List of parliamentary constituencies in Kent
The ceremonial county of Kent, (which includes the unitary authority of Medway), is divided into 18 parliamentary constituencies - one borough constituency and 17 county constituencies.
Constituencies
[edit]Conservative † Labour ‡ Liberal Democrats ¤ Reform
Boundary changes
[edit]2024
[edit]See 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for further details.
Former name | Boundaries 2010-2024 | Current name | Boundaries 2024–present |
---|---|---|---|
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For the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which redrew the constituency map ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the Boundary Commission for England created an additional seat in created in Kent to reflect the growth of its electorate, with the formation of the constituency of Weald of Kent. As a consequence, Maidstone and the Weald, and Tonbridge and Malling were renamed Maidstone and Malling, and Tonbridge respectively. Changes to North Thanet and South Thanet resulted in them being renamed Herne Bay and Sandwich, and Thanet East respectively. Although only subject to a very minor boundary change, Dover reverted to its previous name of Dover and Deal.[2][3][4]
The following constituencies resulted from the boundary review:
Containing electoral wards from Ashford
- Ashford (part)
- Weald of Kent (part)
Containing electoral wards from Canterbury
- Canterbury
- Herne Bay and Sandwich (part)
Containing electoral wards from Dartford
Containing electoral wards from Dover
- Dover and Deal
- Herne Bay and Sandwich (part)
Containing electoral wards from Folkestone and Hythe
- Ashford (part)
- Folkestone and Hythe
Containing electoral wards from Gravesham
Containing electoral wards from Maidstone
- Faversham and Mid Kent (part)
- Maidstone and Malling (part)
- Weald of Kent (part)
Containing electoral wards from Medway
Containing electoral wards from Sevenoaks
- Sevenoaks (part)
- Tonbridge (part)
Containing electoral wards from Swale
- Faversham and Mid Kent (part)
- Sittingbourne and Sheppey
Containing electoral wards from Thanet
- East Thanet
- Herne Bay and Sandwich (part)
Containing electoral wards from Tonbridge and Malling
- Chatham and Aylesford (part)
- Maidstone and Malling (part)
- Tonbridge (part)
Containing electoral wards from Tunbridge Wells
- Tunbridge Wells
- Weald of Kent (part)
2010
[edit]Under the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the Boundary Commission for England[5] decided to retain Kent's 17 constituencies for the 2010 election, making minor changes to realign constituency boundaries with the boundaries of current local government wards, and to reduce the electoral disparity between constituencies, including the transfer of Cliftonville from North Thanet to South Thanet. They recommended two name changes: Gillingham to Gillingham and Rainham to reflect the similar stature of the two towns, and Medway to Rochester and Strood to avoid confusion with the larger Medway unitary authority.
Name (1997–2010) | Boundaries 1997–2010 | Name (2010–2024) | Boundaries 2010–2024 |
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1997
[edit]Under the Fourth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the Boundary Commission for England opted to increase the number of constituencies in Kent from 16 to 17, reflecting the growth of the county's electorate. The "new" constituency, i.e. the constituency that did not contain a majority of any previous constituency's electorate, was Faversham & Mid Kent, which was formed from portions of the previous Maidstone, Faversham, Mid Kent and Canterbury constituencies. This had knock-on effects throughout the county, and resulted in the renaming of the former constituencies of Faversham and Mid Kent to Sittingbourne & Sheppey and Chatham & Aylesford, respectively.[6][7]
Name (1983–1997) | Boundaries 1983–1997 | Name (1997–2010) | Boundaries 1997–2010 |
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1983
[edit]Under the Third Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the Boundary Commission for England opted to increase the number of constituencies in Kent from 15 to 16, reflecting the growth of the county's electorate. This resulted in the previously oversized Rochester and Chatham being split in half, with the city of Rochester becoming part of the new seat of Medway, along with the rural Hoo Peninsula (previously part of the Gravesend consituency) while town of Chatham became part of the new seat of Mid Kent, along with the northern portion of Maidstone. Thanet East (renamed North Thanet) and Thanet West (renamed South Thanet) gained parts of Canterbury and Dover and Deal (renamed Dover) respectively. Small transfer from Sevenoaks to Dartford to make their electorates more equal and minor or no changes to Ashford, Faversham, Folkestone and Hythe, Gillingham, Tonbridge and Malling, and Tunbridge Wells.[8][9]
Name (1974–1983) | Boundaries 1974–1983 | Name (1983–1997) | Boundaries 1983–1997 |
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Results history
[edit]Primary data source: House of Commons research briefing - General election results from 1918 to 2019[10]
2024
[edit]The number of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Kent in the 2019 general election were as follows:
Party | Votes | % | Change from 2019 | Seats | Change from 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 251,860 | 31.3% | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
Labour | 249,043 | 31.0% | ![]() |
11 | ![]() |
Reform | 168,652 | 21.0% | ![]() |
0 | 0 |
Greens | 64,303 | 8.0% | ![]() |
0 | 0 |
Liberal Democrats | 57,579 | 7.0% | ![]() |
1 | ![]() |
Others | 13,059 | 1.6% | ![]() |
0 | 0 |
Total | 804,496 | 100.0 | 18 | ![]() |
Percentage votes
[edit]Election year | 1974
(Feb) |
1974
(Oct) |
1979 | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 20100 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 44.2 | 44.0 | 53.9 | 53.9 | 54.0 | 53.1 | 40.5 | 43.4 | 45.8 | 50.5 | 49.2 | 56.4 | 60.1 | 31.3 |
Labour | 29.5 | 33.3 | 29.9 | 18.6 | 19.3 | 24.3 | 37.1 | 37.7 | 32.4 | 21.1 | 20.0 | 31.7 | 25.0 | 31.0 |
Reform1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 21.0 |
Green Party | - | - | - | - | * | * | * | * | * | 1.0 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 8.0 |
Liberal Democrat2 | 25.7 | 21.8 | 15.1 | 26.9 | 26.1 | 21.3 | 17.0 | 15.5 | 17.3 | 20.9 | 6.3 | 5.5 | 10.4 | 7.0 |
UKIP | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | * | * | 3.9 | 20.3 | 3.6 | * | * |
Other | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 |
12019 - Brexit Party
21974 & 1979 - Liberal Party; 1983 & 1987 - SDP-Liberal Alliance
* Included in Other
Seats
[edit]Election year | 1974
(Feb) |
1974
(Oct) |
1979 | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
Conservative | 13 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 6 |
Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
Maps
[edit]1885-1910
[edit]-
1885
-
1886
-
1892
-
1895
-
1900
-
1906
-
Jan 1910
-
Dec 1910
1918-1945
[edit]-
1918
-
1922
-
1923
-
1924
-
1929
-
1931
-
1935
-
1945
1950-1970
[edit]-
1950
-
1951
-
1955
-
1959
-
1964
-
1966
-
1970
1974-present
[edit]-
Feb 1974
-
Oct 1974
-
1979
-
1983
-
1987
-
1992
-
1997
-
2001
-
2005
-
2010
-
2015
-
2017
-
2019
-
2024
Historic representation by party
[edit]A cell marked → (with a different colour background to the preceding cell) indicates that the previous MP continued to sit under a new party name.
1885 to 1918
[edit]Conservative Independent Conservative Independent Liberal Labour Liberal Liberal Unionist National Party
Constituency | 1885 | 1886 | 88 | 89 | 1892 | 93 | 1895 | 98 | 99 | 1900 | 01 | 03 | 04 | 1906 | Jan 1910 | Dec 1910 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashford | Pomfret | Hardy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Canterbury | Heaton | Bennett-Goldney | Anderson | |||||||||||||||||||
Chatham | Gorst | Loyd | Davies | Jenkins | Hohler | |||||||||||||||||
Dartford | Dyke | Rowlands | Mitchell | Rowlands | ||||||||||||||||||
Dover | Dickson | Wyndham | Ponsonby | → | ||||||||||||||||||
Faversham | Knatchbull-Hugessen | Barnes | Howard | Napier | Wheler | |||||||||||||||||
Gravesend | White | Palmer | Ryder | Parker | Richardson | |||||||||||||||||
Hythe | Watkin | → | Edwards | E. Sassoon | P. Sassoon | |||||||||||||||||
Isle of Thanet | King-Harman | Lowther | Marks | Craig | ||||||||||||||||||
Maidstone | Ross | Cornwallis | Hunt | Cornwallis | Barker | Evans | Vane-Tempest-Stewart | Bellairs | ||||||||||||||
Medway | Gathorne-Hardy | Warde | ||||||||||||||||||||
Rochester | Hughes-Hallett | Knatchbull-Hugessen | Davies | Gascoyne-Cecil | Tuff | Lamb | Ridley | Lamb | ||||||||||||||
St Augustine's | Akers-Douglas | McNeill | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sevenoaks | Mills | Forster | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tunbridge | Norton | Griffith-Boscawen | Hedges | Spender-Clay |
1918 to 1950
[edit]Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Conservative Constitutionalist Independent Labour Liberal National Labour
Constituency | 1918 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 1922 | 23 | 1923 | 1924 | 27 | 28 | 1929 | 30 | 31 | 1931 | 33 | 35 | 1935 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 43 | 1945 | 45 | 46 | 47 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bexley | Adamson | Bramall | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Orpington | Smithers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ashford | Steel | Kedward | Knatchbull | Spens | Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bromley | Forster | James | Campbell | Macmillan | |||||||||||||||||||||
Canterbury | McNeill | Wayland | White | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Chatham | Moore-Brabazon | Markham | → | Goff | Plugge | Bottomley | |||||||||||||||||||
Chislehurst | A. Smithers | Nesbitt | W. Smithers | Wallace | |||||||||||||||||||||
Dartford | Rowlands | Mills | Jarrett | → | Mills | McDonnell | Mills | Clarke | Adamson | Dodds | |||||||||||||||
Dover | Ponsonby | Polson | Astor | Thomas | |||||||||||||||||||||
Faversham | Wheler | Maitland | Wells | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Gillingham | Hohler | Gower | Binns | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Gravesend | Richardson | Isaacs | Albery | Allighan | Acland | ||||||||||||||||||||
Hythe | P. Sassoon | Brabner | Mackeson | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Isle of Thanet | Craig | Harmsworth | Balfour | Carson | |||||||||||||||||||||
Maidstone | Bellairs | Bossom | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sevenoaks | Bennett | Williams | Styles | Young | Ponsonby | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tonbridge | Spender-Clay | Baillie | Williams |
1950 to 1974
[edit]Constituency | 1950 | 1951 | 53 | 55 | 1955 | 56 | 57 | 1959 | 62 | 64 | 1964 | 1966 | 1970 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashford | Deedes | |||||||||||||
Beckenham | Buchan-Hepburn | Goodhart | Transferred to Greater London | |||||||||||
Bexley | Heath | Transferred to Greater London | ||||||||||||
Bromley | Macmillan | Hunt | Transferred to Greater London | |||||||||||
Canterbury | White | Thomas | Crouch | |||||||||||
Chislehurst | Hornsby-Smith | Macdonald | Hornsby-Smith | Transferred to Greater London | ||||||||||
Dartford | Dodds | Irving | Trew | |||||||||||
Dover | Arbuthnot | Ennals | Rees | |||||||||||
Erith and Crayford | Dodds | Transferred to Greater London | ||||||||||||
Faversham | Wells | Boston | Moate | |||||||||||
Folkestone and Hythe | Mackeson | Costain | ||||||||||||
Gillingham | Burden | |||||||||||||
Gravesend | Acland | Kirk | Murray | White | ||||||||||
Isle of Thanet | Carson | Rees-Davies | ||||||||||||
Maidstone | Bossom | Wells | ||||||||||||
Orpington | Smithers | Sumner | Lubbock | Stanbrook | Transferred to Greater London | |||||||||
Rochester and Chatham | Bottomley | Critchley | Kerr | Fenner | ||||||||||
Sevenoaks | Rodgers | |||||||||||||
Tonbridge | Williams | Hornby |
1974 to 2010
[edit]Conservative Independent Labour
Constituency | Feb 1974 | Oct 1974 | 1979 | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashford | Deedes | Speed | Green | ||||||
Canterbury | D. Crouch | Brazier | |||||||
Dartford | Irving | Dunn | Stoate | ||||||
Dover & Deal / Dover (1983–) | Rees | Shaw | Prosser | ||||||
Faversham / Sittingbourne & Sheppey (1997) | Moate | Wyatt | |||||||
Folkestone and Hythe | Costain | Howard | |||||||
Gillingham | Burden | Couchman | P. Clark | ||||||
Gravesend / Gravesham (1983) | Ovenden | Brinton | Arnold | Pond | Holloway | ||||
Maidstone / Maidstone & The Weald (1997) | Wells | Widdecombe | |||||||
Rochester & Chatham / Medway (1983) | Fenner | Bean | Fenner | Marshall-Andrews | |||||
Sevenoaks | Rodgers | Wolfson | Fallon | ||||||
Thanet W / North Thanet (1983) | Rees-Davies | Gale | |||||||
Tonbridge & Malling | Hornby | Stanley | |||||||
Thanet East / South Thanet (1983) | Aitken | Ladyman | |||||||
Tunbridge Wells | Mayhew | Norman | G. Clark | ||||||
Mid Kent / Faversham & Mid Kent (1997) | Rowe | Robertson | |||||||
Chatham and Aylesford | Shaw |
2010 to present
[edit]Conservative Independent Labour Liberal Democrats UKIP
Constituency | 2010 | 14 | 2015 | 2017 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2019 | 24 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashford | Green | Joseph | |||||||||
Canterbury | Brazier | Duffield | |||||||||
Chatham and Aylesford | T. Crouch | Osborne | |||||||||
Dartford | Johnson | Dickson | |||||||||
Dover / Dover and Deal (2024) | C. Elphicke | → | → | → | N. Elphicke | → | Tapp | ||||
Faversham & Mid Kent | Robertson | Whately | |||||||||
Folkestone and Hythe | Collins | Vaughan | |||||||||
Gillingham & Rainham | Chishti | Khan | |||||||||
Gravesham | Holloway | Sullivan | |||||||||
Maidstone & The Weald / M'stone & Malling ('24) | Grant | ||||||||||
North Thanet / Herne Bay & Sandwich (2024) | Gale | ||||||||||
Rochester & Strood | Reckless | → | Tolhurst | Edwards | |||||||
Sevenoaks | Fallon | Trott | |||||||||
Sittingbourne and Sheppey | Henderson | McKenna | |||||||||
South Thanet / East Thanet (2024) | Sandys | Mackinlay | Billington | ||||||||
Tonbridge & Malling / Tonbridge (2024) | Stanley | Tugendhat | |||||||||
Tunbridge Wells | G. Clark | Martin | |||||||||
Weald of Kent | Lam |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Constituencies A-Z - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "New Constituency Proposed for Kent". Kent Bylines. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ Bailes, Kathy (8 June 2021). "Boundary changes proposed for Thanet with East and West constituencies". The Isle Of Thanet News. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report". Boundary Commission for England. paras 1025-1053. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". legislation.gov.uk. 28 June 1995. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ Waller, Robert; Byron Criddle (1995). The Almanac of British Politics (5th ed.). London: Routledge. p. 356. ISBN 0-415-11805-0.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies ( England) Order 1983".
- ^ Waller, Robert (April 1983). The Almanac of British Politics (1st ed.). London: Croom Helm. pp. 373–388. ISBN 0-7099-2767-3.
- ^ Watson, Christopher; Uberoi, Elise; Loft, Philip (17 April 2020). "General election results from 1918 to 2019".