Bedford (constituency)

{{Short description|UK Parliament constituency (1295–1983, 1997 onwards)}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox UK constituency main |name = Bedford |parliament = uk |image = {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=center|plain=yes|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)}}|frame-height=200|frame-width=250}} |caption = Boundaries since 2024 |image2 = 215px|alt=Map of constituency |caption2 = Boundary of Bedford in the East of England |year = 1997 |abolished = |type = County |elects_howmany = One |previous = North Bedfordshire and Mid Bedfordshire<ref name="ElectionWeb74">{{cite web|title='Bedford', Feb 1974 – May 1983 |url=http://electionweb.co.uk/Bp/P74047.htm |website=ElectionWeb Project |publisher=Cognitive Computing Limited |access-date=15 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318055256/http://electionweb.co.uk/Bp/P74047.htm |archive-date=18 March 2016}}</ref> |next = | population = 101,066 (2011 census)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6507725&c=&d=27&e=62&g=6430187&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1422104706393&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2473 |title=Bedford: Usual Resident Population, 2011 |website=Neighbourhood Statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=28 January 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035335/http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6507725&c=&d=27&e=62&g=6430187&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1422104706393&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2473 |url-status=live }}</ref> |electorate = 70,068 (2023)<ref>{{cite web |url= https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/2023-review/the-2023-review-of-parliamentary-constituency-boundaries-in-england-volume-two-constituency-names-designations-and-composition/the-2023-review-of-parliamentary-constituency-boundaries-in-england-volume-two-constituency-names-designations-and-composition-eastern/#lg_bedford-bc-70068 |title= The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern |publisher=Boundary Commission for England |access-date=26 June 2024 |df=dmy }}</ref> |mp = Mohammad Yasin |party = Labour Party (UK) |region = England |county = Bedfordshire |european = East of England |towns = Bedford, Kempston

|year2 = 1918 |abolished2 = 1983 |type2 = County |previous2 = |next2 = North Bedfordshire |elects_howmany2 = One

|year3 = 1295 |abolished3 = 1918 |type3 = Borough |previous3 = |next3 = |elects_howmany3 = 1295–1885: Two<br />1885–1918: One }} '''Bedford''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ɛ|d|f|ər|d|}} is a constituency{{#tag:ref|A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)|group= n}} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Mohammad Yasin of the Labour Party.{{#tag:ref|As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years. It formerly had two members as set out in the article|group= n}}

The seat dates back to the earliest century of regular parliaments, in 1295; its double representation was halved in 1885, then altered by the Representation of the People Act 1918. It was abolished in 1983 but re-established at the next periodic review for the 1997 general election.

==Constituency profile== The constituency is located in Bedfordshire and contains the large county town of Bedford and the contiguous town of Kempston.

Bedford is a historic market town and is linked by rail to London via the Thameslink service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thameslink Timetables May 2025 |url=https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/service-updates/timetables}}</ref> Residents of the constituency have similar levels of wealth and education to the rest of the country.<ref name="ElectoralCalculus">{{cite web|url=https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Bedford|title=Seat Details - Bedford|website=electoralcalculus.co.uk|accessdate=20 November 2025}}</ref> The constituency is ethnically diverse; 17% of residents are Asian, 7% are Black<ref>{{cite web|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/constituency-statistics-ethnicity/|title=2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency|website=commonslibrary.parliament.uk|date=4 July 2024|accessdate=19 November 2025}}</ref> and there is also a large concentration of residents of Italian descent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/england/beds_herts_bucks/index.shtml|title=Bedford's Italian question|website=www.bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC|access-date=7 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=The Guardian |title=Italians in Bedford |website=TheGuardian.com |date=23 January 2006 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/jan/23/britishidentity.features113}}</ref> At the most recent borough council election in 2023, the east of the town elected primarily Liberal Democrat councillors whilst Kempston and the west of Bedford elected Labour councillors. Voters in the constituency voted marginally in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, similar to the country as a whole.<ref name="ElectoralCalculus"/>

==History== ===Up to the Great Reform Act 1832=== Bedford was first represented in the Model Parliament of 1295. The constituency was originally a parliamentary borough electing two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons, and consisted of the five parishes making up the town of Bedford.

Before the Reform Act 1832, the right to vote was exercised by all freemen and burgesses of the town (whether or not they lived within the borough boundaries) and by all householders who were not receiving alms. This was a fairly wide franchise for the period, but potentially subject to abuse since the Corporation of the borough had unlimited power to create freemen. The corporation was usually under the influence of the Dukes of Bedford, but their influence usually fell well short of making Bedford a pocket borough.

In 1768, a majority of the corporation apparently fell out with the Duke at the time, and decided to free the borough from his influence. They elected a Huntingdonshire squire,{{#tag:ref|a 5th baronet, the lowest order of nobility|group= n}} Sir Robert Bernard, as recorder of the borough, and made 500 new freemen, mostly Bernard's Huntingdonshire neighbours or tenants.<ref>Page 77, Lewis Namier, ''The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III'' (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1961)</ref> As there were only 540 householders, this gave him the effective power to choose Bedford's MPs; at the next election the defeated candidates petitioned against the result, attempting to establish that so many non-residents should not be allowed to vote, but the Commons dismissed the petition and confirmed the right of all the freemen, however created, to vote.

Bernard cemented his control with the creation of hundreds of further freemen in the next few years; at around the same period he lent the Corporation £950, and it is not unreasonable to assume this was payment for services rendered. However, in 1789, the young Duke of Bedford managed to regain the corporation's loyalty, and had 350 of his own retainers made freemen.

Even at other periods, the influence of the Dukes seems sometimes to have been more nominal than real. In the 1750s and 1760s, before Bernard's intervention, a frequent compromise was that the Duke nominated one MP and the corporation (representing the interests of the town) the other; but it seems that on occasion the Duke had to be flexible to retain the semblance of local deference towards him, and that his "nominee" had in reality been imposed upon him. Nor was the outcome invariably successfully predetermined: at the 1830 election the result swung on one individual's vote – the defeated candidate being Lord John Russell, who was not only one of the Whig leaders but The Duke of Bedford's son.

In 1831, the population of the borough was 6,959, and contained 1,491 houses. This was sufficient for Bedford to retain both its MPs under the Great Reform Act, with its boundaries unaltered. The reformed franchise introduced in 1832 gave the borough 1,572 inhabitants qualified to vote.

===1832–1983=== The town was growing, and Bedford retained its borough status until the 1918 general election, although under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, its representation was reduced to a single MP. On the eve of the First World War, its population was just under 40,000, of whom 6,500 people were eligible to vote.

Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the parliamentary borough was abolished; but the town gave its name to a new county constituency (formally '''The Bedford division of Bedfordshire'''). As well as the town of Bedford, it covered the northern end of the county and included Kempston and Eaton Socon together with surrounding rural areas.

Under the Representation of the People Act 1948, a boundary change which came into effect at the 1950 election reduced its size somewhat, and under the Third Review of Westminster Constituencies in 1983, the constituency was abolished.

====1997 onwards====

Under the Fourth Review, effective from the 1997 general election, Bedford was restored as a borough constituency, comprising the towns of Bedford and Kempston.

In the latest boundary changes under the Fifth Review, effective from the 2010 general election, there were marginal changes due to the revision of local authority wards.

The 2017 general election saw the Labour Party win the seat despite coming second in the election. This was significant as it was the first time the party had won the seat at an election where it had not won a comfortable national majority. This was repeated at the 2019 general election, where the seat was narrowly held by the Labour incumbent, despite the party suffering a heavy national defeat.<ref name="TimesGuide19">{{cite book |title=The Times Guide to the House of Commons 2019 |date=2020 |publisher=Times Books |location=Glasgow |isbn=978-0-00-839258-1 |page=95}}</ref>

==Boundaries and boundary changes== ===1832–1918=== * The Municipal Borough of Bedford.

===1918–1950=== * The Municipal Borough of Bedford; * the Urban District of Kempston; and * the Rural Districts of Bedford and Eaton Socon.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Craig |first=Fred W. S. |title=Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972; |date=1972 |publisher=Political Reference Publications |isbn=0-900178-09-4 |location=Chichester |pages=11 |oclc=539011}}</ref> ''Expanded to include Kempston and rural areas in the north of Bedfordshire, transferred from the abolished constituency of Biggleswade.''

===1950–1983=== * The Municipal Borough of Bedford; * the Urban District of Kempston; and * part of the Rural District of Bedford.<ref name=":0" />

''Eastern and southern rural areas, including Eaton Socon, transferred to Mid Bedfordshire.''

Seat abolished in 1983 and absorbed into the new constituency of North Bedfordshire, with the exception of Kempston, which was transferred to Mid Bedfordshire.

===1997–2010=== {{maplink|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Bedford (UK Parliament constituency) 2010}}|frame=yes|frame-height=220|text=Map of boundaries 2010-2024}} * The Borough of Bedford wards of Brickhill, Castle, Cauldwell, De Parys, Goldington, Harpur, Kempston East, Kempston West, Kingsbrook, Newnham, Putnoe, and Queen's Park.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1983/417/pdfs/uksi_19830417_en.pdf}}</ref>

''Re-established as a borough constituency, comprising the towns of Bedford from the now abolished seat of North Bedfordshire, and Kempston, regained from Mid Bedfordshire.''

===2010–2024=== * The Borough of Bedford wards of Brickhill, Castle, Cauldwell, De Parys, Goldington, Harpur, Kempston East, Kempston North, Kempston South, Kingsbrook, Newnham, Putnoe, Queens Park.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/1681/made}}</ref>

''Marginal changes due to the revision of local authority wards.''

===2024–present=== Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency comprises the following, after taking into account the local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023:<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Bedford (Electoral Changes) Order 2022 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/268/contents/made}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=New Seat Details - Bedford |url=https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/calcwork23.py?seat=Bedford |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=www.electoralcalculus.co.uk}}</ref>

* The Borough of Bedford wards of: Brickhill (most); Castle & Newnham; Cauldwell (most); De Parys; Greyfriars; Goldington; Harpur (nearly all); Kempston Central and East; Kempston North; Kempston South; Kempston West (majority); Kingsbrook; Putnoe; Queens Park; Renhold & Ravensden (small part); Riverfield. ''Marginal changes due to further revisions to local authority wards.''{{Clear}}

==Members of Parliament== ===MPs 1295–1660=== * ''Constituency created'' (1295) {| align="left" class="toccolours" | Edward I – Edward II – Edward IV – Richard III – Henry VII – Henry VIII – Edward VI – Mary I – Elizabeth I – James I – Charles I – Protectorate – 1377-1427 – 1660-1885 – 1885-1983 – 1885-1983 – 1997-2017 – Elections |} {{-}}

====Parliaments of King Edward I==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |29th || 30 September 1295+ || 1295 || 27 November 1295 || 4 December 1295 || John Cullebere || Simon de Holand |- |30th || 26 August 1296 || 1296 || 3 November 1296 || 29 November 1296 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |33rd || 6 October 1297 || 1297 || 15 September 1297 || 14 October 1297 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |34th || 15 March 1298 || March 1298 || 30 March 1298 || ... || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |35th || 10 April 1298 || 1298 || 25 May 1298 || ... || Thomas Halyday || Robert de Sywell |- | 39th || 29 December 1299 || 1299–00 || 6 March 1300 || 20 March 1300 || rowspan="2"| John Wymond || rowspan="2"| William Benne |- |40th || 26 September 1300 || 1300–01 || 20 January 1301 || 30 January 1301 |- |42nd || 14 July 1302 || 1302 || 14 October 1302 || 21 October 1302 || Simon le Tanner || Robert de Sywell |- |43rd || 12 November 1304 || 1304–05 || 28 February 1305 || 20 March 1305 || John Halyday || William Costyn |- |45th || 5 April 1306 || 1306 || 30 May 1306 || 30 May 1306 || Simon de Wilshamstead || Geoffrey le Blund |- |46th || 3 November 1306 || 1306–07 || 20 January 1307 || 19 March 1307 || William Costyn || John le Marescal |- |}

====Parliaments of King Edward II==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 26 August 1307 || 1307 || 13 October 1307 || 16 October 1307 || William Bonum || John atte Wal |- |2nd || 19 January 1308 || 1308 || 3 March 1308 || ... || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |5th || 4 March 1309 || 1309 || 27 April 1309 || 13 May 1309 || Gilbert de Holm || John le Marescal |- |rowspan="2"| 8th || 16 June 1311 || 1311 || 8 August 1311 || ... || John Halyday || rowspan="2"| Geoffrey Clogon (Glogon) |- |... || 1311 || 12 November 1311 || 18 December 1311 || rowspan="2"| William Costyn (Costantyn) |- |9th || 3 June 1312 || 1312 || 20 August 1312 || 16 December 1312 || Roger Cullebere |- |10th || 8 January 1313 || 1313 || 18 March 1313 || 9 May 1313 || rowspan="4"| Thomas de Norfolk || rowspan="3"| John atte Wal |- |11th || 23 May 1313 || 1313 || 8 July 1313 || 27 July 1313 |- |12th || 26 July 1313 || 1313 || 23 September 1313 || 15 November 1313 |- |13th || 29 July 1314 || 1314 || 9 September 1314 || 27/28 September 1314 || rowspan="3"| William Costantyn |- |14th || 24 October 1314 || 1314–15 || 20 January 1315 || 9 March 1315 || Geoffrey Glogon |- |15th || 16 October 1315 || 1315–16 || 27 January 1316 || 20 February 1316 || ''no return'' |- |16th || 24–25 August 1318 || 1318 || 20 October 1318 || 9 December 1318 || Henry Oliver || Geoffrey de Blunham |- |17th || 20 March 1319 || 1319 || 6 May 1319 || 25 May 1319 || Simon de Bydenham || Ralph le Collere |- |19th || 5 August 1320 || 1320 || 6 October 1320 || 25/26 October 1320 || Richard de Cave || Thomas Halyday |- |20th || 15 May 1321 || 1321 || 15 July 1321 || 22 August 1321 || John de Soham || Richard le Ussher |- |21st || 14 March 1322 || 1322 || 2 May 1322 || 19 May 1322 ||rowspan="2"| Simon de Knightwyk || William Costantyn |- |22nd || 18 September 1322 || 1322 || 14 November 1322 || 29 November 1322 || Richard de Cave |- |23rd || 20 November 1323 || 1323–24 || 23 February 1324 || 18 March 1324 || Thomas Halyday || Roger atte Wal |- |24th || 6 May 1325 || 1325 || 25 June 1325 || ... || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |25th || 10 October 1325 || 1325 || 18 November 1325 || 5 December 1325 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |26th || 28 October 1326 || 1326–27 || 7 January 1327 || ''20 January 1327'' || Hugh Balle || Hugh Cok <!--yes, really. Not vandalism. --> |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Edward III==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || ... || ... || ... || 9 March 1327 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |2nd || 7 August 1327 || 1327 || 15 September 1327 || 23 September 1327 || Roger atte Wal || Simon Cullebere |- |3rd || 10 December 1327 || 1327–28 || 7 February 1328 || 5 March 1328 || Hugh Cok || William de Hoghton |- |4th || 5 March 1328 || 1328 || 24 April 1328 || 14 May 1328 || John de Lund, jnr. || Geoffrey le Neveu |- |5th || 28 August 1328 || 1328 || 16 October 1328 || 22 February 1329 || William Flour || John Scot |- |6th || 25 January 1330 || 1330 || 11 March 1330 || 21 March 1330 || Richard de Cave || Simon de Stevynton |- |7th || 23 October 1330 || 1330 || 26 November 1330 || 9 December 1330 || Robert Crowe || John Elcock |- |8th || 16 July 1331 || 1331 || 30 September 1331 || 9 October 1331 || William Costantyn || ''unknown'' |- |9th || 27 January 1332 || 1332 || 16 March 1332 || 21 March 1332 || John de Soham, jnr. || Geoffrey Walcock |- |10th || 20 July 1332 || 1332 || 9 September 1332 || 12 September 1332 || Hugh Balle || John Scot |- |11th || 20 October 1332 || 1332 || 4 December 1332 || 27 January 1333 || John de Soham || John de Codenho (Boddenho?) |- |12th || 2 January 1334 || 1334 || 21 February 1334 || 2 March 1334 ||rowspan="3"| Richard de Cave ||rowspan="2"| William le Clerk |- |13th || 24 July 1334 || 1334 || 19 September 1334 || 23 September 1334 |- |14th || 1 April 1335 || 1335 || 26 May 1335 || 3 June 1335 || William de Holewelle |- |15th || 22 January 1336 || 1336 || 11 March 1336 || 20 March 1336 || John atte Lound || Henry Arnold |- |16th || 29 November 1336 || 1336–37 || 3 March 1337 || c.16 March 1337 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |17th || 20 December 1337 || 1337–38 || 3 February 1338 || 14 February 1338 || John de Styvecle || William de Holewell |- |18th || 15 November 1338 || 1338–39 || 3 February 1339 || 17 February 1339 || Robert Carbonel || William de Holewell |- |19th || 25 August 1339 || 1339 || 13 October 1339 || c.3 November 1339 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |20th || 16 November 1339 || 1339–40 || 20 January 1340 || 19 February 1340 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |21st || 21 February 1340 || 1340 || 29 March 1340 || 10 May 1340 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |22nd || 30 May 1340 || 1340 || 12 July 1340 || 26 July 1340 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |23rd || 3 March 1341 || 1341 || 23 April 1341 || 27–28 May 1341 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |24th || 24 February 1343 || 1343 || 28 April 1343 || 20 May 1343 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |25th || 20 April 1344 || 1344 || 7 June 1344 || 28 June 1344 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |26th || 30 July 1346 || 1346 || 11 September 1346 || 20 September 1346 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |27th || 13 November 1347 || 1348–48 || 14 January 1348 || 12 February 1348 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |28th || 14 February 1348 || 1348 || 31 March 1348 || 13 April 1348 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |29th || 25 November 1350 || 1350–51 || 9 February 1351 || 1 March 1351 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |30th || 15 November 1351 || 1351–52 || 13 January 1352 || 11 February 1352 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |31st || 15 March 1354 || 1354 || 28 April 1354 || 20 May 1354 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |32nd || 20 September 1355 || 1355 || 23 November 1355 || 30 November 1355 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |33rd || 15 February 1357 || 1357 || 17 April 1357 || 8–16 May 1357 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |34th || 15 December 1357 || 1357–58 || 5 February 1358 || 27 February 1358 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |35th || 3 April 1360 || 1360 || 15 May 1360 || ... || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |36th || 20 November 1360 || 1360–61 || 24 January 1361 || 18 February 1361 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |37th || 14 August 1362 || 1362 || 13 October 1362 || 17 November 1362 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |38th || 1 June 1363 || 1363 || 6 October 1363 || 30 October 1363 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |39th || 4 December 1364 || 1364–65 || 20 January 1365 || 17 February 1365 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |40th || 20 January 1366 || 1366 || 4 May 1366 || 11 May 1366 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |41st || 24 February 1368 || 1368 || 1 May 1368 || 21 May 1368 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |42nd || 6 April 1369 || 1369 || 3 June 1369 || 11 June 1369 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |43rd || 8 January 1371 || 1371 || 24 February 1371 || 29 March 1371 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |44th || 1 September 1372 || 1372 || 3 November 1372 || 24 November 1372 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |45th || 4 October 1373 || 1373 || 21 November 1373 || 10 December 1373 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |46th || 28 December 1375 || 1375–76 || 28 April 1376 || 10 July 1376 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |47th || 1 December 1376 || 1376–77 || 27 January 1377 || 2 March 1377 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Richard II==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 4 August 1377 || 1377 || 13 October 1377 || 5 December 1377 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |2nd || 3 September 1378 || 1378 || 20 October 1378 || 16 November 1378 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |3rd || 16 February 1379 || 1379 || 24 April 1379 || 27 May 1379 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |4th || 20 October 1379 || 1379–80 || 16 January 1380 || 3 March 1380 || ''unknown''|| ''unknown'' |- |5th || 26 August 1380 || 1380 || 5 November 1380 || 6 December 1380 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |6th || 16 July 1381 || 1381 || 3 November 1381 || 25 February 1382 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |7th || 24 March 1382 || 1382 || 7 May 1382 || 22 May 1382 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |8th || 9 August 1382 || 1382 || 6 October 1382 || 24 October 1382 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |9th || 7 January 1383 || 1383 || 23 February 1383 || 10 March 1383 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |10th || 20 August 1383 || 1383 || 26 October 1383 || 26 November 1383 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |11th || 3 March 1384 || 1384 || 29 April 1384 || 27 May 1384 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |12th || 28 September 1384 || 1384 || 12 November 1384 || 14 December 1384 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |13th || 3 September 1385 || 1385 || 20 October 1385 || 6 December 1385 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |14th || 8 August 1386 || 1386 || 1 October 1386 || 28 November 1386 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |15th || 17 December 1387 || 1387–88 || 3 February 1388 || 4 June 1388 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |16th || 28 July 1388 || 1388 || 9 September 1388 || 17 October 1388 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |17th || 6 December 1389 || 1389–90 || 17 January 1390 || 2 March 1390 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |18th || 12 September 1390 || 1390 || 12 November 1390 || 3 December 1390 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |19th || 7 September 1391 || 1391 || 3 November 1391 || 2 December 1391 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |20th || 23 November 1392 || 1392–93 || 20 January 1393 || 10 February 1393 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |21st || 13 November 1393 || 1393–94 || 27 January 1394 || 6 March 1394 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |22nd || 20 November 1394 || 1394–95 || 27 January 1395 || 15 February 1395 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |23rd || 30 November 1396 || 1396–97 || 22 January 1397 || 12 February 1397 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |24th || 18 July 1397 || 1397 || 17 September 1397 || 31 January 1398 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |25th || 19 August 1399 || 1389 || 30 September 1399 || 30 September 1399 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Henry IV==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 30 September 1399 || 1399 || 6 October 1399 || 19 November 1399 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |2nd || 9 September 1400 || 1400–01 || 20 January 1401 || 10 March 1401 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |3rd || 19 June 1402 || 1402 || 30 September 1402 || 25 November 1402 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |4th || 20 October 1403 || 1403–04 || 14 January 1404 || 20 March 1404 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |5th || 25 August 1404 || 1404 || 6 October 1404 || 13 November 1404 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |6th || 21 December 1405 || 1405–06 || 1 March 1406 || 22 December 1406 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |7th || 26 August 1407 || 1407 || 20 October 1407 || 2 December 1407 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |8th || 26 October 1409 || 1409–10 || 27 January 1410 || 9 May 1410 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |9th || 21 September 1411 || 1411 || 3 November 1411 || 19 December 1411 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |10th || 1 December 1412 || 1412–13 || 3 February 1413 || 20 March 1413 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Henry V==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 22 March 1413 || 1413 || 14 May 1413 || 9 June 1413 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |2nd || 1 December 1413 || 1413–14 || 30 April 1414 || 29 May 1414 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |3rd || 26 September 1414 || 1414 || 19 November 1414 || ... || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |4th || 12 August 1415 || 1415 || 4 November 1415 || 12 November 1415 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |5th || 21 January 1416 || 1416 || 16 March 1416 || May 1416 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |6th || 3 September 1416 || 1416 || 19 October 1416 || 18 November 1416 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |7th || 5 October 1417 || 1417 || 16 November 1417 || 17 December 1417 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |8th || 24 August 1419 || 1419 || 16 October 1419 || 13 November 1419 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |9th || 21 October 1420 || 1420 || 2 December 1420 || ... || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |10th || 26 February 1421 || 1421 || 2 May 1421 || ... || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |11th || 20 October 1421 || 1421 || 1 December 1421 || ... || Thomas Manningham<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/manningham-thomas-1455|title=Manningham, Thomas (d.c.1455), of Ardsley and Wrenthorpe, Yorks. and Wrestlingworth, Beds.|work=historyofparliamentonline.org|access-date=4 August 2012|archive-date=23 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223221054/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/manningham-thomas-1455|url-status=live}}</ref> || ''unknown'' |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Henry VI==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 29 September 1422 || 1422 || 9 November 1422 || 18 December 1422 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |2nd || 1 September 1423 || 1423 || 20 October 1423 || 28 February 1424 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |3rd || 24 February 1425 || 1425 || 30 April 1425 || 14 July 1425 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |4th || 7 January 1426 || 1426 || 18 February 1426 || 1 June 1426 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |5th || 15 July 1427 || 1427 || 13 October 1427 || 25 March 1428 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |6th || 12 July 1429 || 1429 || 22 September 1429 || 23 February 1430 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |7th || 27 November 1430 || 1430–31 || 12 January 1431 || 20 March 1431 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |8th || 25 February 1432 || 1432 || 12 May 1432 || 17 July 1432 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |9th || 24 May 1433 || 1433 || 8 July 1433 || >c.18 December 1433 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |10th || 5 July 1435 || 1435 || 10 October 1435 || 23 December 1435 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |11th || 29 October 1436 || 1436–37 || 21 January 1437 || 27 March 1437 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |12th || 26 September 1439 || 1439 || 12 November 1439 || c.15–24 February 1440 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |13th || 3 December 1441 || 1441–42 || 25 January 1442 || 27 March 1442 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |14th || 13 January 1445 || 1445 || 25 February 1445 || 9 April 1445 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |15th || 14 December 1446 || 1446–47 || 10 February 1447 || 3 March 1447 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |16th || 2 January 1449 || 1449 || 12 February 1449 || 16 July 1449 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |17th || 23 September 1449 || 1449 || 6 November 1449 || c.5–8 June 1450 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |18th || 5 September 1450 || 1450 || 6 November 1450 || c.24–31 May 1451 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |19th || 20 January 1453 || 1453 || 6 March 1453 || c.16–21 April 1454 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |20th || 26 May 1455 || 1455 || 9 July 1455 || 12 March 1456 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |21st || 9 October 1459 || 1459 || 20 November 1459 || 20 December 1459 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |22nd || 30 July 1460 || 1460 || 7 October 1460 || c.4 March 1461 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |23rd || 15 October 1470 || 1470 || 26 November 1470 || c. 11 April 1471 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====1377–1427==== {| class="wikitable" |- !Year!!First member!!Second member |- | 1377 (Jan) || Thomas Jordan<ref name="historyofparliamentonline.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/jordan-thomas|title=Jordan, Thomas, of Bedford.|work=historyofparliamentonline.org|access-date=3 August 2014|archive-date=25 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425101321/http://historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/jordan-thomas|url-status=live}}</ref> || |- | 1380 (Jan) || Thomas Jordan<ref name="historyofparliamentonline.org"/> || |- | 1381 || John Wright<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/wright-john|title=Wright, John, of Bedford.|work=historyofparliamentonline.org|access-date=3 August 2014|archive-date=24 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424145207/http://historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/wright-john|url-status=live}}</ref> |- | 1382 || Roger Kempston<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/kempston-roger|title=Kempston, Roger, of Bedford.|work=historyofparliamentonline.org|access-date=3 August 2014|archive-date=9 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809205436/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/kempston-roger|url-status=live}}</ref> || |- | 1384 (Apr) || William Clerevaux<ref name="historyofparliamentonline.org1">{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/clerevaux-william|title=Clerevaux, William, of Bedford.|work=historyofparliamentonline.org|access-date=3 August 2014|archive-date=9 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809205215/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/clerevaux-william|url-status=live}}</ref> || |- | 1385 || William Clerevaux<ref name="historyofparliamentonline.org1"/>|| Thomas Frereman |- | 1386 || William Clerevaux || Thomas Bedford |- | 1388 (Feb) || William Clerevaux || Thomas Frereman |- | 1388 (Sep) || Roger Kempston || William Barber |- | 1390 (Jan) || William Clerevaux || Thomas Frereman |- | 1390 (Nov) |||| |- |1391||Henry West|| John Wright |- |1393|| Thomas Bedford || John Tyringham |- |1394|| Thomas Bedford||William Cotterstock |- |1395||Thomas Bedford||William Cotterstock |- |1397 (Jan) ||Thomas Bedford||William Cotterstock |- |1397 (Sep)||Thomas Jordan||William Brown |- |1399||Richard Bethewater||Ralph Pyrewelle |- |1401 |- |1402||Thomas Bedford||Roger Tunstall |- |1404 (Jan) |- |1404 (Oct) |- |1406||John Grey||John Kent |- |1407 |- |1410 |- |1411 |- |1413(Feb) |- |1413 (May)||Thomas Bedford||William Cotterstock |- |1414 (Apr) |- |1414 (Nov)||William Dowe||William Wallyngton |- |1415 |- |1416 (Mar) |- |1416 (Oct) |- |1417||John Frepurs||Richard Marston |- |1419||John Lyt..|| |- |1420||Thomas Hunt||William Hunt |- |1421 (May)||Thomas Ferrour||John Leighton |- |1421 (Dec)||Thomas Bole||Thomas Kempston |- |1427||John Frepurs<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/frepurs-john|title=Frepurs, John, of Bedford.|work=historyofparliamentonline.org|access-date=3 August 2014|archive-date=9 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809205241/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/frepurs-john|url-status=live}}</ref>|| |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Edward IV==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 23 May 1461 || 1461 || 4 November 1461 || 6 May 1462 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |2nd || 22 December 1462 || 1462–63 || 29 April 1463 || 28 March 1465 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |3rd || 28 February 1467 || 1467 || 3 June 1467 || 7 June 1468 ||rowspan="2"| John Boston || William Colet, jnr. |- |4th || 19 August 1472 || 1472 || 6 October 1472 || 14 March 1475 ||rowspan="2"| Thomas Adams |- |5th || 20 November 1477 || 1477–78 || 16 January 1478 || 26 February 1478 || William Colet |- |6th || 15 November 1482 || 1482–83 || 20 January 1483 || 18 February 1483 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Richard III==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 9 December 1483 || 1483–84 || 23 January 1484 || 20 February 1484 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Henry VII==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 15 September 1485 || 1485 || 7 November 1485 || c. 4 March 1486 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |2nd || ... || 1487 || 9 November 1487 || c. 18 December 1487 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |3rd || ... || ?1488–89 || 13 January 1489 || 27 February 1490 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |4th || 12 August 1491 || 1491 || 17 October 1491 || 5 March 1492 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |5th || 15 September 1495 || 1495 || 14 October 1495 || 21–22 December 1495 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |6th || 20 November 1496 || 1496–97 || 16 January 1497 || 13 March 1497 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |7th || ... || ?1503–04 || 25 January 1504 || c. 1 April 1504 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Henry VIII==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 17 October 1509 || 1509–10 || 21 January 1510 || 23 February 1510 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |2nd || 28 November 1511 || 1511–12 || 4 February 1512 || 4 March 1514 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |3rd || 23 November 1514 || 1514–15 || 5 February 1515 || 22 December 1515 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |4th || ... || 1523 || 15 April 1523 || 13 August 1523 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |5th || 9 August 1529 || 1529 || 3 November 1529 || 14 April 1536 || John Baker || William Bourne |- |6th || 27 April 1536 || 1536 || 8 June 1536 || 18 July 1536 || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |- |7th || 1 March 1539 || 1539 || 28 April 1539 || 24 July 1540 || William Johnson || ''unknown'' |- |8th || 23 November 1541 || 1541–42 || 16 January 1542 || 28 March 1544 || William Johnson || Michael Thrayle |- |9th || 1 December 1544 || 1544–45 || 23 November 1545 || 31 January 1547 || George Blagge || Henry Parker |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Edward VI==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 2 August 1547 || 1547 || 4 November 1547 || 15 April 1552 || Gerard Harvey alias Smart || George Wright |- |2nd || 5 January 1553 || 1553 || 1 March 1553 || 31 March 1553 || Thomas Leigh || William Godolphin |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of Queen Mary I==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 14 August 1553 || 1553 || 5 October 1553 || 5 December 1553 ||rowspan="2"| Edmund Mordaunt ||rowspan="2"| Thomas Leigh |- |2nd || 17 February 1554 || 1554 || 2 April 1554 || 3 May 1554 |- |3rd || 3 October 1554 || 1554 || 12 November 1554 || 16 January 1555 || William Hall || John Williams |- |4th || 3 September 1555 || 1555 || 21 October 1555 || 9 December 1555 || Edmund Mordaunt || Thomas Leigh |- |5th || 6 December 1557 || 1557–58 || 20 January 1558 || 17 November 1558 || George Gascoigne || Thomas Leigh |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth I==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 5 December 1558 || 28 December 1558 || 23 January 1559 || 8 May 1559 || Thomas Leigh || George Gascoigne |- |2nd || 10 November 1562 || 1562–63 || 11 January 1563 || 2 January 1567 || Oliver St John || John Burgoyne |- |3rd || ... || 1571 || 2 April 1571 || 29 May 1571 || Henry Cheeke || Robert Hatley |- |4th || 28 March 1572 || 1572 || 8 May 1572 || 19 April 1583 || Henry Cheeke || Michael Hawtry |- |5th || 12 October 1584 || 1584 || 23 November 1584 || 14 September 1585 ||John Puckering || Nicholas Potts |- |6th || 15 September 1586 || 1586 || 15 October 1586 || 23 March 1587 || William Boteler || Thomas Snagge jnr |- |7th || 18 September 1588 || 1588–89 || 4 February 1589 || 29 March 1589 ||rowspan="2"| John Pigott || Thomas Snagge |- |8th || 4 January 1593 || 1593 || 18 February 1593 || 10 April 1593 ||rowspan="3"| Humphrey Winch |- |9th || 23 August 1597 || 1597 || 24 October 1597 || 9 February 1598 || Oliver Luke |- |10th || 11 September 1601 || 7 October 1601 || 27 October 1601 || 19 December 1601 || Thomas Fanshawe |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King James I==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |rowspan="2"|1st ||rowspan="2"| 31 January 1604 || 1604 ||rowspan="2"| 19 March 1604 ||rowspan="2"| 9 February 1611 || Sir Humphrey Winch <br /> ''(made a judge in Ireland 1606)'' ||rowspan="2"| Thomas Hawes |- | 1606 || Sir Christopher Hatton |- |2nd || ... || ?1614 || 5 April 1614 || 7 June 1614 || Alexander St John || John Leigh |- |3rd || 13 November 1620 || 1620–21 || 16 January 1621 || 8 February 1622 ||rowspan="2"| Sir Alexander St John ||rowspan="2"| Richard Taylor |- |4th || 20 December 1623 || 1623–24 || 12 February 1624 || 27 March 1625 |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of King Charles I==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Summoned!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member!!Second member |- |1st || 2 April 1625 || 1625 || 17 May 1625 || 12 August 1625 || Sir Alexander St John || rowspan="3"| Richard Taylor |- |2nd || 20 December 1625 || 1626 || 6 February 1626 || 15 June 1626 || rowspan="4"| Sir Beauchamp St John |- |3rd || 31 January 1628 || 1628 || 17 March 1628 || 10 March 1629 |- |4th || 20 February 1640 || 1640 || 13 April 1640 || 5 May 1640 ||rowspan="2"| Sir Samuel Luke<ref>Double return for April 1640 -William Boteler taken off</ref> |- |5th || 24 September 1640 || 1640 || 3 November 1640 || 16 March 1660 |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

====Parliaments of the Protectorate==== {| class="wikitable" |- !No.!!Elected!!Assembled!!Dissolved!!First member |- |rowspan="2"|1st||July 1654||rowspan="2"|3 September 1654||rowspan="2"|22 January 1655|| Bulstrode Whitelocke |- |4 November 1654|| Henry Chester |- |2nd||1656||17 September 1656||4 February 1658|| Thomas Margets |- |3rd||1659||27 January 1659||22 April 1659|| Thomas Margets <br /> Samuel Browne |- |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

===MPs 1660–1885=== {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="3"|Year!!First member<ref name="rayment">{{Rayment-hc|b|2|date=March 2012}}</ref>!!First party!!Second member<ref name="rayment"/>!!Second party |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | |10 April 1660 |Sir Samuel Luke || |Humphrey Winch || |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" rowspan="2" | || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | |25 March 1661 |rowspan="2"|Richard Taylor || rowspan="2"| |John Kelyng<ref group="mpnotes">A double return was made for Kelying and Sir Samuel Luke; Kelyng was allowed to sit</ref> || |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" rowspan="5"| |10 July 1663 |rowspan="5"| Paulet St John || rowspan="5"| |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | |30 December 1667 | Sir William Beecher || |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" rowspan="3"| |12 February 1679 | rowspan="3" | Sir William Francklyn || rowspan="3"| |- |18 August 1679 |- |17 February 1681 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" | || style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="3"| |6 March 1685 |Sir Anthony Chester, 3rd Baronet || Tory |rowspan="3"|Thomas Christie<ref group="mpnotes">A double return was made for Christie and Sir William Francklyn in 1690; Christie was allowed to sit</ref> || rowspan="3"| Tory |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | |9 January 1689 |rowspan="3"|Thomas Hillersden || rowspan="3"| Whig |- |13 May 1690 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="2" | |5 May 1695 |rowspan="2"|William Farrer || rowspan="2"| Whig |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" rowspan="5" | |18 March 1698 |rowspan="5"|William Spencer || rowspan="5"| |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | |20 July 1698 |Sir Thomas Alston, 3rd Baronet || |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" | |c. January 1701 |Samuel Rolt || Tory |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" | |21 November 1701 |William Farrer || Whig |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" | |17 July 1702 |Edward Carteret || Whig |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="5" | || style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" | |11 May 1705 |rowspan="5"|William Farrer || rowspan="5"| Whig |Sir Philip Monoux, 3rd Baronet || Whig |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="2" | |15 December 1707 | rowspan="2" | William Hillersden || rowspan="2" | Whig |- |5 May 1708 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | |14 April 1710 |rowspan="3"|John Cater || rowspan="3"| Whig |- |6 October 1710 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" | |27 August 1713 |Samuel Rolt || Tory |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="4" | || style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="2" | |28 January 1715 |rowspan="4"|William Farrer || rowspan="4"| Whig |rowspan="2"|John Thurlow Brace || rowspan="2"| Whig |- |2 December 1715 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | |21 March 1722 |George Huxley || |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="2" | |9 June 1725 |rowspan="2"|John Thurlow Brace || rowspan="2"| Whig |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | |15 August 1727 |rowspan="3"|John Orlebar || rowspan="3"| Whig |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" | |16 April 1728 |James Metcalfe<ref group="mpnotes">Declared elected and Brace unseated on petition</ref> ||Tory |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="2" | |30 January 1731 |rowspan="2"|Sir Jeremy Vanacker Sambrooke, Bt || rowspan="2"| Tory |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | |26 April 1734 |rowspan="3"|Samuel Ongley || rowspan="3"| Tory |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="2"| |24 November 1740 |rowspan="2"|Sir Boteler Chernock, 4th Baronet || rowspan="2"| Tory |- |5 May 1741 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | |29 June 1747 |Thomas Gore || |John Offley || |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: white" rowspan="3" | || style="color:inherit;background-color: white" | |15 April 1754 |rowspan="3"|Francis Herne || rowspan="3"| |Robert Henley-Ongley || |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | |26 March 1761 |rowspan="3"|Richard Vernon || rowspan="3"| Whig |- |24 April 1764 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" | |17 March 1768 |Samuel Whitbread || Tory |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | || style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" | |18 October 1774 |rowspan="3"|Sir William Wake, 8th Baronet || rowspan="3"|Tory<ref name="stooks-smith">{{cite book |last=Stooks Smith |first=Henry. |editor=Craig, F. W. S. |title=The Parliaments of England |orig-year=1844–1850 |edition=2nd |year=1973 |publisher=Parliamentary Research Services |location=Chichester |isbn=978-0-900178-13-9 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/parliamentsofeng0000smit/page/2 2–4, 20] |url=https://archive.org/details/parliamentsofeng0000smit/page/2 }}</ref> |Robert Sparrow ||Tory<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | |23 March 1775 |rowspan="3"|Samuel Whitbread<ref group="mpnotes">Declared elected and Sparrow unseated on petition</ref> || rowspan="3"| Whig<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |14 September 1780 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | |5 April 1784 |rowspan="3"|William MacDowall Colhoun || rowspan="3"| Tory<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="6" | |28 June 1790 |rowspan="6"|Samuel Whitbread || rowspan="6"| Whig<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |27 May 1796 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="3"| |6 July 1802 |rowspan="3"|William Lee-Antonie ||rowspan="3"| Whig<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |30 October 1806 |- |11 May 1807 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="5" | |6 October 1812 |rowspan="5"|Lord George Russell || rowspan="5"|Whig<ref name="stooks-smith"/><ref>{{cite DNB| wstitle= Russel, George William |last = Lloyd |first = Ernest Marsh |volume = 49 }}</ref> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" | |17 July 1815 |Hon. William Waldegrave ||Whig<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="6" | |17 June 1818 |rowspan="6"|William Henry Whitbread || rowspan="6"|Whig<ref name="stooks-smith"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fisher |first1=David R. |title=Whitbread, William Henry (1795–1867), of Southill, nr. Biggleswade, Beds. |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/whitbread-william-1795-1867 |website=The History of Parliament |date=2009 |access-date=8 September 2019 |archive-date=2 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102170851/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/whitbread-william-1795-1867 |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |8 March 1820 |- |9 June 1826 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="2"| |2 August 1830 |rowspan="2"|Frederick Polhill ||rowspan="2"| Tory<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |29 April 1831 |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="2" | |1832 |rowspan="2"|Samuel Crawley || rowspan="2"|Whig<ref name="stooks-smith"/><ref name="coventry1847">{{cite news |title=Miscellaneous |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000683/18370818/011/0001 |work=Coventry Standard |date=18 August 1837 |pages=1–2 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 October 2018 }}</ref><ref name="bedford1837">{{cite news |title=Huntingdon, Bedford & Peterborough Gazette |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000417/18370708/032/0008 |date=8 July 1837 |page=8 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 October 2018 }}</ref> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" rowspan="4" | |1835 |rowspan="4"|Frederick Polhill || rowspan="4"|Conservative<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |1837 |Henry Stuart<ref group="mpnotes">At the election of 1837, Stuart was initially declared elected, but on petition his election was declared void and after scrutiny of the votes his opponent Crawley was declared elected instead</ref>||Conservative<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" | |1838 |Samuel Crawley ||Whig<ref name="stooks-smith"/><ref name="coventry1847"/><ref name="bedford1837"/> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" rowspan="3" | |1841 |rowspan="3"|Henry Stuart || rowspan="3"|Conservative<ref name="stooks-smith"/> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" | |1847 |Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet ||Whig<ref>{{cite book|last1=Martin|first1=Howard|title=Britain in the 19th Century|date=1996|publisher=Thomas Nelson and Sons|location=Cheltenham|isbn=978-0174350620|page=117|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SjPDDaMhns0C&pg=PA117|via=Google Books|chapter=Years of Whig Achievement and Conservative Renewal, 1833–41|access-date=21 September 2020|archive-date=14 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214080510/https://books.google.com/books?id=SjPDDaMhns0C&pg=PA117|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="stooks-smith"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Cambridge General Advertiser |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002158/18470714/015/0001 |date=14 July 1847 |page=1 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 October 2018 }}</ref> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="3" | |1852 |rowspan="7"|Samuel Whitbread || rowspan="3"|Whig<ref>{{cite news|title=The Midland Region|url=http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/20th-march-1852/9/for-the-city-of-london-there-does-not-yet-seem|work=The Spectator|date=20 March 1852|page=9|access-date=8 April 2018|archive-date=9 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409043239/http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/20th-march-1852/9/for-the-city-of-london-there-does-not-yet-seem|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |1854 |William Stuart ||Conservative |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" | |1857 |Thomas Barnard ||Whig |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" rowspan="4"| |1859 |William Stuart ||Conservative || rowspan="4" | Liberal |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" | |1868 |James Howard ||Liberal |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |1874 |Frederick Polhill-Turner ||Conservative |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" | |1880 |Charles Magniac ||Liberal |} * ''Reduced to one member'' (1885) <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

===MPs 1885–1983=== {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Election!!Member<ref name="rayment"/>!!Party!!Notes |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" | | 1885 | Samuel Whitbread | Liberal | |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | 1895 | Charles Pym | Conservative | |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" | | 1906 | Percy Barlow | Liberal | |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | 1910 (Jan) | Walter Attenborough | Conservative | |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" | | 1910 (Dec) | rowspan="2" | Frederick Kellaway | Liberal | |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Coalition Liberal}}" | | ''1916'' | Coalition Liberal | |- |colspan="5"| ''Constituency merged with majority of the abolished Biggleswade'' |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Coalition Liberal}}" | | 1918 | rowspan="2" | Frederick Kellaway | Coalition Liberal | rowspan="2" |Secretary for Overseas Trade (1920–1921)<br>Postmaster General (1921–1922) |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)}}" | | ''1922'' | National Liberal |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | 1922 | Sir Richard Wells, 1st Baronet | Conservative | |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | 1945 | Thomas Skeffington-Lodge | Labour | |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | 1950 | Christopher Soames | Conservative | Secretary of State for War (1958–1960)<br>Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1960–1964) |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | 1966 | Brian Parkyn | Labour | |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | 1970 | Trevor Skeet | Conservative | Contested North Bedfordshire following redistribution |- |colspan="2" align="center"| 1983 |colspan="3"| ''Constituency abolished: see North Bedfordshire'' |} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

===MPs 1997–2017=== {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Election!!Member<ref name="rayment"/>!!Party |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | 1997 | Patrick Hall || Labour |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | 2010 |Richard Fuller || Conservative |- |style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | 2017 |Mohammad Yasin || Labour |}

===Notes=== {{Reflist|group="mpnotes"}} <small>Back to Members of Parliament</small>

==Elections== thumb|centre|upright=2.5|Bedford election results 1997–2024 {| class="toccolours" | style="text-align:center;" | {{hlist | 2010s | 2000s | 1990s | 1970s | 1960s | 1950s | 1940s | 1930s | 1920s | 1910s | 1900s | 1890s | 1880s | 1870s | 1860s | 1850s | 1840s | 1830s | 1820s | 1810s | 1800s | 1790s }} |}

===Elections in the 2020s===

{{Election box begin|title=General election 2024: Bedford<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statement as to Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll – Bedford constituency |url=https://www.bedford.gov.uk/media/7555/download?inline |date=7 June 2024 |access-date=8 June 2024 |publisher=Bedford Borough Council |language=en}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party=Labour Party (UK) |candidate=Mohammad Yasin |votes=18,342 |percentage=45.1 |change= {{increase}}0.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Conservative Party (UK) |candidate=Pinder Chauhan |votes=8,912 |percentage=21.9 |change= {{decrease}}20.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Reform UK |candidate=Matt Lansley |votes=4,548 |percentage=11.2 |change= {{increase}}9.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Liberal Democrats (UK) |candidate=Henry Vann |votes=4,025 |percentage=9.9 |change= {{decrease}}0.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Green Party of England and Wales |candidate=Ben Foley |votes=2,394 |percentage=5.9 |change= {{increase}}3.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Independent politician |candidate=Tarek Javed |votes=1,442 |percentage=3.5 |change=''new'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Workers Party of Britain |candidate=Prince Chaudhury |votes=996 |percentage=2.4 |change=''new'' }} {{Election box majority |votes=9,430 |percentage=23.2 |change= {{increase}}20.9 }} {{Election box turnout |votes=40,659 |percentage=56.4 |change= {{decrease}}10.1 }} {{Election box registered electors |reg. electors = 72,478 |change = +2,410 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Labour Party (UK) |swing = {{increase}}10.5 }} {{Election box end}}

===Elections in the 2010s=== {| class="wikitable" |- |+ 2019 notional result<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://electionresults.parliament.uk/general-elections/5 |title=Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019 |date= |access-date=11 July 2024 |work=Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News |publisher=UK Parliament}}</ref> |- ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | % |- | {{party color cell|Labour Party (UK)}} | Labour ||align=right| 20,663 ||align=right| 44.3 |- | {{party color cell|Conservative Party (UK)}} | Conservative ||align=right| 19,550 ||align=right| 42.0 |- | {{party color cell|Liberal Democrats (UK)}} | Liberal Democrats ||align=right| 4,672 ||align=right| 10.0 |- | {{party color cell|Green Party of England and Wales}} | Green ||align=right| 924 ||align=right| 2.0 |- | {{party color cell|Brexit Party}} | Brexit Party ||align=right| 794 ||align=right| 1.7 |- |colspan="2"|'''Turnout''' |align=right|46,603 |align=right|66.5 |- |colspan="2"|'''Electorate''' |align=right|70,068 | |}

{{Election box begin|title=General election 2019: Bedford<ref>{{cite news |title=Bedford Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000552 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=19 November 2019 |archive-date=14 June 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170614082513/http://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000761 |url-status=live }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Mohammad Yasin |votes = 20,491 |percentage = 43.3 |change = −3.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link||party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=Ryan Henson|votes=20,346|percentage=43.0|change = −2.2}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Henry Vann|votes=4,608|percentage=9.7|change=+3.8}} {{Election box candidate with party link||party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Adrian Spurrell|votes=960|percentage=2.0|change= −0.1}} {{Election box candidate with party link||party=Brexit Party|candidate=Charles Bunker|votes=896|percentage=1.9|change= ''N/A''}} {{Election box majority||votes=145|percentage=0.3|change = −1.3}} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 47,301 |percentage = 66.1 |change = −1.4 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 71,581 |change = –248 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Labour Party (UK) |swing = −0.7 }} {{Election box end}}

This was the smallest Labour majority at the 2019 general election.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8749/CBP-8749.pdf |date=28 January 2020 |title=Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis |publisher=House of Commons Library |location=London |page=72 |access-date=19 January 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118043715/https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8749/CBP-8749.pdf |archive-date=18 November 2021}}</ref>

{{Election box begin | title=General election 2017: Bedford<ref name="bbc2017result-bedford">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000552 |title=Election 2017: Ipswich |newspaper=BBC News |date=9 June 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170614082513/http://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000761 |archive-date=14 June 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Mohammad Yasin |votes = 22,712 |percentage = 46.8 |change = +6.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Fuller |votes = 21,923 |percentage = 45.2 |change = +2.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Democrats (UK) |candidate = Henry Vann |votes = 2,837 |percentage = 5.9 |change = +1.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Green Party of England and Wales |candidate = Lucy Bywater |votes = 1,008 |percentage = 2.1 |change = −1.0 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 789 |percentage = 1.6 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 48,480 |percentage = 67.5 |change = +1.0 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 71,829 |change = +2,518 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Labour Party (UK) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +2.0 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election 2015: Bedford<ref name=electoralcalculus2015>{{cite web|title=Election Data 2015|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt|archive-date=17 October 2015}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Fuller |votes = 19,625 |percentage = 42.6 |change = +3.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Patrick Hall |votes = 18,528 |percentage = 40.2 |change = +4.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = UK Independence Party |candidate = Charlie Smith |votes = 4,434 |percentage = 9.6 |change = +7.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Democrats (UK) |candidate = Mahmud Rogers |votes = 1,958 |percentage = 4.2 |change = −15.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Green Party of England and Wales |candidate = Ben Foley <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Ben-Foley-contest-Bedford-Kempston-Constituency/story-25835419-detail/story.html#comments|title=Ben Foley to contest Bedford & Kempston Constituency for Greens|work=Bedfordshire News|access-date=10 January 2015|archive-date=11 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111004653/http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Ben-Foley-contest-Bedford-Kempston-Constituency/story-25835419-detail/story.html#comments|url-status=live}}</ref> |votes = 1,412 |percentage = 3.1 |change = +2.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent politician |candidate = Faruk Choudhury |votes = 129 |percentage = 0.3 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 1,097 |percentage = 2.4 |change = −0.6 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 46,086 |percentage = 66.5 |change = +0.6 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 69,311 |change = +820 }} {{Election box hold with party link |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = −0.3 }} {{Election box end}} {{See also|Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15#Bedford}} {{Election box begin| |title= General election 2010: Bedford<ref name=electoralcalculus2010>{{cite web|title=Election Data 2010|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726162034/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt|archive-date=26 July 2013 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Fuller |votes = 17,546 |percentage = 38.9 |change = +5.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Patrick Hall |votes = 16,193 |percentage = 35.9 |change = −5.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Democrats (UK) |candidate = Henry Vann |votes = 8,957 |percentage = 19.9 |change = −1.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = UK Independence Party |candidate = Mark Adkin |votes = 1,136 |percentage = 2.5 |change = +0.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = British National Party |candidate = William Dewick |votes = 757 |percentage = 1.7 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Green Party of England and Wales |candidate = Ben Foley |votes = 393 |percentage = 0.9 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent politician |candidate = Samrat Deep Bhandari |votes = 120 |percentage = 0.3 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 1,353 |percentage = 3.0 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 45,102 |percentage = 65.9 |change = +3.8 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 68,491 |change = +21 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Labour Party (UK) |swing = +5.5 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small> {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" | 2005 notional result<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://electionresults.parliament.uk/general-elections/7 |title=Notional results for a UK general election on 5 May 2005 |date= |access-date=11 May 2026 |work=Rallings & Thrasher |publisher=UK Parliament}}</ref> |- ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | % |- | {{party color cell|Labour Party (UK)}} | Labour ||align=right| 17,657 ||align=right|41.6 |- | {{party color cell|Conservative Party (UK)}} | Conservative ||align=right| 14,244 ||align=right|33.5 |- | {{party color cell|Liberal Democrats (UK)}} | Liberal Democrats ||align=right| 9,263 ||align=right|21.8 |- | {{party color cell|UKIP}} | UKIP ||align=right| 1,011 ||align=right|2.4 |- | {{party color cell|Independent politician}} | Others ||align=right| 283 ||align=right|0.7 |- |colspan="4" bgcolor="#EAECF0"| |- |colspan="2"|'''Turnout''' |align=right|42,458 |align=right|62.0 |- |colspan="2"|'''Electorate''' |align=right|68,470 |}

===Elections in the 2000s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 2005: Bedford<ref name=electoralcalculus2005>{{cite web|title=Election Data 2005|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054249/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Patrick Hall |votes = 17,557 |percentage = 41.7 |change = −6.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Fuller |votes = 14,174 |percentage = 33.7 |change = +0.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Democrats (UK) |candidate = Michael Headley |votes = 9,063 |percentage = 21.5 |change = +5.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = UK Independence Party |candidate = Peter Conquest |votes = 995 |percentage = 2.4 |change = +1.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent politician |candidate = John McCready |votes = 283 |percentage = 0.7 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 3,383 |percentage = 8.0 |change = −7.1 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 42,072 |percentage = 59.6 |change = −0.3 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 70,629 |change = +2,866 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Labour Party (UK) |swing = −3.5 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 2001: Bedford<ref name=electoralcalculus2001>{{cite web|title=Election Data 2001|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054450/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Patrick Hall |votes = 19,454 |percentage = 47.9 |change = −2.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Charlotte Attenborough |votes = 13,297 |percentage = 32.8 |change = −0.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Democrats (UK) |candidate = Michael Headley |votes = 6,425 |percentage = 15.8 |change = +3.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent politician |candidate = Richard Rawlins |votes = 973 |percentage = 2.4 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = UK Independence Party |candidate = Jennifer Lo Bianco |votes = 430 |percentage = 1.1 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 6,157 |percentage = 15.1 |change = −1.8 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 40,579 |percentage = 59.9 |change = −13.6 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 67,763 |change = +1,203 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Labour Party (UK) |swing = −0.9 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1990s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1997: Bedford<ref name=electoralcalculus1997>{{cite web|title=Election Data 1997|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054424/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Patrick Hall |votes = 24,774 |percentage = 50.6 |change = +14.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Bob Blackman |votes = 16,474 |percentage = 33.7 |change = −11.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Democrats (UK) |candidate = Christopher Noyce |votes = 6,044 |percentage = 12.3 |change = −4.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Referendum Party |candidate = Peter Conquest |votes = 1,503 |percentage = 3.1 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Natural Law Party |candidate = Patricia Saunders |votes = 149 |percentage = 0.3 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 8,300 |percentage = 16.9 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 48,944 |percentage = 73.5 |change = –3.0 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 66,560 |change = +796 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Labour Party (UK) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +13.0 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small> {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="4" | 1992 notional result<ref>{{cite web |title=1992 (Implied) Election Result |url=https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992nb.txt |website=electoralcalculus.co.uk |publisher=Electoral Calculus |access-date=7 April 2025}}</ref> |- ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | % |- | {{party color cell|Conservative Party (UK)}} | Conservative ||align=right| 22,863 ||align=right| 45.4 |- | {{party color cell|Labour Party (UK)}} | Labour ||align=right| 18,318 ||align=right| 36.4 |- | {{party color cell|Liberal Democrats (UK)}} | Liberal Democrats ||align=right| 8,263 ||align=right| 16.4 |- | {{party color cell|Independent politician}} | Others ||align=right| 881 ||align=right| 1.8 |- |colspan="4" bgcolor="#EAECF0"| |- |colspan="2"|'''Turnout''' |align=right|50,325 |align=right|76.5 |- |colspan="2"|'''Electorate''' |align=right|65,764 |}

===Elections in the 1970s=== {{Election box begin | |title=General election 1979: Bedford<ref name="ElectionWeb74" /> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Trevor Skeet |votes = 31,140 |percentage = 51.21 |change = +7.60 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = NA Hyman |votes = 18,727 |percentage = 30.80 |change = −5.64 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = B Gibbons |votes = 10,129 |percentage = 16.66 |change = −3.29 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = National Front (UK) |candidate = R Stearns |votes = 813 |percentage =1.34 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 12,413 |percentage = 20.41 |change = +13.23 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 60,809 |percentage = 78.65 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +6.62 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election October 1974: Bedford<ref name="ElectionWeb74" /> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Trevor Skeet |votes = 24,834 |percentage = 43.61 |change = +1.10 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Brian Parkyn |votes = 20,746 |percentage = 36.43 |change = +4.06 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = JC Griffiths |votes = 11,360 |percentage = 19.95 |change = −5.16 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 4,088 |percentage = 7.18 |change = −2.96 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 56,940 |percentage = 76.80 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = −1.48 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election February 1974: Bedford<ref name="ElectionWeb74" /> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Trevor Skeet |votes = 26,082 |percentage = 42.51 |change = −8.00 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Gordon Colling |votes = 19,861 |percentage = 32.37 |change = −8.01 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = JC Griffiths |votes = 15,405 |percentage = 25.11 |change = +16.01 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 6,221 |percentage = 10.14 |change = +0.01 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 61,348 |percentage = 83.51 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +0.01 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election 1970: Bedford<ref name="ElectionWeb74" /> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Trevor Skeet |votes = 26,330 |percentage = 50.52 |change = +6.06 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Brian Parkyn |votes = 21,051 |percentage = 40.39 |change = −4.83 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Arthur W Butcher |votes = 4,740 |percentage = 9.09 |change = +1.23 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 5,279 |percentage = 10.13 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 52,121 |percentage = 77.31 |change = }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Labour Party (UK) |swing = +5.45 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1960s=== {{Election box begin | |title=General election 1966: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Brian Parkyn |votes = 22,257 |percentage = 45.22 |change = +6.69 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Christopher Soames |votes = 21,879 |percentage = 44.46 |change = −0.73 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = John E Burrell |votes = 5,080 |percentage = 10.32 |change = −5.96 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 378 |percentage = 0.76 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 49,216 |percentage = 81.55 |change = }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Labour Party (UK) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +3.71 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election 1964: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Christopher Soames |votes = 21,404 |percentage = 45.18 |change = −5.68 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Brian Parkyn |votes = 18,256 |percentage = 38.54 |change = +2.32 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Walter Ernest Norton |votes = 7,712 |percentage = 16.28 |change = +3.36 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 3,148 |percentage = 6.64 |change = −8.01 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 47,372 |percentage = 80.41 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = −4.00 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1950s=== {{Election box begin | |title=General election 1959: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Christopher Soames |votes = 23,495 |percentage = 50.87 |change = −4.68 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Maurice Foley |votes = 16,728 |percentage = 36.22 |change = −8.24 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Maurice L Rowlandson |votes = 5,966 |percentage = 12.92 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 6,767 |percentage = 14.65 |change = +3.55 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 46,189 |percentage = 83.56 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +1.78 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election 1955: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Christopher Soames |votes = 24,733 |percentage = 55.55 |change = +6.12 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Harold James Aldridge |votes = 19,792 |percentage = 44.45 |change = +0.94 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 4,941 |percentage = 11.10 |change = +5.19 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 44,525 |percentage = 81.79 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +2.59 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election 1951: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Christopher Soames |votes = 23,278 |percentage = 49.43 |change = +1.77 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Peter Parker |votes = 20,494 |percentage = 43.52 |change = +0.44 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Henry Philpott |votes = 3,323 |percentage = 7.06 |change = −1.76 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 2,784 |percentage = 5.91 |change = +1.33 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 47,095 |percentage = 87.14 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +0.67 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election 1950: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Christopher Soames |votes = 21,942 |percentage = 47.66 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Thomas Skeffington-Lodge |votes = 19,834 |percentage = 43.08 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Leonard John Humphrey |votes = 4,060 |percentage = 8.82 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Communist Party of Great Britain |candidate = Betty Matthews<ref>{{cite news|last1=Benton|first1=Sarah|title=Betty Matthews|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/jun/06/guardianobituaries|work=The Guardian|date=6 June 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417085417/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/jun/06/guardianobituaries|archive-date=17 April 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> |votes = 207 |percentage = 0.45 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 2,108 |percentage = 4.58 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 46,043 |percentage = 87.55 |change = }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Labour Party (UK) |swing = }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1940s=== {{Election box begin | |title=General election 1945: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Thomas Skeffington-Lodge |votes = 19,849 |percentage = 41.71 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Wells |votes = 19,561 |percentage = 41.10 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Leonard John Humphrey |votes = 8,183 |percentage = 17.19 |change = }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 288 |percentage = 0.61 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 47,593 |percentage = 73.10 |change = }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Labour Party (UK) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1930s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1935: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Wells |votes = 22,476 |percentage = 62.29 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Norman Mickle |votes = 13,604 |percentage = 37.71 |change = }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 8,872 |percentage = 24.58 |change = }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 36,080 |percentage = 73.39 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1931: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Wells |votes = 25,030 |percentage = 72.17 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Clare Annesley |votes = 9,654 |percentage = 27.83 |change = }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 15,376 |percentage = 44.34 |change = }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 34,684 |percentage = 73.25 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1920s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1929: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Unionist Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Wells |votes = 16,724 |percentage = 46.0 |change = −6.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Alfred Machin |votes = 10,520 |percentage = 28.9 |change = −0.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = George Dixon |votes = 9,147 |percentage = 25.1 |change = +6.6 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 6,204 |percentage = 17.1 |change = −5.6 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 36,391 |percentage = 79.1 |change = −2.6 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Unionist Party (UK) |swing = −2.8 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1924: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Unionist Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Wells |votes = 15,000 |percentage = 52.1 |change = +1.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Milner Gray |votes = 8,451 |percentage = 29.4 |change = −19.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = George Dixon |votes = 5,330 |percentage = 18.5 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 6,549 |percentage = 22.7 |change = +20.9 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 28,781 |percentage = 81.7 |change = +8.2 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Unionist Party (UK) |swing = +10.4 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1923: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Unionist Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Wells |votes = 12,906 |percentage = 50.9 |change = +0.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Milner Gray |votes = 12,449 |percentage = 49.1 |change = +41.3 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 457 |percentage = 1.8 |change = −27.1 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 25,355 |percentage = 73.5 |change = −5.6 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Unionist Party (UK) |swing = −20.4 }} {{Election box end}}

thumb|120px|Lady Lawson

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1922: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Unionist Party (UK) |candidate = Richard Wells |votes = 13,460 |percentage = 50.3 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = National Liberal Party (UK, 1922) |candidate = Frederick Kellaway |votes = 5,714 |percentage = 21.4 |change = −38.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Arthur Sells |votes = 5,477 |percentage = 20.5 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Mary Camilla Lawson |votes = 2,075 |percentage = 7.8 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 7,746 |percentage = 28.9 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 26,726 |percentage = 79.1 |change = +33.9 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Unionist Party (UK) |loser = National Liberal Party (UK, 1922) |swing = }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title = 1921 Bedford by-election }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link coalition 1918| |party = Coalition Liberal |candidate = Frederick Kellaway |votes = 14,397 |percentage = 59.7 |change = −13.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Labour Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Fox Riley |votes = 9,731 |percentage = 40.3 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 4,666 |percentage = 19.4 |change = −26.0 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 24,128 |percentage = |change = }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Coalition Liberal |swing = }} {{Election box end 1918}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1910s=== thumb|120px|Kellaway {{Election box begin no change| | title = General election 1918: Bedford }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link coalition 1918 no change| |party = Coalition Liberal |candidate = Frederick Kellaway |votes = 10,933 |percentage = 72.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Independent (politician) |candidate = Henry Burridge |votes = 4,096 |percentage = 27.3 }} {{Election box majority no change| |votes = 6,837 |percentage = 45.4 }} {{Election box turnout no change| |votes = 15,029 |percentage = 45.2 }} {{Election box registered electors no change| |reg. electors = }} {{Election box new boundary win| |winner = Coalition Liberal }} {{Election box end 1918}}

'''General Election 1914–15''' Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected; * '''Liberal''': Frederick Kellaway * '''Unionist''': Gerald de la Pryme Hargreaves * '''Labour''': Frederick Fox Riley thumb|120px|Kellaway {{Election box begin | |title=General election December 1910: Bedford<ref name="auto">British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Kellaway |votes = 2,773 |percentage = 50.2 |change = +1.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Walter Attenborough |votes = 2,754 |percentage = 49.8 |change = −1.7 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 19 |percentage = 0.4 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 5,527 |percentage = 91.2 |change = −2.3 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +1.7 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | |title=General election January 1910: Bedford<ref name="auto"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Walter Attenborough |votes = 2,919 |percentage = 51.5 |change = +6.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Percy Barlow |votes = 2,750 |percentage = 48.5 |change = −6.4 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 169 |percentage = 3.0 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 5,669 |percentage = 93.5 |change = +2.3 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1900s=== thumb|120px|Barlow {{Election box begin | title=General election 1906: Bedford<ref name="auto"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Percy Barlow |votes = 2,771 |percentage = 54.9 |change = +8.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Charles Pym |votes = 2,278 |percentage = 45.1 |change = −8.3 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 493 |percentage = 9.8 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 5,049 |percentage = 91.2 |change = +7.1 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 5,535 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +8.3 }} {{Election box end}}

thumb|120px|Pym

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1900: Bedford<ref name="auto"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Charles Pym |votes = 2,115 |percentage = 53.4 |change = +1.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Percy Barlow |votes = 1,848 |percentage = 46.6 |change = −1.2 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 267 |percentage = 6.8 |change = +2.4 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 3,963 |percentage = 84.1 |change = −6.5 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 4,711 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +1.2 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1890s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1895: Bedford <ref name="auto"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Charles Pym |votes =1,976 |percentage = 52.2 |change = +3.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 1,810 |percentage = 47.8 |change = &minus;3.8 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 166 |percentage = 4.4 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes =3,786 |percentage = 90.6 |change =+1.0 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 4,179 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +3.8 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=General election 1892: Bedford <ref name="auto"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 1,850 |percentage = 51.6 |change = +1.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Charles Pym |votes =1,732 |percentage = 48.4 |change = −1.2 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 118 |percentage = 3.2 |change = +2.4 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 3,582 |percentage = 89.6 |change = +1.1 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 3,998 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +1.2 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1880s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1886: Bedford <ref name="auto"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes =1,399 |percentage =50.4 |change = &minus;4.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate =James Herman de Ricci |votes =1,376 |percentage =49.6 |change =+4.9 }} {{Election box majority| |votes =23 |percentage =0.8 |change = &minus;9.8 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes =2,775 |percentage =88.5 |change = &minus;3.2 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 3,134 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = &minus;4.9 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=General election 1885: Bedford <ref name="auto"/><ref>Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes =1,588 |percentage =55.3 |change = −17.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate =James Herman de Ricci |votes =1,286 |percentage =44.7 |change = +17.4 }} {{Election box majority| |votes =302 |percentage =10.6 |change = +3.3 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes =2,874 |percentage =91.7 |change = −2.6 (est) }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 3,134 }} {{Election box hold with party link |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = −17.4 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1880: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832">{{cite book|editor1-last=Craig|editor1-first=F. W. S.|editor-link=F. W. S. Craig|title=British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885|date=1977|publisher=Macmillan Press|location=London|isbn=978-1-349-02349-3|edition=1st|type=e-book}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes =1,470 |percentage = 38.1 |change = +1.7 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Charles Magniac |votes =1,333 |percentage = 34.6 |change = +2.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill-Turner |votes =1,053 |percentage = 27.3 |change = −4.6 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 280 |percentage = 7.3 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 2,455 (est) |percentage = 94.3 (est) |change =−0.2 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 2,603 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +2.0 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +2.6 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1870s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1874: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes =1,155 |percentage = 36.4 |change = +3.8 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill-Turner |votes =1,010 |percentage = 31.9 |change = −1.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Charles Magniac |votes = 1,006 |percentage = 31.7 |change = −2.7 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 2,091 (est) |percentage = 94.5 (est) |change = +4.9 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 2,213 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 145 |percentage = 4.5 |change = −7.9 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +2.2 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 4 |percentage = 0.2 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +1.7 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1860s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1868: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = James Howard |votes = 1,311 |percentage =34.4 |change = +9.7 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 1,242 |percentage = 32.6 |change = −9.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill-Turner |votes = 769 |percentage = 20.2 |change = +3.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Edward Loughlin O'Malley |votes = 491 |percentage = 12.9 |change = −4.2 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 473 |percentage = 12.4 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 1,907 (est) |percentage = 89.6 (est) |change = +5.0 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 2,127 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +7.0 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = −6.1 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1865: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 574 |percentage = 41.1 |change = +15.2 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = William Stuart |votes = 476 |percentage = 34.1 |change = −15.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Montague Chambers |votes = 345 |percentage = 24.7 |change = +0.4 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 936 (est) |percentage = 84.6 (est) |change = −10.2 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 1,106 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 98 |percentage = 7.0 |change = +6.6 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +11.6 }} {{Election box majority| |votes =131 |percentage = 9.4 |change = +8.2 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = −11.6 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1850s=== {{Election box begin | title=By-election, 28 June 1859: Bedford<ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 441 |percentage = 53.1 |change = +2.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill-Turner |votes = 389 |percentage = 46.9 |change = −2.9 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 52 |percentage = 6.2 |change = +5.8 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 830 |percentage = 89.5 |change =−5.3 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 927 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +2.9 }} {{Election box end}} * Caused by Whitbread's appointment as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty.

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1859: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 455 |percentage = 25.9 |change = −5.5 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = William Stuart |votes = 449 |percentage = 25.5 |change = +12.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Thomas Barnard |votes = 427 |percentage = 24.3 |change = −5.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill-Turner |votes = 427 |percentage = 24.3 |change = +11.2 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 879 (est) |percentage = 94.8 (est) |change = +12.9 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 927 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 6 |percentage = 0.4 |change = −3.7 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = −8.7 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 22 |percentage = 1.2 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Liberal Party (UK) |swing = +9.1 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1857: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 452 |percentage = 31.4 |change = +13.3 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = Thomas Barnard |votes = 435 |percentage = 30.2 |change = +12.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = William Stuart |votes = 376 |percentage = 26.1 |change = −16.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Radicals (UK) |candidate = Edward Tyrrell Smith<ref>{{cite news|title=Bedford Election|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000352/18570328/027/0005|work=Hertford Mercury and Reformer|date=28 March 1857|page=5|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref> |votes = 176 |percentage = 12.2 |change = −8.7 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 59 |percentage = 4.1 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 720 (est) |percentage = 81.9 (est) |change = +15.7 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 879 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |swing = +10.9 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +10.3 }} {{Election box end}}

* Smith was also supported by the Conservatives.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mr. E. T. Smith for Bedford|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000312/18570331/017/0003|work=Cheltenham Chronicle|date=31 March 1857|page=3|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref>

{{Election box begin | title=By-election, 6 December 1854: Bedford<ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = William Stuart |votes = 422 |percentage = 56.0 |change = +13.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Radicals (UK) |candidate = John Salusbury-Trelawny<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hoppen|first1=K. Theodore|title=Governing Hibernia: British Politicians and Ireland 1800–1921|date=2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|isbn=9780198207436|page=133|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sZXSDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA133|access-date=21 September 2020|archive-date=14 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214080457/https://books.google.com/books?id=sZXSDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA133|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bedford Election|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000150/18541209/084/0007|work=Worcester Journal|date=9 December 1854|pages=7–8|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bedford Election|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000193/18541209/002/0003|work=Leeds Intelligencer|date=9 December 1854|page=3|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref> |votes = 331 |percentage = 44.0 |change = +23.1 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 91 |percentage = 12.0 |change = +5.2 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 753 |percentage = 82.5 |change = +16.3 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 913 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = −5.0 }} {{Election box end}}

* Caused by Stuart's death.

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1852: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Henry Stuart |votes = 517 |percentage = 42.9 |change = −21.6 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 435 |percentage = 36.1 |change = +0.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Radicals (UK) |candidate = Thomas Chisholm Anstey<ref>{{cite news|title=The Elections|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000031/18520714/167/0008|work=Aberdeen Press and Journal|date=14 July 1852|page=8|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Election Intelligence|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000082/18520708/002/0006|work=Morning Chronicle|date=8 July 1852|pages=2–6|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref> |votes = 252 |percentage = 20.9 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 602 (est) |percentage = 66.2 (est) |change = −14.4 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 910 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 82 |percentage = 6.8 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = −11.0 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 183 |percentage = 15.2 |change = +10.4 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |swing = +5.6 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1840s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1847: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = Harry Verney |votes = 453 |percentage = 35.5 |change = +3.1 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Henry Stuart |votes = 432 |percentage = 33.8 |change = +0.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill |votes = 392 |percentage = 30.7 |change = −3.6 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 61 |percentage = 4.8 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 865 (est) |percentage = 80.6 (est) |change = −17.3 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 1,073 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |loser = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +3.1 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = −0.5 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1841: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/><ref name="stooks-smith"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill |votes = 433 |percentage = 34.3 |change = &minus;1.7 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Henry Stuart |votes = 421 |percentage = 33.3 |change = +1.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = William Henry Whitbread |votes = 410 |percentage = 32.4 |change = +0.7 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 12 |percentage = 0.9 |change = +0.3 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 809 |percentage = 97.9 |change = +29.5 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 1,073 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = &minus;1.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +0.3 }} {{Election box end}} <small>Back to Elections</small>

===Elections in the 1830s=== {{Election box begin | title=General election 1837: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/><ref name="stooks-smith"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill |votes = 467 |percentage = 36.0 |change = +16.8 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Henry Stuart |votes = 419 |percentage = 32.3 |change = +13.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = Samuel Crawley |votes = 412 |percentage = 31.7 |change = &minus;29.9 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 7 |percentage = 0.6 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 815 |percentage = 68.4 |change = +1.8 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 1,192 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |swing = +15.9 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Whigs (British political party) |swing = +14.0 }} {{Election box end}}

* On petition, Stuart was unseated and Crawley was declared elected.

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1835: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/><ref name="stooks-smith"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Conservative Party (UK) |candidate = Frederick Polhill |votes = 490 |percentage = 38.4 |change = +7.6 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = Samuel Crawley |votes = 403 |percentage = 31.6 |change = +0.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = William Henry Whitbread |votes = 383 |percentage = 30.0 |change = &minus;8.2 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 107 |percentage = 8.4 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 834 |percentage = 66.6 |change = +5.5 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 1,252 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Conservative Party (UK) |loser = Whigs (British political party) |swing = +7.6 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |swing = &minus;1.6 }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1832: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/><ref name="stooks-smith"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = William Henry Whitbread |votes = 599 |percentage = 38.2 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = Samuel Crawley |votes = 486 |percentage = 31.0 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Tories (British political party) |candidate = Frederick Polhill |votes = 483 |percentage = 30.8 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 3 |percentage = 0.2 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 961 |percentage = 61.1 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 1,572 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |swing = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |loser = Tories (British political party) |swing = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1831: Bedford (2 seats)<ref name="stooks-smith"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = William Henry Whitbread }} {{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link| |party = Tories (British political party) |candidate = Frederick Polhill }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing| |winner = Whigs (British political party) }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing| |winner = Tories (British political party) }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1830: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="craig1832"/><ref name="stooks-smith"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = William Henry Whitbread |votes = 515 |percentage = 34.4 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Tories (British political party) |candidate = Frederick Polhill |votes = 491 |percentage = 32.8 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = John Russell |votes = 490 |percentage = 32.8 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 914 |percentage = |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 24 |percentage = 1.6 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |swing = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 1 |percentage = 0.0 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Tories (British political party) |loser = Whigs (British political party) |swing = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box end}}

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===Elections in the 1820s=== <ref>{{cite web |editor-last1=Fisher |editor-first1=D.R. |title=Bedford - 1820-1832 |url=http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1820-1832/constituencies/bedford |website=History of Parliament Online |publisher=Cambridge University Press |access-date=12 December 2019 |archive-date=14 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214080501/http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1820-1832/constituencies/bedford |url-status=live }}</ref>

* 1826: Lord George Russell and William Henry Whitbread (both Whig) elected unopposed * 1820: Lord George Russell and William Henry Whitbread (both Whig) elected unopposed

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===Elections in the 1810s=== <ref name="HPO 1790">{{cite web |editor-last1=Thorne |editor-first1=R. |title=Bedford - 1790-1820 |url=http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1790-1820/constituencies/bedford |website=History of Parliament Online |publisher=Boydell and Brewer |access-date=12 December 2019 |archive-date=3 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903222315/http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1790-1820/constituencies/bedford |url-status=live }}</ref>

* 1818: Lord George Russell and William Henry Whitbread (both Whig) elected unopposed * 1815: Following the death of Samuel Whitbread, Hon. William Waldegrave (Whig) elected unopposed * 1812: Lord George Russell and Samuel Whitbread (both Whig) elected unopposed

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===Elections in the 1800s=== <ref name="HPO 1790"/>

* 1807: William Lee Antonie and Samuel Whitbread (both Whig) elected unopposed * 1806: William Lee Antonie and Samuel Whitbread (both Whig) elected unopposed * 1802: William Lee Antonie and Samuel Whitbread (both Whig) elected unopposed

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===Elections in the 1790s=== <ref name="HPO 1790"/>

* 1796: William MacDowall Colhoun (Tory) and Samuel Whitbread (Whig) elected unopposed

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1790: Bedford (2 seats) <ref name="HPO 1790"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Tories (British political party) |candidate = William MacDowall Colhoun |votes = 616 |percentage = 34.4 |change = }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Whigs (British political party) |candidate = Samuel Whitbread |votes = 601 |percentage = 33.6 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Tories (British political party) |candidate = John Payne |votes = 574 |percentage = 32.0 |change = }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 27 |percentage = 1.5 |change = }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = c.1,200 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Tories (British political party) |swing = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Whigs (British political party) |swing = }} {{Election box end}}

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==See also== * List of parliamentary constituencies in Bedfordshire * Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15

==Notes== {{Reflist|group=n}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Sources== * {{cite book | first=Robert | last=Beatson | author-link = Robert Beatson | title=A chronological register of both houses of the British Parliament, Volume II | year=1807 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XiDFKwjKZZ4C}} * F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885" (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989) * F W S Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949" (Glasgow: Political Reference Publications, 1969) * T. H. B. Oldfield, ''The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland'' (London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1816) * J Holladay Philbin, ''Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965) * Edward Porritt and Annie G Porritt, ''The Unreformed House of Commons'' (Cambridge University Press, 1903) * Henry Stooks Smith, "The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847" (2nd edition, edited by FWS Craig – Chichester: Parliamentary Reference Publications, 1973) * Frederic A Youngs, jr, ''Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I'' (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979) * ''The Constitutional Year Book for 1913'' (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913)

==External links== * [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/12913.html Bedford UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at ''MapIt UK'' * [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/65561.html Bedford UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at ''MapIt UK'' * [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/168416.html Bedford UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries from June 2024) at ''MapIt UK''

{{Constituencies in the East of England}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Bedfordshire Category:Politics of the Borough of Bedford Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1295 Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1983 Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1997