Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing Bridgwater and West Somerset.
A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review.
MP News Approval i
+70
Ashley Fox
Conservative and Unionist PartySir Ashley Fox is the Conservative MP for Bridgwater, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. He currently undertakes the role of Opposition Assistant Whip (Commons).
Vote on whether to strengthen the advertising ban in the Assisted Dying Bill by requiring that any advertising restrictions also cover situations where advertisers know their adverts could influence vulnerable people's choices — going further than the basic ban proposed by the bill's sponsor Kim Leadbeater.
Vote on New Clause 2 to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, debated alongside related amendments including provisions on guidance, devolution, and regulatory consultation. The excerpts focus on New Clause 20, which would require the Secretary of State to issue guidance (consulting chief medical officers and palliative/hospice care providers) and enable Welsh Ministers to issue guidance on devolved health matters.
Vote on whether to add a provision to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ensuring that if an independent doctor dies or becomes too ill to complete their assessment before signing off on an assisted dying request, a further referral can be made to another doctor — mirroring an existing provision in the Bill for the attending doctor.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Bridgwater has been mixed for Ashley across 40 recent articles.
Won by Con in its first election in 2024 by 3.4%. Covers Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and North Petherton. Population 99,660. Median income £26K (below average).
Battery factory due to supply Jaguar Land Rover to get £380m UK grant
The Guardian · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£25,700
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£32,300
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,045
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
41
31 primary, 5 secondary, 5 other
Total Income Tax▼
£214m
from 49,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,400
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£4,390
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
39.6
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
56.1%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 2 towns, 12 villages, rural areas — 98,074 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
15 councillors across 8 wards · Last elections: May 2022
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgwater East Bawdrip | Conservative and Unionist Party | Andy Dingwall | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Diogo Rodrigues | May 2022 | |
| Bridgwater North Central | Labour Party | Hilary Bruce | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Leigh Redman | May 2022 | |
| Bridgwater South | Labour Party | Brian Smedley | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Kathy Pearce | May 2022 | |
| Bridgwater West | Conservative and Unionist Party | Gill Slocombe | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Lance John Duddridge | May 2022 | |
| Burnham On Sea North | Conservative and Unionist Party | Peter Burridge-Clayton | Jun 2009 |
| Cannington | Conservative and Unionist Party | Brian Bolt | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Mike Caswell | May 2022 | |
| Highbridge Burnham South | Conservative and Unionist Party | Alistair Hendry | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | John Charles Woodman | May 2022 | |
| North Petherton | Conservative and Unionist Party | Alan Sydney Ernest Bradford | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Bill Revans | May 2022 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Con | 12,281 | 30.6% | |
| Lab | 10,932 | 27.2% | |
| Ref | 8,913 | 22.2% | |
| LD | 5,781 | 14.4% | |
| Green | 1,720 | 4.3% | |
| Ind | 334 | 0.8% | |
| WPB | 168 | 0.4% |
Ashley Fox has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
12 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
The UK government has awarded £380m to Tata's Agratas battery factory in Bridgwater, Somerset, which will supply batteries to Jaguar Land Rover. The investment aims to secure 4,200 long-term jobs and boost economic growth, though production delays mean the facility is now unlikely to start manufacturing before late 2027.
Google has launched its Preferred Sources feature worldwide, allowing users to select local news outlets like Burnham and Highbridge Weekly News as their primary news source. The feature lets constituents customise their Google search results to prioritise local coverage of their area.
Lovell Homes is launching Durleigh View, a major new housing development in Bridgwater comprising 105 homes (73 for open market sale and 32 affordable properties). The launch event on April 18 will showcase three to five-bedroom homes designed to appeal to families, professionals, and first-time buyers.
Strode College Day Nursery in Street, Somerset will close in July 2024 after 22 years due to unsustainable funding gaps between government support and rising operational costs. The closure affects 15 enrolled children and has prompted a community petition calling for reconsideration, citing the nursery's excellent Ofsted record and the inadequate childcare provision remaining in the area.
A 70-year-old Bridgwater man pleaded guilty to failing to register three electronic devices (tablet, iPhone, Smart TV) with police as required by his sexual harm prevention order. His sentencing has been adjourned to June 2026 pending a pre-sentence report.
The Blake Museum in Bridgwater has begun its summer opening hours (10am-4pm Wednesday to Saturday) and is hosting a public talk on April 14 about historical connections between Bridgwater settlers and South Africa. The museum showcases local archaeology and history, including material about Robert Blake, a 17th-century naval commander.
Major traffic disruption on the M5 motorway affecting Bristol and Somerset due to a fire between junctions 22 and 21 (near Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea) and a separate crash, causing severe delays during rush hour.
Bridgwater's Post Office is relocating from 27 Eastover to 12 Eastover this month, with closure on April 13 and reopening on April 24. The move allows the original premises to be converted into residential flats while maintaining full postal services in an upgraded facility with a stationery store.
Seed Sedgemoor's Creative People and Places programme, a six-and-a-half-year National Lottery-funded arts initiative, has concluded after delivering 190 creative projects and engaging over 16,700 people across the Sedgemoor area including Bridgwater. The programme will continue as a volunteer-led organisation, with its legacy including community art projects, the Sounds of Sedgemoor album launch, and upcoming events like the Seasons fashion show.
Seed Sedgemoor's Arts Council England and National Lottery-funded Creative People and Places programme has ended after six and a half years, though the organisation will continue as a voluntary body. The programme supported local musicians and artists across Sedgemoor including Bridgwater, funding events, commissions, and public art projects.
Bridgwater's southern area, including the Hamp Estate and Westover, has been selected for up to £20m in government funding through the Pride in Place programme over ten years. Local residents will have a direct say in how the money is spent on projects to improve social mobility, services, and community spirit in one of England's 169 most deprived areas.
A Bridgwater woman, Linda Dennehy, has been handed a two-year suspended prison sentence for supplying crack cocaine and heroin. The case highlights local drug supply issues in the constituency.
A serious road traffic collision on Wills Road in Bridgwater on 7 April resulted in one person being hospitalised, requiring an air ambulance response. Emergency services closed the road while treating the patient and transporting them to Southmead Hospital.
The Department for Transport has launched a £165m growth and housing accelerator fund to help deliver new homes near major roads like the M5 and A303. Somerset has several stalled housing developments that could potentially benefit, including Folletts Farm in Bridgwater, but Somerset Council has not yet indicated which sites it will bid for.
Fire crews from Taunton and Bridgwater responded to a caravan fire near a former cinema site in the Penel Orlieu area of Bridgwater on April 6. The crews successfully extinguished the blaze and prevented it from spreading to nearby buildings, though the cause remains unknown.
The Met Office provides a local weather forecast for Bridgwater covering April 7-11, detailing temperatures, wind speeds, cloud cover, and pollen levels throughout the week.
Cllr Brian Smedley reflects on his 1980 punk band 'The Dangerous Brothers' and their song 'I'm a County Councillor', tracing how youthful rebellion against local authority has evolved into his current role as leader of Bridgwater Town Council. He draws parallels between punk culture's creative spirit and modern initiatives like the Engine Room, which aim to develop local talent and potential.
A sweet shop in Bridgwater town centre has been granted an alcohol licence despite objections from police and Bridgwater Town Council, who cited the area's status as an 'antisocial behaviour hotspot'. The licensing sub-committee narrowly voted 2-1 to grant the licence with conditions including CCTV installation and restrictions on alcohol strength.
A four-bedroom detached house in Bridgwater's Kings Down development is being marketed for £315,000. The property listing highlights family-friendly features and proximity to schools and transport links.
A national price comparison article listing the cheapest petrol stations in Somerset, which identifies the BP service area at Bridgwater as the most expensive petrol station in the county at 184.9p per litre. The article provides context on regional and national fuel price variations.
A Weston man was charged with drug driving in Bridgwater after being stopped by police with cannabis and cocaine in his system in October 2025. He pleaded guilty at Taunton Magistrates' Court and sentencing has been adjourned to June 2026 pending a pre-sentence report.
A local entertainment and events listing for Bridgwater and Burnham covering April 7-13, 2026, featuring cultural and family activities including performances at arts venues, a spring fayre, and wrestling.
Avon and Somerset Police have launched a public appeal for a missing 16-year-old named Jamie, who was last seen in Highbridge on March 24 and has links to several Somerset locations including Bridgwater. The force is asking the public for assistance in locating the teenager.
A residential property in Pawlett near Bridgwater was severely damaged by fire in the early hours of Sunday, April 5, with the building sustaining complete smoke damage and 50% fire damage. Emergency services responded quickly and all residents evacuated safely.
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