Witham (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Witham
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Witham (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
East of England - Witham constituency.svg
Boundary of Witham in the East of England
County Essex
Electorate 75,064 (2023) [1]
Major settlements Hatfield Peverel, Kelvedon, Marks Tey, White Notley, Witham
Current constituency
Created 2010
Member of Parliament Priti Patel (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created from Braintree, Maldon and East Chelmsford, North Essex, Colchester

Witham is a parliamentary constituency in Essex represented by Dame Priti Patel in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its 2010 creation. She is a Conservative who was Home Secretary from 24 July 2019 until her resignation on 5 September 2022 following the announcement of the results of the Conservative Party leadership contest. [2]

Contents

Constituency profile

Witham is one of the safest Conservative seats in the country. The town of Witham within it is the only area of real Labour strength in the region, being represented by one District Councillor alongside seven Conservative Councillors.

Witham itself is an industrial town, on the Great Eastern main line railway from London to Norwich, with some heavy industry and London commuter belt residential areas – the strength of the Labour vote here was just enough to turn the former Braintree seat red in 1997, and in 2001, on the previous boundaries.

However, the town is small, and the Witham seat extends to cover a huge part of rural central Essex, with affluent commuter villages and farming communities that show high levels of Conservative support.

History

The seat was created for the 2010 general election following a review of the Parliamentary representation of Essex by the Boundary Commission for England which resulted in radical alterations to existing constituencies to allow for an extra seat to be created due to increased population. As a consequence, the new seat of Witham was created which included parts of the constituencies of Braintree, Colchester, North Essex, and Maldon and East Chelmsford.

Boundaries

Witham (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of boundaries 2010-2024

2010–2024

The District of Braintree wards, which comprised approximately half the electorate, were transferred from the Braintree constituency; the District of Maldon wards from the abolished constituency of Maldon and Chelmsford East; and the Borough of Colchester wards from the abolished constituency of North Essex, except for Stanway ward which had been in the Colchester constituency.

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):

Minor net gain from Braintree, primarily due to ward boundary changes.

Members of Parliament

Braintree, Maldon & Chelmsford East and North Essex prior to 2010

ElectionMember [5] Party
2010 Priti Patel Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Witham [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Priti Patel 18,827 37.2 –29.5
Labour Rumi Chowdhury13,68227.0+9.5
Reform UK Timothy Blaxill9,87019.5N/A
Green James Abbott3,5397.0+1.2
Liberal Democrats Ashley Thompson3,4396.8–3.2
Independent Chelsey Jay1,2462.5N/A
Majority5,14510.2–38.6
Turnout 50,60364.0–5.4
Registered electors 79,072
Conservative hold Swing –19.5

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [7]
PartyVote %
Conservative 34,77766.7
Labour 9,10817.5
Liberal Democrats 5,21410.0
Green 3,0065.8
Turnout52,10569.4
Electorate75,064
General election 2019: Witham [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Priti Patel 32,876 66.6 +2.3
Labour Martin Edobor8,79417.8–8.6
Liberal Democrats Sam North4,5849.3+3.8
Green James Abbott3,0906.3+2.6
Majority24,08248.8+10.9
Turnout 49,34470.1–1.4
Conservative hold Swing +5.5
General election 2017: Witham [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Priti Patel 31,670 64.3 +6.8
Labour Phil Barlow13,02426.4+10.6
Liberal Democrats Josephine Hayes2,7155.5–0.6
Green James Abbott1,8323.7–0.6
Majority18,64637.9–3.6
Turnout 49,40071.5+1.2
Conservative hold Swing –1.9
General election 2015: Witham [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Priti Patel 27,123 57.5 +5.3
UKIP Garry Cockrill [11] 7,56916.0+9.5
Labour John Clarke7,46715.8–2.7
Liberal Democrats Josephine Hayes2,8916.1–13.7
Green James Abbott [12] 2,0384.3+1.3
CPA Doreen Scrimshaw [13] 800.2New
Majority19,55441.5+9.1
Turnout 47,16870.3+0.1
Conservative hold Swing +9.5
General election 2010: Witham [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Priti Patel 24,448 52.2 +2.5
Liberal Democrats Margaret Phelps9,25219.8+4.6
Labour John Spademan8,65618.5–13.9
UKIP David Hodges3,0606.5New
Green James Abbott1,4193.0New
Majority15,19632.4
Turnout 46,83570.2+6.6
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Witham</span> Town and civil parish in Essex, England

Witham is a town and civil parish in the Braintree district, in the county of Essex, England. In the 2011 census, it had a population of 25,353. It is twinned with the town of Waldbröl, Germany. Witham stands on the Roman road between the cities of Chelmsford and Colchester. The River Brain runs through the town and joins the River Blackwater on the outskirts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Braintree District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Braintree District is a local government district in Essex, England. The district is named after the town of Braintree, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Halstead and Witham and surrounding rural areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maldon District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Maldon District is a local government district in Essex, England. The district is managed by Maldon District Council, which is based in Maldon, the largest town in the district. The district also includes the town of Burnham-on-Crouch and numerous villages, including Heybridge, Wickham Bishops, Southminster, Tolleshunt D'Arcy and Tollesbury. The district covers the Dengie peninsula to the south of Maldon and the Thurstable Hundred area to the north of the Blackwater Estuary, a total area of 358.78 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiptree</span> Village in Essex, England

Tiptree is a village and civil parish in the English county of Essex, situated 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Colchester and around 50 miles (80 km) north-east of London. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Major, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Braxted, Great Totham and Little Totham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maldon and East Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997–2010

Maldon and East Chelmsford was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1997 to 2010 it elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Braintree (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom since 1974

Braintree is a constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by James Cleverly, a member of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saffron Walden (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885-2024

Saffron Walden was a constituency in Essex, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1922 to 2024 by members of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brentwood and Ongar (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1974 onwards

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom 1801-1983 & 1997 onwards

Colchester is a constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Pam Cox, of the Labour party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tolleshunt Knights</span> Village in Essex, England

Tolleshunt Knights is a village and civil parish in the English county of Essex.

Braintree District Council in Essex, England is elected every four years. Since the last comprehensive boundary changes in 2015, 49 councillors have been elected from 26 wards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2010 onwards

Chelmsford is a constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Marie Goldman of the Liberal Democrats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maldon (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom 1801-1983 & 2010 onwards

Maldon is a constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its recreation in 2010 by Sir John Whittingdale, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Colchester and Maldon (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983–1997

South Colchester and Maldon was a parliamentary constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tolleshunt D'Arcy</span> Village in Essex, England

Tolleshunt D'Arcy is a village situated on the Blackwater estuary in the Maldon District of Essex, England. The village is 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Colchester, 19 miles (31 km) east of Chelmsford and 30 miles (48 km) north of Southend-on-Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tolleshunt Major</span> Village in Essex, England

Tolleshunt Major is a small village approximately five miles north east of Maldon, in the Maldon District of Essex, England. It forms part of the electoral ward of Tolleshunt D'Arcy and is situated on the northern bank of the River Blackwater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Totham</span> Village in Essex, England

Great Totham is a village and civil parish in Maldon district, Essex, England, and midway between Chelmsford and Colchester. The village includes the Island of Osea in the Blackwater estuary and is separated into two parts, north and south. The north side and the south side are about a mile and a half apart, distributed along the B1022. The parish contains the hamlet of Totham Hill.

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. ↑ "Priti Patel to step down as home secretary, ahead of new PM". BBC News. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  3. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  4. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  5. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 4)
  6. ↑ "Witham - General Election Results 2024 - BBC News". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  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. ↑ "Witham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  9. ↑ Daynes, Steve. "Parliamentary Election Results". www.braintree.gov.uk.
  10. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "Выставка Цветов Киев - Flower Expo Ukraine".
  12. ↑ "Witham and Braintree Green Party | News". Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  13. ↑ "CPA Candidates for the General Election". Christian Peoples Alliance. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

51°48′N0°39′E / 51.80°N 0.65°E / 51.80; 0.65

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