Plymouth Sutton and Devonport

Boundary changes: The only changes to the Plymouth seats are to take account of ward boundary changes. The split ward of Ham is moved entirely into the old Plymouth Devonport seat, and the split ward of Devonport is moved entirely into Plymouth Sutton. A handful of voters in Stoke ward are also moved into Plymouth Sutton. As a result of the changes Devonport is no longer in the Plymouth Devonport seat. The boundary commission orginally proposed that the new seats should be called Plymouth North and South, but there was strong support at the inquiry for the historical names to be retained in some way and the seats were renamed Plymouth Moor View and Plymouth Sutton and Devonport.

Profile: A maritime seat in Devon. The constituency is the southern part of the city of Plymouth itself, including the naval dockyards. Historically one of the most important naval bases in Britain, Devonport remains the largest naval base in Western Europe and the base of 7 nuclear submarines, HMS Ocean, HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark, 12 frigates and most of the surveying fleet. The local economy is, predictably, largely dominated by the naval base with electronics, engineering and boat building having primary roles.

The city was largely destroyed and rebuilt during World War 2, the old harbour area and fish market around the Hoe are the most important remaining few historic areas. The city centre is currently being redeveloped as part of the Plymouth 2020 project, the Drake Circus shopping centre was replaced with a new centre in 2006. Plymouth Pavilions and Millbay are also to be developed in the future.

Plymouth Sutton was held by the Conservative MP and diarist Alan Clark between 1974 and 1992, and was a comparatively reliable Conservative seat. However the seat was altered massively in the 1997 boundary changes, with the Conservative suburbs of Plympton and Plymstock being moved into Devon South West, followed by its then MP Gary Streeter. The seat is now a Labour seat, albeit one that the Conservatives will have to take to win a majority.

Current MP: Oliver Colville (Conservative) Educated at Stowe Secondard School. Contested Plymouth Sutton 2001, 2005.

2010 election candidates:
Oliver Colville (Conservative) Educated at Stowe Secondard School. Contested Plymouth Sutton 2001, 2005.
Linda Gilroy(Labour) born 1949, Moffat, Scotland. Educated at Stirling High School and the University of Edinburgh. Previously deputy director of Age Concern and regional manager for the Gas Consumers` Council. Contested Devon East and Plymouth in the 1994 European Elections. Contested Cornwall South East in 1992. First elected for Plymouth Sutton in 1997. Was PPS to Nick Raynsford in the 2001-5 Parliament (more information at They work for you)
Judy Evans (Liberal Democrat) Plastic surgeon. Contested South West Devon 2005.
Tony Brown (Green)
Andrew Leigh (UKIP) Born 1964, Malta. Educated at Wellington School and Royal Naval Engineering College. Self employed chartered financial planner.
Robert Hawkins (Socialist Labour)
Brian Gerrish (Independent)