Oxford West and Abingdon (UK Parliament constituency)

Oxford West and Abingdon
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Oxford West and Abingdon in Oxfordshire.

Outline map

Location of Oxfordshire within England.
County Oxfordshire
Electorate 78,404 (December 2014)[1]
Major settlements Abingdon, Kidlington, Oxford (5 wards), Radley
Current constituency
Created 1983
Member of parliament Nicola Blackwood (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from Oxford, Abingdon
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South East England

Oxford West and Abingdon is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Nicola Blackwood, a Conservative.[n 2]

History

The constituency was created in 1983 by the division of the former constituency of Oxford. Abingdon had its own seat prior to 1983.

The former Conservative Minister John Patten, MP for Oxford from 1979, won the West seat on its creation and remained the MP until he retired in 1997 when the seat was gained by a Liberal Democrat, Dr Evan Harris, who held the seat until the 2010 General Election, when it was gained by Conservative MP Nicola Blackwood in the one of the most marginal results of that election.

Constituency profile

The constituency stretches from the town of Abingdon, the village of Kidlington, and the western and northern parts of the city of Oxford, as well as a minority of the colleges of the University of Oxford. At the end of 2010 unemployment was the fifth lowest of the 84 South East constituencies (measure used: claimant count), at 1.2% compared to a mean of 2.45%.[2]

Boundaries

1983-1997: The City of Oxford wards of Central, Cherwell, North, South, West, and Wolvercote, and the District of Vale of White Horse wards of Abbey, Caldecott, Cumnor, Fitzharris, Hinksey, Kennington, Northcourt, Ock, Radley, St Helen Without, and Sunningwell and Wootton.

1997-2010: The City of Oxford wards of Central, Cherwell, North, West, and Wolvercote, the District of Vale of White Horse wards of Abbey, Caldecott, Cumnor, Fitzharris, Hinksey, Kennington, Northcourt, Ock, Radley, St Helen Without, and Sunningwell and Wootton, and the District of Cherwell wards of Gosford, North West Kidlington, and South East Kidlington.

2010–present: The City of Oxford wards of Jericho and Osney, North, St Margaret’s, Summertown, and Wolvercote, the District of Vale of White Horse wards of Abingdon Abbey and Barton, Abingdon Caldecott, Abingdon Dunmore, Abingdon Fitzharris, Abingdon Northcourt, Abingdon Ock Meadow, Abingdon Peachcroft, Appleton and Cumnor, Kennington and South Hinksey, North Hinksey and Wytham, Radley, and Sunningwell and Wootton, and the District of Cherwell wards of Kidlington North, Kidlington South, and Yarnton, Gosford and Water Eaton.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[3]Party
1983 John Patten Conservative
1997 Evan Harris Liberal Democrat
2010 Nicola Blackwood Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

Election results for Oxford West and Abingdon
A pre-election husting at the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency during the 2010 campaign. From left to right: Richard Stevens, Evan Harris (standing, incumbent), Tim Gardam (chair, Principal of St Anne's College), Chris Goodall, Nicola Blackwood.
General Election 2015: Oxford West and Abingdon[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicola Blackwood 26,153 45.7 +3.4
Liberal Democrat Layla Moran[5] 16,571 28.9 −13.1
Labour Sally Copley[6] 7,274 12.7 +2.1
UKIP Alan Harris[7] 3,963 6.9 +4.2
Green Larry Sanders[8] 2,497 4.4 +2.3
National Health Action Helen Salisbury[9] 723 1.3 N/A
Socialist (GB) Mike Foster [10] 66 0.1 N/A
Majority 9,582 16.7
Turnout 57,247 75.2 +5.0
Conservative hold Swing +8.2
General Election 2010: Oxford West and Abingdon[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicola Blackwood 23,906 42.3 +9.6
Liberal Democrat Evan Harris 23,730 42.0 −4.1
Labour Richard Stevens 5,999 10.6 −5.2
UKIP Paul Williams 1,518 2.7 +1.2
Green Chris Goodall 1,184 2.1 -1.7
Animal Protection Keith Mann 143 0.3 -
Majority 176 0.3
Turnout 56,480 70.2 +3.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat Swing +6.9

Elections in the 2000s

A pre-election husting at the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency during the 2005 campaign.
General Election 2005: Oxford West and Abingdon[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Evan Harris 24,336 46.3 −1.5
Conservative Amanda McLean 16,653 31.7 +1.7
Labour Antonia Bance 8,725 16.6 −1.1
Green Tom Lines 2,091 4.0 +1.2
UKIP Marcus Watney 795 1.5 +0.6
Majority 7,683 14.6
Turnout 52,600 65.6 +1.1
Liberal Democrat hold Swing −1.6
General Election 2001: Oxford West and Abingdon[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Evan Harris 24,670 47.8 +4.9
Conservative Ed Matts 15,485 30.0 −2.6
Labour Gillian Kirk 9,114 17.7 −2.5
Green Mike Woodin 1,423 2.8 +1.6
UKIP Marcus Watney 451 0.9 +0.5
Independent Sigrid Shreeve 332 0.6 N/A
Extinction Club Robert Twigger 93 0.2 N/A
Majority 9,185 17.8
Turnout 51,568 64.5 −13.5
Liberal Democrat hold Swing +3.8

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Oxford West and Abingdon[14][15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Evan Harris 26,268 42.9 +7.1
Conservative Laurence Harris 19,983 32.7 −13.6
Labour Susan Brown 12,361 20.2 +4.1
Referendum Gillian Eustace 1,258 2.1 N/A
Green Mike Woodin 691 1.1 −0.1
UKIP Rodney Buckton 258 0.4 N/A
ProLife Alliance Linda Hodge 238 0.4 N/A
Natural Law Anne Marie Wilson 91 0.1 +0.0
Local Government John Rose 48 0.1 N/A
Majority 6,285 10.2
Turnout 61,196 78.0
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing +10.4
General Election 1992: Oxford West and Abingdon[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Patten 25,163 45.4 −1.0
Liberal Democrat William Goodhart 21,624 39.0 +1.6
Labour Bruce Kent 7,652 13.8 −1.1
Green Mike Woodin 660 1.2 −0.1
Liberal Roger Jenking 194 0.3 N/A
Anti-Federalist League Susan Nelson 98 0.2 N/A
Natural Law Geoffrey Wells 75 0.1 N/A
Majority 3,539 6.4
Turnout 55,466 76.7 −1.7
Conservative hold Swing −1.3

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Oxford West and Abingdon[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Patten 25,171 46.4 −1.3
Social Democratic Chris Huhne 20,293 37.4 +4.1
Labour John Power 8,108 14.9 −2.0
Green Donald Smith 695 1.3 +0.2
Majority 4,878 9.0
Turnout 54,267 78.4 +4.4
Conservative hold Swing −2.7
General Election 1983: Oxford West and Abingdon[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Patten 23,778 47.7 N/A
Social Democratic Evan Luard 16,627 33.3 N/A
Labour J.H. Jacottet 8,440 16.9 N/A
Ecology S.G. Starmer 544 1.1 N/A
Monster Raving Loony R.A. Jones 267 0.5 N/A
Independent C.N. Smith 95 0.2 N/A
Independent P.M. Doubleday 86 0.2 N/A
Independent R. Pinder 26 0.1 N/A
Majority 7,151 14.4 N/A
Turnout 49,863 74.0 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)

Neighbouring constituencies

Constituencies bordering Oxford West and Abingdon
Henley
Witney Henley
Oxford East
   Oxford West and Abingdon  
Wantage

See also

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

  1. ↑ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2014 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 2 February 2015.
  2. ↑ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  3. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "O"
  4. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Candidates". Liberal Democrats.
  6. ↑ "The Labour Party". labour.org.uk.
  7. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/oxfordwestandabingdon/
  8. ↑ "Larry Sanders is the new candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon". Oxfordshire Green Party.; http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/30/bernie-larry-sanders-brothers-us-uk-politics
  9. ↑ Jessica Ormerod. "DR HELEN SALISBURY". NHA Party.
  10. ↑ "General Election - Campaign News". worldsocialism.org.
  11. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ↑ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.451 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  16. ↑ The 1997 election result is calculated relative to the notional, not the actual, 1992 result.
  17. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

16-Jun-15 http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/services-and-advice/local-democracy/elections-and-registering-vote/elections-2015/parliamentary-elec

Coordinates: 51°45′N 1°18′W / 51.75°N 1.30°W / 51.75; -1.30

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