# Stockport South (UK Parliament constituency)

Stockport South was a borough constituency which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until 1983.

## History

Under the Representation of the People Act 1948, which came into effect for the 1950 general election, the two-member parliamentary borough of Stockport was abolished and replaced by the single-member borough constituencies of Stockport North and Stockport South.
Further to the Third Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which followed the local government reorganisation implemented on 1 April 1974, the constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election, with most of the electorate going to form part of the new single-member Stockport constituency.

## Boundaries

1950-1955: The County Borough of Stockport wards of Cale Green, Davenport, Heaviley, Hempshaw Lane, Portwood, St Mary's, St Thomas's, Shaw Heath, and Vernon.
1955-1974: As above except the part of Bredbury ward added to the County Borough of Stockport by the Stockport (Extension) Order 1952, which was transferred from Cheadle (Statutory Instrument 1953–742).
1974-1983: The County Borough of Stockport wards of Adswood, Brinnington, Cale Green, Davenport, Heaviley, Little Moor, Manor, Offerton, and Vernon.
Boundaries adjusted to take account of revision of local authority wards.
From 1 April 1974 until the constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election, the constituency comprised parts of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, but its boundaries were unchanged.
On abolition, the majority of the constituency was re-combined with the majority of Stockport North to form the re-established constituency of Stockport. Northern-most parts (Brinnington) were included in the new constituency of Denton and Reddish, while eastern-most parts (Offerton) were transferred to Hazel Grove.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| | 1950 | Arnold Gridley | Conservative | Resigned January 1955 on being raised to the peerage |
| | 1955 by-election | Harold Steward | Conservative |
| | 1964 | Maurice Orbach | Labour | Announced retirement at 1979 general election, died 24 April |
| | 1979 | Tom McNally | Labour |
| | 1981 | Tom McNally | SDP |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished: see Stockport & Denton and Reddish | constituency abolished: see Stockport & Denton and Reddish |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arnold Gridley | 19,079 | 45.69 | |
| | Labour | H Ponsonby | 16,897 | 40.47 | |
| | Liberal | Reginald Hewitt | 5,778 | 13.84 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,182 | 5.22 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,754 | 86.93 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,032 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1951: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arnold Gridley | 22,075 | 54.17 | +8.48 |
| | Labour | Frank Bibby | 18,675 | 45.83 | +5.36 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,400 | 8.34 | +3.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,750 | 84.17 | −2.76 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,413 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.56 | |
1955 Stockport South by-election: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Steward | 16,321 | 54.26 | +0.09 |
| | Labour | H Davies | 13,758 | 45.73 | −0.09 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,563 | 8.53 | +0.19 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,079 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.09 | |
General election 1955: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Steward | 20,698 | 55.48 | +1.31 |
| | Labour | Ernie Roberts | 16,612 | 44.52 | −1.31 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,086 | 10.96 | +2.63 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,310 | 78.96 | −5.21 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 47,251 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.31 | |
General election 1959: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Steward | 20,522 | 53.30 | −2.18 |
| | Labour | Stan Orme | 17,982 | 46.70 | +2.18 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,540 | 6.60 | −4.35 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,504 | 81.46 | +2.50 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 47,265 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.18 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maurice Orbach | 16,755 | 44.58 | −2.12 |
| | Conservative | Harold Steward | 13,718 | 35.50 | −16.80 |
| | Liberal | Donald F Kerr | 7,107 | 18.91 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,037 | 8.08 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,580 | 81.78 | +0.32 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 45,955 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -2.12 | |
General election 1966: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maurice Orbach | 19,456 | 55.84 | +11.26 |
| | Conservative | Clive Howson | 15,387 | 44.16 | +7.66 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,069 | 11.68 | +3.60 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,843 | 76.74 | −5.04 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 45,406 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.80 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maurice Orbach | 16,747 | 46.47 | −9.37 |
| | Conservative | Clive Howson | 14,679 | 40.73 | −3.45 |
| | Liberal | Trevor Jones | 4,613 | 12.80 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,068 | 5.74 | −5.94 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,039 | 73.29 | −3.45 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,173 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.37 | |
General election February 1974: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maurice Orbach | 15,722 | 41.89 | −4.58 |
| | Conservative | David Edwards | 12,624 | 33.64 | −7.09 |
| | Liberal | Christopher Carter | 9,182 | 24.47 | +11.67 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,098 | 8.25 | +2.51 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,528 | 79.24 | +8.26 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 47,360 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.58 | |
General election October 1974: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maurice Orbach | 16,281 | 45.86 | +3.97 |
| | Conservative | William Legge | 12,061 | 33.97 | +0.33 |
| | Liberal | Christopher Carter | 7,160 | 20.17 | −4.30 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,220 | 11.89 | +3.63 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,502 | 74.30 | −4.94 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 47,782 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.82 | |
General election 1979: Stockport South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom McNally | 16,910 | 45.06 | −0.80 |
| | Conservative | Frederic Skidmore | 15,785 | 42.06 | +8.09 |
| | Liberal | John Quayle | 4,458 | 11.88 | −8.29 |
| | National Front | Robert Murphy | 374 | 1.00 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,125 | 3.00 | −8.89 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,527 | 77.35 | +3.05 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,513 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.44 | |