South West Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)

South West Hertfordshire
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of South West Hertfordshire in Hertfordshire.
Location of Hertfordshire within England.
County	Hertfordshire
Electorate	78,269 (December 2010)^[1]
Major settlements	Berkhamsted, Rickmansworth and Tring
Current constituency
Created	1950
Member of parliament	David Gauke (Conservative)
Number of members	One
Created from	West Hertfordshire (minor 1997 additions) Watford or more formally Hertfordshire Western (1885-1950)
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency	East of England

South West Hertfordshire is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005 by David Gauke, a Conservative.^{[n 2]}

Boundaries

1950-1974: The Urban Districts of Bushey, Chorleywood, and Rickmansworth, and the Rural District of Watford (the civil parishes of Abbots Langley, Aldenham, Rickmansworth Rural, Sarratt, and Watford Rural).

1974-1983: The Urban Districts of Bushey, Chorleywood, and Rickmansworth, and in the Rural District of Watford the civil parishes of Abbots Langley, Sarratt, and Watford Rural.

1983-1997: The District of Three Rivers wards of Ashridge, Bedmond, Carpenders Park, Chorleywood, Chorleywood West, Croxley Green, Croxley Green North, Croxley Green South, Hayling, Langleybury, Maple Cross and West Hyde, Mill End, Money Hill, Moor Park, Northwick, Oxhey Hall, Rickmansworth, and Sarratt, and the District of Dacorum wards of Berkhamsted Central, Berkhamsted East, Berkhamsted West, Bovingdon and Flaunden, Chipperfield, Kings Langley, and Northchurch.

1997-2010: The District of Three Rivers wards of Ashridge, Chorleywood, Chorleywood West, Croxley Green, Croxley Green North, Croxley Green South, Hayling, Maple Cross and West Hyde, Mill End, Money Hill, Moor Park, Northwick, Rickmansworth, and Sarratt, and the District of Dacorum wards of Aldbury and Wigginton, Berkhamsted Central, Berkhamsted East, Berkhamsted West, Bovingdon and Flaunden, Chipperfield, Northchurch, Tring Central, Tring East, and Tring West.

2010-present: The District of Three Rivers wards of Ashridge, Chorleywood East, Chorleywood West, Croxley Green, Croxley Green North, Croxley Green South, Hayling, Maple Cross and Mill End, Moor Park and Eastbury, Northwick, Penn, Rickmansworth, Rickmansworth West, and Sarratt, and the District of Dacorum wards of Aldbury and Wigginton, Berkhamsted Castle, Berkhamsted East, Berkhamsted West, Bovingdon, Flaunden and Chipperfield, Northchurch, Tring Central, Tring East, and Tring West.

This seat forms a thin strip along the south-west border of Hertfordshire from South Oxhey (near Watford) in the south, through interspersed settlements and countryside to Tring in the north. Settlements in the constituency include Chipperfield, Chorleywood, Croxley Green, Moor Park, and Rickmansworth.

Constituency profile

Elevated and bordering Greater London and Buckinghamshire, this part of Hertfordshire is for its residents mostly middle-class surburbia, an established haven for commuters who travel from the outer reaches of London Underground's Metropolitan line or two railways from London which serve difference parts of the seat: the West Coast Main Line and Aylesbury Line. A substantial proportion of land is occupied by farms and hillside woodland.^[2]

Further from London in the north of the seat, the brewing town of Tring has a distinctive compact, and architecturally rich identity,^[2] nestled between steep hills of the Chilterns. Similarly Chorleywood is extremely affluent.^[3]

Workless claimants were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 1.6% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.^[4]

History

Following the 2010 election, every seat in Hertfordshire had a Conservative MP, and 'South West Herts' was the third safest of these.

Members of Parliament

	Member^[5]	Party
1950	Gilbert Longden	Conservative
Feb 1974	Geoffrey Dodsworth	Conservative
1979	Richard Page	Conservative
2005	David Gauke	Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: South West Hertfordshire^[6]^[7]^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Gauke	32,608	56.9	+2.7
	Labour	Simon Diggins	9,345	16.3	+4.8
	UKIP	Mark Anderson^[9]	6,603	11.5	+9.0
	Liberal Democrat	Nigel Quinton	5,872	10.3	−17.7
	Green	Charlotte Pardy^[10]	2,583	4.5	N/A
	Common Sense Party	Graham Cartmell	256	0.4	N/A
Majority			23,263	40.6
Turnout				71.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	-1.1

General Election 2010: South West Hertfordshire^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Gauke	30,773	54.2	+7.2
	Liberal Democrat	Christopher Townsend	15,853	27.9	−2.1
	Labour	Harry Mann	6,526	11.5	−9.3
	UKIP	Mark Benson	1,450	2.6	+0.4
	BNP	Deirdre Gates	1,302	2.3	N/A
	Independent	James Hannaway	846	1.5	+1.5
Majority			14,920	26.29
Turnout			56,750	72.53
	Conservative hold		Swing	4.66

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: South West Hertfordshire^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Gauke	23,494	46.9	+2.6
	Liberal Democrat	Edward Featherstone	15,021	30.0	+3.7
	Labour	Kerron Cross	10,466	20.9	−6.1
	UKIP	Colin Rodden	1,107	2.2	+0.4
Majority			8,473	16.9	-0.4
Turnout			50,088	68.5	+4.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.5

General Election 2001: South West Hertfordshire^[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Page	20,933	44.3	−1.7
	Labour	Graham Dale	12,752	27.0	−0.9
	Liberal Democrat	Edward Featherstone	12,431	26.3	+4.0
	UKIP	Colin Dale-Mills	847	1.8	N/A
	ProLife Alliance	Julia Goffin	306	0.6	N/A
Majority			8,181	17.3
Turnout			47,269	64.5	−12.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: South West Hertfordshire^[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Page	25,462	46.0	−11.0
	Labour	Mark Wilson	15,441	27.9	+8.5
	Liberal Democrat	Ann Shaw	12,381	22.3	−0.8
	Referendum	Timothy Millward	1,853	3.3	N/A
	Natural Law	Christopher Adamson	274	0.5	0.0
Majority			10,021	18.1
Turnout			55,411	77.3	−6.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	−9.8

General Election 1992: South West Hertfordshire^[15]^[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Page	33,825	57.0	+1.2
	Liberal Democrat	Mrs A Shaw	13,718	23.1	−5.8
	Labour	AP Gale	11,512	19.4	+4.1
	Natural Law	CJ Adamson	281	0.5	+0.5
Majority			20,107	33.9	+7.0
Turnout			59,336	83.7	+6.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.5

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: South West Hertfordshire^[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Page	32,791	55.80
	Liberal	Ian Murray Blair	17,007	28.94
	Labour	Ian Willmore	8,966	15.26
Majority			15,784	26.86
Turnout				77.69
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1983: South West Hertfordshire^[18]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Page	30,217	53.61
	Liberal	Ian Murray Blair	18,023	31.98
	Labour	E Playfair	7,818	13.87
	Independent	M Luton	307	0.54
Majority			12,194	21.63
Turnout				75.79
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

By-Election 13 December 1979: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Page	17,031	45.9	-8.8
	Labour	Mrs. Susan Ann Reeves	10,259	27.7	...
	Liberal	Dane Clouston	8,752	23.6	+7.4
	Ecology	Nigel Jeskins	602	1.6	N/A
	ACMFT	David Bundy	288	0.8	N/A
	Independent	Nigel Ffooks	143	0.4	N/A
Majority			6,772	18.2	-8.8
Turnout			37,075	48.3	-31.4
	Conservative hold		Swing
Registered electors			76,776

Note: ACMFT stands for the Anti Common Market and Free Trade Party.

Resignation of Dodsworth 24 October 1979

General Election 1979: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Geoffrey Dodsworth	33,112	54.69
	Labour	Anthony John Colman	16,784	27.72
	Liberal	G Cass	9,808	16.20
	National Front	P Graves	839	1.39
Majority			16,328	26.97
Turnout				79.74
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election October 1974: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Geoffrey Dodsworth	24,939	42.63
	Labour	ALC Cohen	19,098	32.64
	Liberal	JES Jarrett	14,470	24.73
Majority			5,841	9.98
Turnout				76.99
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election February 1974: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Geoffrey Dodsworth	26,563	42.15
	Labour	JE Mitchell	18,465	29.30
	Liberal	JES Jarrett	17,987	28.54
Majority			8,098	12.85
Turnout				83.78
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1970: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Gilbert Longden	32,661	50.32
	Labour	Bruce Joseph Grocott	24,214	37.31
	Liberal	JWS Jarrett	7,489	11.54
	Independent Resident	R Skilton	542	0.84
Majority			8,447	13.01
Turnout				75.66
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Gilbert Longden	28,378	45.66
	Labour	SJ Chapman	25,186	40.52
	Liberal	PAS Benton	8,590	13.82
Majority			3,192	5.14
Turnout				83.12
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1964: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Gilbert Longden	28,308	45.77
	Labour	Syd Bidwell	22,237	35.96
	Liberal	RD Brown	11,301	18.27
Majority			6,071	9.82
Turnout				83.01
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959 Electorate 69,291
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Gilbert Longden	29,724	50.8
	Labour	AJ Whiteside	19,487	33.3
	Liberal	Desmond Anderson Harvie Banks	9,278	15.9
Majority			10,237	17.5
Turnout			58,489	84.4
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1955: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Gilbert Longden	28,847	56.87
	Labour	W Thomas	21,878	43.13
Majority			6,969	13.74
Turnout				81.31
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1951: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Gilbert Longden	27,049	58.75
	Labour	L Allaker	18,991	41.25
Majority			8,058	17.50
Turnout				85.02
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1950: South West Hertfordshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Gilbert Longden	23,608	55.37
	Labour	L Allaker	14,913	34.98
	Liberal	George C Middleton	4,114	9.65
Majority			8,695	20.39
Turnout				86.10
	Conservative hold		Swing

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

↑ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
1 2 OS Map with Listed Buildings and Parks marked
↑ Chorleywood West ward was rated 8413 out of 8414 for deprivation in IMD2000, with its other ward similarly placed in the list.
↑ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)
↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
↑ "Statement Of Persons Nominated And Notice Of Poll". Acting Returning Officer. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000951
↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/Hertfordshiresouthwest/
↑ https://my.greenparty.org.uk/candidates/106205
↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
↑ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Constituencies in the East of England (58)

Conservative (52)	Basildon and Billericay Bedford Braintree Brentwood and Ongar Broadland Broxbourne Bury St Edmunds Castle Point Central Suffolk and North Ipswich Chelmsford Colchester Epping Forest Great Yarmouth Harlow Harwich and North Essex Hemel Hempstead Hertford and Stortford Hertsmere Hitchin and Harpenden Huntingdon Ipswich Maldon Mid Bedfordshire Mid Norfolk North East Bedfordshire North East Cambridgeshire North East Hertfordshire North West Cambridgeshire North West Norfolk Norwich North Peterborough Rayleigh and Wickford Rochford and Southend East Saffron Walden St Albans South Basildon and East Thurrock South Cambridgeshire South East Cambridgeshire Southend West South Norfolk South Suffolk South West Bedfordshire South West Hertfordshire South West Norfolk Stevenage Suffolk Coastal Thurrock Watford Waveney Welwyn Hatfield West Suffolk Witham

Labour (4)	Cambridge Luton North Luton South Norwich South

Liberal Democrats (1)	North Norfolk

UK Independence Party (1)	Clacton

East of England European constituency: Conservative (3) Labour (1) UKIP (3)

Coordinates: 51°44′N 0°32′W / 51.733°N 0.533°W / 51.733; -0.533

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