Glastonbury and Somerton

Glastonbury and Somerton
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Glastonbury and Somerton in South West England
CountySomerset
Electorate70,015 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsGlastonbury, Street, Somerton, Wincanton and Bruton
Current constituency
Created2024
Member of ParliamentSarah Dyke (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromSomerton and Frome, Wells & Yeovil

Glastonbury and Somerton is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament.[2] Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was first contested at the 2024 general election.[3] It has been represented since 2024 by Sarah Dyke of the Liberal Democrats.

Constituency profile

Glastonbury and Somerton is a large rural constituency located in Somerset. The western part of the constituency lies within the Somerset Levels, a coastal plain and wetland area. The constituency is named after the small towns of Glastonbury and Somerton, although its largest settlement is the village of Street, which has a population of around 13,000.[4] Other settlements include the small towns of Wincanton, Langport, Castle Cary and Bruton and the villages of Curry Rivel, Martock and Milborne Port. Glastonbury is a historic town known for its ruined abbey and the legends surrounding Glastonbury Tor. The town is perhaps best known for Glastonbury Festival, the world's largest green-field music festival,[5] although it takes place outside the constituency boundaries. Most of the constituency is agricultural, and Wincanton has an large dairy industry.[6][7] The constituency has average levels of deprivation and house prices are similar to the national average.[8][9]

In general, residents are older and have average levels of education, income and professional employment compared to the rest of the country. White people made up 97% of the population at the 2021 census.[9] At the county council, most of the constituency is represented by Liberal Democrats, although Conservatives were elected in Wincanton and Bruton. An estimated 53% of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, similar to the nationwide figure of 52%.[9]

Electoral history

In its coverage of the 2024 general election, the BBC had calculated that the changed boundaries made the new seat notionally Conservative; thus, when Sarah Dyke won the seat during the election, her victory was categorised as "Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative".[10]

Boundaries

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

  • The District of Mendip wards of: Butleigh and Baltonsborough; Glastonbury St. Benedict’s; Glastonbury St. Edmund’s; Glastonbury St. John’s; Glastonbury St. Mary’s; Street North; Street South; Street West.
  • The District of South Somerset wards of: Blackmoor Vale; Bruton; Burrow Hill; Camelot; Cary; Curry Rivel, Huish & Langport; Hamdon; Islemoor; Martock; Milborne Port; Northstone, Ivelchester & St. Michael’s; Tower; Turn Hill; Wessex; Wincanton.[11]

With effect from 1 April 2023, the Districts of Mendip and South Somerset were abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of Somerset.[12] Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following electoral divisions of Somerset from the 2024 general election:

  • Castle Cary; Curry Rivel and Langport; Glastonbury; Martock; Somerton; Street; Wincanton and Bruton; and small parts of Brympton, Coker, Mendip South, and South Petherton and Islemoor.[13]

The seat is made up of the following areas of Somerset:[13]

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
2024 Sarah Dyke Liberal Democrat

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Glastonbury and Somerton[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sarah Dyke 20,364 42.7 +11.8
Conservative Faye Purbrick 13,753 28.9 −28.6
Reform UK Tom Carter 7,678 16.1 N/A
Labour Hal Hooberman 3,111 6.5 −3.1
Green Jon Cousins 2,736 5.7 +3.7
Majority 6,611 13.8
Turnout 47,642 65.3 −10.7
Registered electors 73,268
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +20.2

References

  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  2. ^ "South West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  3. ^ "Shake-up revealed for Somerset MPs' boundaries". BBC News. 2022-11-08. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  4. ^ "Street - Population". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Music festivals: What's the world's biggest?". bbc.co.uk. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  6. ^ "History & Business". Wincanton Plc. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  7. ^ "New look and new products for UK's Number two cheddar cheese brand". The Grocery Trader. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  8. ^ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  9. ^ a b c "Electoral Calculus".
  10. ^ "Glastonbury and Somerton - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  11. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 7 South West region.
  12. ^ "The Somerset (Structural Changes) Order 2022".
  13. ^ a b "New Seat Details - Glastonbury and Somerton". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  14. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Somerset Council. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
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