# South Shropshire (UK Parliament constituency)

South Shropshire is a county constituency in Shropshire. It was first created in 1832 and was represented by two Knights of the Shire.
The constituency was abolished, along with North Shropshire, under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, with effect from the 1885 general election. The county was then split into four single-member constituencies: Ludlow, Newport, Oswestry and Wellington.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was re-established for the 2024 general election, formed from the current constituency of Ludlow with only minor boundary changes. It has been represented since 2024 by Stuart Anderson of the Conservative Party.

## Boundaries
### Historic

1832–1885: The Hundreds of Brimstey, Chirbury, Condover, Ford, Munslow, Overs, Purslow (including Clun) and Stoddesdon, and the Franchise of Wenlock.

### Current

The re-established constituency is composed of the following:
* The County of Shropshire electoral divisions of: Alveley and Claverley; Bishop’s Castle; Bridgnorth East and Astley Abbotts; Bridgnorth West and Tasley; Broseley; Brown Clee; Burnell; Chirbury and Worthen; Church Stretton and Craven Arms; Clee; Cleobury Mortimer; Clun; Corvedale; Highley; Ludlow East; Ludlow North; Ludlow South; Much Wenlock; Severn Valley; Worfield.
    It comprises the former constituency of Ludlow, with the addition of the Burnell and Severn Valley electoral division from Shrewsbury and Atcham (re-established as Shrewsbury).

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1832–1885

| Election | First member | First party | Second member | Second party |
| 1832 | The Earl of Darlington | Tory | Hon. Robert Clive | Tory |
| 1834 | The Earl of Darlington | Conservative | Hon. Robert Clive | Conservative |
| 1842 by-election | Viscount Newport | Conservative | Hon. Robert Clive | Conservative |
| 1854 by-election | Viscount Newport | Conservative | Hon. Robert Windsor-Clive | Conservative |
| 1859 by-election | Viscount Newport | Conservative | Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bt | Conservative |
| April 1865 by-election | Hon. Sir Percy Egerton Herbert | Conservative | Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bt | Conservative |
| July 1865 | Hon. Sir Percy Egerton Herbert | Conservative | Jasper More | Liberal |
| 1868 | Hon. Sir Percy Egerton Herbert | Conservative | Edward Corbett | Conservative |
| 1876 by-election | John Edmund Severne | Conservative | Edward Corbett | Conservative |
| 1877 by-election | John Edmund Severne | Conservative | Sir Baldwyn Leighton, Bt | Conservative |
| 1885 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

### MPs since 2024

Ludlow prior to 2024
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 2024 | Stuart Anderson | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stuart Anderson | 17,628 | 34.1 | −31.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Green | 16,004 | 31.0 | +15.6 |
| | Reform UK | Charles Shackerley-Bennett | 9,171 | 17.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Simon Thomson | 6,939 | 13.4 | −2.4 |
| | Green | Hilary Wendt | 1,911 | 3.7 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,624 | 3.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,653 | 67.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,723 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
To assess impact of the boundary changes various organisation calculated results of the 2019 election if it was conducted under boundaries established by 2023 Periodic review. Below is such assessment from the BBC for South Shropshire:
Notional result of 2019 election under new (2023) boundaries :
UK General Election, 2019 Notional Result: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | | 37,752 | 65.4 |
| | Labour | | 9,116 | 15.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 8,869 | 15.4 |
| | Green | | 1,999 | 3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28,636 | 49.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
For more information see Notional results of the 2019 United Kingdom general election by 2024 constituency.

## Elections 1832–1885
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Baldwyn Leighton | 2,491 | 29.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | John Edmund Severne | 2,216 | 26.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Jasper More | 2,149 | 25.3 | New |
| | Liberal | John William Handley Davenport | 1,634 | 19.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,245 (est) | 74.6 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,690 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

By-election, 10 August 1877: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Baldwyn Leighton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
By-election, 3 November 1876: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Edmund Severne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Corbett resigned, triggering a by-election.
General election 1874: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Corbett | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Percy Egerton Herbert | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,710 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Herbert's death triggered a by-election.

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Percy Egerton Herbert | 2,703 | 36.6 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | Edward Corbett | 2,514 | 34.1 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal | Jasper More | 2,161 | 29.3 | −8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 353 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,770 (est) | 81.6 (est) | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,847 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.8 | |
By-election, 8 March 1867: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Percy Egerton Herbert | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1865: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Jasper More | 1,819 | 37.3 | New |
| | Conservative | Percy Egerton Herbert | 1,669 | 34.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Baldwin Leighton | 1,388 | 28.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 431 | 8.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,348 (est) | 80.3 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,170 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Herbert was appointed Treasurer of the Household, triggering a by-election.
By-election, 12 April 1865: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Percy Egerton Herbert | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

By-election, 14 September 1859: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Baldwin Leighton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Bridgeman succeeded to the peerage, becoming 3rd Earl of Bradford, triggering a by-election.
General election 1859: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Orlando Bridgeman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Windsor-Clive | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,380 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Windsor-Clive's death triggered a by-election.
By-election, 9 March 1858: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Orlando Bridgeman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1857: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Orlando Bridgeman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Windsor-Clive | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,183 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Bridgeman was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, triggering a by-election.
By-election, 8 February 1854: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Windsor Clive | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1852: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Orlando Bridgeman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Clive | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,571 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Clive's death triggered a by-election.
By-election, 23 March 1852: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Orlando Bridgeman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Orlando Bridgeman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Clive | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,678 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Bridgeman was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, triggering a by-election.
By-election, 3 March 1842: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Orlando Bridgeman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1841: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Vane | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Clive | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,831 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Vane succeeded to the peerage, becoming 2nd Duke of Cleveland, triggering a by-election.

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Henry Vane | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Clive | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,240 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1835: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Henry Vane | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Clive | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,852 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1832: South Shropshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Henry Vane | 642 | 52.0 |
| | Tory | Robert Clive | 573 | 46.4 |
| | Tory | Thomas Whitmore | 20 | 1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 553 | 44.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 661 | 23.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,791 | |
| | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) |
| | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) |
* Whitmore retired in favour of Clive before the poll concluded.