Exeter ( ) is a constituency composed of the cathedral city and county town of Devon represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Steve Race of the Labour Party.
Constituency profile The Exeter constituency is located in Devon and covers most of the city of Exeter excluding some of its eastern suburbs. Exeter is a historic cathedral city with origins in the Roman period. It is home to the University of Exeter, which has around 30,000 students. The city is an important centre of employment with many commuters from nearby towns. The constituency has average levels of deprivation; the suburb of Pennsylvania near the university is affluent whilst the area around Wonford is more deprived. House prices are slightly below the national average.
In general, residents of the constituency are young and well-educated. Levels of professional employment and household income are similar to national averages. White people made up 89% of the population at the 2021 census. At the city council, most of Exeter's suburbs are represented by the Labour Party with Green Party councillors elected in the city centre. At the county council, the suburbs are instead mostly represented by Reform UK. An estimated 57% of voters in the constituency supported remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum compared to 48% nationwide.
History The constituency existed continuously as a parliamentary borough/borough constituency, electing two MPs from 1295 (the Model Parliament) until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one MP by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.
The constituency has had a history of representatives from 1900 of Conservative, Liberal Party, Independent and Labour representation. Since 1997, it has been held by the Labour Party, which currently has a majority of over 10,000, suggesting this is a safe seat for the party.
Boundaries 1918–1950: The County Borough of Exeter.
1950–1974: As prior but with redrawn boundaries.
1974–1983: As prior but with redrawn boundaries.
1983–2010: The City of Exeter.
2010–2024: The City of Exeter wards of Alphington, Cowick, Duryard, Exwick, Heavitree, Mincinglake, Newtown, Pennsylvania, Pinhoe, Polsloe, Priory, St David's, St James, St Leonard's, St Thomas, and Whipton and Barton.
2024–present: The following wards of the City of Exeter (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
Alphington, Duryard & St James, Exwick, Heavitree, Mincinglake & Whipton, Newtown & St Leonard's, Pennsylvania, Priory, St David's, and St Thomas.
The constituency currently covers most of the city of Exeter in Devon. It covered the entire city until 2010, when, under the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which increased the number of seats in the county from 11 to 12, two wards of the City of Exeter (St Loyes and Topsham) were transferred to the neighbouring East Devon constituency.
The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies concluded that the electoral wards of Pinhoe, St Loyes and Topsham (which incorporates part of the Countess Wear area) would be included in the new constituency of Exmouth and Exeter East.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1295–1660
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1351 John Prescott 1353John Prescott 1365John Prescott 1368John Prescott 1386 John Grey Richard Bosom 1388 (Feb)Peter Hadley Thomas Raymond 1388 (Sep)Peter Hadley Adam Creedy 1390 (Jan)Adam Golde William Frye 1390 (Nov) 1391 John Grey William Frye 1393 John Grey Robert Cobbley 1394 John Grey Richard Bosom 1395 John Grey William Wilford 1397 (Jan)John Grey William Wilford 1397 (Sep)William Frye William Wilford 1399 Roger Golde Robert Cobbley 1401 Adam Scut John Coscombe 1402 Roger Golde William Morehay 1404 (Jan)William Wilford Thomas Raymond 1404 (Oct)John Nywaman John Lake 1406 Roger Golde William Dimmock 1407 Nicholas Clerk William Morehay 1410 Richard Raymond John Shaplegh I 1411 William Wilford John Lake 1413 (Feb)Thomas Eston Peter Sturt 1413 (May)Richard Bosom John Pollow 1414 (Apr)John Wilford John Shaplegh II 1414 (Nov)Roger Golde John Wilford 1415Richard Crese John Pollow 1416 (Mar)Roger Golde Robert Vessy 1416 (Oct)Roger Golde John Pollow 1417 John Shaplegh II Thomas Cook 1419 John Shaplegh II John Pollow 1420 John Shaplegh II Richard Crese 1421 (May)John Cutler alias Carwithan Roger Shillingford 1421 (Dec)John Shaplegh II John Shillingford 1510 Thomas Andrew John Orenge 1512 Richard Hewet John Simon 1515 Richard Hewet John Simon 1523 John Noseworthy John Bridgeman 1529 Henry Hamlin John Blackaller, replaced 1534 by Robert Hooker alias Vowell 1536? 1539 John Hull William Hurst 1542 Thomas Spurway William Hurst 1543Gilbert Kirk replaced Spurway and John Pasmore replaced Hurst 1543(substitution reversed) Thomas Spurway replaced Kirk, William Hurst replaced Pasmore 1545 John Grenville William Hurst 1547 John Hull, died and replaced 1549 by Thomas Prestwood Griffith Ameredith 1553 (Mar)Robert WestonRichard Hart 1553 (Oct)John Ridgeway Richard Hart 1554 (Apr)John Ridgeway Richard Hart 1554 (Nov)John Grenville John Petre 1555 Sir John Pollard Edmund Sture 1558 John Grenville Walter Staplehill 1558–9Sir John Pollard Richard Prestwood 1562–3Thomas Williams, died and replaced 1566 by Sir Peter Carew Geoffrey Tothill 1571 Geoffrey Tothill John Vowell alias Hooker 1572 Geoffrey Tothill, died and replaced 1576 by Edward Ameredith Simon Knight 1584 Thomas Bruarton Richard Prowse 1586 Edward Drew John Vowell alias Hooker 1588 Edward Drew John Peryam 1593 John Hele John Peryam 1597 John Hele William Martin 1601 John Hele John Howell 1604George Smith John Prowse 1614John Prowse Thomas Martyn 1621–1622 John Prowse Ignatius Jordain 1624 John Prowse Nicholas Duck 1625 Ignatius Jordain Nicholas Duck 1626 Ignatius Jordain John Hayne 1628–1629Ignatius Jordain John Lynn 1629–1640No Parliaments summoned Apr 1640Robert Walker Simon Snow in place of Jacob Tucker Nov 1640Robert Walker disabled 1643 Simon Snow 1645Simon Snow secluded in Pride's Purge Samuel Clark 1648Samuel Clark(one seat only) 1653Exeter not represented in the Barebones Parliament 1654Thomas Bampfield Thomas Gibbons 1656Thomas Bampfield Thomas Westlake 1659Thomas Bampfield Maj. Thomas Gibbon
MPs 1660–1885
Two members
YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party1660 John Maynard Thomas Bampfield 1661 Sir James Smyth Robert Walker 1673 Thomas Walker1679 William Glyde Malachi Pyne1681 Sir Thomas Carew Thomas Walker1685 James Walker Edward Seymour Tory Jan 1689 Sir Henry Pollexfen Jun 1689 Christopher Bale1695 Edward Seyward Sir Joseph Tily1698 Sir Edward Seymour Tory Sir Bartholomew Shower 1702 John Snell Tory Apr 1708 John Harris Whig May 1708 Nicholas WoodTory1710 Sir Coplestone Bampfylde Tory John Snell Tory1713 John Rolle Francis Drewe 1715 John Bampfylde 1722 John Rolle 1727 Samuel Molyneux 1728 John Belfield 1734 John King Thomas Balle1735 Sir Henry Northcote 1741 Humphrey Sydenham 1743 Sir Richard Bampfylde, Bt 1747 John Tuckfield1754 John Rolle Walter 1767 William Spicer1768 John Buller 1774 Sir Charles Bampfylde Whig 1776 John Baring 1790 James Buller1796 Sir Charles Bampfylde Whig 1802 James Buller Tory1812 William Courtenay Tory 1818 Robert Newman Whig Feb 1826 Samuel Trehawke Kekewich Tory Jun 1826 Lewis William Buck Tory 1830 James Wentworth Buller Whig 1832 Edward Divett Radical 1835 Sir William Webb Follett Conservative 1845 Sir John Duckworth, Bt Conservative 1857 Richard Gard Conservative 1864 Viscount Courtenay Conservative 1865 John Coleridge Liberal 1868 Edgar Alfred Bowring Liberal 1873 Arthur Mills Conservative 1874 John George JohnsonConservative1880 Edward Johnson Liberal Henry Northcote Conservative1885representation reduced to one member
MPs since 1885 ElectionMemberParty 1885 Henry Northcote Conservative 1899 by-election Sir Edgar Vincent Conservative 1906 Sir George Kekewich Liberal January 1910 Henry Duke Conservative December 1910At the December 1910 election, Harold St Maur was declared the winner by 4 votes, and the same majority was recorded after a recount. However, an electoral petition was decided on April 11, 1911, at which Henry Duke was declared the winner by 1 vote ( "Exeter Election Petition— Sensational Finish: Liberals Lose the Seat by a Majority of One", Staffordshire Sentinel, April 11, 1977, p. 1) Harold St Maur Liberal 1911 Henry Duke Conservative 1918 Sir Robert Newman Conservative 1929 Independent 1931 Arthur Reed Conservative1945 John Maude Conservative1951 Sir Rolf Dudley-Williams, Bt Conservative 1966 Gwyneth Dunwoody Labour 1970 Sir John Hannam Conservative 1997 Sir Ben Bradshaw Labour2024Steve RaceLabour
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
2019 notional result Party Vote % Labour 26,500 54.8 Conservative 15,512 32.1 Green 4,516 9.3 Brexit Party 1,257 2.6 Others 565 1.1 Liberal Democrats 8 <0.1Turnout48,35867.4Electorate71,713
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Election in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s 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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected; Conservative: Arthur Reed Labour: William Robert RobinsReport of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939 Liberal: Henry Gebhardt British Union: Rafe Temple Cotton
Elections in the 1920s
Election results 1885–1918 Elections in the 1880s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1910s
Upon petition, this election was subject to a recount due to the closeness of the results. On the first count, St. Maur led with 4,786 votes to Duke's 4,782. On a second count, St. Maur again led with 4,782 votes to Duke's 4,778. Closer scrutiny led to the above count, allowing Duke to retain the seat.
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 and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected; Unionist: Henry Duke Liberal:
Duke is appointed Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, prompting a by-election.
Duke is appointed Lord Justice of Appeal and resigns, prompting a by-election.
Election results 1868–1880 Elections in the 1860s
Coleridge was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s Coleridge resigned after being appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
Elections in the 1880s
Election results 1832–1868 Elections in the 1830s
Elections in the 1840s
Follett was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Follett was appointed Attorney General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Follett's death caused a by-election.
Elections in the 1850s
Elections in the 1860s Divett's death caused a by-election.
Elections before 1832
See also List of parliamentary constituencies in Devon
Notes
References
External links Exeter UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK Exeter UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Exeter UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK