Taunton (UK Parliament constituency)

Taunton
Former County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Taunton in Somerset for the 1997-2010 general election.
Location of Somerset within England.
County	Somerset
Major settlements	Taunton
1918–2010
Number of members	One
Replaced by	Taunton Deane
1295–1918
Number of members	Two (1295-1885), One (1885-1918)
Type of constituency	Borough constituency

Taunton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors from 1295 to 2010, taking its name from the town of Taunton in Somerset. Until 1918, it was a parliamentary borough, electing two Member of Parliaments (MPs) between 1295 and 1885 and one from 1885 to 1918; the name was then transferred to a county constituency, electing one MP.

In the boundary changes that came into effect at the general election of 2010, the Boundary Commission for England replaced Taunton with a modified constituency called Taunton Deane, to reflect the district name.

Famous MPs for the borough include Thomas Cromwell.

The 1754 by-election was so fiercely contested that rioting broke out in which two people died.

In the 2005 general election, the victorious Liberal Democrats candidate in Taunton required the smallest percentage swing from the Conservative MP for them to take the seat.

1918-1950: The Municipal Borough of Taunton, the Urban Districts of Wellington and Wiveliscombe, and the Rural Districts of Dulverton, Taunton, and Wellington.

1950-1983: The Municipal Borough of Taunton, the Urban District of Wellington, and the Rural Districts of Dulverton, Taunton, and Wellington.