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Watford (UK Parliament constituency)

Watford is a UK parliamentary constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons since 2024 by Matt Turmaine, a member of the Labour Party.

Constituency profile

The constituency comprises the whole of the Borough of Watford, together with five wards from Three Rivers District. Two of the Three Rivers wards, Carpenders Park and Oxhey Hall, are to the south of Watford town and include mostly prosperous, elevated, commuter villages. The remaining three, Abbots Langley, Langleybury and Leavesden, are to the north of Watford, the first of which is a large village, and is mixed in character and levels of income.[2]

Watford has a considerable service sector economy, with several notable headquarters, and engineering, trade-craft, and distribution in its economy. However, it is also a commuter town to the City of London. British Waterways, J D Wetherspoon, Camelot Group, Iveco, manufacturers of commercial vehicles; part of Balfour Beatty; Bathstore, the largest bathroom retailer in the UK; construction firm Taylor Woodrow; and Mothercare are the largest of these. The borough is also the UK base of many multinationals including C. H. Robinson, Total Oil, TK Maxx, Costco, Vinci and Beko appliances. International golf tournaments such as the 2006 World Golf Championship have taken place at The Grove hotel.

Workless claimants who were registered jobseekers were in November 2012 lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 3.0% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[3]

History

Before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 the area was part of the three-seat constituency of Hertfordshire. Upon this act, it took up the western division of the county; however, later seats such as South West Hertfordshire, established in 1950, have reduced its reach, as settlements in those areas, and Watford itself, have grown.

Political history

The seat has been a bellwether of the national result since February 1974, and since 1945 has only voted against the winning party twice: in 1951 and 1970. Watford saw considerable Liberal Democrat opposition in 2005, achieving second place, taking many Labour votes with the Conservative candidate close behind.[4]

Before the 2010 general election it was a three-way marginal seat in which local Tories, Labour supporters and Liberal Democrats aimed to garner support for their candidate. This election in Watford was won by Richard Harrington (Con) with 34.9% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats narrowly missed out on the seat with 32.4% of the vote and the defeat for Labour's candidate, Claire Ward, was a pronounced change with 26.7% of the vote.[5]

In 2015, the result saw a significantly increased majority for Harrington of more than 9,000 votes over Labour, whilst the Liberal Democrats fell back to third. The 2017 election saw Labour significantly cut the Conservative majority to 2,092. Harrington retired at the 2019 election, when a new Conservative candidate, Dean Russell, increased the majority to 4,433 over Labour.

However, in the 2024 UK General Election, Labour MP Matt Turmaine was elected with a majority of 4,723 votes, the first time the constituency was Labour since 2010.

Prominent frontbenchers

Dennis Herbert was Deputy Speaker from 1931 to 1943.

Major John Freeman was only a third-tier (junior) minister in the War Office as MP. His later unusually prominent positions in diplomacy led to his being appointed a member of the Privy Council and thereby being Rt Hon as of 1966.

Tristan Garel-Jones was Minister for Europe for three years of the Major ministry.

Both Herbert and Garel-Jones opted as peers in later life to use Watford as the territorial designation of their peerages.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

The constituency was established by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (which followed on from the Third Reform Act) as one of four Divisions of the abolished three-member Parliamentary County of Hertfordshire, and was formally named as the Western or Watford Division of Hertfordshire. It included the towns of Watford, Rickmansworth, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring.

1918–1950

Aldenham was transferred from St Albans.  Northern half of constituency, including Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring formed the majority of the new Hemel Hempstead Division.

1950–1983

Reconstituted as a Borough Constituency comprising the Municipal Borough of Watford.[9]  Remainder of the constituency formed the bulk of the new County Constituency of South West Hertfordshire.

1983–1997

Map of boundaries 1997-2024

1997–2024

Three further wards in the Three Rivers District transferred from South West Hertfordshire.  Park Street and St Stephens transferred to St Albans.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

The parts in the District of Three Rivers were transferred to South West Hertfordshire. In order to bring the electorate back within the permitted range, the Bushey North ward was moved in from the Hertsmere constituency.

Members of Parliament

Hertfordshire prior to 1885

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Background to Conservative candidates

In July 2007 former candidate Ali Miraj, a candidate for Aberavon in 2001, was dropped from the candidates list by the Conservative Party after he complained about David Cameron's leadership style and allegedly demanded a peerage.[22][23] The public selected his former campaign manager Ian Oakley, who had been a candidate for Newport East in 2001 in the first Open Primary to be organised by the Conservative Party in November 2006. In July 2008, Oakley, withdrew candidature after being arrested for conducting a campaign of harassment against the local Liberal Democrats,[24][25] for which he was convicted and given an 18-week suspended prison sentence and 12-month supervision order on 13 October 2008.[26]

In December 2008 Watford Conservative Association selected a new candidate, Richard Harrington.[27]

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

Corbett Ashby

Elections in the 1910s

Frank Gray

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

Halsey

Elections in the 1900s

Micklem

Elections in the 1910s

Ward

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;

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A borough 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 – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 11 February 2003. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  3. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency Archived 2017-08-02 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian
  4. ^ Deborah McGurran (15 May 2009). "First electoral test for councils". BBC News. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  5. ^ "BBC News - Election 2010 - Constituency - Watford". news.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  6. ^ Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  7. ^ Fraser, Hugh (1918). The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes. University of California Libraries. London : Sweet and Maxwell. Archived from the original on 29 April 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  8. ^ "H.M.S.O. Boundary Commission Report 1917, Hertford". www.visionofbritain.org.uk. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  9. ^ S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  11. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  12. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  13. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  14. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 2)
  15. ^ "UK Parliamentary General Election 2024 - Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Watford Borough Council. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ "Watford Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Election 2017 - Watford". BBC. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  19. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. ^ Watford Archived 2008-07-27 at the Wayback Machine, UKPollingReport
  21. ^ Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll - Parliamentary Election 6 May 2010 : Watford Council
  22. ^ "Cameron critic axed as MP hopeful". 31 July 2007 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  23. ^ "Channel 4 News interview transcript". Archived from the original on 14 February 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  24. ^ Editor, Andrew Porter, Political (20 July 2008). "Arrested Conservative candidate for Watford stands down". Archived from the original on 5 May 2013 – via www.telegraph.co.uk. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Police charge Oakley". Watford Observer. 24 July 2008. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  26. ^ "'Vile' Oakley escapes jail". Watford Observer. 13 October 2008. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  27. ^ Harrison, John (17 December 2008). "Tory candidate: 'I'm confident of victory'". Watford Observer. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  28. ^ [1][dead link]
  29. ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  30. ^ Woodward, Ian (1985). Glenda Jackson : a study in fire and ice. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 132. ISBN 0-297-78533-8. OCLC 11658097.
  31. ^ "UK General Election results: May 1979 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  32. ^ "Political Science Resources: links to UK and US politics". www.psr.keele.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2006. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  33. ^ "Political Science Resources: links to UK and US politics". www.psr.keele.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2006. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  34. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  35. ^ a b c d Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  36. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
  37. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 298. ISBN 9781349022984.
  38. ^ a b c d e f The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  39. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  40. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  41. ^ The Times, 25 January 1906
  42. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  43. ^ Manchester Evening News 31 Jan 1914

External links

51°39′N 0°24′W / 51.650°N 0.400°W / 51.650; -0.400