Liberal David Penhaligon originally gained this seat from the Conservatives in October 1974 with a majority of just 464. He was an enthusiastic campaigner and Truro became one of the bases upon which Liberal success in the South West was built.
After his death, in a car crash in the constituency in 1986, his researcher Matthew Taylor was selected to contest the by-election. He was elected with a majority of 14,617 and has held it since.
Truro is Cornwall's county town and acts as a retailing business and administrative centre. But the main centre of population and industry is St Austell with its china clay mining. Tourism is concentrated around the northern and southern coasts.