Lab took this seat from Con after 4 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+56
Paul Foster
Labour PartyMr Paul Foster is the Labour MP for South Ribble, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
Vote on whether to prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the assisted dying bill solely because they have voluntarily stopped eating and drinking. The amendment aimed to close a potential loophole where a person might use self-starvation to meet the terminal illness criteria they would not otherwise meet.
MPs voted on the Third Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill — the final Commons vote on whether to pass the assisted dying legislation in its amended form. Passing Third Reading sends the Bill to the House of Lords.
Vote on whether to prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the assisted dying bill solely because they have chosen to stop eating and drinking. The amendment would close a potential loophole where a person who is not otherwise terminally ill could meet the bill's eligibility criteria by voluntarily starving themselves.
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Sign up freeCoverage of South Ribble has been mixed for Paul across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“New 'mega-hospital' moves a step closer after NHS seals deal on final parcel of land” — Lancashire Telegraph
“Shackerley welcomes Sir Lindsay Hoyle to Euxton HQ” — Lancashire Evening Post
Represented by Lab since 2024. Covers Leyland, Penwortham and Longton. Population 93,331.
Man threatened elderly disabled woman with hammer in 'terrifying' attempted robbery
St Helens Star · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£28,100
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£34,700
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,580
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
53
38 primary, 9 secondary, 6 other
Total Income Tax▼
£266m
from 55,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,760
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£4,860
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▼
49.8
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
73.2%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
2 large towns, 4 towns, 7 villages, rural areas — 94,714 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
37 councillors across 18 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad Oak | Liberal Democrats | Ange Turner | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Harold George Hancock | May 2023 | |
| Broadfield | Labour Party | Kath Unsworth | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Matthew Tomlinson | May 2023 | |
| Buckshaw Worden | Labour Party | Pete Pillinger | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Wes Roberts | May 2023 | |
| Charnock | Labour Party | Deborah Jane Ashton | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Ian Danny Watkinson | May 2023 | |
| Croston Mawdesley Euxton South | Conservative and Unionist Party | Debra Platt | May 2024 |
| Earnshaw Bridge | Labour Party | Colin George Sharples | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Lou Jackson | May 2023 | |
| Eccleston Heskin Charnock Richard | Labour Party | Alan Whittaker | May 2024 |
| Farington East | Labour Party | Jacky Alty | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Paul Wharton-Hardman | May 2023 | |
| Farington West | Conservative and Unionist Party | George Rear | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Karen Jean Walton | May 2023 | |
| Hoole | Conservative and Unionist Party | Connor Paul Watson | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | John Rainsbury | May 2023 | |
| Howick Priory | Liberal Democrats | David Charles Shaw | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | David Howarth | May 2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | James Edward Lillis | May 2023 | |
| Leyland Central | Labour Party | Aniela Sheila Bylinski Gelder | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Haydn David Williams | May 2023 | |
| Longton Hutton West | Conservative and Unionist Party | Colin Coulton | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Julie Ann Buttery | May 2023 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Will King | May 2023 | |
| Middleforth | Labour Party | James Michael Flannery | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Keith Martin | May 2023 | |
| Labour Party | Will Adams | May 2023 | |
| Moss Side | Conservative and Unionist Party | Mary Green | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Michael Anthony Green | May 2023 | |
| New Longton Hutton East | Conservative and Unionist Party | Margaret Rose Smith | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Phil Smith | May 2023 | |
| Seven Stars | Labour Party | Jane Bell | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Matthew Thomas Farnworth | May 2023 | |
| St Ambrose | Labour Party | Jo Hindle-Taylor | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Nicky Peet | May 2023 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab | 19,840 | 42.5% | |
Won 2019 GE | Con | 13,339 | 28.6% |
| Ref | 8,995 | 19.3% | |
| LD | 2,972 | 6.4% | |
| Green | 1,574 | 3.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Con | 30,028 | 55.8% | |
| Lab | 18,829 | 35.0% | |
| LD | 3,720 | 6.9% | |
| Green | 1,207 | 2.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2015 GE | Con | 28,980 | 52.9% |
| Lab | 21,559 | 39.3% | |
| LD | 2,073 | 3.8% | |
| Ind | 1,387 | 2.5% | |
| Green | 493 | 0.9% | |
| Ind | 341 | 0.6% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GE | Con | 24,313 | 46.4% |
| Lab | 18,368 | 35.1% | |
| Ind | 7,377 | 14.1% | |
| LD | 2,312 | 4.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Con | 23,396 | 45.5% | |
| Lab | 17,842 | 34.7% | |
| LD | 7,271 | 14.1% | |
| Ind | 1,895 | 3.7% | |
| Ind | 1,054 | 2.0% |
Paul Foster 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.
17 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
A man was sentenced to seven years and one month for attempted robbery of a 70-year-old disabled woman in Eccleston, South Ribble, after threatening her with a hammer during a terrifying home invasion. The victim, who continues to suffer flashbacks, was protected by a brave neighbour who confined the offender until police arrived.
A Vietnamese illegal immigrant was convicted of cannabis production after being trafficked to a Leyland property and coerced into tending a 250-plant farm. The case highlights human trafficking and modern slavery concerns within organised drug cultivation operations in the South Ribble area.
Happy Pets & Aquatics, an independent pet store in Walton-le-Dale (South Ribble), has reopened its small animal section after Covid and renovated to create a family-friendly environment. The store positions itself as a superior alternative to large chain retailers, emphasizing personalized animal care and socialization.
Lancashire churches suffered 158 crimes in 2025, including thefts, vandalism, and violence, with St James Church in Leyland specifically targeted with hate crime graffiti. The Countryside Alliance reports nearly 4,000 crimes daily at UK churches nationwide, highlighting a significant security and funding crisis for places of worship.
The British Juggling Convention is being held in Penwortham, Lancashire, featuring performer Marky Jay who is returning to his Preston roots after performing internationally. The seven-day event at All Hallows Catholic High School showcases juggling skills, workshops, and competitions for participants of all ages and abilities from around the world.
Lancashire Police have issued a public appeal for a missing 15-year-old boy named Jayden, last seen at Preston railway station on April 8. The teenager has links to Leyland (which is in South Ribble constituency) and other Lancashire areas, and police are asking the public for any sightings or information.
A boy was assaulted by a gang of teenagers at Seven Stars park in Leyland, sustaining facial injuries after being surrounded and punched. Lancashire Police are investigating the incident and appealing for witnesses.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, visited Shackerley's Euxton headquarters to learn about the company's growth and discuss apprenticeship funding challenges in the ceramics industry. The visit highlighted local business investment and the company's expansion, with discussion of skills gaps and the need for parliamentary support on apprenticeship funding.
Progress Housing Group held its Community Champions Awards ceremony at Lostock Hall in South Ribble, celebrating local volunteers and community groups across the area. The event recognised nine award winners and multiple organisations, with particular focus on initiatives in Leyland and Wade Hall including litter picking, community cafes, and support services.
Aim2b School of Dance, a local family business, is opening a permanent premises in Leyland's Trafford Building on East Street from 13 April. The owners, specialists in SEMH and trauma-informed practice, plan to expand their 10-year-old business with new classes including mental health and wellbeing sessions alongside traditional dance offerings.
A motorcyclist in his 30s suffered life-changing injuries in a single-vehicle crash on Runshaw Hall Lane in Euxton on Easter Sunday. Lancashire Police is appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage to investigate the incident.
The government has released funding to complete the purchase of a 64-acre site in Farington, South Ribble for a new Royal Preston Hospital, despite the construction start date being delayed to 2037-2039 with opening expected in the early-mid 2040s. The acquisition marks progress on a hospital replacement project that has been under discussion for a decade, though the timeline has faced multiple revisions under different governments.
South Ribble is experiencing 59 roadworks beginning the week of April 6-12, including road and lane closures affecting motorist journeys. The article lists major disruptions with varying durations from one day to one month.
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The NHS has acquired land in Farington, South Ribble for a new Royal Preston Hospital, but construction will not begin until 2037–2039, with opening expected in the early 2040s — a 20-year wait. The article chronicles a decade of delays, site changes, and political disagreements over location and timing, with the current South Ribble MP Paul Foster expressing cautious optimism while Preston MP Sir Mark Hendrick and others question the site choice.
Preston's new £8.2m Old Tram Bridge, which will reconnect Preston and Penwortham across the River Ribble, is nearing completion but has experienced weather-related delays to final finishing work. The bridge, designed to replace a condemned 1804 structure, is expected to open in May 2025, with resurfacing of Old Tram Road and installation of guardrails remaining as final tasks.
Preston's Old Tram Bridge reconstruction project is nearing completion, with an opening date expected to be announced 'within the next couple of weeks' by Preston City Council, likely in May 2025. The £8.2m scheme has faced minor delays due to weather conditions affecting final painting and resurfacing work, but the core engineering challenges have been successfully overcome.
A local news article presenting community reactions to plans for a new hospital to be built in the Farington area of South Ribble, rather than at the current Royal Preston Hospital site in Preston city centre. The proposed site is accessible via three motorways but construction is not expected to begin until 2037-2039, prompting significant public debate about location, accessibility, infrastructure, and the lengthy timeline.
The fire service responded to an incident on Parr Lane in Eccleston where a person was rescued from a height using specialist equipment. Four fire engines attended and crews spent approximately 40 minutes at the scene.
The NHS has completed the purchase of the final land parcel needed for a new Royal Preston Hospital in Farington, South Ribble, securing a 64-acre site off Stanifield Lane. Construction is not expected to begin until 2037–2039, with the hospital opening in the early 2040s, following delays announced by the Labour government after taking office.
Plans to fell 18 historic 'royal lime trees' planted in 1912 in Walton-le-Dale as part of Environment Agency flood defence works for the River Ribble have sparked a petition and public outcry. South Ribble Borough Council approved the scheme in March 2025, with work expected to start soon and complete by 2027.
Multiple schools across Preston, Chorley, and South Ribble received new Ofsted ratings in March, with Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy achieving a mix of 'strong' and 'expected' standard ratings. The article highlights positive educational outcomes and pupil behaviour while identifying areas for improvement in anti-bullying education and pastoral care analysis.
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