Lowestoft is a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Lowestoft in Suffolk. It returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system. The constituency was originally created for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1983 general election. It was succeeded by the constituency of Waveney. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Waveney was abolished and Lowestoft re-established for the 2024 general election.

History

The Northern or Lowestoft Division was one of five single-member county divisions of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 to replace the existing two 2-member divisions for the 1885 general election. It was formed from parts of the Eastern Division of Suffolk. It became a county constituency from the 1950 general election and was abolished for the 1983 general election, being replaced by the county constituency of Waveney. It was more often won by the Conservative Party than not, although its representatives include two from the Liberal Party and one from the Labour Party.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

As Great Yarmouth formed a separate Parliamentary Borough, only non-resident freeholders of the Borough were entitled to vote in this constituency. Throughout its existence, the Lowestoft constituency covered the North-Eastern corner of Suffolk and, although encompassing some rural areas, drew the majority of its voters from the towns of Lowestoft, a resort and fishing port, and Beccles; it also included the smaller towns of Bungay and Southwold, with its brewing interests. Southwold is now in the Suffolk Coastal constituency. The constituency established in 1885, which was formally named The Northern or Lowestoft Division of Suffolk (and was sometimes referred to simply as "Suffolk North"), also included the town of Halesworth and the rural areas in between.

1918–1950

In the boundary changes of 1918, when the constituency became simply the "Lowestoft Division of East Suffolk" or East Suffolk, Lowestoft, Halesworth was transferred to the neighbouring Eye division.

1950–1983

''At the 1950 general election, Halesworth was once more placed in the revised Lowestoft County Constituency, but it otherwise underwent only minor changes to reflect local government rationalisations. The boundaries were not altered in the boundary review implemented in 1974.'' The constituency was revised in 1983 and renamed Waveney, as its new boundaries were now identical with those of the local government district of that name. The new constituency was very similar to the old Lowestoft one except a small area in the north, including Bradwell (comprising about 10,000 voters), which had been transferred from Suffolk to Norfolk as a result of the Local Government Act 1972, and was now transferred to the county constituency of Great Yarmouth.

Current

The re-established constituency, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, is composed of the following wards of the District of East Suffolk (as they existed on 1 December 2020): The bulk of the existing Waveney seat, including Lowestoft, Somerleyton and Beccles, was included in the re-established seat, whereas Bungay and The Saints were transferred to the newly created constituency of Waveney Valley.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1983

East Suffolk prior to 1885

MPs since 2024

Waveney prior to 2024

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

• Incumbent MP for Waveney

Elections in the 2010s

Election results 1885-1983

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

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 and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1920s

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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s