Reading South was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency covered an area in and around the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire.
History The Reading South parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. These constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency in for the 1955 general election.
The Reading South constituency was recreated in 1974, when the majority comprised areas outside the County Borough. In 1983 the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West.
Boundaries 1950–1955 The County Borough of Reading wards of Church, East, Katesgrove, Minster, Redlands, and West.
It was then abolished and absorbed into the re-established constituency of Reading, with the exception of the East ward, which was transferred to Wokingham.
1974–1983 The County Borough of Reading wards of Christchurch, Park, Redlands, and Whitley; and The Rural District of Wokingham parishes of Arborfield and Newland, Barkham, Earley, Finchampstead, Shinfield, Sonning, Swallowfield, Winnersh, and Woodley and Sandford.
The Park ward of the County Borough of Reading was transferred from Wokingham, along with western parts of the Rural District thereof. The remaining wards of the County Borough were previously part of the abolished constituency of Reading.
The constituency was abolished again for the 1983 general election, with the majority forming the basis of the new County Constituency of Reading East. The north-western areas transferred back to Wokingham.
Members of Parliament MPs 1950–1955 ElectionMemberPartyNotes 1950 Ian Mikardo LabourContested Reading following redistribution 1955 constituency abolished – see Reading
MPs 1974–1983 ElectionMemberPartyNotes Feb 1974 Gerard Vaughan Conservative Member for main predecessor seat (1970–1974)Contested Reading East following redistribution 1983 constituency abolished – see Reading East, Reading West and Wokingham
Election results Elections in the 1970s
1970 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 22,400 47.5 Labour 17,200 36.4 Liberal 7,600 16.1Turnout47,20072.5Electorate65,074
Elections in the 1950s
Politics and history of the constituency The Reading South parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. The seat was contested and won for the Labour Party by Ian Mikardo, the sitting MP for the Reading constituency, who held the seat until it was merged back into a single Reading constituency for the 1955 general election.
The Reading South constituency was recreated in 1974, when it was contested and won for the Conservative Party by Gerard Vaughan, the sitting MP for the Reading constituency. For the 1983 general election the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West. Gerard Vaughan went on to hold the Reading East constituency until he stood down at the 1997 general election.
References
See also List of parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire