Woking (UK Parliament constituency)
Woking | |
---|---|
Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
![]() Boundaries since 2024 | |
![]() Boundary of Woking in South East England | |
County | Surrey |
Electorate | 71,737 (2023)[1] |
Major settlements | |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1950 |
Member of Parliament | Will Forster (Liberal Democrat) |
Created from |
Woking is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Will Forster, a Liberal Democrat. Since it was first created for the 1950 general election, it had only ever returned Conservative Party candidates until it elected a Liberal Democrat for the first time in 2024.
Constituency profile
The seat comprises the Borough of Woking, which has one main town: Woking. Voters are, on average, wealthier than the UK average.[2]
History
The seat was created in 1950 from the county constituencies of Chertsey and lightly populated parts of Farnham.[n 1]
Prior to 2024, and with exceptions only in 1974 (February election), 1997, 2005 and 2010, this constituency returned a Conservative with majorities exceeding 15% of votes cast.
At the 2015 and 2017 general elections, the Labour candidates polled in second place, whereas in 2019 the Lib Dem candidate did so. Until the election of 2024, similar second place results had been emulated locally eight and nine times respectively by Labour and the Lib Dems.
A Conservative win by 11.2% of the vote in 1997 was a notably marginal result. By contrast, at the 2015 general election the seat was the 41st-safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority, 40 percentage points ahead of Labour.[3]
By 2024, the Liberal Democrats had a very sizeable majority on Woking Borough Council and there were no Conservative councillors left on the authority, although historically the Conservatives had been the dominant force on the council.
Local Conservatives won the previously relevant Guildford wards of Pirbright and Normandy over many election cycles, but these two villages become part of the Surrey Heath constituency from 2024 onwards following boundary changes.
Boundaries
- 1950–74: The Urban Districts of Frimley and Camberley, and Woking, and in the Rural District of Guildford the parishes of Ash, Normandy, and Pirbright.
- 1974–83: as above less Frimley and Camberley. Note that in 1974 these areas constituted the whole of Woking (borough) and a part of Guildford (borough).
- 1983–97: unchanged (i.e. The Borough of Woking, and the Borough of Guildford wards of Ash, Ash Vale, Normandy, and Pirbright.)
- 1997–2024: as above less Ash and Ash Vale
- 2024–present: The Borough of Woking wards of: Byfleet & West Byfleet; Canalside; Goldsworth Park; Heathlands; Hoe Valley; Horsell; Knaphill; Mount Hermon; Pyrford; and St. John's - (i.e. as per 1997 to 2024, less Normandy and Pirbright).
The 1974-recipient seat of Frimley and Camberley was North West Surrey (abolished in 1997).
The 1997-recipient seat of Ash and Ash Vale was Surrey Heath.
The Boundary Commission for England made no boundary changes for Woking in the review before the 2010 general election.
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the composition of the constituency for the 2024 United Kingdom general election was reduced by transferring the wards of Pirbright and Normandy to the constituency of Surrey Heath. The constituency boundaries of Woking thereby became coterminous with those of the Borough of Woking.[4]
Members of Parliament
Election | Member[5] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1950 | Harold Watkinson | Conservative | |
1964 | Sir Cranley Onslow | Conservative | |
1997 | Humfrey Malins | Conservative | |
2010 | Jonathan Lord | Conservative | |
2024 | Will Forster | Liberal Democrats |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Will Forster | 24,019 | 49.9 | +18.8 | |
Conservative | Jonathan Lord | 12,773 | 26.5 | –21.8 | |
Reform UK | Richard Barker | 4,888 | 10.2 | N/A | |
Labour | Ese Erheriene | 4,444 | 9.2 | –7.5 | |
Green | Nataly Anderson | 1,853 | 3.8 | +1.0 | |
Heritage | Tim Read | 168 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 11,246 | 23.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 48,145 | 66.0 | –4.4 | ||
Registered electors | 72,977 | ||||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +20.3 |
Elections in the 2010s
2019 notional result[7] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Vote | % | |
Conservative | 24,358 | 48.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | 15,675 | 31.1 | |
Labour | 8,444 | 16.7 | |
Green | 1,398 | 2.8 | |
Others | 600 | 1.2 | |
Turnout | 50,475 | 70.4 | |
Electorate | 71,737 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jonathan Lord | 26,396 | 48.9 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | Will Forster | 16,629 | 30.8 | ![]() | |
Labour | Gerry Mitchell | 8,827 | 16.4 | ![]() | |
Green | Ella Walding | 1,485 | 2.8 | ![]() | |
UKIP | Troy de Leon | 600 | 1.1 | ![]() | |
Majority | 9,767 | 18.1 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 53,937 | 71.5 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 75,455 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ![]() |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jonathan Lord | 29,903 | 54.1 | ![]() | |
Labour | Fiona Colley | 13,179 | 23.9 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | Will Forster | 9,711 | 17.6 | ![]() | |
UKIP | Troy de Leon | 1,161 | 2.1 | ![]() | |
Green | James Brierley | 1,092 | 2.0 | ![]() | |
Independent | Hassan Akberali | 200 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 16,724 | 30.2 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 55,246 | 72.5 | ![]() | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | ![]() |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jonathan Lord | 29,199 | 56.2 | +5.9 | |
Labour | Jill Rawling | 8,389 | 16.1 | +8.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Chris Took | 6,047 | 11.6 | −25.8 | |
UKIP | Rob Burberry | 5,873 | 11.3 | +7.5 | |
Green | Martin Robson | 2,109 | 4.1 | N/A | |
CISTA | Declan Wade | 229 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Magna Carta Conservation Party Great Britain | Ruth Temple | 77 | 0.1 | N/A | |
The Evolution Party | Angela Woolford | 41 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 20,810 | 40.0 | +27.1 | ||
Turnout | 51,964 | 70.0 | −1.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jonathan Lord | 26,551 | 50.3 | +2.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Rosie Sharpley | 19,744 | 37.4 | +4.3 | |
Labour | Tom Miller | 4,246 | 8.0 | −8.3 | |
UKIP | Rob Burberry | 1,997 | 3.8 | +0.9 | |
Peace | Julie Roxburgh | 204 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Magna Carta Conservation Party Great Britain | Ruth Temple | 44 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 6,807 | 12.9 | −1.5 | ||
Turnout | 52,786 | 71.5 | +8.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.7 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Humfrey Malins | 21,838 | 47.4 | +1.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Anne Lee | 15,226 | 33.1 | +2.8 | |
Labour | Ellie Blagbrough | 7,507 | 16.3 | −4.0 | |
UKIP | Matthew Davies | 1,324 | 2.9 | −0.5 | |
UK Community Issues Party | Michael Osman | 150 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 6,612 | 14.4 | −1.3 | ||
Turnout | 46,045 | 63.4 | +3.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Humfrey Malins | 19,747 | 46.0 | +7.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Alan Hilliar | 12,988 | 30.3 | +3.0 | |
Labour | Sabir Hussain | 8,714 | 20.3 | −0.7 | |
UKIP | Michael Harvey | 1,461 | 3.4 | +2.4 | |
Majority | 6,759 | 15.7 | +4.6 | ||
Turnout | 42,910 | 60.2 | −12.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.3 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Humfrey Malins | 19,553 | 38.4 | −20.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Philip Goldenberg | 13,875 | 27.3 | +0.2 | |
Labour | Katie Hanson | 10,695 | 21.0 | +7.6 | |
Ind. Conservative | Hugh Bell | 3,933 | 7.7 | N/A | |
Referendum | Christopher Skeate | 2,209 | 4.3 | N/A | |
UKIP | Michael Harvey | 512 | 1.0 | N/A | |
Natural Law | Deirdre Sleeman | 137 | 0.3 | −0.2 | |
Majority | 5,678 | 11.1 | −19.9 | ||
Turnout | 50,914 | 72.7 | −6.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -10.3 |
This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 37,744 | 58.9 | +0.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dorothy Buckrell | 17,902 | 28.0 | −3.4 | |
Labour | James Dalgleish | 8,080 | 12.6 | +2.1 | |
Natural Law | Teresa Macintyre | 302 | 0.5 | N/A | |
Majority | 19,842 | 31.0 | +4.3 | ||
Turnout | 64,028 | 79.2 | +4.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.1 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 35,990 | 58.1 | −0.2 | |
Alliance (Liberal) | Philip Goldenberg | 19,446 | 31.4 | +2.0 | |
Labour | Anita Pollack | 6,537 | 10.5 | −1.2 | |
Majority | 16,544 | 26.7 | −2.2 | ||
Turnout | 61,973 | 75.1 | +3.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 32,748 | 58.3 | +1.3 | |
Alliance (Liberal) | Philip Goldenberg | 16,511 | 29.4 | +11.4 | |
Labour | Barbara Broer | 6,566 | 11.7 | −6.3 | |
Party of Associates with Licensees | D. M. Comens | 368 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 16,237 | 28.9 | −4.2 | ||
Turnout | 56,193 | 71.7 | −4.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -5.1 |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 31,719 | 57.05 | +11.01 | |
Labour | Nigel Beard | 13,327 | 23.97 | +0.27 | |
Liberal | George H. Dunk | 9,991 | 17.97 | −10.43 | |
National Front | P. A. Gleave | 564 | 1.01 | −0.85 | |
Majority | 18,392 | 33.08 | +15.44 | ||
Turnout | 55,601 | 76.51 | +3.58 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 22,804 | 46.04 | −0.29 | |
Liberal | P. Wade | 14,069 | 28.40 | −4.01 | |
Labour | J. W. Tattersall | 11,737 | 23.70 | +2.44 | |
National Front | R. Vaughan-Smith | 921 | 1.86 | N/A | |
Majority | 8,735 | 17.64 | +3.72 | ||
Turnout | 49,531 | 72.93 | −7.94 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 25,243 | 46.33 | −10.38 | |
Liberal | P. Wade | 17,660 | 32.41 | +17.54 | |
Labour | J. W. Tattersall | 11,583 | 21.26 | −7.16 | |
Majority | 7,583 | 13.92 | −14.37 | ||
Turnout | 54,486 | 80.87 | +10.99 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -14.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 37,220 | 56.71 | +5.31 | |
Labour | R. M. Taylor | 18,652 | 28.42 | −2.38 | |
Liberal | P. Wade | 9,763 | 14.87 | −2.93 | |
Majority | 18,568 | 28.29 | +7.69 | ||
Turnout | 65,635 | 69.88 | −7.23 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.8 |
Elections in the 1960s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 32,057 | 51.40 | −0.30 | |
Labour | Michael Downing | 19,210 | 30.80 | +1.22 | |
Liberal | Agnes H. Scott | 11,104 | 17.80 | −0.92 | |
Majority | 12,847 | 20.60 | −1.52 | ||
Turnout | 62,371 | 77.11 | −0.98 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -0.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cranley Onslow | 31,170 | 51.70 | −15.70 | |
Labour | H. G. N. Clother | 17,834 | 29.58 | −3.02 | |
Liberal | Agnes H. Scott | 11,285 | 18.72 | N/A | |
Majority | 13,336 | 22.12 | −12.68 | ||
Turnout | 60,289 | 78.09 | +0.74 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -6.3 |
Elections in the 1950s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Harold Watkinson | 33,521 | 67.40 | +2.99 | |
Labour | R David Vaughan Williams | 16,210 | 32.60 | −2.99 | |
Majority | 17,311 | 34.80 | +5.98 | ||
Turnout | 49,731 | 77.35 | +1.63 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Harold Watkinson | 27,860 | 64.41 | −0.54 | |
Labour | R David Vaughan Williams | 15,393 | 35.59 | +0.54 | |
Majority | 12,467 | 28.82 | −1.08 | ||
Turnout | 43,253 | 75.72 | −3.01 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -0.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Harold Watkinson | 26,522 | 64.95 | +6.97 | |
Labour | W. Eric Wolff | 14,313 | 35.05 | +3.86 | |
Majority | 12,209 | 29.90 | +3.11 | ||
Turnout | 40,835 | 78.73 | −4.51 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Harold Watkinson | 24,454 | 57.98 | ||
Labour | T. Davies | 13,157 | 31.19 | ||
Liberal | Michael Fernley Turner-Bridger | 4,567 | 10.83 | ||
Majority | 11,297 | 26.79 | |||
Turnout | 42,178 | 83.24 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
See also
- List of parliamentary constituencies in Surrey
- List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)
Notes
- ^ All extant UK seats elect one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election, as from the outset in Woking in 1950
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.
- ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Woking
- ^ "Conservative Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 5)
- ^ "Woking results". BBC News Online. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated, Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations" (PDF). Woking Borough Council. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Woking Parliamentary constituency". BBC News Online. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ "Known candidates for Woking in the 2017 general election". Democracy Club. 12 May 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "UK 2015 general election results in full". The Guardian. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "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.
Sources
- "Election result, 2015". BBC News Online.
- "Election result, 2010". BBC News Online.
- "Election result, 2005". BBC News Online.
- "Election results, 1997–2001". BBC News Online.
- "Election results, 1997–2001". Election Demon.
- "Election results, 1983–1992". Election Demon.
- "Election results, 1950–1979". Politics Resources.
External links
- Woking UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Woking UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK