The historic county of Bedfordshire, located in the 21st century region of East of England, was represented in Parliament from the 13th century. This article provides a list of constituencies constituting the Parliamentary representation from Bedfordshire.

In 1889 Bedfordshire became an administrative county and in 1974 much the same area became a shire county. Luton became a unitary authority in 1997, but it remains part of the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire.

The first part of this article covers the constituencies wholly or predominantly within the area of the historic county of Bedfordshire, both before and after the administrative changes of 1889 and 1974. The second part refers to constituencies mostly in another historic county, which included some territory from the historic county of Bedfordshire (if any). The summaries section only refers to the constituencies included in the first section of the constituency list.

List of constituencies

Article names are followed by (UK Parliament constituency). The constituencies which existed in 1707 were those previously represented in the Parliament of England.

Key to abbreviations:

  • (Type) BC Borough constituency, CC County constituency.
  • (Administrative County in Notes) B historic/administrative/shire/ceremonial county of Bedfordshire.

Constituencies wholly or predominantly in the historic county

ConstituencyTypeFromToMPsNotes
BedfordBC (1295-1918)129519832 (1295-1654)B
1 (1654–1659)
2 (1659–1885)
1 (1885–1983)
CC (1918–1983)
BC (1997-*)1997*1 (1997-*)
BedfordshireCC129018852 (1290-1654)B
5 (1654–1659)
2 (1659–1885)
Mid BedfordshireCC1918*1B
North BedfordshireCC198319971B
North East BedfordshireCC1997*1B
South BedfordshireCC195019831B
South West BedfordshireCC1983*1B
BiggleswadeCC188519181B
LutonCC (1885–1950)188519741B
BC (1950–1974)
Luton EastBC197419831B
Luton NorthCC (1983–1997)1983*1B: Including North Luton 1983-1997
BC (1997-*)
Luton SouthBC1983*1B
Luton WestBC197419831B

Constituencies mostly in another historic county

ConstituencyTypeFromToMPsNotes

Periods constituencies represented

 1290–12951295–18851885–19181918–19501950–19741974–19831983–19971997–*
Bedford   1295–1983   1997–*
Bedfordshire 1290–1885  
Mid Bedfordshire   1918–*
North Bedfordshire   1983–1997  
North East Bedfordshire   1997–*
South Bedfordshire   1950–1983  
South West Bedfordshire   1983–*
Biggleswade   1885–1918  
Luton   1885–1974  
Luton East   1974–1983  
Luton North   1983–*
Luton South   1983–*
Luton West   1974–1983  

Summaries

Summary of Constituencies by Type and Period

Type1290129516541659188519181950197419831997
Borough-1111-1213
County1111233343
Total1222334556

Summary of Members of Parliament by Type and Period

Type1290129516541659188519181950197419831997
Borough-2121-1213
County2252233343
Total2464334556

See also

References

  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Constituencies: A Statistical Compendium, by Ivor Crewe and Anthony Fox (Faber and Faber 1984)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
  • The House of Commons 1509-1558, by S.T. Bindoff (Secker & Warburg 1982)
  • The House of Commons 1558-1603, by P.W. Hasler (HMSO 1981)
  • The House of Commons 1660-1690, by Basil Duke Henning (Secker & Warburg 1983)
  • The House of Commons 1715-1754, by Romney Sedgwick (HMSO 1970)
  • The House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke (HMSO 1964)
  • The House of Commons 1790-1820, by R.G. Thorne (Secker & Warburg 1986)
  • The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973) out of copyright
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