Ilminster in the county of Somerset.

## History

From 1918 until 1983, Yeovil always returned a Conservative MP (though by only narrow margins over Labour in the 1940s and 1950s). There then followed a period of over 30 years during which the seat was represented by a member of the Liberal Party or their successors, the Liberal Democrats; firstly former leader Paddy Ashdown (1983–2001) and then former Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Laws (2001 to 2015). At the 2015 election, the seat returned to its former Conservative allegiance as Marcus Fysh defeated Laws by over 5,000 votes.
The South Somerset district voted 57% to leave the European Union, and academic analysis estimates that Yeovil itself voted 59% to leave. There was a swing of 7.7% away from the pro-Remain Liberal Democrats towards the pro-Leave Conservatives, which made the seat much safer in 2017, Marcus Fysh's majority increasing to just under 15,000. In 2019 the voters slightly increased this majority (to over 16,000).
In the 2024 General Election, the seat returned to the Liberal Democrats, with Adam Dance defeating the existing Conservative MP, Marcus Fysh, by over 12,000 votes.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | Aubrey Herbert | Conservative |
| 1923 by-election | George Davies | Conservative |
| 1945 | William Kingsmill | Conservative |
| 1951 | John Peyton | Conservative |
| 1983 | Paddy Ashdown | Liberal |
| 1988 | Paddy Ashdown | Liberal Democrats |
| 2001 | David Laws | Liberal Democrats |
| 2015 | Marcus Fysh | Conservative |
| 2024 | Adam Dance | Liberal Democrats |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Dance | 23,765 | 48.5 | +17.4 |
| | Conservative | Marcus Fysh | 11,497 | 23.5 | −34.7 |
| | Reform UK | Laura Bailhache | 7,677 | 15.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Rebecca Montacute | 3,002 | 6.1 | −0.2 |
| | Green | Serena Wootton | 2,403 | 4.9 | +2.1 |
| | Independent | Steve Ashton | 608 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,286 | 25.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,952 | 61.4 | –9.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 79,918 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +26.0 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 31,477 | 58.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 16,839 | 31.1 |
| | Labour | 3,419 | 6.3 |
| | Green | 1,518 | 2.8 |
| | Others | 875 | 1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 54,128 | 71.2 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 76,056 |
General election 2019: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Marcus Fysh | 34,588 | 58.4 | 3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mick Clark | 18,407 | 31.1 | 1.4 |
| | Labour | Terence Ledlie | 3,761 | 6.3 | 6.2 |
| | Green | Diane Wood | 1,629 | 2.7 | 0.9 |
| | Independent | Tony Capozzoli | 689 | 1.2 | New |
| | Constitution and Reform | Tom Fox | 186 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,181 | 27.3 | 2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,260 | 71.9 | 0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.3 | |
General election 2017: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Marcus Fysh | 32,369 | 54.5 | +12.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jo Roundell Greene | 17,646 | 29.7 | –3.4 |
| | Labour | Ian Martin | 7,418 | 12.5 | +5.4 |
| | Green | Robert Wood | 1,052 | 1.8 | –2.0 |
| | Independent | Katy Pritchard | 919 | 1.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,723 | 24.8 | +15.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,404 | 71.6 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.7 | |
General election 2015: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Marcus Fysh | 24,158 | 42.5 | +9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Laws | 18,885 | 33.2 | −22.5 |
| | UKIP | Simon Smedley | 7,646 | 13.4 | +9.3 |
| | Labour | Sheena King | 4,053 | 7.1 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Emily McIvor | 2,191 | 3.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,293 | 9.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,933 | 69.1 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +16.1 | |
General election 2010: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Laws | 31,843 | 55.7 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Kevin Davis | 18,807 | 32.9 | −1.2 |
| | Labour | Lee Skevington | 2,991 | 5.2 | −5.3 |
| | UKIP | Nigel Pearson | 2,357 | 4.1 | +0.3 |
| | BNP | Robert Baehr | 1,162 | 2.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,036 | 22.8 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,160 | 69.4 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +2.7 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Laws | 25,658 | 51.4 | +7.1 |
| | Conservative | Ian Jenkins | 17,096 | 34.3 | −1.8 |
| | Labour | Colin Rolfe | 5,256 | 10.5 | −4.2 |
| | UKIP | Graham Livings | 1,903 | 3.8 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,562 | 17.1 | +8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,913 | 64.3 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
General election 2001: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Laws | 21,266 | 44.3 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | Marco Forgione | 17,338 | 36.1 | +8.4 |
| | Labour | Joe Conway | 7,077 | 14.7 | −0.2 |
| | UKIP | Neil Boxall | 1,131 | 2.3 | New |
| | Green | Alex Begg | 786 | 1.6 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal | Anthony Prior | 534 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,928 | 8.2 | −12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,032 | 64.2 | −8.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | −6.5 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paddy Ashdown | 26,349 | 48.7 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Cambrook | 14,946 | 27.7 | −9.3 |
| | Labour | Patrick Conway | 8,053 | 14.9 | +5.3 |
| | Referendum | John Beveridge | 3,574 | 6.6 | New |
| | Green | David Taylor | 728 | 1.3 | +0.2 |
| | Independent | John Archer | 306 | 0.6 | New |
| | Rainbow Dream Ticket | Christopher Hudson | 97 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,403 | 21.0 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,053 | 72.3 | −9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
General election 1992: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paddy Ashdown | 30,958 | 51.7 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Julian Davidson | 22,125 | 36.9 | −4.4 |
| | Labour | Vivien Elson | 5,765 | 9.6 | +2.3 |
| | Green | Jay Risbridger | 639 | 1.1 | New |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 338 | 0.6 | New |
| | Anti-Paddy Ashdown Keep Britain Independent | Reginald Simmerson | 70 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,833 | 14.8 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,895 | 82.0 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +2.4 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Paddy Ashdown | 28,841 | 51.4 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | George Sandeman | 23,141 | 41.3 | −2.7 |
| | Labour | John Fitzmaurice | 4,099 | 7.3 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,700 | 10.1 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,081 | 79.7 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.4 | |
General election 1983: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Paddy Ashdown | 26,608 | 50.5 | +20.0 |
| | Conservative | David Martin | 23,202 | 44.0 | −3.9 |
| | Labour | Peter Brushett | 2,928 | 5.6 | −16.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,406 | 6.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,738 | 79.8 | −2.3 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +12.0 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 31,321 | 47.9 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | Paddy Ashdown | 19,939 | 30.5 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | Ian Luder | 14,098 | 21.6 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,382 | 17.4 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,358 | 82.1 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
General election October 1974: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 25,658 | 43.0 | +1.47 |
| | Labour | M. T. McVicar | 17,330 | 29.0 | +1.22 |
| | Liberal | Geoffrey F. Taylor | 17,298 | 29.0 | −0.04 |
| | Independent | J. E. Tippett | 332 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,379 | 14.0 | +2.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,618 | 79.3 | −4.56 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.12 | |
General election February 1974: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 25,955 | 41.53 | −8.16 |
| | Liberal | Geoffrey F. Taylor | 18,465 | 29.54 | +16.23 |
| | Labour | M.T. McVicar | 17,362 | 27.78 | −9.22 |
| | Democratic Conservative | J.E. Tippett | 720 | 1.15 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,490 | 11.99 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,542 | 83.86 | +4.52 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -12.2 | |
General election 1970: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 27,689 | 49.69 | +6.52 |
| | Labour | John A Elswood | 20,621 | 37.00 | −2.21 |
| | Liberal | David E Evans | 7,418 | 13.31 | −4.31 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,068 | 12.69 | +8.73 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,728 | 79.34 | −4.24 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.36 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 22,664 | 43.17 | +0.62 |
| | Labour | John A Elswood | 20,584 | 39.21 | +5.88 |
| | Liberal | David E Evans | 9,248 | 17.62 | −6.50 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,080 | 3.96 | −5.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,496 | 83.63 | +0.32 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.25 | |
General election 1964: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 21,919 | 42.55 | −4.16 |
| | Labour | Albert C Reed | 17,171 | 33.33 | −1.33 |
| | Liberal | Geoffrey F. Taylor | 12,426 | 24.12 | +6.48 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,748 | 9.22 | −2.83 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,516 | 83.31 | −1.88 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.75 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 23,771 | 46.71 | −1.5 |
| | Labour | W. Alex Baker | 17,638 | 34.66 | −5.0 |
| | Liberal | Geoffrey Fawsitt Taylor | 9,484 | 18.64 | +6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,133 | 12.05 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,893 | 85.19 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.3 | |
General election 1955: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 24,059 | 48.17 | +1.33 |
| | Labour | Moss Murray | 19,793 | 39.63 | −0.43 |
| | Liberal | Geoffrey Fawsitt Taylor | 6,089 | 12.19 | +0.10 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,266 | 8.54 | +2.77 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,941 | 85.06 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.88 | |
General election 1951: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Peyton | 23,701 | 46.84 | +4.27 |
| | Labour | Moss Murray | 20,780 | 41.07 | +1.74 |
| | Liberal | Marguerite L Winsor | 6,118 | 12.09 | −6.01 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,921 | 5.77 | +2.53 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,599 | 87.96 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
General election 1950: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Kingsmill | 21,145 | 42.57 | +4.81 |
| | Labour | Maurice Shinwell | 19,532 | 39.33 | +1.95 |
| | Liberal | Leon MacLaren | 8,990 | 18.10 | −6.74 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,613 | 3.24 | +2.84 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,867 | 87.46 | +12.20 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.38 | |

### Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Kingsmill | 16,815 | 37.78 | −9.02 |
| | Labour | Malcolm MacPherson | 16,641 | 37.38 | +17.28 |
| | Liberal | James Douglas Bateman | 11,057 | 24.84 | −8.26 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 174 | 0.40 | −13.30 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,513 | 75.26 | −3.04 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -13.15 | |
Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: John Fox-Strangways
* Liberal: James Bateman
* Labour: Malcolm MacPherson

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Davies | 17,640 | 46.8 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal | James Douglas Bateman | 12,482 | 33.1 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | Albert Edward Millett | 7,567 | 20.1 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,158 | 13.7 | −1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,689 | 78.3 | −5.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.9 | |
General election 1931: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Davies | 20,165 | 50.9 | +9.8 |
| | Liberal | Percy Holt Heffer | 14,046 | 35.5 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | Hamilton Fyfe | 5,377 | 13.6 | −6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,119 | 15.4 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,588 | 84.1 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.6 | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Davies | 15,526 | 41.1 | −7.2 |
| | Liberal | Percy Holt Heffer | 14,679 | 38.8 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | Francis Douglas | 7,609 | 20.1 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 847 | 2.3 | −14.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,814 | 83.4 | −0.2 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -7.5 | |
General election 1924: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Davies | 14,477 | 48.3 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal | Charles Waley Cohen | 9,320 | 31.1 | −6.5 |
| | Labour | James Lievsley George | 6,179 | 20.6 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,157 | 17.2 | +10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,976 | 83.6 | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +5.1 | |
1923 general election: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Davies | 12,690 | 44.5 | −17.3 |
| | Liberal | Charles Waley Cohen | 10,715 | 37.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | William Kelly | 5,080 | 17.8 | −20.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,975 | 6.9 | −16.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,485 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -7.5 | |
1923 Yeovil by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Davies | 13,205 | 46.6 | −15.2 |
| | Labour | William Kelly | 8,140 | 28.7 | −9.6 |
| | Liberal | Charles Waley Cohen | 7,024 | 24.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,065 | 17.9 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,369 | 80.8 | +7.8 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -2.8 | |
1922 general election: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Aubrey Herbert | 15,468 | 61.8 | +11.3 |
| | Labour | William Kelly | 9,581 | 38.3 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,887 | 23.5 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,049 | 73.0 | +11.2 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +4.7 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 14 December 1918: Yeovil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Aubrey Herbert | 10,522 | 50.5 | |
| | Labour | William Kelly | 7,589 | 36.4 | |
| | Liberal | J. R. Brough | 2,743 | 13.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,933 | 14.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,854 | 61.8 | |
| | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||