Mid Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 52°01′37″N 0°22′59″W / 52.027°N 0.383°W

Mid Bedfordshire
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Mid Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire.

Outline map

Location of Bedfordshire within England.
County Bedfordshire
Electorate 76,381 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Ampthill, Flitwick, Shefford, Turvey, Toddington and Woburn
Current constituency
Created 1918
Member of parliament Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Number of members One
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency East of England

Mid Bedfordshire is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005 by Nadine Dorries, a Conservative.[n 2] Apart from four early years the constituency has returned a Conservative since its creation in 1918.

Boundaries

Following the latest review of parliamentary representation, Parliament's legislating of the Boundary Commission recommendations slightly altered the wards for the 2010 general election.[2]

The constituency has electoral wards:.

History of boundaries

Before the change for 2010, as well as whole wards, only parts of wards were permitted (polling districts). Partial wards this constituency shared with others were:

History

Mid Bedfordshire was created under the Representation of the People Act 1918.

It has elected Conservative MPs since 1931. It was held from 1983 to 1997 by the Attorney General (for the English, Welsh and Northern Irish aspects of the legal system and as advisor to HM Government) Sir Nicholas Lyell, who then transferred to the newly created seat of North East Bedfordshire; his old seat was won by Jonathan Sayeed, a former MP in Bristol. Sayeed was forced to retire in 2005 due to ill health, following a row over allegations he had profited from his private educational tours of Parliament and a resulting deselection attempt by the constituency party. Nadine Dorries has held the seat since, but the Conservative whip was withdrawn from her in 2012 and returned six months later, after appearing on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[4] Since the result of the 2005 election the most successful opposition party candidate has been a Liberal Democrat.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[5] Party
1918 Maximilian Townley Conservative
1922 Frederick Linfield Liberal
1924 William Warner Conservative
1929 Milner Gray Liberal
1931 Alan Lennox-Boyd Conservative
1960 by-election Stephen Hastings Conservative
1983 significant boundary changes
1983 Nicholas Lyell Conservative
1997 significant boundary changes
1997 Jonathan Sayeed Conservative
2005 Nadine Dorries Conservative
2012 Independent
2013 Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Mid Bedfordshire[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nadine Dorries [8]
Green Gareth Ellis [9]
Independent Tim Ireland[10]
Liberal Democrat Linda Jack [11]
Monster Raving Loony Ann Kelly[12]
Labour Charlynne Pullen [13]
UKIP Nigel Wickens[14]

The Whigs selected John Guinn as candidate, who withdrew in March 2015.[15]

General Election 2010: Mid Bedfordshire[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nadine Dorries 28,815 52.5 +5.9
Liberal Democrat Linda Jack 13,663 24.9 +1.4
Labour David Reeves 8,108 14.8 -7.7
UKIP Bill Hall 2,826 5.1 +2.4
Green Malcolm Bailey 773 1.4 -1.2
English Democrats John Cooper 712 1.3 N/A
Majority 15,152 27.6
Turnout 54,897 72.2 +3.5
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Mid Bedfordshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nadine Dorries 23,345 46.3 −1.1
Liberal Democrat Mark Chapman 11,990 23.8 +4.1
Labour Martin Lindsay 11,351 22.5 −7.6
UKIP Richard Joselyn 1,372 2.7 0.0
Green Ben Foley 1,292 2.6 N/A
Veritas Howard Martin 769 1.5 N/A
Independent Saqhib Ali 301 0.6 N/A
Majority 11,355 22.5
Turnout 50,420 68.3 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing −2.6
General Election 2001: Mid Bedfordshire[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jonathan Sayeed 22,109 47.4 +1.4
Labour James Valentine 14,043 30.1 −2.4
Liberal Democrat Graham Mabbutt 9,205 19.7 +2.9
UKIP Chris Laurence 1,281 2.7 N/A
Majority 8,066 17.3
Turnout 46,638 65.9 −13.1
Conservative hold Swing 1.9

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Mid Bedfordshire[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jonathan Sayeed 24,176 46.0 −16.4
Labour Neil Mallett 17,086 32.5 +12.7
Liberal Democrat Tim J. Hill 8,823 16.8 +1.0
Referendum Party Mrs. Shirley C. Marler 2,257 4.3 N/A
Natural Law Marek J. Lorys 174 0.3
Turnout 52,534 78.9
Conservative hold Swing -14.6%[19]
General Election 1992: Mid Bedfordshire[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Lyell 40,230 58.2 -0.8
Labour Richard A. Clayton 15,092 21.8 +3.8
Liberal Democrat Nick C. Hills 11,957 17.3 -5.7
Liberal Phil Cottier 1,582 2.3 +2.3
Natural Law Marek J. Lorys 279 0.4 +0.4
Majority 25,138 36.4 +0.3
Turnout 69,140 84.4 +5.7
Conservative hold Swing -2.3

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Mid Bedfordshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Lyell 37,411 58.98
Social Democratic N.C. Hills 14,560 22.95
Labour J. Heywood 11,463 18.07
Majority 22,851 36.02
Turnout 78.63
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: Mid Bedfordshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Lyell 33,042 56.85
Liberal M. Howes 15,661 26.94
Labour J. Tizard 9,420 16.21
Majority 17,381 29.90
Turnout 76.93
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Mid Bedfordshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Lewis Edmonstone Hastings 37,724 56.87
Labour F.G. Peacock 17,140 25.84
Liberal C.A.P. Smout 11,467 17.29
Majority 20,584 31.03
Turnout 81.32
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Mid Bedfordshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Lewis Edmonstone Hastings 26,885 45.70
Labour J.E. Crow 17,559 29.85
Liberal P.W. Meyer 14,388 24.46
Majority 9,326 15.85
Turnout 78.26
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Mid Bedfordshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Lewis Edmonstone Hastings 28,973 45.28
Labour David F. Harrowell 17,862 27.92
Liberal P.W. Meyer 17,151 26.80
Majority 11,111 17.36
Turnout 85.87
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Mid Bedfordshire

Electorate 73,116

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Lewis Edmonstone Hastings 29,670 52.51
Labour David F Harrowell 19,035 33.69
Liberal John P. Christian 7,799 13.80
Majority 10,635 18.82
Turnout 77.28
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Mid Bedfordshire

Electorate 61,923

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Lewis Edmonstone Hastings 23,477 46.02
Labour C. Trevor Bell 20,369 39.98
Liberal Paul L. Rose 7,138 14.01
Majority 3,078 6.04
Turnout 82.29
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Mid Bedfordshire

Electorate 58,640

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Lewis Edmonstone Hastings 22,414 46.03
Labour C. Trevor Bell 17,096 35.11
Liberal Wilfred G. Matthews 9,184 18.86
Majority 5,318 10.92
Turnout 48,694 83.04
Conservative hold Swing
Mid Bedfordshire by-election, 1960
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Lewis Edmonstone Hastings 17,503 45.4
Labour Bryan Edgar Magee 11,281 29.2
Liberal Wilfred G. Matthews 9,550 24.8
New Conservative C. F. H. Gilliard 235 0.6
Majority 6,222 16.2
Turnout 38,569 71.1
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Mid Bedfordshire

Electorate 53,889

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd 21,301 46.79
Labour Bryan Edgar Magee 16,127 35.42
Liberal Wilfred G. Matthews 8,099 17.79 n/a
Majority 5,174 11.36
Turnout 84.48
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Mid Bedfordshire

Electorate 51,699

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd 23,012 54.71
Labour Thomas Cecil Skeffington-Lodge 19,048 45.29
Majority 3,964 9.42
Turnout 81.36
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Mid Bedfordshire

Electorate 50,811

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd 19,681 45.39
Labour T.L. 'Addy' Taylor 17,818 41.09
Liberal Donald Tweddle 5,863 13.52
Majority 1,863 4.30
Turnout 85.34
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Mid Bedfordshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd 17,671 41.39
Labour W. Howell 15,512 36.33
Liberal Ewart Kenneth Martell 9,511 22.28
Majority 2,159 5.06
Turnout 86.22
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Bedfordshire Mid

Electorate 51,465

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd 13,954 37.0
Labour W Howell 12,073 32.1
Liberal Ewart Kenneth Martell 11,641 30.9
Majority 1,881 5.0
Turnout 37,668 73.19
Conservative hold Swing

General Election 1939/40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Election in the 1930s

General Election 14 November 1935:

Electorate 41,813

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd 16,054 50.3 +2.9
Liberal Milner Gray 11,623 36.4 -6.4
Labour T. H. Knight 4,224 13.2 +3.4
Majority 4,431 13.89
Turnout 76.29
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 27 October 1931:

Electorate 40,555

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd 15,213 47.4
Liberal Milner Gray 13,726 42.8
Labour H William Fenner 3,156 9.8
Majority 1,487 4.63
Turnout 79.14
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Election in the 1920s

General Election 30 May 1929:

Electorate 39,149

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Milner Gray 14,595 46.9
Conservative William Ward Warner 12,682 40.7
Labour H William Fenner 3,853 12.4
Majority 1,913 6.2
Turnout 8,829
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 29 October 1924:

Electorate 30,964

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Ward Warner 12,317 52.0
Liberal Frederick Caesar Linfield 11,356 48.0
Majority 961 4.0
Turnout 76.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General Election 6 December 1923:

Electorate 30,511

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Caesar Linfield 11,310
Conservative William Ward Warner 9,287
Labour R L Widgell 1,567
Majority 2,023
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 15 November 1922:

Electorate 29,968

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Caesar Linfield 11,874
Conservative Maximilian Gowran Townley 9,137
Majority 2,737
Turnout
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing

Election in the 1910s

General Election 14 December 1918:

Electorate

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Maximilian Gowran Townley 9,073
Liberal Sir Arthur William Black 7,352
Majority 1,721
Turnout

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ↑ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ Historic wards for local government as South Bedfordshire and Mid Bedfordshire were used to create the constituency at the most recent boundary review. Since the creation of the Central Bedfordshire unitary authority in 2009, different wards have been used for the election of local councillors.
  4. ↑ This transferred in 2010 to Bedford
  5. ↑ Langford and Henlow Village transferred in 2010 to NE Bedfordshire
References
  1. ↑ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ↑ Boundary Commission for England News Release (download)
  3. ↑ 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England
  4. ↑ Nadine Dorries suspended as Tory MP in I'm a Celebrity row, 6 November 2012
  5. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 2)
  6. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/bedfordshiremid/
  7. ↑ "Statement Of Persons Nominated And Notice Of Poll". Acting Returning Officer. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  8. ↑ http://electionresults.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bedfordshire-mid-2015.html
  9. ↑ http://lutonandbeds.greenparty.org.uk/news/2015/01/31/gareth-ellis-selected-as-green-party-candidate-for-mid-bedfordshire/
  10. ↑ "Tim Ireland: Prospective Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Mid Bedfordshire". Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  11. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/CentralBedfordshireLiberalDemocrats/photos/a.431226776936741.98038.420815354644550/820127744713307/?type=1
  12. ↑ "Candidates". OMRLP. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  13. ↑ http://electionresults.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bedfordshire-mid-2015.html
  14. ↑ "nigelwickens.wordpress.com". Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  15. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/JohnGuinnforMP/posts/1553131044975313
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ BBC Vote 2001 Results
  18. ↑ election.demon.co.uk 1997 General Election Results 1997
  19. ↑ The swing was calculated by the BBC compared with a notional 1992 result. BBC Election '97
  20. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.