Election 97

Waveney

Current MP David Porter
Conservative 97 19,393
Labour 97 31,846
LibDem 97 5,054
Nationalist 97 0
Other 97 318
Elected party
Waveney

Robert Waller wrote
Old constituency Waveney
Conservative 92 28,352
Labour 92 23,976
LibDem 92 7,728
Nationalist 92 0
Other 92 265
Elected party Conservative

The Suffolk constituency of Waveney is based heavily on the seaside town and port of Lowestoft. Rather like its neighbour over the Norfolk border, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft harbours many Labour local councillors among the gritty working-class wards behind the front. In 1992 David Porter held the seat for the Tories with a majority of 6,700, but in boundary changes the small town of Halesworth and the elegant resort of Southwold have been removed to Suffolk Coastal.

This will make Labour's task of winning Waveney - Lowestoft for the first time since 1955 rather easier. They now need a swing of under 4 per cent to seize this most easterly of all English constituencies.


Super Profiles

1,816 4.13 9.03 46
6,353 14.45 11.17 129
2,809 6.39 11.25 57
3,720 8.46 14.70 58
980 2.23 10.45 21
1,712 3.89 2.81 138
6,646 15.11 8.01 189
14,178 32.24 15.25 211
4,051 9.21 7.13 129
1,505 3.42 10.17 34