BBC Profile:
Since 1964 the Conservatives have represented the constituency: Paul Hawkins held the seat for 23 years from 1964, building his majority to 14,910 at his final election.

Sir Paul Hawkins retired in 1987, when Gillian Shephard, his Conservative replacement, took the seat. She never beat her initial majority of 20,436 but held the seat in 1992 by nearly 17,000 votes.

In 1997 Shephard's majority was cut to 2,464 , but at the 2001 general election Labour's support in the main town of Thetford had begun to fall away, leaving Shephard with a significant majority.

In 2005 the new Conservative candidate Christopher Fraser secured a majority of nearly 9,000.

At the election, boundary changes are minimal. To find out what might have happened had this boundary change been in force at the last election, see a notional - or estimated - result below.

South West Norfolk encompasses many rural communities, such as Wissey, as well as large market towns like Thetford and Swaffham.

The majority of employment is in the areas from Downham Market in the west to Thetford, the seats largest town, in the south. Industry outside these centres is primarily in agricultural production and in the provision of services to the areas numerous rural communities.

The A11, which links Cambridge and Norwich, serves as an economic lifeline for the constituency. Numerous business developments are under way along its length. Industrial sites near the Snetterton racetrack have attr

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BBC Profile:
Since 1964 the Conservatives have represented the constituency: Paul Hawkins held the seat for 23 years from 1964, building his majority to 14,910 at his final election.

Sir Paul Hawkins retired in 1987, when Gillian Shephard, his Conservative replacement, took the seat. She never beat her initial majority of 20,436 but held the seat in 1992 by nearly 17,000 votes.

In 1997 Shephard's majority was cut to 2,464 , but at the 2001 general election Labour's support in the main town of Thetford had begun to fall away, leaving Shephard with a significant majority.

In 2005 the new Conservative candidate Christopher Fraser secured a majority of nearly 9,000.

At the election, boundary changes are minimal. To find out what might have happened had this boundary change been in force at the last election, see a notional - or estimated - result below.

South West Norfolk encompasses many rural communities, such as Wissey, as well as large market towns like Thetford and Swaffham.

The majority of employment is in the areas from Downham Market in the west to Thetford, the seats largest town, in the south. Industry outside these centres is primarily in agricultural production and in the provision of services to the areas numerous rural communities.

The A11, which links Cambridge and Norwich, serves as an economic lifeline for the constituency. Numerous business developments are under way along its length. Industrial sites near the Snetterton racetrack have attracted industries from the Cambridge sub-region.

Industry tends towards light manufacturing, engineering and distribution.

Rallings & Thrasher Notional:
C 20,435 (44.97%)
Lab 13,618 (29.97%)
LD 8,719 (19.19%)
UKIP 2,166 (4.77%)
Others 506 (1.11%)

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