Tunbridge Wells (UK Parliament constituency)
Tunbridge Wells | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Kent |
Electorate | 75,213 (2023)[1] |
Major settlements | |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1974 |
Member of Parliament | Mike Martin (Liberal Democrats) |
Seats | One |
Created from |
Tunbridge Wells is a constituency[n 1] in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Mike Martin, a Liberal Democrat.[n 2]
Boundaries
1974–1983: The Borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells, the Urban District of Southborough, the Rural District of Cranbrook, in the Rural District of Tonbridge the parishes of Bidborough, Brenchley, Capel, Horsmonden, Lamberhurst, Paddock Wood, Pembury, Speldhurst.
1983–1997: The Borough of Tunbridge Wells. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged.
1997–2010: The Borough of Tunbridge Wells wards of Brenchley, Capel, Culverden, Goudhurst, Horsmonden, Lamberhurst, Paddock Wood, Pantiles, Park, Pembury, Rusthall, St James', St John's, St Mark's, Sherwood, Southborough East, Southborough North, Southborough West, Speldhurst and Bidborough.
2010–present: The Borough of Tunbridge Wells wards of Brenchley and Horsmonden, Broadwater, Capel, Culverden, Goudhurst and Lamberhurst, Hawkhurst and Sandhurst, Paddock Wood East, Paddock Wood West, Pantiles and St Mark's, Park, Pembury, Rusthall, St James', St John's, Sherwood, Southborough and High Brooms, Southborough North, Speldhurst and Bidborough.
The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged.[2]
The current constituency includes the large town of Tunbridge Wells, as well as most of its borough to the east, which is generally rural.
History
The constituency was created in 1974, and was originally named "Royal Tunbridge Wells". Except for Cranbrook Rural District (previously part of the Ashford constituency) the area had formed part of the constituency of Tonbridge prior to 1974. In 1983 the "Royal" prefix was removed from the seat's name.
- Political history
The seat's results since its 1974 creation indicate a Conservative safe seat. In 1994, the Conservative group on the council lost control, but regained it in 1998.
- Prominent frontbenchers
In succession, from 1983 until 1997 Patrick Mayhew reached three leading positions: Solicitor General for England and Wales, Attorney General for England and Wales and for Northern Ireland (simultaneously) and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
From 2000 to 2001, Archie Norman was the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions.
The previous MP Greg Clark, was Minister for Decentralisation from the start of the Cameron ministry, and then two years later became Financial Secretary to the Treasury. He then served as the Minister of State for Cities and Constitution, Minister of State for Universities, Science and Cities before serving in the cabinet as the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government after the 2015 General Election
In the May ministry, he served throughout as the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy before stepping down after May's resignation in July 2019. After returning to the backbenches, he served as the chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee across the Johnson, Truss and Sunak ministries.
Clark stepped down for the 2024 general election, when the seat was won by Mike Martin of the Liberal Democrats – the first time it, and its predecessor Tonbridge, have not been represented by a Conservative since the latter's creation in 1918.
Constituency profile
The area is still largely rural in character and landscape, enjoying a gently elevated position which is traversed by the High Weald Landscape Trail. The area has local service sector and financial sector employers, light engineering combined with being substantially a commuter belt town for London, and to an extent, businesses on the southern side of the M25, such as in the Gatwick Diamond.
The electorate voted for Remain in the 2016 EU referendum, and are wealthier than the UK average.[3]
Members of Parliament
Tonbridge and Ashford prior to 1974
Election | Member[4] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
February 1974 | Patrick Mayhew | Conservative | |
1997 | Archie Norman | Conservative | |
2005 | Greg Clark | Conservative | |
September 2019 | Independent | ||
November 2019 | Conservative | ||
2024 | Mike Martin | Liberal Democrats |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Mike Martin | 23,661 | 43.6 | +15.3 | |
Conservative | Neil Mahapatra | 14,974 | 27.6 | −27.5 | |
Reform UK | John Gager | 6,484 | 12.0 | N/A | |
Labour | Hugo Pound | 6,178 | 11.4 | −3.4 | |
Green | John Hurst | 2,344 | 4.3 | +4.3 | |
Independent | Hassan Kassem | 609 | 1.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 8,687 | 16.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 54,250 | 69.2 | −3.8 | ||
Registered electors | 78,738 | ||||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +21.4 |
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Greg Clark | 30,119 | 55.1 | –1.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Ben Chapelard | 15,474 | 28.3 | +18.4 | |
Labour | Antonio Weiss | 8,098 | 14.8 | –11.7 | |
Independent | Christopher Camp | 488 | 0.9 | N/A | |
Independent | Nigel Peacock | 471 | 0.9 | N/A | |
Majority | 14,645 | 26.8 | –3.6 | ||
Turnout | 54,650 | 73.0 | +0.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | –10.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Greg Clark | 30,856 | 56.9 | −1.8 | |
Labour | Charles Woodgate | 14,391 | 26.5 | +12.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Rachel Sadler | 5,355 | 9.9 | +1.5 | |
UKIP | Chris Hoare | 1,464 | 2.7 | −9.9 | |
Green | Trevor Bisdee | 1,441 | 2.7 | −2.5 | |
Women's Equality | Celine Thomas | 702 | 1.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 16,465 | 30.4 | −14.1 | ||
Turnout | 54,209 | 72.1 | +2.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -5.25 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Greg Clark | 30,181 | 58.7 | +2.5 | |
Labour | Kevin Kerrigan | 7,307 | 14.2 | +3.4 | |
UKIP | Colin Nicholson[10] | 6,481 | 12.6 | +8.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | James MacCleary[11][12] | 4,342 | 8.4 | −16.9 | |
Green | Marie Jones | 2,659 | 5.2 | +3.4 | |
Independent | Graham Naismith[13] | 458 | 0.9 | N/A | |
Majority | 22,874 | 44.5 | +13.6 | ||
Turnout | 51,428 | 70.0 | +0.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Greg Clark | 28,302 | 56.2 | +5.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Hallas | 12,726 | 25.3 | 0.0 | |
Labour | Gary Heather | 5,448 | 10.8 | −9.6 | |
UKIP | Victor Webb | 2,054 | 4.1 | +0.6 | |
Green | Hazel Dawe | 914 | 1.8 | N/A | |
BNP | Andrew McBride[15] | 704 | 1.4 | N/A | |
Independent | Farel Bradbury | 172 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 15,576 | 30.9 | +7.4 | ||
Turnout | 50,320 | 69.8 | +3.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.8 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Greg Clark | 21,083 | 49.6 | +0.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Laura Murphy | 11,095 | 26.1 | +1.4 | |
Labour | Jacqui Jedrzejewski | 8,736 | 20.6 | −2.6 | |
UKIP | Victor Webb | 1,568 | 3.7 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 9,988 | 23.5 | −0.7 | ||
Turnout | 42,482 | 65.7 | +3.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Archie Norman | 19,643 | 48.9 | +3.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Keith Brown | 9,913 | 24.7 | −5.0 | |
Labour | Ian Carvell | 9,332 | 23.2 | +2.8 | |
UKIP | Victor Webb | 1,313 | 3.3 | +2.8 | |
Majority | 9,730 | 24.2 | +6.7 | ||
Turnout | 40,201 | 62.3 | −11.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.4 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Archie Norman | 21,853 | 45.2 | −11.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Anthony S. Clayton | 14,347 | 29.7 | +1.3 | |
Labour | Peter Warner | 9,879 | 20.4 | +6.6 | |
Referendum | Tim Macpherson | 1,858 | 3.8 | N/A | |
UKIP | M. Smart | 264 | 0.5 | N/A | |
Natural Law | Paul Levy | 153 | 0.3 | −0.1 | |
Majority | 7,506 | 15.5 | −13.0 | ||
Turnout | 48,354 | 74.1 | −4.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -6.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Patrick Mayhew | 34,162 | 56.9 | −1.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Anthony S. Clayton | 17,030 | 28.4 | −1.6 | |
Labour | EAC Goodman | 8,300 | 13.8 | +2.2 | |
Natural Law | EW Fenna | 267 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Independent | R Edey | 236 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 17,132 | 28.5 | +0.1 | ||
Turnout | 59,995 | 78.1 | +3.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | 0.0 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Patrick Mayhew | 33,111 | 58.4 | +0.1 | |
Liberal | Dorothy Buckrell | 16,989 | 30.0 | ||
Labour | Peter Sloman | 6,555 | 11.6 | +0.3 | |
Majority | 16,122 | 28.4 | +0.1 | ||
Turnout | 56,655 | 74.3 | +1.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Patrick Mayhew | 31,199 | 58.3 | −1.2 | |
Liberal | Peter Blaine | 16,073 | 30.0 | +11.7 | |
Labour | Stephen Casely | 6,042 | 11.3 | −9.9 | |
National Front | D Smith | 236 | 0.4 | −0.5 | |
Majority | 15,126 | 28.3 | −10.0 | ||
Turnout | 53,550 | 72.7 | −2.00 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −6.5 |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Patrick Mayhew | 31,928 | 59.5 | +10.0 | |
Labour | AAJ Bartlett | 11,392 | 21.2 | −3.7 | |
Liberal | R Baker | 9,797 | 18.3 | −7.3 | |
National Front | W Standen | 509 | 0.9 | N/A | |
Majority | 20,536 | 38.3 | +14.3 | ||
Turnout | 53,626 | 74.7 | +2.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +6.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Patrick Mayhew | 24,829 | 49.5 | +0.1 | |
Liberal | DC Owens | 12,802 | 25.5 | −3.9 | |
Labour | RC Blackwell | 12,499 | 24.9 | +3.6 | |
Majority | 12,027 | 24.0 | +4.0 | ||
Turnout | 50,130 | 72.5 | −7.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Patrick Mayhew | 27,212 | 49.4 | ||
Liberal | DC Owens | 16,184 | 29.4 | ||
Labour | MF Short | 11,734 | 21.3 | ||
Majority | 11,028 | 20.0 | |||
Turnout | 55,130 | 80.4 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
See also
- List of parliamentary constituencies in Kent
- List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)
Notes
- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ 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.
References
- ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
- ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Tunbridge+Wells
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 2)
- ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll'". Tunbridge Wells Council. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Tunbridge Wells Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "2017 General Election: The 6 candidates in Tunbridge Wells". Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Tunbridge Wells". BBC. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- ^ "General Election 2015 Candidates - Liberal Democrats". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014.
- ^ "James MacCleary". YourNextMP. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ http://www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/88134/Statment-of-Persons-Nominated-Parliamentary-Election.pdf [permanent dead link ]
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "The British National Party — Blog — BNP's South East Regional Organiser to Contest the Tunbridge Wells Seat". bnp.org.uk. Archived from the original on 16 March 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
External links
- Tunbridge Wells UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
- Tunbridge Wells UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Tunbridge Wells UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK