# South Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)

South Leicestershire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Alberto Costa, a member of the Conservative Party.
The current constituency has similar boundaries to the previous Blaby constituency. Historically the "Southern Division of Leicestershire", was a county constituency, less formally known as South Leicestershire. From 1832 to 1885 it elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election.

## Boundaries
### Historic

1832–1885: The Hundreds of Gartree (excluding the parishes of Baggrave, Burrough, Knossington, Marefield, Pickwell-cum-Leesthorpe, Ouston, and Newbold-Saucey), Sparkenhoe and Guthlaxton, and the Borough of Leicester and the Liberties thereof.

### 2010–2024

Following its review of parliamentary representation in Leicestershire, the Boundary Commission for England recommended replacing the Blaby constituency with a new South Leicestershire seat, with some boundary changes. This change occurred for the 2010 general election.
The electoral wards used to create the new constituency were;
* Broughton Astley-Astley, Broughton Astley-Broughton, Broughton Astley-Primethorpe, Broughton Astley-Sutton, Dunton, Lutterworth Brookfield, Lutterworth Orchard, Lutterworth Springs, Lutterworth Swift, Misterton, Peatling, and Ullesthorpe in the Harborough District
* Blaby South, Cosby with South Whetstone, Countesthorpe, Croft Hill, Enderby and St John's, Millfield, Narborough and Littlethorpe, Normanton, North Whetstone, Pastures, Ravenhurst and Fosse, Saxondale, Stanton and Flamville, and Winstanley in the Blaby District

### Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was defined as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
* The District of Blaby wards of: Blaby South; Cosby with South Whetstone; Countesthorpe; Croft Hill; Enderby and St. John’s; Narborough and Littlethorpe; Normanton; North Whetstone; Pastures; Saxondale; Stanton and Flamville.
* The District of Harborough wards of: Bosworth; Broughton Astley-Primethorpe & Sutton; Broughton Astley South & Leire; Dunton; Fleckney; Lutterworth East; Lutterworth West; Misterton; Ullesthorpe.
The Blaby District wards of Millfield, Ravenhurst and Fosse, and Winstanley (comprising the community of Braunstone Town) were transferred to the new constituency of Mid Leicestershire; the Harborough District wards of Bosworth and Fleckney were transferred in from Harborough.
Following a local government boundary review in Blaby which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
* The District of Blaby wards of: Blaby; Cosby & South Whetstone; Countesthorpe; Enderby; Fosse Highcross; Fosse Normanton; Fosse Stoney Cove; Glen Parva; Narborough & Littlethorpe; North Whetstone; and a small part of Leicester Forest & Lubbesthorpe.
* The District of Harborough wards of: Bosworth; Broughton Astley-Primethorpe & Sutton; Broughton Astley South & Leire; Dunton; Fleckney; Lutterworth East; Lutterworth West; Misterton; Ullesthorpe.

## Constituency profile

The current South Leicestershire is a slice of Leicestershire to the south west of Leicester, with most of the population in commuter towns and villages like Whetstone, Blaby and Narborough. Further south it is more rural, with the largest settlement the old market town of Lutterworth. Nearby is the former site of RAF Bitteswell, since redeveloped as Magna Park, one of the largest distribution centres in Europe.
The constituency name of South Leicestershire was new for 2010, but the seat was not massively changed from the old seat of Blaby. Both this and its predecessor are safe Tory seats held by the party since Blaby's creation in 1974. The best known MP to represent the area is the former Chancellor Nigel Lawson.

## History
### 1832–1885

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election, when the two-seat Leicestershire constituency was replaced by the Northern and Southern divisions, each of which elected two MPs.
Both divisions of the county were abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, when they were replaced by four new single-seat constituencies: Bosworth, Harborough, Loughborough and Melton.
Prominent members in this period included Thomas Paget (Jnr) (1807–1892) who followed the footsteps of his father in this role (his father having represented Leicestershire) and as partner in Leicester Bank, and Albert Pell, a member of a group of MPs, which included Henry Chaplin, Sir Massey Lopes and Clare Sewell Read, who supported farming interests. He was also a member of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

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

Leicestershire prior to 1832
| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1832 | | Edward Dawson | Whig | | Sir Henry Halford, Bt | Tory |
| 1834 | | Edward Dawson | Whig | | Sir Henry Halford, Bt | Conservative |
| 1835 | | Thomas Frewen Turner | Conservative | | Sir Henry Halford, Bt | Conservative |
| 1836 by-election | | Charles Packe | Conservative | | Sir Henry Halford, Bt | Conservative |
| 1857 | | Charles Packe | Conservative | | Viscount Curzon | Conservative |
| 1867 by-election | | Thomas Paget | Liberal Party | | Viscount Curzon | Conservative |
| 1868 | | Albert Pell | Conservative Party | | Viscount Curzon | Conservative |
| 1870 by-election | | Albert Pell | Conservative Party | | William Unwin Heygate | Conservative |
| 1880 | | Albert Pell | Conservative Party | | Thomas Paget | Liberal Party |
| 1885 | 1885 | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished |

### MPs since 2010

Blaby and Harborough prior to 2010
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 2010 | Andrew Robathan | Conservative |
| | 2015 | Alberto Costa | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: South Leicestershire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alberto Costa | 18,264 | 35.6 | −30.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Parkinson | 12,758 | 24.8 | +4.9 |
| | Reform UK | Bill Piper | 10,235 | 19.9 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Hartshorn | 7,621 | 14.8 | +5.2 |
| | Green | Mike Jelfs | 2,481 | 4.8 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,508 | 10.8 | −30.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,359 | 65.6 | −5.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,543 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −15.5 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: South Leicestershire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alberto Costa | 36,791 | 64.0 | +2.6 |
| | Labour | Tristan Koriya | 12,787 | 22.3 | −6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Phil Knowles | 5,452 | 9.5 | +5.3 |
| | Green | Nick Cox | 2,439 | 4.2 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,004 | 41.7 | +8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,469 | 71.4 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.4 | |
General election 2017: South Leicestershire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alberto Costa | 34,795 | 61.4 | +8.2 |
| | Labour | Shabbir Aslam | 16,164 | 28.5 | +6.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Greg Webb | 2,403 | 4.2 | −3.2 |
| | UKIP | Roger Helmer | 2,235 | 3.9 | −13.5 |
| | Green | Mary Morgan | 1,092 | 1.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,631 | 32.9 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,801 | 71.8 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.9 | |
General election 2015: South Leicestershire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alberto Costa | 28,700 | 53.2 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | Amanda Hack | 11,876 | 22.0 | +1.1 |
| | UKIP | Barry Mahoney | 9,363 | 17.4 | +13.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Welsh | 3,987 | 7.4 | −13.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,824 | 31.2 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,926 | 70.2 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.3 | |
General election 2010: South Leicestershire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Robathan* | 27,000 | 49.5 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Aladdin Ayesh | 11,476 | 21.0 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | Sally Gimson | 11,392 | 20.9 | −8.8 |
| | BNP | Peter Preston | 2,721 | 5.0 | +1.5 |
| | UKIP | John Williams | 1,988 | 3.6 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,524 | 28.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,577 | 71.2 | +6.0 |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
    * Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 Parliament

## Elections 1832–1880
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Henry Halford | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Edward Dawson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,125 | |
| | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
General election 1835: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Henry Halford | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Thomas Frewen Turner | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,244 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
By-election, 18 February 1836: South Leicestershire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Charles Packe | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Turner's resignation
General election 1837: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Henry Halford | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Charles Packe | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,603 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Halford | 2,638 | 34.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Charles Packe | 2,622 | 34.2 | N/A |
| | Whig | Thomas Gisborne | 1,213 | 15.8 | New |
| | Whig | Edward Hawkins Cheney | 1,196 | 15.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,409 | 18.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,835 (est) | 78.2 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,903 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1847: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Halford | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Charles Packe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,448 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Halford | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Charles Packe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,131 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1857: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Curzon-Howe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Charles Packe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,205 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Curzon-Howe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Charles Packe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,259 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Curzon-Howe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Charles Packe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,283 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
By-election, 30 November 1867: South Leicestershire (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Paget | 2,302 | 50.4 | New |
| | Conservative | Albert Pell | 2,263 | 49.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,565 | 72.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,283 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
* Caused by Packe's death.
General election 1868: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Curzon-Howe | 3,196 | 34.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Albert Pell | 3,111 | 33.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Thomas Paget | 2,861 | 31.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 250 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,015 (est) | 72.4 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,308 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

By-election, 13 June 1870: South Leicestershire (1 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Unwin Heygate | 3,292 | 56.0 | −12.8 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Paget | 2,585 | 44.0 | +12.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 707 | 12.0 | +9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,877 | 70.7 | −1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,308 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −12.8 | |
* Caused by Curzon-Howe succeeding to the peerage, becoming Earl Howe.
General election 1874: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Albert Pell | 3,583 | 36.8 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | William Unwin Heygate | 3,269 | 33.6 | −1.3 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Paget | 2,883 | 29.6 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 386 | 4.0 | +1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,309 (est) | 74.3 (est) | +1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,489 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.3 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: South Leicestershire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Paget | 3,685 | 35.7 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | Albert Pell | 3,453 | 33.5 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | William Unwin Heygate | 3,175 | 30.8 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 510 | 4.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,860 (est) | 76.0 (est) | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,022 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.2 | |