The Cotswolds (UK Parliament constituency)
The Cotswolds was a constituency in Gloucestershire in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was represented by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, a Conservative, since its 1997 creation.
Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. It was split into two smaller constituencies: North Cotswolds and South Cotswolds, to even up voter numbers relative to other constituencies.
Members of Parliament
Constituency profile
The Cotswolds was a safe Conservative seat.The largest town in the constituency was Cirencester, a compact traditional town. Other settlements included Andoversford, Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Campden, Fairford, Lechlade, Moreton-in-Marsh, Northleach, Stow-on-the-Wold, Tetbury, and Wotton-under-Edge.
The seat had the highest number of listed buildings of any constituency in Britain. It also contained eight of the 20 most popular attractions in Gloucestershire, including Westonbirt Arboretum, Hidcote Manor, and Chedworth Roman Villa.
Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 1.6% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.
This was also the constituency that, when declared during the 2015 general election, saw the Conservatives win a surprise majority, in which David Cameron was re-elected as prime minister; a hung parliament had been widely expected.
Boundaries
The constituency was created in 1997 as Cotswold, mostly from the former seat of Cirencester and Tewkesbury. In 2010 the name was changed to The Cotswolds to reflect the commonly used name of the area.1997–2010: The District of Cotswold, and the District of Stroud ward of Wotton and Kingswood.
2010–2024: The District of Cotswold, and the District of Stroud wards of Kingswood, Minchinhampton, and Wotton-under-Edge.
Abolition
Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished prior to the 2024 general election, with its contents distributed to two new constituencies:- The towns of Chipping Campden, Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water and Minchinhampton to North Cotswolds
- The towns of Cirencester and Tetbury to South Cotswolds