Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)


Great Yarmouth is a constituency in Norfolk represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Rupert Lowe.
Elected for Reform UK, Lowe had the whip suspended in March 2025 following allegations of bullying and allegations of threats of physical violence against Reform UK party chairman Zia Yusuf. He now sits an Independent.

History

The Parliamentary Borough of Great Yarmouth had been represented by two members of parliament in the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801. The borough was unaffected by the Great Reform Act 1832, but it was disenfranchised for corruption by the Reform Act 1867, when its voters were absorbed into the North [Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|North Division] of the Parliamentary County of Norfolk.
The seat was re-established as a single-member Borough by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and remained unchanged until the Representation of the People Act 1948, which came into effect for the 1950 general election. This abolished the Parliamentary Borough and replaced it with the County Constituency of Yarmouth, which incorporated the County Borough and surrounding rural areas.
Further to the local government reorganisation of 1974, which was reflected in the redistribution of seats which came into effect for the 1983 general election, the constituency was formally renamed Great Yarmouth and its boundaries coincided with those of the local authority of the Borough of Great Yarmouth. It has remained unchanged since then.

Boundaries

The constituency covers the area in and around Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Despite its rural area, there is a substantial amount of industry in the constituency.
1885–1918:
  • The Municipal Borough of Great Yarmouth, including the parish of Gorleston, and part of the parish of Runham.
1918–1950:
1950–1974:
1974–1983:
  • The County Borough of Great Yarmouth; and
  • the Rural District of Blofield and Flegg.
1983–present:
The boundaries were unchanged by the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.

Members of Parliament

Great Yarmouth borough

Great Yarmouth was a 2-seat constituency until 1868 when it was disenfranchised. It was recreated for the 1885 general election as a single-seat constituency.

MPs 1295–1640

YearFirst memberSecond member
1309Nicholas Fastolf
1314Nicholas Fastolf
1321John Perbroun
1324John Perbroun
1361Hugh Fastolf
1366Hugh Fastolf
1373Hugh Fastolf
1377 Hugh Fastolf
1377 Hugh Fastolf
1385Ralph Ramsey
1386Ralph RamseyJohn Beketon
1388 Ralph RamseyJohn Ellis
1388 Ralph RamseyJohn Hacon
1390 Ralph RamseyJohn Ellis
1390 -
1391Ralph RamseyJohn Hacon
1393John HaconJohn Ellis
1394-
1395Ralph RamseyHugh Fenn
1397 Richard CleyHugh Fenn
1397 Ralph RamseyWilliam Oxney
1399John BeketonHugh Fenn
1401-
1402-
1404 Roger AdamsGeoffrey Pamping
1404 -
1406Robert EllisHenry Rafman
1407Robert ClerePeter atte Fenn
1410William ParkerAlexander atte Gapp
1411Nicholas CatesPeter Atte Fenn
1413 -
1413 William OxneyAlexander atte Gapp
1414 -
1414 Geoffrey PampingRobert Ellis
1415-
1416 -
1416 -
1417Henry Spitling|Henry SRobert Ellis |Richard
1419William ColkirkJohn Cranley
1420Thomas DengaineRobert Ellis
1421 Thomas CovehitheRobert Ellis
1421 Richard EllisRobert Cupper
1455Richard Southwell
1478John Paston-
1491Robert Crowmer
1504Thomas More-
1510–1523No names knownNo names known
1529Humphrey WingfieldJohn Ladde, died
and replaced 1353 or 1354 by Philip Bernard
1536??
1539??
1542Sir Humphrey WingfieldWilliam Burgh
1545Sir William WoodhouseRobert Eyre
1547Sir William WoodhouseRobert Eyre
1553 Sir William WoodhouseNicholas Firmage
1553 Robert EyreSimon More
1554 William BishopJohn Echard
1554 Thomas HuntWilliam Mayhew
1555Nicholas FenCornelius Bright
1558Sir Thomas WoodhouseWilliam Barker
1558–9Sir Thomas WoodhouseWilliam Barker
1562William GriceThomas Timperley
1571William BarkerWilliam Grice
1572William GriceJohn Bacon, died
and replaced Feb 1576 by Edward Bacon
1584William GriceThomas Damet
1586William GriceThomas Damet
1588John Stubbe or StubbsRoger Drury
1593Thomas DametJohn Felton
1597Henry HobartJohn Felton
1601Henry HobartThomas Damet
1604–1611Thomas DametJohn Wheeler
1614Theophilus FinchGeorge Hardware
1621–1622Benjamin CooperEdward Owner
1624Benjamin CooperGeorge Hardware
1625Sir John CorbetEdward Owner
1626Sir John CorbetThomas Johnson
1628Sir John CorbetSir John Wentworth
1629–1640No Parliaments convenedNo Parliaments convened

MPs 1885–1950

  • ''1885: Constituency revived, electing only a single member''

Elections

Election in the 1950s

Elections in the 1910s

* Wilson – who stood as a 'Patriotic Trade Unionist's and Seamen's' candidate – supported the Coalition Government and was supported by the National Sailors' and Firemen's Union. He claimed to have been adopted by both the Liberal Party and National Democratic and Labour Party, but only appeared on the former's official list.
** Dawson initially was endorsed by the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers who then repudiated him.

Election results 1885–1918

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;

Election results 1832–1868

Elections in the 1830s

Wilshere resigned, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1840s

The election of Lennox and Coope was declared void on petition on 14 February 1848 due to bribery, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

The election was declared void on petition due to bribery by McCullagh and Watkin's agents, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s

Extensive bribery was found in the seat and its right to return a member was lost. It was then incorporated into East Suffolk and North Norfolk.