Reigate (UK Parliament constituency)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reigate Borough constituency |
|
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Reigate shown within Surrey, and Surrey shown within England | |
Created: | 1295, 1885 |
MP: | Crispin Blunt |
Party: | Conservative |
Type: | House of Commons |
County: | Surrey |
EP constituency: | South East England |
Reigate is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Contents |
[edit] Boundaries
The constituency is located in Surrey, bordering with Greater London. It is centered on the town of Reigate from which it takes its name.
The Boundary Commission has made its final recommendations for boundary changes in Surrey. Reigate has the smallest electorate of any seat in England and it is proposed to bring it closer to the average by adding the ward of Preston in the Reigate and Banstead district which is currently contained in the Epsom and Ewell constituency.
At the public consultation stage of the boundary review there were a number of petitions for the constituency to be renamed Reigate and Banstead to bring it in line with the district, including ones from both the local MP and the borough council. However the review rejected these petitions, feeling that constituencies should only be renamed when they had undergone substantial boundary changes that render the existing name implausible; that the constituency only contains 70% of the district; that the seat is centred on Reigate whilst Banstead is in the extreme north east corner and other towns such as Redhill might have as much if not greater claim to be in the name; and Banstead has a history of being moved between seats (it was in Epsom and Ewell prior to 1997) and may be moved again.
[edit] History
This constituency was first created with the first election of Burgesses to Parliament in 1295, electing two members. It continued to elect two members until 1832 when its representation was reduced to one member by the Great Reform Act.
In 1868 the constituency was disenfranchised for corruption, but was revived in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 when the East Surrey constituency was abolished and broken up.
In 1974, the seat saw major boundary changes which moved much of Eastern Surrey into the radically redesigned East Surrey seat and added the Banstead area to the seat.
[edit] Members of Parliament
- Representation reduced to one (1832)
- Constituency disenfranchised for corruption (1868)
- Constituency revived (1885)
- 1885 — 1892: Sir James John Trevor Lawrence
- 1892 — 1906: Henry Cubitt
- 1906 — 1910: Harry Cunningham Brodie
- 1910 — 1918: Richard Hamilton Rawson, Conservative until 1917, then National Party before rejoining Conservatives.
- 1918 — 1931: Sir George Kynaston Cockerill
[edit] Elections
General Election 2005: Reigate | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Crispin Blunt | 20,884 | 49.0 | +1.2 | |
Liberal Democrat | Jane Kulka | 9,896 | 23.2 | +2.1 | |
Labour | Samuel Townend | 8,896 | 20.9 | -6.6 | |
UK Independence | Jeremy Wraith | 1,921 | 4.5 | +1.8 | |
English Democrats | Harold Green | 600 | 1.4 | N/A | |
Independent (politician) | Michael Selby | 408 | 1.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 10,988 | 25.8 | |||
Turnout | 42,605 | 64.8 | +4.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -0.5 |
General Election 2001: Reigate | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Crispin Blunt | 18,875 | 47.8 | +4.0 | |
Labour | Simon Charleton | 10,850 | 27.5 | -0.3 | |
Liberal Democrat | Jane Kulka | 8,330 | 21.1 | +1.1 | |
UK Independence | Stephen Smith | 1,062 | 2.7 | +2.1 | |
Reform UK | Harold Green | 357 | 0.9 | N/A | |
Majority | 8,025 | 20.3 | |||
Turnout | 39,474 | 60.2 | -14.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2 |
General Election 1997: Reigate | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Crispin Blunt | 21,123 | 43.8 | -13.7 | |
Labour | Andrew Howard | 13,382 | 27.8 | +10.3 | |
Liberal Democrat | Peter Samuel | 9,615 | 20.0 | -4.1 | |
Referendum Party | Sir George Gardiner | 3,352 | 7.0 | N/A | |
Independent (politician) | Richard Higgs | 412 | 0.9 | N/A | |
UK Independence | Stephen Smith | 290 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 7,741 | 16.0 | |||
Turnout | 48,174 | 74.4 | |||
Conservative gain from Referendum Party | Swing | -12.0 |
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.
George Gardiner changed party from the Conservative Party to the Referendum following his deselection by the local Conservative association.
General Election 1992: Reigate | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Sir George Gardiner | 32,220 | 57.1 | -2.2 | |
Liberal Democrat | Barry Newsome | 14,556 | 25.8 | ||
Labour | Helen Young | 9,150 | 16.2 | +1.9 | |
Social Democrat | M. Bilcliff | 513 | 0.9 | ||
Majority | 17,664 | 31.3 | |||
Turnout | 56,449 | 78.5 | +6.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.8 |
General Election 1987: Reigate | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | George Gardiner | 30,925 | 59.3 | +0.3 | |
Social Democrat | E. A. Pamplin | 12,752 | 24.4 | -2.5 | |
Labour | R. P. Spencer | 7,460 | 14.3 | +2.2 | |
Green | G. F. Brand | 1,026 | 2.0 | 0.0 | |
Majority | 18,173 | 34.9 | |||
Turnout | 52,163 | 72.5 | -0.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 |
General Election 1983: Reigate | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | George Gardiner | 29,932 | 59.0 | ||
Social Democrat | E. A. Pamplin | 13,625 | 26.9 | ||
Labour | B. A. Symons | 6,114 | 12.1 | ||
Ecology | D. R. Newell | 1,029 | 2.0 | ||
Majority | 16,307 | 32.1 | |||
Turnout | 50,700 | 72.1 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
General Election 1979: Reigate | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | George Gardiner | 33,767 | 59.8 | ||
Liberal | J. Speyer | 10,257 | 18.2 | ||
Labour | N. Grant | 12,454 | 22.1 | ||
Majority | 21,313 | 37.7 | |||
Turnout | 56,478 | 78.2 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
[edit] Sources
- Historical list of MPs
- Election result, 2005 (BBC)
- Election results, 1997 - 2001 (BBC)
- Election results, 1997 - 2001 (Election Demon)
- Election results, 1983 - 1992 (Election Demon)
- Election results, 1992 - 2005 (The Guardian)
- Election results, 1950 - 1979 (Keele University)