Ashford (UK Parliament constituency)
Ashford | |
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County constituency for the House of Commons |
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Boundary of Ashford in Kent for the 2010 general election.
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Location of Kent within England.
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County | Kent |
Population | 112,940 (2011 census)[1] |
Electorate | 81,947 (December 2010)[2] |
Major settlements | Tenterden and Ashford, Kent |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1885 |
Member of parliament | Damian Green (Conservative) |
Number of members | One |
Created from | West Kent |
Overlaps | |
European Parliament constituency | South East England |
Ashford is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Damian Green of the Conservative Party.[n 2]
Contents
Boundaries
1885-1918: The Sessional Divisions of Ashford and Cranbrook, the Municipal Borough of Tenterden, the corporate towns of Lydd and New Romney, and part of the Liberty of Romney Marsh.
1918-1950: The Municipal Boroughs of Lydd, New Romney, and Tenterden, the Urban District of Ashford, and the Rural Districts of Cranbrook, East Ashford, Romney Marsh, Tenterden, and West Ashford.
1950-1983: The Municipal Borough of Tenterden, the Urban District of Ashford, and the Rural Districts of Cranbrook, East Ashford, Tenterden, and West Ashford.
1983-2010: The Borough of Ashford.
2010-present: The Borough of Ashford wards of Aylesford Green, Beaver, Biddenden, Bockhanger, Boughton Aluph and Eastwell, Bybrook, Charing, Downs North, Downs West, Godinton, Great Chart with Singleton North, Highfield, Isle of Oxney, Kennington, Little Burton Farm, Norman, North Willesborough, Park Farm North, Park Farm South, Rolvenden and Tenterden West, St Michael's, Singleton South, South Willesborough, Stanhope, Stour, Tenterden North, Tenterden South, Victoria, Washford, Weald Central, Weald East, Weald North, Weald South, and Wye.
Ashford has the same boundaries as the Borough of Ashford that has the large town of Ashford which has Ashford International railway station and the smaller town of Tenterden, one of the area's 46 villages, towns or town suburbs which are organised communities into civil parishes. Ashford town centre, its north and its west are the only unparished areas.[3]
Constituency profile
- Political history
Created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Ashford has been won by a Conservative at every election except that of 1929 when it was won by a Liberal, after that party's turn towards the left marked by the People's Budget in 1911, who won with a majority of less than 1% of the vote.
The last occasion its safe seat credentials were dented was in 1997 when its voters returned a Conservative with a 9.7% majority.
- Economy
The constituency has its express-enabled station to London, Paris and Brussels leading to a considerable use including by local international employers supporting local shops, leisure facilities and attractions. Its use increased by over a million per year in the seven years to 2012, to 3.3 million entries and exits that year. At the end of 2012 the unemployment rate in the constituency stood as 2.0% of the population claiming jobseekers allowance, compared to the regional average of 2.4% and national average of 3.8%.[4]
Members of Parliament
- Constituency created (1885)
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Damian Green | 30,094 | 52.5 | -1.7 | |
UKIP | Gerald O'Brien | 10,798 | 18.8 | +14.3 | |
Labour | Brendan Chilton | 10,580 | 18.4 | +1.8 | |
Liberal Democrat | Debbie Enever | 3,433 | 6.0 | -16.8 | |
Green | Mandy Rossi | 2,467 | 4.3 | +2.5 | |
Majority | 19,296 | 33.6 | |||
Turnout | 57,372 | 67.3 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | -8.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Damian Green | 29,878 | 54.1 | +2.7 | |
Liberal Democrat | Chris Took | 12,581 | 22.8 | +7.2 | |
Labour | Chris Clark | 9,204 | 16.7 | −9.7 | |
UKIP | Jeffrey Elenor[8] | 2,508 | 4.5 | +1.4 | |
Green | Steven Campkin | 1,014 | 1.8 | −1.6 | |
Majority | 17,297 | 31.3 | |||
Turnout | 55,185 | 67.9 | +2.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.3 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Damian Green | 26,651 | 51.6 | +4.2 | |
Labour | Valerie Whitaker | 13,353 | 25.8 | −6.3 | |
Liberal Democrat | Chris Took | 8,308 | 16.1 | +1.0 | |
Green | Richard Boden | 1,753 | 3.4 | +0.6 | |
UKIP | Bernard Stroud | 1,620 | 3.1 | +0.5 | |
Majority | 13,298 | 25.7 | +10.4 | ||
Turnout | 51,685 | 65.0 | +2.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Damian Green | 22,739 | 47.4 | +6.0 | |
Labour | John Adams | 15,380 | 32.1 | +0.4 | |
Liberal Democrat | Keith Fitchett | 7,236 | 15.1 | −4.6 | |
Green | Richard Boden | 1,353 | 2.8 | +1.6 | |
UKIP | David Waller | 1,229 | 2.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 7,359 | 15.3 | +5.6 | ||
Turnout | 47,937 | 62.5 | −11.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.2 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Damian Green | 22,899 | 41.4 | −13.2 | |
Labour | John Ennals | 17,554 | 31.7 | +11.7 | |
Liberal Democrat | John Williams | 10,901 | 19.7 | −4.4 | |
Referendum | Christopher Cruden | 3,201 | 5.8 | N/A | |
Green | Richard Boden | 660 | 1.2 | −0.2 | |
Natural Law | Stephen Tyrell | 89 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 5,345 | 9.7 | −20.8 | ||
Turnout | 55,302 | 74.2 | −5.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −12.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Keith Speed | 31,031 | 54.6 | −1.9 | |
Liberal Democrat | Ms. Christine L.B. Headley | 13,672 | 24.1 | −3.3 | |
Labour | Ms. Doreen A. Cameron | 11,365 | 20.0 | +5.3 | |
Green | Dr. Andrew Porter | 773 | 1.4 | −0.1 | |
Majority | 17,359 | 30.5 | +1.3 | ||
Turnout | 56,841 | 79.2 | +3.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.7 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Keith Speed | 29,978 | 56.54 | ||
Social Democratic | Neil Norman Macmillan | 14,490 | 27.33 | ||
Labour | Michael John Wiggins | 7,775 | 14.66 | ||
Green | Dr. Charles Andrew Porter | 778 | 1.47 | ||
Majority | 15,488 | 29.21 | |||
Turnout | 75.69 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Keith Speed | 27,230 | 56.80 | ||
Social Democratic | J Hawkes | 13,319 | 27.78 | ||
Labour | P Lewis | 6,167 | 12.87 | ||
Ecology | Dr. CA Porter | 569 | 1.19 | ||
National Labour | JW King | 456 | 0.95 | ||
BNP | RE Lockwood | 195 | 0.41 | ||
Majority | 13,911 | 29.02 | |||
Turnout | 73.25 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Herbert Keith Speed | 26,224 | 55.65 | ||
Labour | AA Gilbert | 12,586 | 26.71 | ||
Liberal | A Wainman | 7,631 | 16.20 | ||
National Front | KR McKilliam | 678 | 1.44 | ||
Majority | 13,638 | 28.94 | |||
Turnout | 76.67 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Herbert Keith Speed | 19,294 | 44.31 | ||
Labour | MB Jackson | 13,269 | 30.47 | ||
Liberal | CG Dennis | 10,983 | 25.22 | ||
Majority | 6,025 | 13.84 | |||
Turnout | 74.54 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Francis Deedes | 21,773 | 46.2 | ||
Liberal | CG Dennis | 13,314 | 28.2 | ||
Labour | MB Jackson | 12,077 | 25.6 | ||
Majority | 8,459 | 18.0 | |||
Turnout | 81.5 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Francis Deedes | 26,649 | 54.8 | ||
Labour | John M Bowyer | 14,037 | 28.9 | ||
Liberal | Charles Truman | 7,902 | 16.3 | ||
Majority | 12,612 | 26.0 | |||
Turnout | 48,588 | 72.5 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1960s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Francis Deedes | 21,362 | 50.0 | ||
Labour | Charles A Thomas | 13,249 | 31.0 | ||
Liberal | J Gavin W Peck | 8,121 | 19.0 | ||
Majority | 8,113 | 19.0 | |||
Turnout | 42,732 | 75.4 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Francis Deedes | 21,026 | 49.4 | ||
Labour | Charles A Thomas | 11,989 | 28.2 | ||
Liberal | J Gavin W Peck | 9,531 | 22.4 | ||
Majority | 9,037 | 21.2 | |||
Turnout | 42,546 | 77.5 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Francis Deedes | 25,383 | 62.88 | ||
Labour | Reginald Ward | 14,983 | 37.12 | ||
Majority | 10,400 | 25.76 | |||
Turnout | 40,366 | 77.48 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Francis Deedes | 23,992 | 60.47 | ||
Labour | Neville Devonshire Sandelson | 15,685 | 39.53 | ||
Majority | 8,307 | 20.94 | |||
Turnout | 78.07 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Francis Deedes | 24,093 | 59.14 | ||
Labour | Neville Devonshire Sandelson | 16,645 | 40.86 | ||
Majority | 7,448 | 18.28 | |||
Turnout | 81.94 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Francis Deedes | 21,095 | 51.61 | ||
Labour | Neville Devonshire Sandelson | 14,948 | 36.57 | ||
Liberal | H Shirley | 4,828 | 11.81 | ||
Majority | 6,147 | 15.04 | |||
Turnout | 84.08 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1940s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Percy Smith | 18,800 | 52.0 | ||
Labour | H W Lee | 12,575 | 34.8 | ||
Liberal | Harold Vesey Strong | 4,804 | 13.3 | ||
Majority | 6,225 | 17.2 | |||
Turnout | 71.27 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Election in the 1930s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Patrick Spens | 21,323 | 59.2 | ||
Liberal | Richard Borlase Matthews | 8,338 | 23.2 | ||
Labour | W J Beck | 6,333 | 17.6 | ||
Majority | 12,985 | 36.1 | |||
Turnout | 73.6 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Patrick Spens | 16,051 | 47.7 | ||
Liberal | Rev. Roderick Morris Kedward | 11,423 | 33.9 | ||
Labour | W J Beck | 6,178 | 18.4 | ||
Majority | 4,628 | 13.8 | |||
Turnout | 70.9 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Michael Herbert Rudolf Knatchbull | 20,891 | 58.7 | ||
Liberal National | Rev. Roderick Morris Kedward | 14,681 | 41.3 | ||
Majority | 6,210 | 17.5 | |||
Turnout | 75.9 |
Election in the 1920s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Roderick Morris Kedward | 15,753 | 46.0 | +24.2 | |
Unionist | Samuel Strang Steel | 14,579 | 42.6 | -17.8 | |
Labour | Montefiore Follick | 3,885 | 11.4 | -6.4 | |
Majority | 1,174 | 3.4 | 42.0 | ||
Turnout | 75.3 | +4.9 | |||
Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +21.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Samuel Strang Steel | 15,159 | 60.4 | ||
Liberal | Leonard John Humphrey | 5,487 | 21.8 | ||
Labour | Basil Noble | 4,473 | 17.8 | ||
Majority | 9,672 | 38.6 | |||
Turnout | 70.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Samuel Strang Steel | 12,644 | 62.1 | -7.0 | |
Labour | Basil Noble | 7,709 | 37.9 | +7.0 | |
Majority | 4,935 | 24.2 | -14.0 | ||
Turnout | 57.8 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing | +17.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Samuel Strang Steel | 15,638 | |||
Labour | Basil Noble | 6,977 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Election in the 1910s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Maj. Samuel Strang Steel | 10,258 | |||
Independent | W H Deades | 2,408 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
See also
Notes and references
- 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
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2011 Census Custom tables: administrative parish hierarchy. Retrieved 2013-07-17
- ↑ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
- ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 3)[self-published source][better source needed]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Ashford.gov.uk
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.120 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Sources
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- Accuracy disputes from March 2012
- Articles lacking reliable references from March 2012
- Wikipedia articles incorporating an LRPP-MP template with two unnamed parameters
- Pages with broken file links
- Parliamentary constituencies in Kent
- Borough of Ashford
- United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies established in 1885