# South West Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)

South West Cambridgeshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. Created in 1983 upon the abolition of the Cambridgeshire constituency, it was abolished in 1997 and succeeded by the constituencies of South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon.

## Boundaries

* The District of South Cambridgeshire wards of Arrington, Barrington and Shepreth, Barton, Bassingbourn, Bourn, Comberton, Duxford, Foxton, Gamlingay, Great Shelford, Hardwick, Harston, Haslingfield, Ickleton, Little Shelford, Melbourn, Meldreth, Orwell, Papworth, Sawston, Stapleford, The Mordens, and Whittlesford;
* The District of Huntingdon wards of Buckden, Eaton Ford, Eaton Socon, Eynesbury, Gransden, Paxton, Priory Park, Staughton, and The Offords; and
* The City of Cambridge wards of Queen Edith's and Trumpington.
The seat was created for the 1983 general election which followed on from the merger under the Local Government Act 1972, of the two administrative counties of Huntingdon and Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely to form the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, with effect from 1 April 1974. The constituency combined territory from three pre-1974 local authorities: the south west part of the abolished administrative county of Cambridgeshire; the south of Huntingdonshire, including St Neots; and two wards from Cambridge.
52.6% of the constituency came from the old administrative county and parliamentary constituency of Cambridgeshire, 29.7% originated from the former administrative county and county constituency of Huntingdonshire and the remaining 17.7% was transferred from the borough constituency of Cambridge.
The seat was abolished for the 1997 general election, as western parts, comprising the area formerly in Huntingdonshire was transferred to the Huntingdon constituency. Remaining, southern parts formed the bulk of the new County Constituency of South Cambridgeshire.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| part of Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and Cambridge prior to 1983 ||||
| | 1983 | Sir Anthony Grant | Conservative |
| 1997 | 1997 | constituency abolished, part of S Cambs and Huntingdon from 1997 | constituency abolished, part of S Cambs and Huntingdon from 1997 |

## Elections

1979 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 31,289 | 56.6 |
| | Labour | 13,890 | 25.1 |
| | Liberal | 9,795 | 17.7 |
| | Others | 284 | 0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 55,258 | |
| Electorate | Electorate | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: South West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthony Grant | 32,521 | 56.2 | –0.4 |
| | Liberal | Derek Nicholls | 18,654 | 32.2 | +14.5 |
| | Labour | Joe Gluza | 6,703 | 11.6 | –13.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,867 | 24.0 | –7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,878 | 75.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,228 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1987: South West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthony Grant | 36,622 | 57.7 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal | Derek Nicholls | 18,371 | 29.0 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | Judi Billing | 8,434 | 13.3 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,251 | 28.7 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,427 | 77.7 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 81,658 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.4 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: South West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthony Grant | 38,902 | 56.8 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Sutton | 19,263 | 28.1 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Kevin Price | 9,378 | 13.7 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Linda Whitebread | 699 | 1.0 | New |
| | Natural Law | Francis Chalmers | 225 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,637 | 28.7 | −0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 68,467 | 81.1 | +3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 84,418 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –0.0 | |