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Tunbridge Wells (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 51°7′N 0°20′E / 51.117°N 0.333°E / 51.117; 0.333
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Tunbridge Wells
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2010
Map of constituency
Boundary of Tunbridge Wells in South East England
CountyKent
Electorate75,213 (2023)[1]
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentMike Martin (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created from

Tunbridge Wells is a constituency[n 1] in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Mike Martin, a Liberal Democrat.[n 2]

Boundaries

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1974–1983: The Borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells, the Urban District of Southborough, the Rural District of Cranbrook, in the Rural District of Tonbridge the parishes of Bidborough, Brenchley, Capel, Horsmonden, Lamberhurst, Paddock Wood, Pembury, Speldhurst.

1983–1997: The Borough of Tunbridge Wells. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged.

1997–2010: The Borough of Tunbridge Wells wards of Brenchley, Capel, Culverden, Goudhurst, Horsmonden, Lamberhurst, Paddock Wood, Pantiles, Park, Pembury, Rusthall, St James', St John's, St Mark's, Sherwood, Southborough East, Southborough North, Southborough West, Speldhurst and Bidborough.

2010–present: The Borough of Tunbridge Wells wards of Brenchley and Horsmonden, Broadwater, Capel, Culverden, Goudhurst and Lamberhurst, Hawkhurst and Sandhurst, Paddock Wood East, Paddock Wood West, Pantiles and St Mark's, Park, Pembury, Rusthall, St James', St John's, Sherwood, Southborough and High Brooms, Southborough North, Speldhurst and Bidborough.

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged.[2]

The current constituency includes the large town of Tunbridge Wells, as well as most of its borough to the east, which is generally rural.

History

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The constituency was created in 1974, and was originally named "Royal Tunbridge Wells". Except for Cranbrook Rural District (previously part of the Ashford constituency) the area had formed part of the constituency of Tonbridge prior to 1974. In 1983 the "Royal" prefix was removed from the seat's name.

Political history

The seat's results since its 1974 creation indicate a Conservative safe seat. In 1994, the Conservative group on the council lost control, but regained it in 1998.

Prominent frontbenchers

In succession, from 1983 until 1997 Patrick Mayhew reached three leading positions: Solicitor General for England and Wales, Attorney General for England and Wales and for Northern Ireland (simultaneously) and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

From 2000 to 2001, Archie Norman was the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions.

The previous MP Greg Clark, was Minister for Decentralisation from the start of the Cameron ministry, and then two years later became Financial Secretary to the Treasury. He then served as the Minister of State for Cities and Constitution, Minister of State for Universities, Science and Cities before serving in the cabinet as the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government after the 2015 General Election

In the May ministry, he served throughout as the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy before stepping down after May's resignation in July 2019. After returning to the backbenches, he served as the chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee across the Johnson, Truss and Sunak ministries.

Clark stepped down for the 2024 general election, when the seat was won by Mike Martin of the Liberal Democrats – the first time it, and its predecessor Tonbridge, have not been represented by a Conservative since the latter's creation in 1918.

Constituency profile

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The area is still largely rural in character and landscape, enjoying a gently elevated position which is traversed by the High Weald Landscape Trail. The area has local service sector and financial sector employers, light engineering combined with being substantially a commuter belt town for London, and to an extent, businesses on the southern side of the M25, such as in the Gatwick Diamond.

The electorate voted for Remain in the 2016 EU referendum, and are wealthier than the UK average.[3]

Members of Parliament

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Tonbridge and Ashford prior to 1974

Election Member[4] Party
February 1974 Patrick Mayhew Conservative
1997 Archie Norman Conservative
2005 Greg Clark Conservative
September 2019 Independent
November 2019 Conservative
2024 Mike Martin Liberal Democrats

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Tunbridge Wells [5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mike Martin 23,661 43.6 +15.3
Conservative Neil Mahapatra 14,974 27.6 −27.5
Reform UK John Gager 6,484 12.0 N/A
Labour Hugo Pound 6,178 11.4 −3.4
Green John Hurst 2,344 4.3 +4.3
Independent Hassan Kassem 609 1.1 N/A
Majority 8,687 16.0 N/A
Turnout 54,250 69.2 −3.8
Registered electors 78,738
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing Increase21.4

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Tunbridge Wells[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Greg Clark 30,119 55.1 –1.8
Liberal Democrats Ben Chapelard 15,474 28.3 +18.4
Labour Antonio Weiss 8,098 14.8 –11.7
Independent Christopher Camp 488 0.9 N/A
Independent Nigel Peacock 471 0.9 N/A
Majority 14,645 26.8 –3.6
Turnout 54,650 73.0 +0.9
Conservative hold Swing –10.1
General election 2017: Tunbridge Wells[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Greg Clark 30,856 56.9 −1.8
Labour Charles Woodgate 14,391 26.5 +12.3
Liberal Democrats Rachel Sadler 5,355 9.9 +1.5
UKIP Chris Hoare 1,464 2.7 −9.9
Green Trevor Bisdee 1,441 2.7 −2.5
Women's Equality Celine Thomas 702 1.3 N/A
Majority 16,465 30.4 −14.1
Turnout 54,209 72.1 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing -5.25
General election 2015: Tunbridge Wells[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Greg Clark 30,181 58.7 +2.5
Labour Kevin Kerrigan 7,307 14.2 +3.4
UKIP Colin Nicholson[10] 6,481 12.6 +8.5
Liberal Democrats James MacCleary[11][12] 4,342 8.4 −16.9
Green Marie Jones 2,659 5.2 +3.4
Independent Graham Naismith[13] 458 0.9 N/A
Majority 22,874 44.5 +13.6
Turnout 51,428 70.0 +0.2
Conservative hold Swing −0.5
General election 2010: Tunbridge Wells[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Greg Clark 28,302 56.2 +5.5
Liberal Democrats David Hallas 12,726 25.3 0.0
Labour Gary Heather 5,448 10.8 −9.6
UKIP Victor Webb 2,054 4.1 +0.6
Green Hazel Dawe 914 1.8 N/A
BNP Andrew McBride[15] 704 1.4 N/A
Independent Farel Bradbury 172 0.3 N/A
Majority 15,576 30.9 +7.4
Turnout 50,320 69.8 +3.9
Conservative hold Swing +2.8

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Tunbridge Wells[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Greg Clark 21,083 49.6 +0.7
Liberal Democrats Laura Murphy 11,095 26.1 +1.4
Labour Jacqui Jedrzejewski 8,736 20.6 −2.6
UKIP Victor Webb 1,568 3.7 +0.4
Majority 9,988 23.5 −0.7
Turnout 42,482 65.7 +3.4
Conservative hold Swing −0.4
General election 2001: Tunbridge Wells[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archie Norman 19,643 48.9 +3.7
Liberal Democrats Keith Brown 9,913 24.7 −5.0
Labour Ian Carvell 9,332 23.2 +2.8
UKIP Victor Webb 1,313 3.3 +2.8
Majority 9,730 24.2 +6.7
Turnout 40,201 62.3 −11.8
Conservative hold Swing +4.4

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Tunbridge Wells[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archie Norman 21,853 45.2 −11.7
Liberal Democrats Anthony S. Clayton 14,347 29.7 +1.3
Labour Peter Warner 9,879 20.4 +6.6
Referendum Tim Macpherson 1,858 3.8 N/A
UKIP M. Smart 264 0.5 N/A
Natural Law Paul Levy 153 0.3 −0.1
Majority 7,506 15.5 −13.0
Turnout 48,354 74.1 −4.0
Conservative hold Swing -6.5
General election 1992: Tunbridge Wells[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Mayhew 34,162 56.9 −1.5
Liberal Democrats Anthony S. Clayton 17,030 28.4 −1.6
Labour EAC Goodman 8,300 13.8 +2.2
Natural Law EW Fenna 267 0.4 N/A
Independent R Edey 236 0.4 N/A
Majority 17,132 28.5 +0.1
Turnout 59,995 78.1 +3.8
Conservative hold Swing 0.0

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Tunbridge Wells[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Mayhew 33,111 58.4 +0.1
Liberal Dorothy Buckrell 16,989 30.0 Steady
Labour Peter Sloman 6,555 11.6 +0.3
Majority 16,122 28.4 +0.1
Turnout 56,655 74.3 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing +0.1
General election 1983: Tunbridge Wells[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Mayhew 31,199 58.3 −1.2
Liberal Peter Blaine 16,073 30.0 +11.7
Labour Stephen Casely 6,042 11.3 −9.9
National Front D Smith 236 0.4 −0.5
Majority 15,126 28.3 −10.0
Turnout 53,550 72.7 −2.00
Conservative hold Swing −6.5

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Royal Tunbridge Wells
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Mayhew 31,928 59.5 +10.0
Labour AAJ Bartlett 11,392 21.2 −3.7
Liberal R Baker 9,797 18.3 −7.3
National Front W Standen 509 0.9 N/A
Majority 20,536 38.3 +14.3
Turnout 53,626 74.7 +2.2
Conservative hold Swing +6.9
General election October 1974: Royal Tunbridge Wells
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Mayhew 24,829 49.5 +0.1
Liberal DC Owens 12,802 25.5 −3.9
Labour RC Blackwell 12,499 24.9 +3.6
Majority 12,027 24.0 +4.0
Turnout 50,130 72.5 −7.9
Conservative hold Swing +2.0
General election February 1974: Royal Tunbridge Wells
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Mayhew 27,212 49.4
Liberal DC Owens 16,184 29.4
Labour MF Short 11,734 21.3
Majority 11,028 20.0
Turnout 55,130 80.4
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  2. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  3. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Tunbridge+Wells
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 2)
  5. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll'". Tunbridge Wells Council. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Tunbridge Wells Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  7. ^ "2017 General Election: The 6 candidates in Tunbridge Wells". Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  8. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Tunbridge Wells". BBC. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  10. ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  11. ^ "General Election 2015 Candidates - Liberal Democrats". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014.
  12. ^ "James MacCleary". YourNextMP. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  13. ^ http://www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/88134/Statment-of-Persons-Nominated-Parliamentary-Election.pdf [permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ^ "The British National Party — Blog — BNP's South East Regional Organiser to Contest the Tunbridge Wells Seat". bnp.org.uk. Archived from the original on 16 March 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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51°7′N 0°20′E / 51.117°N 0.333°E / 51.117; 0.333

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