Chesham and Amersham (UK Parliament constituency)
51°41′38″N 0°36′36″W / 51.694°N 0.610°W
Chesham and Amersham | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Buckinghamshire |
Population | 92,635 (2011 UK Census)[1] |
Electorate | 71,259 (2018)[2] |
Major settlements | Chesham and Amersham |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1974 |
Member of Parliament | Vacant |
Seats | One |
Created from | South Buckinghamshire and Aylesbury |
Chesham and Amersham (/ˈtʃɛʃəm ... ˈæmərʃəm/) is a constituency and was represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1992 by Cheryl Gillan, a Conservative, until her death in April 2021, triggering a by-election.
History
Contents and regional context
Formed as a new county constituency for the February 1974 general election, comprising the southern part of the Rural District of Amersham, including Amersham and the Chalfonts, previously part of the abolished constituency of South Buckinghamshire, and Chesham and the northern part of the Rural District of Amersham, transferred from Aylesbury.
Political history
General elections have seen a Conservative winning margin of between 10,416 and 23,920 votes since the seat's creation.
In every election except two, Liberals, or subsequently Liberal Democrats, have come second with results as high as 31.15% of the votes cast.
Labour have only come second once, in 2017, when they achieved their best ever result of 20.6%. UKIP came second in 2015.
In June 2016, an estimated 55% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum in the constituency voted to remain in the European Union. The estimated turnout of 83.6% was highest turnout of any constituency in the UK, the only higher turnout in the referendum being Gibraltar.[3] In the 2019 EU Parliament elections, over 50% voted for parties supporting continued UK membership of the EU on a turnout of 42.8%. The pro-EU Liberal Democrats were the most popular party with 31.9%, with the pro-Leave Brexit Party in second place with 30%.[4] Despite the seat's Remain stance, its pro-Brexit MP, Dame Cheryl Gillan, has been re-elected with over half the vote in both the General Elections since the Referendum, albeit with a slightly reduced majority.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1974–1983: The Urban District of Chesham, and the Rural District of Amersham.[5]
1983–1997: The District of Chiltern wards of Amersham Common, Amersham-on-the-Hill, Amersham Town, Asheridge Vale, Ashley Green and Latimer, Austenwood, Chalfont Common, Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter Central, Chartridge, Chenies, Chesham Bois and Weedon Hill, Cholesbury and The Lee, Coleshill and Penn Street, Gold Hill, Hilltop, Holmer Green, Little Chalfont, Little Missenden, Lowndes, Newtown, Penn, Pond Park, St Mary's, Seer Green and Jordans, Townsend, and Waterside, and the District of Wycombe wards of Hazlemere North and Hazlemere South.[6]
Hazlemere transferred from Wycombe. Great Missenden transferred to Aylesbury.
1997–2010: All the wards of the District of Chiltern except the wards of Ballinger and South Heath, Great Missenden, and Prestwood and Heath End, and the District of Wycombe wards of Hazlemere Central, Hazlemere East and Hazlemere West.[7]
Minor changes.
2010–present: The District of Chiltern wards of Amersham Common, Amersham-on-the-Hill, Amersham Town, Asheridge Vale and Lowndes, Ashley Green, Latimer and Chenies, Austenwood, Ballinger, South Heath and Chartridge, Central, Chalfont Common, Chalfont St Giles, Chesham Bois and Weedon Hill, Cholesbury, The Lee and Bellingdon, Gold Hill, Great Missenden, Hilltop and Townsend, Holmer Green, Little Chalfont, Little Missenden, Newtown, Penn and Coleshill, Prestwood and Heath End, Ridgeway, St Mary's and Waterside, Seer Green, and Vale.[8]
Great Missenden transferred back from Aylesbury and Hazlemere returned to Wycombe.
The constituency is in Buckinghamshire and coincides with the Chiltern Local Government District. It includes the towns of Chesham and Amersham and outlying rural village settlements within the Metropolitan Green Belt and partly also within the Chilterns AONB. The area is connected with central London by the Metropolitan line of London Underground and the London to Aylesbury Line operated by Chiltern Railways. The constituency is also close to the M40 motorway and is one of the Conservatives' safest seats, home to many affluent professionals and commuters to London.
Members of Parliament
The most recent Member of Parliament for Chesham and Amersham was the Conservative Cheryl Gillan. She held the position from 1992 till her death in 2021.
Election | Member[9][10] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Feb 1974 | Sir Ian Gilmour | Conservative |
1992 | Dame Cheryl Gillan |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Cheryl Gillian died on 4 April 2021, triggering a by-election which is to be held on an unconfirmed date.
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cheryl Gillan | 30,850 | 55.4 | −5.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dan Gallagher | 14,627 | 26.3 | +13.3 | |
Labour | Matt Turmaine | 7,166 | 12.9 | −7.7 | |
Green | Alan Booth | 3,042 | 5.5 | +2.5 | |
Majority | 16,223 | 29.1 | −11.0 | ||
Turnout | 55,978 | 76.8 | −0.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cheryl Gillan | 33,514 | 60.7 | +1.6 | |
Labour | Nina Dluzewska | 11,374 | 20.6 | +7.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Peter Jones | 7,179 | 13.0 | +4.0 | |
Green | Alan Booth | 1,660 | 3.0 | − 2.5 | |
UKIP | David Meacock | 1,525 | 2.8 | −10.9 | |
Majority | 22,140 | 40.1 | −5.3 | ||
Turnout | 55,252 | 77.1 | +4.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cheryl Gillan | 31,138 | 59.1 | −1.3 | |
UKIP | Alan Stevens | 7,218 | 13.7 | +9.6 | |
Labour | Ben Davies[15] | 6,712 | 12.7 | +7.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Kirsten Johnson[16] | 4,761 | 9.0 | −19.5 | |
Green | Gill Walker[17] | 2,902 | 5.5 | +4.0 | |
Majority | 23,920 | 45.4 | +13.5 | ||
Turnout | 52,731 | 72.7 | −1.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cheryl Gillan | 31,658 | 60.4 | +6.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Tim Starkey | 14,948 | 28.5 | +2.3 | |
Labour | Anthony Gajadharsingh | 2,942 | 5.6 | −8.0 | |
UKIP | Alan Stevens | 2,129 | 4.1 | +0.9 | |
Green | Nick Wilkins | 767 | 1.5 | −2.0 | |
Majority | 16,710 | 31.9 | +2.6 | ||
Turnout | 52,444 | 74.6 | +6.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cheryl Gillan | 25,619 | 54.4 | +3.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | John Ford | 11,821 | 25.1 | +0.8 | |
Labour | Rupa Huq | 6,610 | 14.0 | −4.8 | |
Green | Nick Wilkins | 1,656 | 3.5 | +1.0 | |
UKIP | David Samuel-Camps | 1,391 | 3.0 | 0.0 | |
Majority | 13,798 | 29.3 | +3.1 | ||
Turnout | 47,097 | 68.0 | +3.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cheryl Gillan | 22,867 | 50.5 | +0.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | John Ford | 10,985 | 24.3 | +0.5 | |
Labour | Kenneth Hulme | 8,497 | 18.8 | −0.8 | |
UKIP | Ian Harvey | 1,367 | 3.0 | +1.8 | |
Green | Nick Wilkins | 1,114 | 2.5 | N/A | |
ProLife Alliance | Gillian Duval | 453 | 1.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 11,882 | 26.2 | −0.4 | ||
Turnout | 45,283 | 64.7 | −9.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -0.1 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cheryl Gillan | 26,298 | 50.4 | −12.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Michael Brand | 12,439 | 23.8 | −0.7 | |
Labour | Paul Farrelly | 10,240 | 19.6 | +9.2 | |
Referendum | Paul Andrews | 2,528 | 4.8 | N/A | |
UKIP | C Shilson | 618 | 1.2 | N/A | |
Natural Law | Hugh Godfrey | 74 | 0.1 | −0.3 | |
Majority | 13,859 | 26.6 | −12.2 | ||
Turnout | 52,197 | 74.5 | −7.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -6.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Cheryl Gillan | 36,273 | 63.3 | +1.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Andrew Ketteringham | 14,053 | 24.5 | −2.6 | |
Labour | Candy Atherton | 5,931 | 10.4 | +1.1 | |
Green | CL Strickland | 753 | 1.3 | −0.1 | |
Natural Law | MTL Griffith-Jones | 255 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 22,220 | 38.8 | +3.8 | ||
Turnout | 57,265 | 81.9 | +4.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ian Gilmour | 34,504 | 62.2 | +1.1 | |
Liberal | Andrew Ketteringham | 15,064 | 27.1 | −4.0 | |
Labour | Paul Goulding | 5,170 | 9.3 | +1.5 | |
Green | Ann Darnbrough | 760 | 1.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 19,440 | 35.0 | +5.1 | ||
Turnout | 55,498 | 77.4 | +1.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ian Gilmour | 32,435 | 61.0 | −0.4 | |
Liberal | R Bradnock | 16,556 | 31.2 | +8.2 | |
Labour | C Duncan | 4,150 | 7.8 | −6.5 | |
Majority | 15,879 | 29.9 | −8.5 | ||
Turnout | 53,141 | 75.94 | −3.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -3.9 |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ian Gilmour | 32,924 | 61.4 | +9.8 | |
Liberal | R Bradnock | 12,328 | 23.0 | −5.5 | |
Labour | Elizabeth M. Barratt | 7,645 | 14.3 | −6.6 | |
National Front | S Clinch | 697 | 1.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 20,596 | 38.4 | +16.2 | ||
Turnout | 53,594 | 79.7 | +1.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ian Gilmour | 25,078 | 50.6 | ±0.0 | |
Liberal | DA Stoddart | 14,091 | 28.5 | −2.7 | |
Labour | JR Poston | 10,325 | 20.9 | +1.3 | |
Majority | 10,987 | 22.2 | +2.7 | ||
Turnout | 49,494 | 78.1 | −5.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -1.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ian Gilmour | 27,035 | 50.7 | ||
Liberal | DA Stoddart | 16,619 | 31.2 | ||
Labour | BM Warshaw | 9,700 | 18.2 | ||
Majority | 10,416 | 19.5 | |||
Turnout | 53,354 | 85.0 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
See also
Notes and references
- Notes
- References
- ^ "Chesham and Amersham: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ^ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ "EU Referendum Results and Turnout". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ "European Union Parliamentary Election Result". Chiltern District Council. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "Chesham and Amersham 1974-". Hansard 1803-2005. UK Parliament. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
- ^ "Chesham & Amersham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "Chesham & Amersham parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Carswell, Andy (2 February 2015). "Kirsten Johnson will contest Chesham and Amersham seat for the Liberal Democrats at the General Election". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
External links
- nomis Constituency Profile for Chesham and Amersham — presenting data from the ONS annual population survey and other official statistics.