Epsom and Ewell (UK Parliament constituency)

Epsom and Ewell
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey for the 2010 general election.

Location of Surrey within England.
County Surrey
Electorate 76,916 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Epsom, Ewell and Ashstead
Current constituency
Created 1885 (1885)
Member of Parliament Chris Grayling (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from East Surrey
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South East England

Epsom and Ewell is a borough 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

Boundaries

The seat contains the entirety of the borough of Epsom and Ewell. At various times it has also contained areas around the borough. Currently it contains Ashtead, which is part of the Mole Valley district, and the wards of Nork, Tattenhams and Preston from the Reigate and Banstead borough. Before 1997 it lacked Ashtead but instead included Banstead from Reigate and Banstead.

In 2005, the Boundary Commission has made its final recommendations for boundary alterations in Surrey. Proposed changes to Epsom and Ewell will see the relignment of the boundary with Mole Valley in the Ashtead and Leatherhead area line with the recent adjustment of local government wards, although these proposed changes do not move any voters. The Preston ward will also be transferred to Reigate to bring that constituency's electorate closer to the county average.

History

The constituency was established for the 1885 general election as Epsom from part of the East Surrey constituency.

In Westminster elections, Epsom & Ewell is one of the strongest Conservative areas in the country. However locally the borough council is controlled by the Epsom and Ewell Residents Association, with the Conservatives lacking a firm base here and until recently rarely contested elections. There are also a number of Residents Association councillors in the Reigate & Banstead wards in the constituency, although in the Mole Valley wards the Conservatives have a stronger base and several elected councillors.

In 1974, the constituency acquired its current name.

In 1987, Barbara Follett, later Member of Parliament for Stevenage, stood for Labour in the constituency.

Few expect the seat to change hands in normal circumstances, unless there is an apocalyptic election for the Conservatives.

Members of Parliament

The Member of Parliament since 2001 is Chris Grayling of the Conservative Party, who held the position of Shadow Home Secretary between January 2009 and the general election of May 2010.

Election Member[2] Party
1885 constituency created as Epsom
1885 George Cubitt Conservative
1892 Thomas Bucknill Conservative
1899 by-election William Keswick Conservative
1912 Henry Keswick Conservative
1918 George Blades Conservative
1928 by-election Sir Archibald Southby Conservative
1947 by-election Malcolm McCorquodale Conservative
1955 Peter Rawlinson Conservative
Feb 1974 constituency renamed Epsom and Ewell
Feb 1974 Peter Rawlinson Conservative
1978 by-election Sir Archie Hamilton Conservative
2001 Chris Grayling Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2010: Epsom and Ewell[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 30,868 56.2 +1.2
Liberal Democrat Jonathan Lees 14,734 26.8 +5.3
Labour Craig Montgomery 6,538 11.9 -8.1
UKIP Elizabeth Wallace 2,549 4.6 +1.1
Radical Reform Peter Ticher 266 0.5 0.5

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Epsom and Ewell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 27,146 54.4 +6.3
Liberal Democrat Jonathan Lees 10,699 21.4 -0.7
Labour Charlie Mansell 10,265 20.6 -5.9
UKIP Peter Kefford 1,769 3.5 +0.2
Majority 16,447 33.0
Turnout 49,879 66.1 3.3
Conservative hold Swing +3.5
General Election 2001: Epsom and Ewell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 22,430 48.1 +2.5
Labour Charlie Mansell 12,350 26.5 +2.1
Liberal Democrat John Vincent 10,316 22.1 -0.7
UKIP Graham Webster-Gardiner 1,547 3.3 +2.3
Majority 10,080 21.6
Turnout 46,643 62.8 -11.2
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Epsom and Ewell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald Hamilton 24,717 45.6 -14.6
Labour Philip Woodford 13,192 24.3 +8.6
Liberal Democrat John Vincent 12,380 22.8 -0.7
Referendum Party Christopher Macdonald 2,355 4.3
UKIP Harold Green 544 1.0
Green Hugo Charlton 527 1.0
ProLife Alliance Katherine Weeks 466 0.9
Majority 11,525 21.3
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1992: Epsom and Ewell[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald Hamilton 32,861 60.2 −2.0
Liberal Democrat MP Emerson 12,840 23.5 +0.3
Labour RA Warren 8,577 15.7 +1.2
Natural Law GD Hatchard 334 0.6 N/A
Majority 20,021 36.7 −2.3
Turnout 54,612 80.1 +4.8
Conservative hold Swing −1.2

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. http://www.boundarycommissionforengland.org.uk/electoral-figures/electoral-figures.htm. Retrieved 13 March 2011. 
  2. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  3. ^ Statement of Persons Nominated, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
  4. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-06. 

Sources

Constituencies in South East England (84)
Conservative (74)
Labour (4)
Liberal Democrats (4)
Green (1)
Speaker (1)