Folkestone and Hythe (UK Parliament constituency)

Folkestone and Hythe
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Folkestone and Hythe in Kent.

Outline map

Location of Kent within England.
County Kent
Electorate 84,156 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Folkestone and Hythe
Current constituency
Created 1950
Member of parliament Damian Collins (Conservative)
Number of members One
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South East England

Folkestone and Hythe /ˈfkstən.əndˈhð/ is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.[n 2] Its MP is Damian Collins, a Conservative.

Boundaries and profile

1950-1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Folkestone, Hythe, Lydd, and New Romney, and the Rural Districts of Elham and Romney Marsh.

1983-2010: The District of Shepway.

2010–present: The District of Shepway (the wards of Dymchurch and St Mary’s Bay, Elham and Stelling Minnis, Folkestone Cheriton, Folkestone East, Folkestone Foord, Folkestone Harbour, Folkestone Harvey Central, Folkestone Harvey West, Folkestone Morehall, Folkestone Park, Folkestone Sandgate, Hythe Central, Hythe East, Hythe West, Lydd, Lympne and Stanford, New Romney Coast, New Romney Town, North Downs East, North Downs West, Romney Marsh, and Tolsford), and the Borough of Ashford ward of Saxon Shore.

Folkestone and Hythe consists of a hilly swathe of East Kent including the coastal towns of Folkestone and Hythe, in the south east of England. An urban area exists in and small suburban area around Folkestone and Hythe whereas rural communities of New Romney (which was a borough constituency until abolition as a 'rotten borough' in 1832), Lydd, Dymchurch, Lyminge and Elham contain significant farming communities, commuters to towns and business parks, including a small percentage to London and a large retired population.[2]

The Liberal Democrats or the Liberal Party have come second since February 1974, the Labour vote underwent a greater collapse here than on average at the 1983 general election and in 2010 broke through the 10% figure, about one third of the Lib Dem vote. Through its history of just over half a century the constituency has been a Conservative safe seat.

Members of Parliament

The current Member of Parliament for the constituency is Damian Collins of the Conservative Party who was elected at the 2010 general election. Collins's predecessor for the seat was Michael Howard (served 1983—2010). Howard held a number of political posts during his career in Parliament, most prominently as Home Secretary from 1993 to 1997 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2003 to 2005.

ElectionMember[3] Party
1950 Harry Mackeson Conservative
1959 Sir Albert Costain Conservative
1983 Michael Howard Conservative
2010 Damian Collins Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

Since the 2010 election there have been opinion polls conducted within the constituency, ahead of the next election.

General Election 2015: Folkestone and Hythe[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Collins 26,323 47.9 -1.6
UKIP Harriet Yeo[5] 12,526 22.8 +18.2
Labour Claire Jeffrey[6] 7,939 14.4 +3.6
Liberal Democrat Lynne Beaumont[7] 4,882 8.9 -21.4
Green Martin Whybrow[8] 2,956 5.4 +4.2
TUSC Seth Cruse 244 0.4 N/A
YPP Rohen Kapur[9] 72 0.1 N/A
Socialist (GB) Andy Thomas [10] 68 0.1 N/A
Majority 13,797 25.1 +5.9
Turnout 55,010 65.8 -1.9
Conservative hold Swing -9.9
General Election 2010: Folkestone and Hythe[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Collins 26,109 49.4 4.5
Liberal Democrat Lynne Beaumont 15,987 30.3 +0.7
Labour Donald Worsley 5,719 10.8 1.8
UKIP Frank McKenna 2,439 4.6 +3.3
BNP Harry Williams 1,662 3.1 N/A
Green Penny Kemp 637 1.2 0.3
Independent David Plumstead 247 0.5 +0.5
Majority 10,122 19.2 -4.9
Turnout 52,800 67.7 1.0
Conservative hold Swing -2.6

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Howard 26,161 53.9 +8.9
Liberal Democrat Peter Damian Carroll 14,481 29.9 2.2
Labour Maureen Tomison 6,053 12.5 7.7
Green Hazel Dawe 688 1.4 N/A
UKIP Petrina Alexandra Holdsworth 619 1.3 1.3
Monster Raving Loony Lord Toby Jug 175 0.4 N/A
Get Britain Back Rodney Hylton-Potts 153 0.3 N/A
Senior Citizens Party Grahame Leon-Smith 151 0.3 N/A
Peace and Progress Sylvia Dunn 22 0.0 N/A
Majority 11,680 24.1
Turnout 48,503 68.4 4.3
Conservative hold Swing +5.6
General Election 2001: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Howard 20,645 45.0 +6.0
Liberal Democrat Peter Damian Carroll 14,738 32.1 +5.2
Labour Albert Marin Aurelio Catterall 9,260 20.2 4.7
UKIP John Albert Baker 1,212 2.6 +1.9
Majority 5,907 12.9
Turnout 45,855 64.1 8.7
Conservative hold Swing 0.4

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Howard 20,313 39.0 13.3
Liberal Democrat David Anthony Laws 13,981 26.9 8.4
Labour Peter Doherty 12,939 24.9 +12.8
Referendum John Victor Aspinall 4,188 8.0 N/A
UKIP John Baker 378 0.7 N/A
Socialist Alliance Eric Segal 182 0.4 N/A
Country Field and Shooting Sports Raymond Saint 69 0.1 N/A
Majority 6,332 12.2 4.8
Turnout 52,050 72.7 6.9
Conservative hold Swing 2.5
General Election 1992: Folkestone and Hythe[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Howard 27,437 52.3 3.0
Liberal Democrat Mrs Linda W. Cufley 18,527 35.3 1.9
Labour Peter Doherty 6,347 12.1 +4.7
Natural Law AR Hobbs 123 0.2 N/A
Majority 8,910 17.0 1.1
Turnout 52,434 79.6 +1.3
Conservative hold Swing 0.6

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Howard 27,915 55.4
Liberal John Reginald MacDonald 18,789 37.3
Labour Vidya Sagar Anand 3,720 7.4
Majority 9,126 18.10
Turnout 78.29
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Howard 27,261 56.95
Liberal JR MacDonald 15,591 32.57
Labour L Lawrie 4,700 9.82
Independent PA Todd 318 0.66
Majority 11,670 24.38
Turnout 69.58
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Percy Costain 26,837 55.74
Liberal Bernard Wilfred Budd 10,817 22.47
Labour GJ Priestman 10,015 20.80
National Front M Lavine 478 0.99
Majority 16,020 33.27
Turnout 72.62
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Percy Costain 20,930 46.18
Liberal Bernard Wilfred Budd 12,488 27.55
Labour MJS Butler 11,639 25.68
Independent H Button 265 0.58
Majority 8,442 18.63
Turnout 70.03
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Percy Costain 23,400 47.08
Liberal Bernard Wilfred Budd 14,890 29.96
Labour MJS Butler 11,412 22.96
Majority 8,510 17.12
Turnout 77.31
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Percy Costain 27,031 64.33
Labour Nicholas A Hyman 13,772 32.77
Independent Harold W Button 1,219 2.90
Majority 13,259 31.55
Turnout 68.81
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Percy Costain 22,964 59.51
Labour John Rhodes Horam 15,562 40.39
Majority 7,402 19.21
Turnout 70.60
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Percy Costain 23,587 62.23
Labour Michael J. Stewart 14,314 37.77
Majority 9,273 24.47
Turnout 70.99
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Percy Costain 21,726 56.54
Labour W Edgar Simpkins 9,346 24.32
Liberal Robert D Emerson 7,351 19.13
Majority 12,380 32.22
Turnout 76.41
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Harry Ripley Mackeson 23,851 64.99
Labour Leslie Leonard Reeves 12,849 35.01
Majority 11,002 29.98
Turnout 72.83
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harry Ripley Mackeson 25,792 64.87
Labour I Rhys Jones 13,968 35.13
Majority 11,824 29.74
Turnout 78.95
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Folkestone and Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harry Ripley Mackeson 23,767 58.22
Labour Moss Murray 13,885 34.02
Liberal Mrs Ray Ward Bateson 3,168 7.76
Majority 9,882 24.21
Turnout 83.24
Conservative win (new seat)

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.
References

Sources


Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Chingford and Woodford Green
Constituency represented by the Leader of the Opposition
2003–2005
Succeeded by
Witney


Coordinates: 51°6′N 1°5′E / 51.100°N 1.083°E / 51.100; 1.083

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