Hertsmere (UK Parliament constituency)

Hertsmere is a constituency^{[n 1]} identical with the area of the Hertsmere Borough of Hertfordshire in England represented since 2015 in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Oliver Dowden of the Conservative Party.^{[n 2]}

Boundaries and composition

1983-1997: The Borough of Hertsmere, and the City of St Albans ward of London Colney.

1997–present: The Borough of Hertsmere.

Since 1997 the constituency is coterminous with the borough of Hertsmere, in southern Hertfordshire (before then it had also included one electoral ward from the City of St Albans district). Hertsmere consists of the major towns and villages of Bushey, Radlett, Potters Bar and Borehamwood, elevated settlements above the headwaters of the River Colne which forms much of the northern border. Bushey borders Watford and the London Borough of Harrow to the west and south west, while Potters Bar borders Barnet and Broxbourne on the east. Borehamwood is just south-east of the centre, the largest town in the constituency — in the north and centre is Radlett, separated by two large villages and farms from St Albans to the north.

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Hertfordshire, the Boundary Commission recommended no changes to constituency boundaries for the 2010 general election. The seat has electoral wards:

• Aldenham East, Aldenham West, Borehamwood Brookmeadow, Borehamwood Cowley Hill, Borehamwood Hillside, Borehamwood Kenilworth, Bushey Heath, Bushey North, Bushey Park, Bushey St James, Elstree, Potters Bar Furzefield, Potters Bar Oakmere, Potters Bar Parkfield, Shenley.^[3]

Constituency profile

Just beyond the boundaries of Greater London and with fast railway lines into the capital, Hertsmere is an archetypal middle-class, mixed economy, Home Counties district with many commuters to London, considered by most to be well within the London Commuter Belt.

The Aldenham East ward, assessed as the least deprived of 8414 wards in England in IMD2000 of the year 2000, is in the constituency. A minority of wards of Borehamwood have Labour councillors and the seat has proven to date to be a Conservative safe seat. A close result for second place occurred 2010 with only 661 votes separating the Labour and the Liberal Democrat candidate.

Members of Parliament

This safe Conservative constituency was created in 1983 from the former seat of South Hertfordshire. The former Cabinet minister Cecil Parkinson, who previously represented South Hertfordshire, was the MP from the seat's creation until his retirement in 1992. James Clappison held the seat from 1992 until his decision to stand down from parliament at the 2015 General Election.^[4] The seat was subsequently won by Oliver Dowden.^[5]

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2017: Hertsmere^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Oliver Dowden	31,928	61.1	1.8
	Labour	Fiona Smith	14,977	28.7	6.2
	Liberal Democrat	Joe Jordan	2,794	5.3	0.2
	UKIP	David Hoy	1,564	3	9.7
	Green	Sophie Summerhayes	990	1.9	1.9
Majority			16,951	32.4	4.5
Turnout			52,389	71.2	3.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	2.2

General Election 2015: Hertsmere^[8][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Oliver Dowden	29,696	59.3	+3.3
	Labour	Richard Butler[10]	11,235	22.4	+3.7
	UKIP	Frank Ward	6,383	12.7	+9.1
	Liberal Democrat	Sophie Bowler	2,777	5.5	−11.8
Majority			18,461	36.9	−0.3
Turnout			50,091	67.9	+3.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	0.2

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

See also

• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Hertfordshire

Notes and references

Notes

References

Coordinates: 51°40′N 0°16′W / 51.667°N 0.267°W / 51.667; -0.267