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Dartford (UK Parliament constituency)

Dartford is a constituency[n 1] in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Jim Dickson of the Labour Party since 2024. It is the constituency that, in the entire UK, has longest been a bellwether: the party of the winning candidate has gone on to form the government at every UK general election since 1964.[2] Candidates for the largest two parties nationally have polled first and second since 1923 in Dartford.

The area of the seat, remaining a combination of urban, suburban and a small rural population, has been gradually reduced through its territory being contributed to new constituencies, their county designation later being changed in 1965 to become part of the new county of Greater London, which adjoins Dartford. These seats are Bexley, created in 1945, and Erith & Crayford, created in 1955.

History

The seat was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. This Act added a net 18 seats, but its main purpose was to correct the over-representation of minor, often still old boroughs and depopulated county divisions. In their place were created new seats with a larger population. In Kent the Act finally abolished the Sandwich constituency, which sent two MPs until 1885. It also halved the representation of no fewer than four other historic towns. In contrast a seat for Dartford, the North-Western Division of Kent or North West Kent, was created.

Political history

In the early 20th century, the Dartford constituency was very much a bellwether. Dartford's results later shifted towards the left: in a by-election in 1938 and then in general elections from 1951 to 1959, a Labour candidate won, going against the national result. Since 1964, however, Dartford has alternated between Labour and the Conservatives in line with the national result, and thus has served as a bellwether again; as of 2024, it is the longest-running bellwether constituency in the United Kingdom.

This was the first constituency contested by future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (then Margaret Roberts). She was the Conservative candidate at the 1950 and 1951 general elections, unsuccessful on both occasions.

Boundaries

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

1885–1918: The Sessional Division of Dartford, and part of the Sessional Division of Bromley.

1918–1945: The Urban Districts of Bexley, Dartford, and Erith, and in the Rural District of Dartford the parishes of Crayford, Stone, and Swanscombe.

1945–1955: The Boroughs of Dartford and Erith, and the Urban District of Crayford.

1955–1974: The Borough of Dartford, the Urban District of Swanscombe, and the Rural District of Dartford.

1974–1983: The Borough of Dartford, the Urban District of Swanscombe, and in the Rural District of Dartford the parishes of Darenth, Southfleet, Stone, Sutton-at-Hone, and Wilmington.

1983–1997: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks wards of Ash-cum-Ridley, Fawkham and Hartley, Horton Kirby, and Longfield.

1997–2010: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks wards of Fawkham and Hartley, and Horton Kirby.

2010–2024: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks ward of Hartley and Hodsoll Street.

2024–present: The Borough of Dartford wards of Bean & Village Park, Brent, Burnham, Darenth, Ebbsfleet, Greenhithe & Knockhall, Heath, Joyden's Wood, Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet, Maypole & Leyton Cross, Newtown, Princes, Stone Castle, Stone House, Swanscombe, Temple Hill, Town, and West Hill.[3]

The electorate was reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring the District of Sevenoaks ward of Hartley and Hodsoll Street to Tonbridge and the Dartford Borough ward of Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone & Hawley to Sevenoaks.

Constituency profile

As its name suggests, the main settlement in the constituency is the town of Dartford, but it also includes a number of other towns and villages, including Swanscombe, Longfield, Greenhithe and Wilmington. These all add up to create a diverse constituency which covers urban and rural areas.

The population of the constituency currently stands at around 90,000, around 8,000 of whom live in the borough of Sevenoaks, with the remainder living in the borough of Dartford. The constituency is on the border with the London Borough of Bexley, with which at one time it shared an MP.

Health and wealth of its residents is around average for the UK.[4]

Members of Parliament

West Kent prior to 1885

Elections

Dartford election results

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Election in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

Alison Garland

Elections in the 1910s

Rowlands

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1900s

Rowlands

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1880s

Dyke

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)

References

  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Election 2015: Five answers for an election geek". BBC News. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  3. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  4. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Dartford
  5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 1)
  6. ^ "Notice of Poll, Persons Nominated and Polling Locations".
  7. ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Election results for Dartford". Dartford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Dartford parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Election results for Dartford". Dartford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  11. ^ "'This is not the time for business as usual': Liberal Democrats reveal candidate for Dartford". News Shopper. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Dartford parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  14. ^ a b "DARTFORD 2015". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  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. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. 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.
  23. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1964". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1959". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  25. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1955". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  26. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1951". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  27. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1950". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  28. ^ a b c Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  29. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
  30. ^ The Constitutional Year Book, 1925
  31. ^ a b Debretts House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1922
  32. ^ a b c d e f g h i British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
  33. ^ "London Correspondence". Freeman's Journal. 6 September 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2017.

External links

51°26′N 0°15′E / 51.43°N 0.25°E / 51.43; 0.25