Portsmouth Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Portsmouth Central was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. It existed from 1918 until 1950.

Creation and Abolition: The constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1918, largely from parts of the pre-existing Portsmouth constituency, which was divided into Portsmouth North, Portsmouth Central, and Portsmouth South. It was abolished for the 1950 general election when the city's constituencies were redrawn, and the area largely became part of the new Portsmouth West constituency.

Boundaries: The constituency covered the central portions of Portsmouth, including areas such as Landport and Fratton. Specific ward boundaries varied over time due to local government changes, but generally included the more densely populated inner-city areas.

Members of Parliament: The following individuals served as Members of Parliament (MPs) for Portsmouth Central:

• 1918-1922: Sir Thomas Arthur Bramsdon (Liberal)
• 1922-1923: Sir John Lort-Williams (Conservative)
• 1923-1929: Sir Thomas Arthur Bramsdon (Liberal)
• 1929-1931: Charles Patrick Duff Rose (Labour)
• 1931-1945: Sir Ralph Glyn (Conservative)
• 1945-1950: Francis Noel-Baker (Labour)

Electoral History: The seat saw swings between the Liberal, Conservative, and Labour parties during its existence, reflecting the changing political landscape of the interwar period and the immediate post-World War II era. The Liberal party held the seat initially, reflecting pre-war strengths, but lost ground to both the Conservatives and Labour as the 20th century progressed.