Dartford (UK Parliament constituency)

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Dartford
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Dartford in Kent
Outline map
Location of Kent within England
CountyKent
Electorate74,756 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsDartford
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentGareth Johnson (Conservative)
Number of membersOne
Created fromWest Kent
During its existence contributed to new seat(s) of:Bexley (part of)
Erith and Crayford

Dartford is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Gareth Johnson of the Conservative Party.[n 2] The constituency is currently the longest-valid 'bellwether' constituency in the country as 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 in the seat, remaining a combination of urban, suburban and a small rural population, has been gradually reduced through contribution to new seats, their county designation later being changed in 1965 to become part of the new county of Greater London, which adjoins. 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 general elections from 1951 to 1959, a Labour MP was elected 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.

This was the first seat contested by future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (then Margaret Roberts), at the 1950 and 1951 general elections. She was unsuccessful on both occasions, with Labour retaining the seat and being re-elected to government in 1950; only to lose power to the Conservatives a year later.

Boundaries[]

Map of current boundaries

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

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.[3]

Members of Parliament[]

Election Member[4] Party
1885 Sir William Hart Dyke Conservative
1906 James Rowlands Liberal
Jan 1910 William Foot Mitchell Conservative
Dec 1910 James Rowlands Liberal
1918 Coalition Liberal
1920 by-election John Edmund Mills Labour
1922 George Jarrett Constitutionalist
1923 John Edmund Mills Labour
1924 Angus McDonnell Conservative
1929 John Edmund Mills Labour
1931 Frank Clarke Conservative
1938 by-election Jennie Adamson Labour
1945 constituency split, with half becoming the new Bexley seat
1945 Norman Dodds Labour and Co-operative
1955 Sydney Irving Labour Co-op
1970 Peter Trew Conservative
Feb 1974 Sydney Irving Labour Co-op
1979 Bob Dunn Conservative
1997 Howard Stoate Labour
2010 Gareth Johnson Conservative

Elections[]

Dartford election results

Elections in the 2010s[]

General election 2019: Dartford[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gareth Johnson 34,006 62.9 +5.3
Labour Sacha Gosine 14,846 27.5 -5.7
Liberal Democrats Kyle Marsh 3,736 6.9 +4.3
Green Mark Lindop 1,435 2.7 +1.2
Majority 19,160 35.4 +11.0
Turnout 54,023 65.7 -4.1
Conservative hold Swing +5.6
General election 2017: Dartford[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gareth Johnson 31,210 57.6 +8.6
Labour Bachchu Kaini 18,024 33.2 +7.8
UKIP Ben Fryer 2,544 4.7 −15.2
Liberal Democrats Simon Beard[8] 1,428 2.6 −0.2
Green Andrew Blatchford 807 1.5 −1.0
Independent Ola Adewunmi 211 0.4 New
Majority 13,186 24.4 +0.8
Turnout 54,224 69.8 +1.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.4
General election 2015: Dartford[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gareth Johnson[11] 25,670 49.0 +0.2
Labour Simon Thomson[11] 13,325 25.4 −2.2
UKIP Elizabeth Jones 10,434 19.9 +16.2
Liberal Democrats Simon Beard 1,454 2.8 −11.9
Green Andy Blatchford 1,324 2.5 New
English Democrat Steve Uncles 211 0.4 −3.9
Majority 12,345 23.6 +2.4
Turnout 52,418 68.4 +2.7
Conservative hold Swing +1.2
General election 2010: Dartford[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gareth Johnson 24,428 48.8 +7.6
Labour John Adams 13,800 27.6 −15.5
Liberal Democrats James Willis 7,361 14.7 +4.6
English Democrat Gary Rogers 2,178 4.3 +1.7
UKIP Richard Palmer 1,842 3.7 +0.7
Independent Stephane Tindame 264 0.5 New
Fancy Dress Party Ernie Crockford 207 0.4 New
Majority 10,628 21.2 N/A
Turnout 50,080 65.7 +2.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +11.6

Elections in the 2000s[]

General election 2005: Dartford[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Howard Stoate 19,909 42.6 −5.4
Conservative Gareth Johnson 19,203 41.1 +0.5
Liberal Democrats Peter Bucklitsch 5,036 10.8 +2.3
UKIP Mark Croucher 1,407 3.0 +0.8
New England Michael Tibby 1,224 2.6 New
Majority 706 1.5 -5.9
Turnout 46,779 63.2 +1.3
Labour hold Swing −2.9
General election 2001: Dartford[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Howard Stoate 21,466 48.0 −0.6
Conservative Bob Dunn 18,160 40.6 +0.3
Liberal Democrats Graham Morgan 3,781 8.5 −0.9
UKIP Mark Croucher 989 2.2 New
Fancy Dress Party Keith Davenport 344 0.8 +0.3
Majority 3,306 7.4 -0.9
Turnout 44,740 61.9 −12.7
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s[]

General election 1997: Dartford[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Howard Stoate 25,278 48.6 +12.4
Conservative Bob Dunn 20,950 40.3 −10.6
Liberal Democrats Dorothy Webb 4,872 9.4 −2.8
BNP Paul McHale 424 0.8 New
Fancy Dress Party Peter Homden 287 0.5 +0.1
Christian Democrat James Pollitt 228 0.4 New
Majority 4,328 8.3 N/A
Turnout 52,039 74.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1992: Dartford.[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Dunn 31,194 51.9 −1.6
Labour Howard Stoate 20,880 34.7 +7.2
Liberal Democrats Peter Bryden 7,584 12.6 −5.6
Fancy Dress Party A Munro 262 0.4 −0.5
Natural Law Angela Holland 241 0.4 New
Majority 10,314 17.2 −8.8
Turnout 60,161 83.1 +4.1
Conservative hold Swing −4.4

Elections in the 1980s[]

General election 1987: Dartford[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Dunn 30,685 53.5 +1.9
Labour Barrie Clarke 15,756 27.5 +0.7
SDP Michael Bruce 10,439 18.20 -2.3
Fancy Dress Party Keith Davenport 491 0.86 +0.2
Majority 14,929 26.02 +1.2
Turnout 57,371 78.99 +2.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Dartford[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Dunn 28,199 51.56
Labour D Townsend 14,636 26.76
Liberal J Mills 11,204 20.48
Fancy Dress Party A Crockford 374 0.68
National Front GE Nye 282 0.52
Majority 13,563 24.80
Turnout 54,695 76.37
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s[]

General election 1979: Dartford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Dunn 21,195 45.87
Labour Sydney Irving 19,803 42.86
Liberal I Josephs 4,407 9.54
National Front I Nobbs 476 1.03
Fancy Dress Party J Beddowes 328 0.71 New
Majority 1,392 3.01 N/A
Turnout 46,209 80.35
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election October 1974: Dartford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sydney Irving 20,817 47.64
Conservative Graham Bright 15,331 35.09
Liberal George H Dunk 6,606 15.12
National Front RH Aldous 939 2.15
Majority 5,486 12.55
Turnout 43,693 76.60
Labour hold Swing +1.6
General election February 1974: Dartford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sydney Irving 19,803 41.98
Conservative Peter Trew 16,149 34.24
Liberal IR Josephs 10,273 21.78
National Front RH Aldous 945 2.00 New
Majority 3,654 7.74 N/A
Turnout 47,170 83.44
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1970: Dartford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Trew 27,822 45.96
Labour Sydney Irving 27,262 45.03
Liberal J Paul Johnson 5,453 9.01
Majority 560 0.93 N/A
Turnout 60,537 74.02
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1960s[]

General election 1966: Dartford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sydney Irving 29,547 49.84
Conservative Peter Trew 22,638 38.19
Liberal Peter Loftus 7,094 11.97
Majority 6,909 11.65
Turnout 59,279 80.80
Labour hold Swing
General election 1964: Dartford[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sydney Irving 27,371 46.46
Conservative James J Davis 22,496 38.18
Liberal Morris Janis 9,047 15.36
Majority 4,875 8.28
Turnout 58,914 81.48
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s[]

General election 1959: Dartford[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sydney Irving 25,323 45.83
Conservative Peter Walker 24,047 43.52
Liberal Barry Charles Davis 5,881 10.64 New
Majority 1,276 2.31
Turnout 55,251 82.96
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Dartford[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sydney Irving 25,928 54.40
Conservative Peter Walker 21,730 45.60
Majority 4,198 8.80
Turnout 47,658 80.98
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Dartford[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Norman Dodds 40,094 59.09
Conservative Margaret Roberts 27,760 40.91
Majority 12,334 18.18
Turnout 67,854 85.22
Labour hold Swing +3.71
General election 1950: Dartford[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Norman Dodds 38,128 56.38
Conservative Margaret Roberts 24,490 36.21
Liberal Anthony H. Giles 5,011 7.41 New
Majority 13,638 20.17
Turnout 67,629 85.51
Labour hold Swing

Election in the 1940s[]

General election 1945: Dartford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Norman Dodds 36,665 68.38
Conservative Ralph Ernest Watkins Grubb 16,951 31.62
Majority 19,714 36.76
Turnout 53,616 74.89
Labour hold Swing
  • 1945 saw radical boundary changes, with half the constituency becoming part of the Bexley seat.

Elections in the 1930s[]

1938 Dartford by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jennie Adamson 46,514 52.39
Conservative Godfrey Mitchell 42,276 47.61
Majority 4,238 4.78 N/A
Turnout 88,790 68.00
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1935: Dartford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frank Clarke 38,242 51.79
Labour Jennie Adamson 35,596 48.21
Majority 2,646 3.58
Turnout 73,838 69.63
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Dartford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frank Clarke 34,095 55.49
Labour John Edmund Mills 27,349 44.51
Majority 6,746 10.98 N/A
Turnout 61,444 79.01
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1920s[]

General election 1929: Dartford[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Edmund Mills 26,871 50.6 +1.6
Unionist Ashley Edwards 16,568 31.2 −19.8
Liberal John Woolfenden Williamson 9,689 18.2 New
Majority 10,303 19.4 N/A
Turnout 53,128 76.9 −2.3
Registered electors 69,070
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +10.7
General election 1924: Dartford[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Angus McDonnell 20,108 51.0 New
Labour John Edmund Mills 19,352 49.0 −5.2
Majority 756 3.0 N/A
Turnout 39,460 79.2 +9.2
Registered electors 49,804
Unionist gain from Labour Swing N/A
General election 1923: Dartford[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Edmund Mills 18,329 54.2 +10.3
Constitutionalist George Jarrett 15,500 45.8 −3.8
Majority 2,829 8.4 N/A
Turnout 33,829 70.0 −1.2
Registered electors 48,320
Labour gain from Constitutionalist Swing +7.1
Alison Garland
General election 1922: Dartford[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Constitutionalist George Jarrett 16,662 49.6 New
Labour John Edmund Mills 14,744 43.9 +15.3
Liberal Alison Garland 2,175 6.5 −64.9
Majority 1,918 5.7 N/A
Turnout 33,581 71.2 +23.3
Registered electors 47,132
Constitutionalist gain from Liberal Swing N/A
1920 Dartford by-election[27][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Edmund Mills 13,610 50.2 +21.6
Liberal Thomas Wing 4,562 16.8 −54.6
Coalition Unionist Richard Meller 4,221 15.5 New
National Reginald Applin 2,952 10.9 New
Ind U Frank Emil Fehr 1,802 6.6 New
Majority 9,048 33.4 N/A
Turnout 27,147 61.3 +13.4
Registered electors 44,281
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +38.1

Elections in the 1910s[]

Rowlands
General election 1918: Dartford[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal James Rowlands 15,626 71.4 +20.8
Labour William Ling 6,256 28.6 New
Majority 9,370 42.8 +41.6
Turnout 21,892 47.9 −36.5
Registered electors 45,666
Liberal hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

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;

General election December 1910 Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab James Rowlands 9,152 50.6 +2.8
Conservative William Foot Mitchell 8,918 49.4 -2.8
Majority 234 1.2 N/A
Turnout 18,070 84.4 -3.4
Registered electors 21,398
Lib-Lab gain from Conservative Swing +2.8
General election January 1910 Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Foot Mitchell 9,807 52.2 +10.8
Lib-Lab James Rowlands 8,990 47.8 -10.8
Majority 817 4.4 N/A
Turnout 18,797 87.8 +5.4
Registered electors 21,398
Conservative gain from Lib-Lab Swing +10.8

Elections in the 1900s[]

Rowlands
General election 1906 Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab James Rowlands 9,532 58.6 New
Conservative William Hart Dyke 6,728 41.4 N/A
Majority 2,804 17.2 N/A
Turnout 16,260 82.4 N/A
Registered electors 19,741
Lib-Lab gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General election 1900 Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Hart Dyke Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s[]

General election 1895: Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Hart Dyke 5,699 55.6 +2.7
Liberal Patteson Nickalls 4,557 44.4 −2.7
Majority 1,142 11.2 +5.4
Turnout 10,256 73.8 +3.4
Registered electors 13,888
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
General election 1892: Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Hart Dyke 5,294 52.9 −5.7
Liberal Jeremiah Lyon[30] 4,722 47.1 +5.7
Majority 572 5.8 −11.4
Turnout 10,016 70.4 +6.3
Registered electors 14,227
Conservative hold Swing −5.7

Elections in the 1880s[]

By-election, 2 Feb 1887: Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Hart Dyke Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1886: Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Hart Dyke 4,198 58.6 +5.8
Liberal James Ebenezer Saunders 2,965 41.4 -5.8
Majority 1,233 17.2 +11.6
Turnout 7,163 64.1 -11.9
Registered electors 11,173
Conservative hold Swing +5.8
Dyke
General election 1885: Dartford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Hart Dyke 4,488 52.8
Liberal James Ebenezer Saunders 4,006 47.2
Majority 482 5.6
Turnout 8,494 76.0
Registered electors 11,173
Conservative win (new seat)

See also[]

Notes[]

  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[]

  1. ^ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Election 2015: Five answers for an election geek". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  3. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Dartford
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 1)
  5. ^ "Election results for Dartford". Dartford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 21 Jan 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Dartford parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 Jun 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Election results for Dartford". Dartford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 1 Jun 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  8. ^ "'This is not the time for business as usual': Liberal Democrats reveal candidate for Dartford". News Shopper. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. ^ "Dartford parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". Retrieved 16 April 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  11. ^ a b "DARTFORD 2015". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1964". Retrieved 22 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1959". Retrieved 22 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1955". Retrieved 22 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1951". Retrieved 22 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1950". Retrieved 22 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ 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.
  26. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  27. ^ The Constitutional Year Book, 1925
  28. ^ a b Debretts House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1922
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  30. ^ "London Correspondence". Freeman's Journal. 6 Sep 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2017.

Coordinates: 51°25′N 0°15′E / 51.417°N 0.250°E / 51.417; 0.250

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