Hereford and South Herefordshire

Hereford and South Herefordshire (/ˈhɛrɪfərd ... ˈhɛrɪfərdʃɪər, -ʃər/ HERR-if-ərd ... HERR-if-ərd-sheer, -⁠⁠shər) is a constituency^{[n 1]} of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It comprises the city of Hereford and most of south Herefordshire and has been represented since 2010 by Jesse Norman of the Conservative Party.^{[n 2]}

The Hereford and South Herefordshire constituency is located in Herefordshire and lies along the border with Wales. It covers the city of Hereford, which has a population of around 61,000,^[2] and a large rural area to its south. Other settlements in the constituency include the small market town of Ross-on-Wye and the villages of Clehonger, Madley and Peterchurch. Herefordshire is one of the most sparsely-populated counties in England. Fruit and cider production are important local industries and a high proportion of residents work in agriculture and manufacturing.^[3] Hereford is a centre for rural commerce and contains the headquarters of H. P. Bulmer, which produces a majority of the cider consumed in and exported from the United Kingdom.^[4] The constituency has average levels of wealth and deprivation,^[5] and house prices are lower than the national average.^[6]

In general, residents of the constituency are older and more religious compared to the rest of the country. They have average levels of education and household income. White people made up 96% of the population at the 2021 census.^[6] At the local council level, Hereford and Ross-on-Wye are mostly represented by Liberal Democrats whilst the rural areas elected mostly Conservative and independent councillors. An estimated 61% of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 52%.^[6]

Following a review of parliamentary representation in Herefordshire by the Boundary Commission for England, which took effect at the 2010 general election, the county was allocated two seats. The Hereford and South Herefordshire constituency largely replaced the former Hereford seat, with the remainder of the county covered by the North Herefordshire seat. As well as the city of Hereford, the seat contains the settlements of Golden Valley, Pontrilas and Ross-on-Wye.

The constituency was defined as comprising the following electoral wards in the Herefordshire Council authority area:

• Aylestone, Belmont, Central, Golden Valley North, Golden Valley South, Hollington, Kerne Bridge, Llangarron, Penyard, Pontrilas, Ross-on-Wye East, Ross-on-Wye West, St Martins and Hinton, St Nicholas, Stoney Street, Three Elms, Tupsley, Valletts.^[7]

Following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency comprises the following wards of the District of Herefordshire:

• Aylestone Hill, Belmont Rural, Birch, Bobblestock, Central, College, Dinedor Hill, Eign Hill, Golden Valley North, Golden Valley South, Greyfriars, Hinton & Hunderton, Kerne Bridge, Kings Acre, Llangarron, Newton Farm, Penyard, Red Hill, Ross East, Ross North, Ross West, Saxon Gate, Stoney Street, Tupsley, Whitecross, Widemarsh, and Wormside.^[8]

The seat was unchanged, except to align the boundaries with those of revised local authority wards.

Hereford prior to 2010

• Parliamentary constituencies in Herefordshire and Worcestershire
• Parliamentary constituencies in the West Midlands (region)

• Hereford and South Herefordshire UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Hereford and South Herefordshire UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

51°59′N 2°47′W / 51.99°N 2.78°W / 51.99; -2.78