# Derby South (UK Parliament constituency)

Derby South (/ˈdɑːrbi/) is a constituency formed of part of the city of Derby, most recently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Baggy Shanker of the Labour and Co-op Party. Previous MP, Margaret Beckett, served the constituency for 41 years (from 1983 to 2024). She served under the Labour governments of Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. She became interim Leader of the Labour Party in 1994 when John Smith suddenly died. She also served in the Opposition front bench under Neil Kinnock and Smith himself.

## Boundaries

Derby city centre has been in this constituency since 1974; from 1950 it had been in Derby North.

### Historic

1950–1955: The County Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Castle, Dale, Litchurch, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.
1955–1974: The County Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Castle, Dale, Litchurch, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree, and the parish of Littleover in the Rural District of Shardlow.
1974–1977: The Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Babington, Chellaston, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.
1977–1983: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Babington, Chellaston, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.
1983–1997: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Babington, Blagreaves, Kingsway, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Sinfin.
1997–2010: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Babington, Blagreaves, Kingsway, Litchurch, Littleover, Mickleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Sinfin.
2010–2023: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Blagreaves, Boulton, Chellaston, Normanton, and Sinfin.

### Current

Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the City of Derby:
* Abbey (small part); Alvaston North; Alvaston South; Arboretum (nearly all); Blagreaves; Chellaston & Shelton Lock; Darley (small part); Normanton (most); Sinfin & Osmaston.
The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.

## Constituency profile

The constituency takes in Derby city centre including much of its varied income inner-city, a narrow majority of which used to be local council-built however which is offset by conservation areas including beside Derby Cathedral and Derby Catacombs. The remainder of the seat is generally more affluent suburbs, and much of the engineering industry traditionally associated with the city.

## History

The constituency was created in 1950, when the former two-seat constituency of Derby was split into two single-member seats. Unlike Derby North, this seat has been held by the Labour Party continuously since its creation.
A notable former MP for the seat was its first incumbent, Philip Noel-Baker of the Labour Party. He served as a Cabinet minister in the post-war Attlee government, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959 for his campaigning for disarmament. He had previously represented the former two-seat constituency of Derby since a by-election in 1936.
The former Cabinet minister Margaret Beckett, who had represented Lincoln (under her maiden name of Margaret Jackson) from 1974 to 1979, represented Derby South for the Labour Party from 1983 until 2024. In 1983, Beckett won the seat with one of the smallest majorities seen of just 421 over the Conservative Party–she always achieved larger majorities since. The 2019 result, in line with other seats that voted for Brexit, saw a drop in votes for Labour, with both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates making gains. Beckett still won a majority of all votes cast, however, representing a higher vote share than in the elections between 2005 and 2015, making Derby South a safe seat for the Labour Party.

## Members of Parliament

Derby prior to 1950
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1950 | Philip Noel-Baker | Labour |
| 1970 | Walter Johnson | Labour |
| 1983 | Margaret Beckett | Labour |
| 2024 | Baggy Shanker | Labour Co-op |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Baggy Shanker | 14,503 | 38.8 | −12.3 |
| | Reform UK | Alan Graves | 8,501 | 22.7 | +16.9 |
| | Workers Party | Chris Williamson | 5,205 | 13.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Jamie Mulhall | 5,192 | 13.9 | −23.0 |
| | Green | Sam Ward | 1,899 | 5.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Naitta | 1,807 | 4.8 | −1.4 |
| | Independent | Zephyr Tair | 292 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,002 | 16.1 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,399 | 51.3 | −7.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,952 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −14.6 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 21,690 | 51.1 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative | Ed Barker | 15,671 | 36.9 | +3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Naitta | 2,621 | 6.2 | +3.5 |
| | Brexit Party | Timothy Prosser | 2,480 | 5.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,019 | 14.2 | −10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,462 | 58.1 | −6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.3 | |
General election 2017: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 26,430 | 58.3 | +9.3 |
| | Conservative | Evonne Williams | 15,182 | 33.5 | +6.1 |
| | UKIP | Alan Graves | 2,011 | 4.4 | −11.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Naitta | 1,229 | 2.7 | −1.5 |
| | Green | Ian Sleeman | 454 | 1.0 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,248 | 24.8 | +3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,306 | 64.8 | +6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.6 | |
General election 2015: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 20,007 | 49.0 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | Evonne Williams | 11,179 | 27.4 | −1.1 |
| | UKIP | Victor Webb | 6,341 | 15.5 | +11.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Naitta | 1,717 | 4.2 | −16.3 |
| | Green | David Foster | 1,208 | 3.0 | New |
| | TUSC | Chris Fernandez | 225 | 0.6 | +0.6 |
| | British Independents | David Gale | 143 | 0.4 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,828 | 21.6 | +6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,820 | 58.1 | +0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.4 | |
General election 2010: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 17,851 | 43.3 | −9.8 |
| | Conservative | Jack Perscke | 11,729 | 28.5 | +8.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Batey | 8,430 | 20.5 | −3.7 |
| | UKIP | Stephen Fowke | 1,821 | 4.4 | +3.0 |
| | Independent | Alan Graves | 1,357 | 3.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,122 | 14.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,188 | 58.0 | −6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.25 | |
The vote share changes on 2005 and the turnout figures were notional based on boundary changes.

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 19,683 | 45.4 | −11.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lucy Care | 14,026 | 32.3 | +13.0 |
| | Conservative | David Brackenbury | 8,211 | 18.9 | −5.4 |
| | UKIP | David Black | 845 | 1.9 | New |
| | Veritas | Frank Leeming | 608 | 1.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,657 | 13.0 | −19.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,373 | 61.6 | +5.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -12.0 | |
General election 2001: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 24,310 | 56.4 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | Simon Spencer | 10,455 | 24.3 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anders Hanson | 8,310 | 19.3 | +4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,855 | 32.1 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,075 | 55.9 | −12.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 29,154 | 56.3 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | Javed Arain | 13,048 | 25.2 | −12.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeremy Beckett | 7,438 | 14.4 | +4.0 |
| | Referendum | John K. Browne | 1,862 | 3.6 | New |
| | National Democrats | Rob Evans | 317 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,106 | 31.1 | +17.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,819 | 67.8 | −7.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1992: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 25,917 | 51.7 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas P. Brown | 18,981 | 37.9 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon J. Hartropp | 5,198 | 10.4 | −5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,936 | 13.8 | +10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,096 | 75.5 | +5.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.2 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 21,003 | 43.7 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Paul Leighton | 19,487 | 40.5 | +2.1 |
| | SDP | Nora Mellor | 7,608 | 15.8 | −5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,516 | 3.2 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,098 | 69.9 | +2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Beckett | 18,169 | 39.3 | −10.7 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Hales | 17,748 | 38.4 | −0.3 |
| | SDP | Ivor Smith | 9,976 | 21.6 | +11.9 |
| | Ecology | Eric Wall | 297 | 0.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 421 | 0.9 | −10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,190 | 67.4 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Walter Johnson | 26,945 | 50.0 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | Michael Stern | 20,853 | 38.7 | +5.8 |
| | Liberal | J.D. Somerset Sullivan | 5,196 | 9.7 | −4.9 |
| | National Front | L.A. Verity | 587 | 1.1 | New |
| | Workers Revolutionary | W.A. Biggs | 146 | 0.3 | New |
| | United English National | J. Short | 122 | 0.2 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,092 | 11.3 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,849 | 71.4 | +1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Walter Johnson | 26,342 | 51.0 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative | A.J. Bussell | 17,010 | 32.9 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal | R. Palmer | 7,520 | 14.6 | −3.4 |
| | United English National | A.S. Ashby | 793 | 1.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,332 | 18.1 | +5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,665 | 69.5 | +6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Walter Johnson | 26,613 | 47.4 | −7.0 |
| | Conservative | R.S.W. Clements | 19,470 | 34.6 | −11.0 |
| | Liberal | J. Mills | 10,121 | 18.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,143 | 12.8 | +4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,204 | 76.2 | +8.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Walter Johnson | 19,407 | 54.4 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative | Royden Greene | 16,258 | 45.6 | +13.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,149 | 8.8 | −17.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,665 | 67.3 | −5.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Noel-Baker | 21,433 | 57.6 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Michael CG Fidler | 11,857 | 31.8 | −10.5 |
| | Liberal | A Leslie Smart | 3,966 | 10.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,576 | 25.8 | +10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,256 | 72.6 | −5.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Noel-Baker | 22,432 | 57.7 | +9.2 |
| | Conservative | T.M. Wray | 16,420 | 42.3 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,012 | 15.4 | +7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,852 | 74.8 | −4.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Noel-Baker | 20,776 | 48.5 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | T.M. Wray | 17,345 | 40.5 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal | A. Leslie Smart | 4,746 | 11.1 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,431 | 8.0 | −7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,867 | 79.2 | +0.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Noel-Baker | 23,081 | 53.6 | −9.0 |
| | Conservative | Marcus Kimball | 16,572 | 38.5 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal | A. Leslie Smart | 3,408 | 7.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,509 | 15.1 | −10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,061 | 78.8 | −5.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Noel-Baker | 27,333 | 62.6 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Richard Cecil Dudley Grimes | 16,344 | 37.4 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,989 | 25.2 | −3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,677 | 84.5 | −1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Derby South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Noel-Baker | 26,886 | 60.1 | |
| | Conservative | Richard Cecil Dudley Grimes | 13,926 | 31.2 | |
| | Liberal | Lyndon Irving | 3,900 | 8.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,960 | 28.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,712 | 87.1 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |