# St Austell and Newquay (UK Parliament constituency)

St Austell and Newquay is a constituency in Cornwall represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Noah Law, a Labour MP. It is on the South West Peninsula of England, bordered by both the Celtic Sea to the northwest and English Channel to the southeast.

## History
### 2010 election

On its creation in 2010, the constituency had, based on complex forecasts involving its three constitutive seats, which factored in to different degrees the recent local election results, a widely varying notional Liberal Democrat majority (see results below). In analysis, one forecast suggested that St Austell and Newquay would prove to be a safe seat, whereas another suggested an extremely marginal seat. The majority achieved was lower than an average of the two forecasts, but by no means the most slender of majorities achieved in that election.
In 2010, the Labour Party candidate polled in line with results of the recent decades in the forerunner seats, with 7.2% of the vote. Mebyon Kernow, the Cornish devolutionist party, achieved its highest share of the vote in any constituency, but narrowly lost its deposit by not reaching the 5% threshold.

### 2015 election

The seat was won by a Conservative on a majority of more than 15% which would rarely be termed marginal; however, approximately half the electorate of the seat fell within areas represented by a Liberal or Liberal Democrat MP between October 1974 and 2015 - Truro (later adopting a suffix- and St Austell). In terms of the important consideration of length of tenure the seat fails to be describable as in any analysis "safe".

### 2017 election

Theresa May announced a snap election would take place on 8 June 2017. In this constituency, Conservative incumbent Steve Double won with an increased majority of 11,142. The constituency also saw a gigantic 18.8% increase in the Labour vote, in common with many south-west seats, pushing the Liberal Democrats into third place.

### 2019 election

The Liberal Democrats further faded into a more distant third place, with their policy of cancelling Brexit failing to attract voters, in a constituency which voted 64% to Leave the European Union. Unlike many seats across the UK, the Labour vote held up pretty well, with only a 2.6% drop in their vote share.
2024 election
The seat was won by Labour MP Noah Law at the general election on 4 July 2024. Noah defeated incumbent Tory representative Steve Double with a majority of 2,470. Mr Double blamed the loss on a large Reform UK vote (Reform UK took 9,212 votes, and came third.)

## Boundaries
### 2010–2024

The Borough of Restormel wards of Bethel, Crinnis, Edgcumbe North, Edgcumbe South, Fowey and Tywardreath, Gannel, Gover, Mevagissey, Mount Charles, Poltair, Rialton, Rock, St Blazey, St Columb, St Enoder, St Ewe, St Stephen, and Treverbyn.
The constituency was created for the 2010 general election, following a review of parliamentary representation by the Boundary Commission, which increased the number of seats in the county from five to six. It has the same boundaries as the former Borough of Restormel, with the exception of the ward of Lostwithiel, which remains in the South East Cornwall constituency. Previously, the historic area was divided between the North Cornwall, South East Cornwall and Truro and St Austell seats.

### 2024–present

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which became effective for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following electoral divisions of Cornwall (as they existed on 4 May 2021):
* Fowey, Tywardreath & Par; Mevagissey & St Austell Bay; Newquay Central & Pentire; Newquay Porth & Tretherras; Newquay Trenance; Penwithick & Boscoppa; Roche & Bugle; St Austell Bethel & Holmbush; St Austell Central & Gover; St Austell Poltair & Mount Charles; St Blazey; St Columb Minor & Colan; St Dennis & St Enoder; St Mewan & Grampound; St Stephen-in-Brannel.
Minor changes to align with revised electoral division boundaries and bring the electorate within the permitted range.

## Constituency profile

Workless claimants (registered jobseekers) were in November 2012 higher than the national average of 3.8%, at 4.2% of the population, based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 2010 | Steve Gilbert | Liberal Democrats |
| 2015 | Steve Double | Conservative |
| 2024 | Noah Law | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: St Austell and Newquay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Noah Law | 15,958 | 34.1 | +7.5 |
| | Conservative | Steve Double | 13,488 | 28.9 | –26.7 |
| | Reform UK | Stephen Beal | 9,212 | 19.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joanna Kenny | 4,805 | 10.3 | –0.5 |
| | Green | Amanda Pennington | 2,337 | 5.0 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal | Jay Latham | 490 | 1.0 | –0.1 |
| | Independent | Angie Rayner | 442 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,470 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,732 | 61.4 | −12.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,140 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 17.1 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 30,620 | 55.6 |
| | Labour | 14,678 | 26.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 5,964 | 10.8 |
| | Others | 2,146 | 3.9 |
| | Green | 1,690 | 3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 55,098 | 73.9 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 74,585 |
General election 2019: St Austell and Newquay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steve Double | 31,273 | 56.1 | +6.6 |
| | Labour | Felicity Owen | 14,747 | 26.4 | –2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tim Styles | 5,861 | 10.5 | –11.0 |
| | Mebyon Kernow | Dick Cole | 1,660 | 3.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Collin Harker | 1,609 | 2.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Richard Byrne | 626 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,526 | 29.6 | +9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,776 | 69.8 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
General election 2017: St Austell and Newquay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steve Double | 26,856 | 49.5 | +9.3 |
| | Labour | Kevin Neil | 15,714 | 29.0 | +18.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Gilbert | 11,642 | 21.5 | –2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,142 | 20.5 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,212 | 69.0 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –4.7 | |
General election 2015: St Austell and Newquay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steve Double | 20,250 | 40.2 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Gilbert | 12,077 | 24.0 | –18.7 |
| | UKIP | David Mathews | 8,503 | 16.9 | +13.2 |
| | Labour | Deborah Hopkins | 5,150 | 10.2 | +3.0 |
| | Green | Steve Slade | 2,318 | 4.6 | N/A |
| | Mebyon Kernow | Dick Cole | 2,063 | 4.1 | –0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,173 | 16.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,361 | 65.7 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +9.5 | |
General election 2010: St Austell and Newquay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Gilbert | 20,189 | 42.7 | –4.5 |
| | Conservative | Caroline Righton | 18,877 | 40.0 | +5.1 |
| | Labour | Lee Jameson | 3,386 | 7.2 | –6.6 |
| | Mebyon Kernow | Dick Cole | 2,007 | 4.2 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Clive Medway | 1,757 | 3.7 | –0.4 |
| | BNP | James Fitton | 1,022 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,312 | 2.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,238 | 61.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |