Bedford is a constituency [n 1] UK Parliament since 2017 by Mohammad Yasin of the Labour Party .[n 2]
The seat dates to the earliest century of regular parliaments, in 1295; its double representation was halved in 1885, then being altered by the later-termed Fourth Reform Act in 1918.
Constituency profile Geographical and economic profile Bedford is a marginal seat between the Labour Party and the Conservatives . The main settlement is Bedford , a well-developed town centre with a considerable amount of social housing relative to Bedfordshire and higher poverty index but on a fast railway link to London and other destinations, the town is at the north end of the Thameslink service to Brighton and is not far from Milton Keynes which has a larger economy. The smaller and contiguous town of Kempston is also in the constituency.
History Bedford was first represented in the Model Parliament of 1295. The constituency was originally a parliamentary borough electing two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons, and consisted of the five parishes making up the town of Bedford .
Before the Reform Act of 1832, the right to vote was exercised by all freemen and burgesses of the town (whether or not they lived within the borough boundaries) and by all householders who were not receiving alms. This was a fairly wide franchise for the period, but potentially subject to abuse since the Corporation of the borough had unlimited power to create freemen. The corporation was usually under the influence of the Dukes of Bedford , but their influence usually fell well short of making Bedford a pocket borough .
In 1768, a majority of the corporation apparently fell out with the Duke at the time , and decided to free the borough from his influence. They elected a Huntingdonshire squire,[n 3] Sir Robert Bernard , as Recorder of the borough, and made 500 new freemen, mostly Bernard's Huntingdonshire neighbours or tenants. As there were only 540 householders, this gave him the effective power to choose Bedford's MPs; at the next election the defeated candidates petitioned against the result, attempting to establish that so many non-residents should not be allowed to vote, but the Commons dismissed the petition and confirmed the right of all the freemen, however created, to vote.
Bernard cemented his control with the creation of hundreds of further freemen in the next few years; at around the same period he lent the Corporation £950, and it is not unreasonable to assume this was payment for services rendered. However, in 1789, the young Duke of Bedford managed to regain the corporation's loyalty, and had 350 of his own retainers made freemen.
Even at other periods, the influence of the Dukes seems sometimes to have been more nominal than real. In the 1750s and 1760s, before Bernard's intervention, a frequent compromise was that the Duke nominated one MP and the corporation (representing the interests of the town) the other; but it seems that on occasion the Duke had to be flexible to retain the semblance of local deference towards him, and that his "nominee" had in reality been imposed upon him. Nor was the outcome invariably successfully predetermined: at the 1830 election the result swung on one individual's vote – the defeated candidate being Lord John Russell , who was not only one of the Whig leaders but The Duke of Bedford 's son.
In 1831, the population of the borough was 6,959, and contained 1,491 houses. This was sufficient for Bedford to retain both its MPs under the Great Reform Act, with its boundaries unaltered. The reformed franchise introduced in 1832 gave the borough 1,572 inhabitants qualified to vote. The town was growing, and Bedford retained its borough status until the 1918 general election, although under the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, its representation was reduced to a single MP. On the eve of the First World War , its population was just under 40,000, of whom 6,500 people were eligible to vote.
Under the Representation of the People Act 1918 , the Parliamentary Borough was abolished; but the town gave its name to a new county constituency (formerly The Bedford division of Bedfordshire ). As well as the town of Bedford, it covered the northern end of the county and included Kempston and Eaton Socon together with the surrounding rural area, which had previously been part of the abolished Biggleswade Division.
Under the Representation of the People Act 1948 , a boundary change which came into effect at the 1950 election reduced its size somewhat, with part of the Bedford Rural District , including Eaton Socon, being transferred to the Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Under the Third Review of Westminster Constituencies in 1983, the constituency was abolished and absorbed into the new County Constituency of North Bedfordshire , with the exception of Kempston, which was transferred to Mid Bedfordshire.
Under the Fourth Review, effective from the 1997 general election, Bedford was restored as a Borough Constituency, comprising the town of Bedford from the now abolished constituency of North Bedfordshire, and Kempston, regained from Mid Bedfordshire.
In the latest boundary changes under the Fifth Review, effective from the 2010 general election, there were marginal gains from Mid Bedfordshire due to the revision of local authority wards.
The 2017 general election saw the Labour Party win the seat despite coming second in the election. This was significant as it was the first time the party had won the seat at an election where it had not won a comfortable national majority. This was repeated at the 2019 general election, where the seat was narrowly held by the Labour incumbent, despite the party suffering a heavy national defeat.[4]
Boundaries 1918–1950 : The Municipal Borough of Bedford, the Urban District of Kempston, and the Rural Districts of Bedford and Eaton Socon.[5]
1950–1983: The Municipal Borough of Bedford, the Urban District of Kempston, and part of the Rural District of Bedford.[5]
1997–2010 : The Borough of Bedford wards of Brickhill, Castle, Cauldwell, De Parys, Goldington, Harpur, Kempston East, Kempston West, Kingsbrook, Newnham, Putnoe, and Queen's Park.[6]
2010–present: The Borough of Bedford wards of Brickhill , Castle, Cauldwell, De Parys, Goldington, Harpur, Kempston Central and East, Kempston North, Kempston South, Kingsbrook, Newnham, Putnoe, Queens Park.[7]
Members of Parliament MPs 1295–1660 Constituency created (1295)Parliaments of King Edward I No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 29th 30 September 1295+ 1295 27 November 1295 4 December 1295 John Cullebere Simon de Holand 30th 26 August 1296 1296 3 November 1296 29 November 1296 unknown unknown 33rd 6 October 1297 1297 15 September 1297 14 October 1297 unknown unknown 34th 15 March 1298 March 1298 30 March 1298 ... unknown unknown 35th 10 April 1298 1298 25 May 1298 ... Thomas Halyday Robert de Sywell 39th 29 December 1299 1299/00 6 March 1300 20 March 1300 John Wymond William Benne 40th 26 September 1300 1300/01 20 January 1301 30 January 1301 42nd 14 July 1302 1302 14 October 1302 21 October 1302 Simon le Tanner Robert de Sywell 43rd 12 November 1304 1304/05 28 February 1305 20 March 1305 John Halyday William Costyn 45th 5 April 1306 1306 30 May 1306 30 May 1306 Simon de Wilshamstead Geoffrey le Blund 46th 3 November 1306 1306/07 20 January 1307 19 March 1307 William Costyn John le Marescal
Parliaments of King Edward II No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 26 August 1307 1307 13 October 1307 16 October 1307 William Bonum John atte Wal 2nd 19 January 1308 1308 3 March 1308 ... unknown unknown 5th 4 March 1309 1309 27 April 1309 13 May 1309 Gilbert de Holm John le Marescal 8th 16 June 1311 1311 8 August 1311 ... John Halyday Geoffrey Clogon (Glogon) ... 1311 12 November 1311 18 December 1311 William Costyn (Costantyn) 9th 3 June 1312 1312 20 August 1312 16 December 1312 Roger Cullebere 10th 8 January 1313 1313 18 March 1313 9 May 1313 Thomas de Norfolk John atte Wal 11th 23 May 1313 1313 8 July 1313 27 July 1313 12th 26 July 1313 1313 23 September 1313 15 November 1313 13th 29 July 1314 1314 9 September 1314 27/28 September 1314 William Costantyn 14th 24 October 1314 1314/15 20 January 1315 9 March 1315 Geoffrey Glogon 15th 16 October 1315 1315/16 27 January 1316 20 February 1316 no return 16th 24–25 August 1318 1318 20 October 1318 9 December 1318 Henry Oliver Geoffrey de Blunham 17th 20 March 1319 1319 6 May 1319 25 May 1319 Simon de Bydenham Ralph le Collere 19th 5 August 1320 1320 6 October 1320 25/26 October 1320 Richard de Cave Thomas Halyday 20th 15 May 1321 1321 15 July 1321 22 August 1321 John de Soham Richard le Ussher 21st 14 March 1322 1322 2 May 1322 19 May 1322 Simon de Knightwyk William Costantyn 22nd 18 September 1322 1322 14 November 1322 29 November 1322 Richard de Cave 23rd 20 November 1323 1323/24 23 February 1324 18 March 1324 Thomas Halyday Roger atte Wal 24th 6 May 1325 1325 25 June 1325 ... unknown unknown 25th 10 October 1325 1325 18 November 1325 5 December 1325 unknown unknown 26th 28 October 1326 1326/27 7 January 1327 20 January 1327 Hugh Balle Hugh Cok
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Parliaments of King Edward III No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st ... ... ... 9 March 1327 unknown unknown 2nd 7 August 1327 1327 15 September 1327 23 September 1327 Roger atte Wal Simon Cullebere 3rd 10 December 1327 1327/28 7 February 1328 5 March 1328 Hugh Cok William de Hoghton 4th 5 March 1328 1328 24 April 1328 14 May 1328 John de Lund, jnr. Geoffrey le Neveu 5th 28 August 1328 1328 16 October 1328 22 February 1329 William Flour John Scot 6th 25 January 1330 1330 11 March 1330 21 March 1330 Richard de Cave Simon de Stevynton 7th 23 October 1330 1330 26 November 1330 9 December 1330 Robert Crowe John Elcock 8th 16 July 1331 1331 30 September 1331 9 October 1331 William Costantyn unknown 9th 27 January 1332 1332 16 March 1332 21 March 1332 John de Soham, jnr. Geoffrey Walcock 10th 20 July 1332 1332 9 September 1332 12 September 1332 Hugh Balle John Scot 11th 20 October 1332 1332 4 December 1332 27 January 1333 John de Soham John de Codenho (Boddenho?) 12th 2 January 1334 1334 21 February 1334 2 March 1334 Richard de Cave William le Clerk 13th 24 July 1334 1334 19 September 1334 23 September 1334 14th 1 April 1335 1335 26 May 1335 3 June 1335 William de Holewelle 15th 22 January 1336 1336 11 March 1336 20 March 1336 John atte Lound Henry Arnold 16th 29 November 1336 1336/37 3 March 1337 c.16 March 1337 unknown unknown 17th 20 December 1337 1337/38 3 February 1338 14 February 1338 John de Styvecle William de Holewell 18th 15 November 1338 1338/39 3 February 1339 17 February 1339 Robert Carbonel William de Holewell 19th 25 August 1339 1339 13 October 1339 c.3 November 1339 unknown unknown 20th 16 November 1339 1339/40 20 January 1340 19 February 1340 unknown unknown 21st 21 February 1340 1340 29 March 1340 10 May 1340 unknown unknown 22nd 30 May 1340 1340 12 July 1340 26 July 1340 unknown unknown 23rd 3 March 1341 1341 23 April 1341 27–28 May 1341 unknown unknown 24th 24 February 1343 1343 28 April 1343 20 May 1343 unknown unknown 25th 20 April 1344 1344 7 June 1344 28 June 1344 unknown unknown 26th 30 July 1346 1346 11 September 1346 20 September 1346 unknown unknown 27th 13 November 1347 1348/48 14 January 1348 12 February 1348 unknown unknown 28th 14 February 1348 1348 31 March 1348 13 April 1348 unknown unknown 29th 25 November 1350 1350/51 9 February 1351 1 March 1351 unknown unknown 30th 15 November 1351 1351/52 13 January 1352 11 February 1352 unknown unknown 31st 15 March 1354 1354 28 April 1354 20 May 1354 unknown unknown 32nd 20 September 1355 1355 23 November 1355 30 November 1355 unknown unknown 33rd 15 February 1357 1357 17 April 1357 8–16 May 1357 unknown unknown 34th 15 December 1357 1357/58 5 February 1358 27 February 1358 unknown unknown 35th 3 April 1360 1360 15 May 1360 ... unknown unknown 36th 20 November 1360 1360/61 24 January 1361 18 February 1361 unknown unknown 37th 14 August 1362 1362 13 October 1362 17 November 1362 unknown unknown 38th 1 June 1363 1363 6 October 1363 30 October 1363 unknown unknown 39th 4 December 1364 1364/65 20 January 1365 17 February 1365 unknown unknown 40th 20 January 1366 1366 4 May 1366 11 May 1366 unknown unknown 41st 24 February 1368 1368 1 May 1368 21 May 1368 unknown unknown 42nd 6 April 1369 1369 3 June 1369 11 June 1369 unknown unknown 43rd 8 January 1371 1371 24 February 1371 29 March 1371 unknown unknown 44th 1 September 1372 1372 3 November 1372 24 November 1372 unknown unknown 45th 4 October 1373 1373 21 November 1373 10 December 1373 unknown unknown 46th 28 December 1375 1375/76 28 April 1376 10 July 1376 unknown unknown 47th 1 December 1376 1376/77 27 January 1377 2 March 1377 unknown unknown
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Parliaments of King Richard II No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 4 August 1377 1377 13 October 1377 5 December 1377 unknown unknown 2nd 3 September 1378 1378 20 October 1378 16 November 1378 unknown unknown 3rd 16 February 1379 1379 24 April 1379 27 May 1379 unknown unknown 4th 20 October 1379 1379/80 16 January 1380 3 March 1380 unknown unknown 5th 26 August 1380 1380 5 November 1380 6 December 1380 unknown unknown 6th 16 July 1381 1381 3 November 1381 25 February 1382 unknown unknown 7th 24 March 1382 1382 7 May 1382 22 May 1382 unknown unknown 8th 9 August 1382 1382 6 October 1382 24 October 1382 unknown unknown 9th 7 January 1383 1383 23 February 1383 10 March 1383 unknown unknown 10th 20 August 1383 1383 26 October 1383 26 November 1383 unknown unknown 11th 3 March 1384 1384 29 April 1384 27 May 1384 unknown unknown 12th 28 September 1384 1384 12 November 1384 14 December 1384 unknown unknown 13th 3 September 1385 1385 20 October 1385 6 December 1385 unknown unknown 14th 8 August 1386 1386 1 October 1386 28 November 1386 unknown unknown 15th 17 December 1387 1387/88 3 February 1388 4 June 1388 unknown unknown 16th 28 July 1388 1388 9 September 1388 17 October 1388 unknown unknown 17th 6 December 1389 1389/90 17 January 1390 2 March 1390 unknown unknown 18th 12 September 1390 1390 12 November 1390 3 December 1390 unknown unknown 19th 7 September 1391 1391 3 November 1391 2 December 1391 unknown unknown 20th 23 November 1392 1392/93 20 January 1393 10 February 1393 unknown unknown 21st 13 November 1393 1393/94 27 January 1394 6 March 1394 unknown unknown 22nd 20 November 1394 1394/95 27 January 1395 15 February 1395 unknown unknown 23rd 30 November 1396 1396/97 22 January 1397 12 February 1397 unknown unknown 24th 18 July 1397 1397 17 September 1397 31 January 1398 unknown unknown 25th 19 August 1399 1389 30 September 1399 30 September 1399 unknown unknown
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Parliaments of King Henry IV No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 30 September 1399 1399 6 October 1399 19 November 1399 unknown unknown 2nd 9 September 1400 1400/01 20 January 1401 10 March 1401 unknown unknown 3rd 19 June 1402 1402 30 September 1402 25 November 1402 unknown unknown 4th 20 October 1403 1403/04 14 January 1404 20 March 1404 unknown unknown 5th 25 August 1404 1404 6 October 1404 13 November 1404 unknown unknown 6th 21 December 1405 1405/06 1 March 1406 22 December 1406 unknown unknown 7th 26 August 1407 1407 20 October 1407 2 December 1407 unknown unknown 8th 26 October 1409 1409/10 27 January 1410 9 May 1410 unknown unknown 9th 21 September 1411 1411 3 November 1411 19 December 1411 unknown unknown 10th 1 December 1412 1412/13 3 February 1413 20 March 1413 unknown unknown
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Parliaments of King Henry V No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 22 March 1413 1413 14 May 1413 9 June 1413 unknown unknown 2nd 1 December 1413 1413/14 30 April 1414 29 May 1414 unknown unknown 3rd 26 September 1414 1414 19 November 1414 ... unknown unknown 4th 12 August 1415 1415 4 November 1415 12 November 1415 unknown unknown 5th 21 January 1416 1416 16 March 1416 May 1416 unknown unknown 6th 3 September 1416 1416 19 October 1416 18 November 1416 unknown unknown 7th 5 October 1417 1417 16 November 1417 17 December 1417 unknown unknown 8th 24 August 1419 1419 16 October 1419 13 November 1419 unknown unknown 9th 21 October 1420 1420 2 December 1420 ... unknown unknown 10th 26 February 1421 1421 2 May 1421 ... unknown unknown 11th 20 October 1421 1421 1 December 1421 ... Thomas Manningham[8] unknown
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Parliaments of King Henry VI No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 29 September 1422 1422 9 November 1422 18 December 1422 unknown unknown 2nd 1 September 1423 1423 20 October 1423 28 February 1424 unknown unknown 3rd 24 February 1425 1425 30 April 1425 14 July 1425 unknown unknown 4th 7 January 1426 1426 18 February 1426 1 June 1426 unknown unknown 5th 15 July 1427 1427 13 October 1427 25 March 1428 unknown unknown 6th 12 July 1429 1429 22 September 1429 23 February 1430 unknown unknown 7th 27 November 1430 1430/31 12 January 1431 20 March 1431 unknown unknown 8th 25 February 1432 1432 12 May 1432 17 July 1432 unknown unknown 9th 24 May 1433 1433 8 July 1433 >c.18 December 1433 unknown unknown 10th 5 July 1435 1435 10 October 1435 23 December 1435 unknown unknown 11th 29 October 1436 1436/37 21 January 1437 27 March 1437 unknown unknown 12th 26 September 1439 1439 12 November 1439 c.15–24 February 1440 unknown unknown 13th 3 December 1441 1441/42 25 January 1442 27 March 1442 unknown unknown 14th 13 January 1445 1445 25 February 1445 9 April 1445 unknown unknown 15th 14 December 1446 1446/47 10 February 1447 3 March 1447 unknown unknown 16th 2 January 1449 1449 12 February 1449 16 July 1449 unknown unknown 17th 23 September 1449 1449 6 November 1449 c.5–8 June 1450 unknown unknown 18th 5 September 1450 1450 6 November 1450 c.24–31 May 1451 unknown unknown 19th 20 January 1453 1453 6 March 1453 c.16–21 April 1454 unknown unknown 20th 26 May 1455 1455 9 July 1455 12 March 1456 unknown unknown 21st 9 October 1459 1459 20 November 1459 20 December 1459 unknown unknown 22nd 30 July 1460 1460 7 October 1460 c.4 March 1461 unknown unknown 23rd 15 October 1470 1470 26 November 1470 c. 11 April 1471 unknown unknown
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1377–1427 Year First member Second member 1377 (Jan) Thomas Jordan [9] 1380 (Jan) Thomas Jordan [9] 1381 John Wright [10] 1382 Roger Kempston [11] 1384 (Apr) William Clerevaux[12] 1385 William Clerevaux [12] Thomas Frereman 1386 William Clerevaux Thomas Bedford 1388 (Feb) William Clerevaux Thomas Frereman 1388 (Sep) Roger Kempston William Barber 1390 (Jan) William Clerevaux Thomas Frereman 1390 (Nov) 1391 Henry West John Wright 1393 Thomas Bedford John Tyringham 1394 Thomas Bedford William Cotterstock 1395 Thomas Bedford William Cotterstock 1397 (Jan) Thomas Bedford William Cotterstock 1397 (Sep) Thomas Jordan William Brown 1399 Richard Bethewater Ralph Pyrewelle 1401 1402 Thomas Bedford Roger Tunstall 1404 (Jan) 1404 (Oct) 1406 John Grey John Kent 1407 1410 1411 1413(Feb) 1413 (May) Thomas Bedford William Cotterstock 1414 (Apr) 1414 (Nov) William Dowe William Wallyngton 1415 1416 (Mar) 1416 (Oct) 1417 John Frepurs Richard Marston 1419 John Lyt.. 1420 Thomas Hunt William Hunt 1421 (May) Thomas Ferrour John Leighton 1421 (Dec) Thomas Bole Thomas Kempston 1427 John Frepurs[13]
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Parliaments of King Edward IV No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 23 May 1461 1461 4 November 1461 6 May 1462 unknown unknown 2nd 22 December 1462 1462/63 29 April 1463 28 March 1465 unknown unknown 3rd 28 February 1467 1467 3 June 1467 7 June 1468 John Boston William Colet, jnr. 4th 19 August 1472 1472 6 October 1472 14 March 1475 Thomas Adams 5th 20 November 1477 1477/78 16 January 1478 26 February 1478 William Colet 6th 15 November 1482 1482/83 20 January 1483 18 February 1483 unknown unknown
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Parliaments of King Richard III No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 9 December 1483 1483/84 23 January 1484 20 February 1484 unknown unknown
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Parliaments of King Henry VII No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 15 September 1485 1485 7 November 1485 c. 4 March 1486 unknown unknown 2nd ... 1487 9 November 1487 c. 18 December 1487 unknown unknown 3rd ... ?1488/89 13 January 1489 27 February 1490 unknown unknown 4th 12 August 1491 1491 17 October 1491 5 March 1492 unknown unknown 5th 15 September 1495 1495 14 October 1495 21–22 December 1495 unknown unknown 6th 20 November 1496 1496/97 16 January 1497 13 March 1497 unknown unknown 7th ... ?1503/04 25 January 1504 c. 1 April 1504 unknown unknown
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Parliaments of King Henry VIII No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 17 October 1509 1509/10 21 January 1510 23 February 1510 unknown unknown 2nd 28 November 1511 1511/12 4 February 1512 4 March 1514 unknown unknown 3rd 23 November 1514 1514/15 5 February 1515 22 December 1515 unknown unknown 4th ... 1523 15 April 1523 13 August 1523 unknown unknown 5th 9 August 1529 1529 3 November 1529 14 April 1536 John Baker William Bourne 6th 27 April 1536 1536 8 June 1536 18 July 1536 unknown unknown 7th 1 March 1539 1539 28 April 1539 24 July 1540 William Johnson unknown 8th 23 November 1541 1541/42 16 January 1542 28 March 1544 William Johnson Michael Thrayle 9th 1 December 1544 1544/45 23 November 1545 31 January 1547 George Blagge Henry Parker
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Parliaments of King Edward VI No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 2 August 1547 1547 4 November 1547 15 April 1552 Gerard Harvey alias Smart George Wright 2nd 5 January 1553 1553 1 March 1553 31 March 1553 Thomas Leigh William Godolphin
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Parliaments of Queen Mary I No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 14 August 1553 1553 5 October 1553 5 December 1553 Edmund Mordaunt Thomas Leigh 2nd 17 February 1554 1554 2 April 1554 3 May 1554 3rd 3 October 1554 1554 12 November 1554 16 January 1555 William Hall John Williams 4th 3 September 1555 1555 21 October 1555 9 December 1555 unknown unknown 5th 6 December 1557 1557/58 20 January 1558 17 November 1558 George Gascoigne Thomas Leigh
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Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth I No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 5 December 1558 28 December 1558 23 January 1559 8 May 1559 Thomas Leigh George Gascoigne 2nd 10 November 1562 1562/63 11 January 1563 2 January 1567 Oliver St John John Burgoyne 3rd ... 1571 2 April 1571 29 May 1571 Henry Cheeke Robert Hatley 4th 28 March 1572 1572 8 May 1572 19 April 1583 Henry Cheeke Michael Hawtry 5th 12 October 1584 1584 23 November 1584 14 September 1585 John Puckering Nicholas Potts 6th 15 September 1586 1586 15 October 1586 23 March 1587 William Boteler Thomas Snagge jnr 7th 18 September 1588 1588/89 4 February 1589 29 March 1589 John Pigott Thomas Snagge 8th 4 January 1593 1593 18 February 1593 10 April 1593 Humphrey Winch 9th 23 August 1597 1597 24 October 1597 9 February 1598 Oliver Luke 10th 11 September 1601 7 October 1601 27 October 1601 19 December 1601 Thomas Fanshawe
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Parliaments of King James I No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 31 January 1604 1604 19 March 1604 9 February 1611 Sir Humphrey Winch (made a judge in Ireland 1606) Thomas Hawes 1606 Sir Christopher Hatton 2nd ... ?1614 5 April 1614 7 June 1614 Alexander St John John Leigh 3rd 13 November 1620 1620/21 16 January 1621 8 February 1622 Sir Alexander St John Richard Taylor 4th 20 December 1623 1623/24 12 February 1624 27 March 1625
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Parliaments of King Charles I No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member 1st 2 April 1625 1625 17 May 1625 12 August 1625 Sir Alexander St John Richard Taylor 2nd 20 December 1625 1626 6 February 1626 15 June 1626 Sir Beauchamp St John 3rd 31 January 1628 1628 17 March 1628 10 March 1629 4th 20 February 1640 1640 13 April 1640 5 May 1640 Sir Samuel Luke [14] 5th 24 September 1640 1640 3 November 1640 16 March 1660
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Parliaments of the Protectorate No. Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 1st July 1654 3 September 1654 22 January 1655 Bulstrode Whitelocke 4 November 1654 Henry Chester 2nd 1656 17 September 1656 4 February 1658 Thomas Margets 3rd 1659 27 January 1659 22 April 1659 Thomas Margets
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MPs 1660–1885 Year First member[15] First party Second member[15] Second party 10 April 1660 Sir Samuel Luke Humphrey Winch 25 March 1661 Richard Taylor John Kelyng[mpnotes 1] 10 July 1663 Paulet St John 30 December 1667 Sir William Beecher 12 February 1679 Sir William Francklyn 18 August 1679 17 February 1681 6 March 1685 Sir Anthony Chester, 3rd Baronet Tory Thomas Christie[mpnotes 2] Tory 9 January 1689 Thomas Hillersden Whig 13 May 1690 5 May 1695 William Farrer Whig 18 March 1698 William Spencer 20 July 1698 Sir Thomas Alston, 3rd Baronet c. January 1701 Samuel Rolt Tory 21 November 1701 William Farrer Whig 17 July 1702 Edward Carteret Whig 11 May 1705 William Farrer Whig Sir Philip Monoux, 3rd Baronet Whig 15 December 1707 William Hillersden Whig 5 May 1708 14 April 1710 John Cater Whig 6 October 1710 27 August 1713 Samuel Rolt Tory 28 January 1715 William Farrer Whig John Thurlow Brace Whig 2 December 1715 21 March 1722 George Huxley 9 June 1725 John Thurlow Brace Whig 15 August 1727 John Orlebar Whig 16 April 1728 James Metcalfe[mpnotes 3] Tory 30 January 1731 Sir Jeremy Vanacker Sambrooke, Bt Tory 26 April 1734 Samuel Ongley Tory 24 November 1740 Sir Boteler Chernock, 4th Baronet Tory 5 May 1741 29 June 1747 Thomas Gore John Offley 15 April 1754 Francis Herne Robert Henley-Ongley 26 March 1761 Richard Vernon Whig 24 April 1764 17 March 1768 Samuel Whitbread Tory 18 October 1774 Sir William Wake, 8th Baronet Tory[16] Robert Sparrow Tory[16] 23 March 1775 Samuel Whitbread[mpnotes 4] Whig[16] 14 September 1780 5 April 1784 William MacDowall Colhoun Tory[16] 28 June 1790 Samuel Whitbread Whig[16] 27 May 1796 6 July 1802 William Lee-Antonie Whig[16] 30 October 1806 11 May 1807 6 October 1812 Lord George Russell Whig[16] [17] 17 July 1815 Hon. William Waldegrave Whig[16] 17 June 1818 William Henry Whitbread Whig[16] [18] 8 March 1820 9 June 1826 2 August 1830 Frederick Polhill Tory[16] 29 April 1831 1832 Samuel Crawley Whig[16] [19] [20] 1835 Frederick Polhill Conservative [16] 1837 Henry Stuart [mpnotes 5] Conservative [16] 1838 Samuel Crawley Whig[16] [19] [20] 1841 Henry Stuart Conservative [16] 1847 Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet Whig[21] [16] [22] 1852 Samuel Whitbread Whig[23] 1854 William Stuart Conservative 1857 Thomas Barnard Whig 1859 William Stuart Conservative Liberal 1868 James Howard Liberal 1874 Frederick Polhill-Turner Conservative 1880 Charles Magniac Liberal
Reduced to one member (1885)Back to Members of Parliament
MPs 1885–1983 Back to Members of Parliament
MPs 1997–2017 Notes ^ A double return was made for Kelying and Sir Samuel Luke; Kelyng was allowed to sit ^ A double return was made for Christie and Sir William Francklyn in 1690; Christie was allowed to sit ^ Declared elected and Brace unseated on petition ^ Declared elected and Sparrow unseated on petition ^ At the election of 1837, Stuart was initially declared elected, but on petition his election was declared void and after scrutiny of the votes his opponent Crawley was declared elected instead Back to Members of Parliament
Elections Elections in the 2010s General election 2019: Bedford[24] Party Candidate Votes % Labour Mohammad Yasin 20,491 43.3 −3.5 Conservative Ryan Henson 20,346 43.0 −2.2 Liberal Democrats Henry Vann 4,608 9.7 +3.9 Green Adrian Spurrell 960 2.0 0.0 Brexit Party Charles Bunker 896 1.9 +1.9 Majority 145 0.3 −1.3 Turnout 47,301 66.1 −1.4 Labour hold Swing −0.7
This was the smallest Labour majority at the 2019 general election.[25]
General election 2017: Bedford[26] Party Candidate Votes % Labour Mohammad Yasin 22,712 46.8 +6.6 Conservative Richard Fuller 21,923 45.2 +2.6 Liberal Democrats Henry Vann 2,837 5.9 +1.6 Green Lucy Bywater 1,008 2.1 −1.0 Majority 789 1.6 N/A Turnout 48,480 67.5 +1.0 Labour gain from Conservative Swing +2.0
General election 2015: Bedford[27] Party Candidate Votes % Conservative Richard Fuller 19,625 42.6 +3.7 Labour Patrick Hall 18,528 40.2 +4.3 UKIP Charlie Smith 4,434 9.6 +7.1 Liberal Democrats Mahmud Rogers 1,958 4.2 −15.6 Green Ben Foley [28] 1,412 3.1 +2.2 Independent Faruk Choudhury 129 0.3 N/A Majority 1,097 2.4 −0.6 Turnout 46,086 66.5 +0.6 Conservative hold Swing −0.6
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Bedford
General election 2010: Bedford[29] Party Candidate Votes % Conservative Richard Fuller 17,546 38.9 +5.4 Labour Patrick Hall 16,193 35.9 −5.7 Liberal Democrats Henry Vann 8,957 19.9 −1.6 UKIP Mark Adkin 1,136 2.5 +0.1 BNP William Dewick 757 1.7 N/A Green Ben Foley 393 0.9 N/A Independent Samrat Deep Bhandari 120 0.3 N/A Majority 1,353 3.0 N/A Turnout 45.102 65.9 +3.8 Conservative gain from Labour Swing +5.5
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Elections in the 2000s General election 2005: Bedford[30] Party Candidate Votes % Labour Patrick Hall 17,557 41.7 −6.2 Conservative Richard Fuller 14,174 33.7 +0.9 Liberal Democrats Michael Headley 9,063 21.5 +5.7 UKIP Peter Conquest 995 2.4 +1.3 Independent John McCready 283 0.7 N/A Majority 3,383 8.0 −7.1 Turnout 42,072 59.6 −0.3 Labour hold Swing −3.5
General election 2001: Bedford[31] Party Candidate Votes % Labour Patrick Hall 19,454 47.9 −2.7 Conservative Charlotte Attenborough 13,297 32.8 −0.9 Liberal Democrats Michael Headley 6,425 15.8 +3.5 Independent Richard Rawlins 973 2.4 N/A UKIP Jennifer Lo Bianco 430 1.1 N/A Majority 6,157 15.1 −1.9 Turnout 40,579 59.9 −13.6 Labour hold Swing −0.9
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Elections in the 1990s General election 1997: Bedford[32] Party Candidate Votes % Labour Patrick Hall 24,774 50.6 N/A Conservative Bob Blackman 16,474 33.7 N/A Liberal Democrats Christopher Noyce 6,044 12.3 N/A Referendum Peter Conquest 1,503 3.1 N/A Natural Law Patricia Saunders 149 0.3 N/A Majority 8,300 17.0 N/A Turnout 48,944 73.5 N/A Labour win (new seat)
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Elections in the 1970s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1960s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1950s General election 1955: Bedford Party Candidate Votes % Conservative Christopher Soames 24,733 55.55 +6.12 Labour Harold James Aldridge 19,792 44.45 +0.94 Majority 4,941 11.10 +5.19 Turnout 44,525 81.79 Conservative hold Swing +2.59
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Elections in the 1940s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1930s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1920s General election 1929: Bedford Party Candidate Votes % Unionist Richard Wells 16,724 46.0 −6.1 Liberal Alfred Machin 10,520 28.9 −0.5 Labour George Dixon 9,147 25.1 +6.6 Majority 6,204 17.1 −5.6 Turnout 79.1 −2.6 Unionist hold Swing −2.8
General election 1924: Bedford Party Candidate Votes % Unionist Richard Wells 15,000 52.1 +1.2 Liberal Milner Gray 8,451 29.4 −19.7 Labour George Dixon 5,330 18.5 n/a Majority 6,549 22.7 Turnout 81.7 Unionist hold Swing +10.4
General election 1923: Bedford Party Candidate Votes % Unionist Richard Wells 12,906 50.9 +0.6 Liberal Milner Gray 12,449 49.1 +41.3 Majority 457 1.8 Turnout 73.5 Unionist hold Swing −20.4
Lady Lawson
General election 1922: Bedford Party Candidate Votes % Unionist Richard Wells 13,460 50.3 n/a National Liberal Frederick Kellaway 5,714 21.4 −38.3 Labour Arthur Sells 5,477 20.5 −19.8 Liberal Mary Camilla Lawson 2,075 7.8 n/a Majority 7,746 28.9 Turnout 26,726 79.1 Unionist gain from National Liberal Swing
1921 Bedford by-election Party Candidate Votes % C Liberal Frederick Kellaway 14,397 59.7 −13.0 Labour Frederick Fox Riley 9,731 40.3 n/a Majority 4,666 19.4 Liberal hold Swing n/a C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
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Elections in the 1910s Kellaway
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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
Liberal : Frederick Kellaway Unionist : Gerald de la Pryme HargreavesLabour : Frederick Fox RileyKellaway
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Elections in the 1900s Barlow
Pym
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Elections in the 1890s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1880s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1870s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1860s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1850s Caused by Whitbread's appointment as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty. Smith was also supported by the Conservatives.[38] Caused by Stuart's death. Back to Elections
Elections in the 1840s Back to Elections
Elections in the 1830s On petition, Stuart was unseated and Crawley was declared elected. General election 1832: Bedford (2 seats) [36] [16] Party Candidate Votes % Whig William Henry Whitbread 599 38.2 N/A Whig Samuel Crawley 486 31.0 N/A Tory Frederick Polhill 483 30.8 N/A Majority 3 0.2 N/A Turnout 961 61.1 N/A Registered electors 1,572 Whig hold Swing N/A Whig gain from Tory Swing N/A
General election 1831: Bedford (2 seats)[16] Party Candidate Votes % Whig William Henry Whitbread Unopposed Tory Frederick Polhill Unopposed Whig hold Tory hold
General election 1830: Bedford (2 seats) [36] [16] Party Candidate Votes % Whig William Henry Whitbread 515 34.4 N/A Tory Frederick Polhill 491 32.8 N/A Whig John Russell 490 32.8 N/A Turnout 914 N/A Majority 24 1.6 N/A Whig hold Swing N/A Majority 1 0.0 N/A Tory gain from Whig Swing N/A
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Elections in the 1820s [44]
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Elections in the 1810s [45]
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Elections in the 1800s [45]
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Elections in the 1790s [45]
1796: William MacDowall Colhoun (Tory) and Samuel Whitbread (Whig) elected unopposed General election 1790: Bedford (2 seats) [45] Party Candidate Votes % Tory William MacDowall Colhoun 616 34.4 Whig Samuel Whitbread 601 33.6 Tory John Payne 574 32.0 Majority 27 1.5 Registered electors c.1,200 Tory hold Swing Whig hold Swing
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See also Notes ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer) ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years. It formerly had two members as set out in the article ^ a 5th baronet, the lowest order of nobility References ^ "Bedford: Usual Resident Population, 2011" . Neighbourhood Statistics . Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 28 January 2015 .^ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018" . Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019 .^ a b c d e "' Bedford', Feb 1974 – May 1983" . ElectionWeb Project . Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016 .^ The Times Guide to the House of Commons 2019 . Glasgow: Times Books. 2020. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-00-839258-1 .^ a b S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972; . Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094 . OCLC 539011 . ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995" . www.legislation.gov.uk . Retrieved 29 January 2019 .^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007" . www.legislation.gov.uk . Retrieved 29 January 2019 .^ "MANNINGHAM, Thomas (d.c.1455), of Ardsley and Wrenthorpe, Yorks. and Wrestlingworth, Beds" . historyofparliamentonline.org .^ a b "JORDAN, Thomas, of Bedford" . historyofparliamentonline.org .^ "WRIGHT, John, of Bedford" . historyofparliamentonline.org .^ "KEMPSTON, Roger, of Bedford" . historyofparliamentonline.org .^ a b "CLEREVAUX, William, of Bedford" . historyofparliamentonline.org .^ "FREPURS, John, of Bedford" . historyofparliamentonline.org .^ Double return for April 1640 -William Boteler taken off ^ a b c d Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 2) ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844–1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England 2–4, 20 . ISBN 978-0-900178-13-9 . ^ Lloyd, Ernest Marsh (1897). "Russel, George William" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography 49 . London: Smith, Elder & Co. ^ Fisher, David R. (2009). "WHITBREAD, William Henry (1795–1867), of Southill, nr. Biggleswade, Beds" . The History of Parliament . ^ a b "Miscellaneous" Coventry Standard . 18 August 1837. pp. 1–2 – via British Newspaper Archive.^ a b "Huntingdon, Bedford & Peterborough Gazette" ^ Martin, Howard (1996). "Years of Whig Achievement and Conservative Renewal, 1833–41" . Britain in the 19th Century . Cheltenham : Thomas Nelson and Sons. p. 117. ISBN 978-0174350620 – via Google Books. ^ "Cambridge General Advertiser" ^ "The Midland Region" . The Spectator ^ "Bedford Parliamentary constituency" . BBC News . BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019 .^ http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8749/CBP-8749.pdf ^ "Election 2017: Ipswich" . BBC News . 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017.^ "Election Data 2015" . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015 .^ "Ben Foley to contest Bedford & Kempston Constituency for Greens" . Bedfordshire News .^ "Election Data 2010" . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015 .^ "Election Data 2005" . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .^ "Election Data 2001" . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .^ "Election Data 1997" . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .^ Benton, Sarah (6 June 2002). "Betty Matthews" . The Guardian . Archived from the original on 17 April 2017. ^ a b c d e f g h British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig) ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886 ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Craig, F. W. S. , ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3 .^ "Bedford Election" Hertford Mercury and Reformer . 28 March 1857. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.^ "Mr. E. T. Smith for Bedford" Cheltenham Chronicle . 31 March 1857. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.^ Hoppen, K. Theodore (2016). Governing Hibernia: British Politicians and Ireland 1800–1921 Oxford : Oxford University Press . p. 133. ISBN 9780198207436 . ^ "Bedford Election" Worcester Journal . 9 December 1854. pp. 7–8 – via British Newspaper Archive.^ "Bedford Election" Leeds Intelligencer . 9 December 1854. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.^ "The Elections" Aberdeen Press and Journal . 14 July 1852. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.^ "Election Intelligence" Morning Chronicle . 8 July 1852. pp. 2–6 – via British Newspaper Archive.^ Fisher, D.R. (ed). "Bedford - 1820-1832" . History of Parliament Online . Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 12 December 2019 . ^ a b c d Thorne, R. (ed). "Bedford - 1790-1820" . History of Parliament Online . Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 12 December 2019 . Sources Beatson, Robert (1807). A chronological register of both houses of the British Parliament, Volume II F. W. S. Craig , "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885" (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)F W S Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949" (Glasgow: Political Reference Publications, 1969) Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1961) T. H. B. Oldfield, The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland (London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1816) J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965) Edward Porritt and Annie G Porritt, The Unreformed House of Commons (Cambridge University Press, 1903) Henry Stooks Smith, "The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847" (2nd edition, edited by FWS Craig – Chichester: Parliamentary Reference Publications, 1973) Frederic A Youngs, jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I (London: Royal Historical Society , 1979) The Constitutional Year Book for 1913 (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913) )
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