Luton (UK Parliament constituency)

Luton was a constituency including the town of Luton in Bedfordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1885 to 1974, elected by the first past the post system.

History 
The seat was created for the 1885 general election as one of two divisions of the county which succeeded Bedfordshire county constituency and was formally known as the Southern or Luton Division of Bedfordshire. The constituency adjoined the Northern or Biggleswade Division to the north of the county until 1918.

From the 1910s onwards the town of Luton and contiguous suburbs expanded, as recorded at the census in each decade, resulting in expanding electorates. This resulted in territory loss to newly formed seats in 1918 and 1950 and further population growth (coupled with a programme of new housing principally under the New Towns Act 1946) justified abolition and division into East and West seats in 1974.

Political summary

Before 1945 
The seat was Liberal-candidate held for 40 of the 46 years before 1931. The remaining six years had been won by Conservative and Unionist Party candidates, running under the emphasis of the party as 'Unionist'. In 1931, the sitting Liberal MP, Leslie Burgin, joined the Liberal Nationals (later the National Liberal Party).

After 1945 
In the election landslide of 1945, the seat was won by the Labour Party, but recaptured at the next election by Charles Hill who served as a National Liberal, in coalition with the Conservatives, from 1950 until 1963, when he was made a life peer (Baron Hill of Luton). The resulting by-election was won by Labour which held it until 1970 when it was taken by the Conservative Party until the seat was abolished for the February 1974 general election.

Electorate size 
The electorate rose through house-building from a relatively modest 37,051 in 1918 to an over-sized (malapportioned) 95,227 in 1945.

In 1950 the electorate of the curtailed seat was 56,569; this rose to 62,457 in 1970, after which the seat was abolished, as recommended by the Boundary Commission, as set out in its Second Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918 

 The Sessional Divisions of Luton, Leighton Buzzard, and Woburn; and
 Part of the Sessional Division of Ampthill.

The constituency was created as the Southern or Luton Division of Bedfordshire under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, when the two-member Parliamentary County of Bedfordshire was divided into the two single-member constituencies of Biggleswade and Luton.

1918–1950 

 The Boroughs of Luton and Dunstable; and
 The Rural District of Luton.

Northern and western parts of the Division, including Leighton Buzzard and surrounding rural areas, were transferred to the new Mid Bedfordshire Division.

1950–1974 

 The Borough of Luton wards of Central, Crawley, Dallow, High Town, Icknield, Lewsey, South, Stopsley, Sundon Park, and Wardown.

The Leagrave and Limbury wards, together with the Borough of Dunstable and surrounding rural areas were included in the new constituency of South Bedfordshire. Reclassified as a borough constituency.

For the February 1974 general election the seat was abolished and was split into two new constituencies of Luton East and Luton West.

Members of Parliament

Election results

Elections in the 1880s 

Flower was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1890s 

Flower is elevated to the peerage as Lord Battersea.

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s 

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected; 
Liberal: Cecil Harmsworth 
Unionist: John Owen Hickman

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1940s 
General Election 1939–40:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected; 
Liberal National: Leslie Burgin
Labour: F. L. Kerran

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s

See also
List of former United Kingdom Parliament constituencies

References

Parliamentary constituencies in Bedfordshire (historic)
Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1885
Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1974
Politics of Luton