List of Parliamentary constituencies in Kent
The ceremonial county of Kent, (which includes the unitary authority of Medway), is divided into 17 Parliamentary constituencies - one borough constituency and 16 county constituencies.
Constituencies[]
Conservative † Labour ‡ Liberal Democrats ¤
Constituency[nb 1] | Electorate[1] | Majority[2][nb 2] | Member of Parliament[2] | Nearest opposition[2] | Map | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashford CC | 89,553 | 24,029 | Damian Green † | Dara Farrell ‡ | |||
Canterbury CC | 80,203 | 1,836 | Rosie Duffield ‡ | Anna Firth † | |||
Chatham and Aylesford CC | 71,642 | 18,540 | Tracey Crouch �� | Vince Maple ‡ | |||
Dartford CC | 82,209 | 19,160 | Gareth Johnson † | Sacha Gosine ‡ | |||
Dover CC | 76,355 | 12,278 | Natalie Elphicke † | Charlotte Cornell ‡ | |||
Faversham and Mid Kent CC | 73,403 | 21,976 | Helen Whately † | Jenny Reeves ‡ | |||
Folkestone and Hythe CC | 88,272 | 21,337 | Damian Collins † | Laura Davison ‡ | |||
Gillingham and Rainham BC | 73,549 | 15,119 | Rehman Chishti † | Andy Stamp ‡ | |||
Gravesham CC | 73,242 | 15,581 | Adam Holloway † | Lauren Sullivan ‡ | |||
Maidstone and The Weald CC | 76,109 | 21,772 | Helen Grant † | Dan Wilkinson ‡ | |||
North Thanet CC | 72,756 | 17,189 | Roger Gale † | Coral Jones ‡ | |||
Rochester and Strood CC | 82,056 | 17,072 | Kelly Tolhurst † | Teresa Murray ‡ | |||
Sevenoaks CC | 71,757 | 20,818 | Laura Trott † | Gareth Willis ¤ | |||
Sittingbourne and Sheppey CC | 83,917 | 24,479 | Gordon Henderson † | Clive Johnson ‡ | |||
South Thanet CC | 73,223 | 10,587 | Craig Mackinlay † | Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt ‡ | |||
Tonbridge and Malling CC | 79,278 | 26,941 | Tom Tugendhat † | Richard Morris ¤ | |||
Tunbridge Wells CC | 74,823 | 14,645 | Greg Clark † | Ben Chapelard ¤ |
2010 boundary changes[]
Under the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the Boundary Commission for England[3] decided to retain Kent's 17 constituencies for the 2010 election, making minor changes to realign constituency boundaries with the boundaries of current local government wards, and to reduce the electoral disparity between constituencies, including the transfer of Cliftonville from North Thanet to South Thanet. They recommended two name changes: Gillingham to Gillingham and Rainham to reflect the similar stature of the two towns, and Medway to Rochester and Strood to avoid confusion with the larger Medway unitary authority.
Former name | Boundaries 1997-2010 | Current name | Boundaries 2010–present |
---|---|---|---|
|
|
Proposed boundary changes[]
See 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for further details.
Following the abandonment of the Sixth Periodic Review (the 2018 review), the Boundary Commission for England formally launched the 2023 Review on 5 January 2021 and published their initial proposals on 8 June 2021.[4]
The Commission has proposed that an additional seat is created in Kent, with the formation of the constituency of Weald of Kent. As a consequence, Maidstone and the Weald, and Tonbridge and Malling would be renamed Maidstone and Malling, and Tonbridge respectively. Changes to North Thanet and South Thanet would result in them being replaced by the re-established constituencies of West Thanet and East Thanet respectively. Although only subject to a very minor boundary change, Dover would revert to its previous name of Dover and Deal.[5][6][7]
The following constituencies are proposed:
Containing electoral wards from Ashford
- Ashford CC (part)
- Faversham and Mid Kent CC (part)
- (part)
Containing electoral wards from Canterbury
- Canterbury CC
- West Thanet CC (part)
Containing electoral wards from Dartford
- Dartford CC
- Sevenoaks CC (part)
Containing electoral wards from Dover
- Dover and Deal CC
- West Thanet CC (part)
Containing electoral wards from Folkestone and Hythe
- Ashford CC (part)
- Folkstone and Hythe CC
Containing electoral wards from Gravesham
Containing electoral wards from Maidstone
- Faversham and Mid Kent CC (part)
- (part)
- Weald of Kent CC (part)
Containing electoral wards from Medway
Containing electoral wards from Sevenoaks
- Sevenoaks CC (part)
- Tonbridge CC (part)
Containing electoral wards from Swale
- Faversham and Mid Kent CC (part)
- Sittingbourne and Sheppey CC
Containing electoral wards from Thanet
- East Thanet BC
- West Thanet CC (part)
Containing electoral wards from Tonbridge and Malling
- Chatham and Aylesford CC (part)
- Maidstone and Malling CC (part)
- Tonbridge CC (part)
Containing electoral wards from Tunbridge Wells
- Tunbridge Wells CC
- Weald of Kent CC (part)
Revised proposals will be published in late 2022 and the final report will be submitted in June 2023.
Results history[]
Primary data source: House of Commons research briefing - General election results from 1918 to 2019[8]
2019[]
The number of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Kent in the 2019 general election were as follows:
Party | Votes | % | Change from 2017 | Seats | Change from 2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 532,342 | 60.1% | 3.7% | 16 | 0 |
Labour | 221,554 | 25.0% | 6.7% | 1 | 0 |
Liberal Democrats | 91,973 | 10.4% | 4.9% | 0 | 0 |
Greens | 28,264 | 3.2% | 1.0% | 0 | 0 |
Others | 11,063 | 1.3% | 2.9% | 0 | 0 |
Total | 885,196 | 100.0 | 17 |
Percentage votes[]
Election year | 1974
(Feb) |
1974
(Oct) |
1979 | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 44.2 | 44.0 | 53.9 | 53.9 | 54.0 | 53.1 | 40.5 | 43.4 | 45.8 | 50.5 | 49.2 | 56.4 | 60.1 |
Labour | 29.5 | 33.3 | 29.9 | 18.6 | 19.3 | 24.3 | 37.1 | 37.7 | 32.4 | 21.1 | 20.0 | 31.7 | 25.0 |
Liberal Democrat1 | 25.7 | 21.8 | 15.1 | 26.9 | 26.1 | 21.3 | 17.0 | 15.5 | 17.3 | 20.9 | 6.3 | 5.5 | 10.4 |
Green Party | - | - | - | - | * | * | * | * | * | 1.0 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 3.2 |
UKIP | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | * | * | 3.9 | 20.3 | 3.6 | * |
Other | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
11974 & 1979 - Liberal Party; 1983 & 1987 - SDP-Liberal Alliance
* Included in Other
Seats[]
Election year | 1974
(Feb) |
1974
(Oct) |
1979 | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 13 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 |
Labour | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Total | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
Maps[]
Feb 1974
Oct 1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
2017
2019
Historic representation by party[]
A cell marked → (with a different colour background to the preceding cell) indicates that the previous MP continued to sit under a new party name.
1885 to 1918[]
Conservative Independent Conservative Independent Liberal Labour Liberal Liberal Unionist National Party
Constituency | 1885 | 1886 | 88 | 89 | 1892 | 93 | 1895 | 98 | 99 | 1900 | 01 | 03 | 04 | 1906 | Jan 1910 | Dec 1910 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashford | Pomfret | Hardy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Canterbury | Heaton | Bennett-Goldney | Anderson | |||||||||||||||||||
Chatham | Gorst | Loyd | Davies | Jenkins | Hohler | |||||||||||||||||
Dartford | Dyke | Rowlands | Mitchell | Rowlands | ||||||||||||||||||
Dover | Dickson | Wyndham | Ponsonby | → | ||||||||||||||||||
Faversham | Knatchbull-Hugessen | Barnes | Howard | Napier | Wheler | |||||||||||||||||
Gravesend | White | Palmer | Ryder | Parker | Richardson | |||||||||||||||||
Hythe | Watkin | → | Edwards | E. Sassoon | P. Sassoon | |||||||||||||||||
Isle of Thanet | King-Harman | Lowther | Marks | Craig | ||||||||||||||||||
Maidstone | Ross | Cornwallis | Hunt | Cornwallis | Barker | Evans | Vane-Tempest-Stewart | Bellairs | ||||||||||||||
Medway | Gathorne-Hardy | Warde | ||||||||||||||||||||
Rochester | Hughes-Hallett | Knatchbull-Hugessen | Davies | Gascoyne-Cecil | Tuff | Lamb | Ridley | Lamb | ||||||||||||||
St Augustine's | Akers-Douglas | McNeill | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sevenoaks | Mills | Forster | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tunbridge | Norton | Griffith-Boscawen | Hedges | Spender-Clay |
1918 to 1950[]
Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Conservative Constitutionalist Independent Labour Liberal National Labour
Constituency | 1918 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 1922 | 23 | 1923 | 1924 | 27 | 28 | 1929 | 30 | 31 | 1931 | 33 | 35 | 1935 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 43 | 1945 | 45 | 46 | 47 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bexley | Adamson | Bramall | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Orpington | Smithers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ashford | Steel | Kedward | Knatchbull | Spens | Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bromley | Forster | James | Campbell | Macmillan | |||||||||||||||||||||
Canterbury | McNeill | Wayland | White | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Chatham | Moore-Brabazon | Markham | → | Goff | Plugge | Bottomley | |||||||||||||||||||
Chislehurst | A. Smithers | Nesbitt | W. Smithers | Wallace | |||||||||||||||||||||
Dartford | Rowlands | Mills | Jarrett | → | Mills | McDonnell | Mills | Clarke | Adamson | Dodds | |||||||||||||||
Dover | Ponsonby | Polson | Astor | Thomas | |||||||||||||||||||||
Faversham | Wheler | Maitland | Wells | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Gillingham | Hohler | Gower | Binns | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Gravesend | Richardson | Isaacs | Albery | Allighan | Acland | ||||||||||||||||||||
Hythe | P. Sassoon | Brabner | Mackeson | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Isle of Thanet | Craig | Harmsworth | Balfour | Carson | |||||||||||||||||||||
Maidstone | Bellairs | Bossom | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sevenoaks | Bennett | Williams | Styles | Young | Ponsonby | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tonbridge | Spender-Clay | Baillie | Williams |
1950 to 1974[]
Conservative Labour Liberal
Constituency | 1950 | 1951 | 53 | 55 | 1955 | 56 | 57 | 1959 | 62 | 64 | 1964 | 1966 | 1970 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashford | Deedes | |||||||||||||
Beckenham | Buchan-Hepburn | Goodhart | Transferred to Greater London | |||||||||||
Bexley | Heath | Transferred to Greater London | ||||||||||||
Bromley | Macmillan | Hunt | Transferred to Greater London | |||||||||||
Canterbury | White | Thomas | Crouch | |||||||||||
Chislehurst | Hornsby-Smith | Macdonald | Hornsby-Smith | Transferred to Greater London | ||||||||||
Dartford | Dodds | Irving | Trew | |||||||||||
Dover | Arbuthnot | Ennals | Rees | |||||||||||
Erith and Crayford | Dodds | Transferred to Greater London | ||||||||||||
Faversham | Wells | Boston | Moate | |||||||||||
Folkestone and Hythe | Mackeson | Costain | ||||||||||||
Gillingham | Burden | |||||||||||||
Gravesend | Acland | Kirk | Murray | White | ||||||||||
Isle of Thanet | Carson | Rees-Davies | ||||||||||||
Maidstone | Bossom | Wells | ||||||||||||
Orpington | Smithers | Sumner | Lubbock | Stanbrook | Transferred to Greater London | |||||||||
Rochester and Chatham | Bottomley | Critchley | Kerr | Fenner | ||||||||||
Sevenoaks | Rodgers | |||||||||||||
Tonbridge | Williams | Hornby |
1974 to present[]
Conservative Independent Labour UKIP
Constituency | Feb 1974 | Oct 1974 | 1979 | 1983 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 14 | 2015 | 2017 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashford | Deedes | Speed | Green | ||||||||||||||
Canterbury | D. Crouch | Brazier | Duffield | ||||||||||||||
Dartford | Irving | Dunn | Stoate | Johnson | |||||||||||||
Dover & Deal / Dover (1983–) | Rees | Shaw | Prosser | C. Elphicke | → | → | → | N. Elphicke | |||||||||
Faversham / Sittingbourne and Sheppey (1997) | Moate | Wyatt | Henderson | ||||||||||||||
Folkestone and Hythe | Costain | Howard | Collins | ||||||||||||||
Gillingham / & Rainham (2010) | Burden | Couchman | Clark | Chishti | |||||||||||||
Gravesend / Gravesham (1983) | Ovenden | Brinton | Arnold | Pond | Holloway | ||||||||||||
Maidstone / & The Weald (1997) | Wells | Widdecombe | Grant | ||||||||||||||
Rochester & Chatham / Medway (1983) / Rochester & Strood (2010) | Fenner | Bean | Fenner | Marshall-Andrews | Reckless | → | Tolhurst | ||||||||||
Sevenoaks | Rodgers | Wolfson | Fallon | Trott | |||||||||||||
Thanet W / North Thanet (1983) | Rees-Davies | Gale | |||||||||||||||
Tonbridge & Malling | Hornby | Stanley | Tugendhat | ||||||||||||||
Thanet East / South Thanet (1983) | Aitken | Ladyman | Sandys | Mackinlay | |||||||||||||
Tunbridge Wells | Mayhew | Norman | Clark | ||||||||||||||
Mid Kent / Faversham & Mid Kent (1997) | Rowe | Robertson | Whately | ||||||||||||||
Chatham and Aylesford | Shaw | T. Crouch |
See also[]
Notes[]
References[]
- ^ Baker, Carl; Uberoi, Elise; Cracknell, Richard (28 January 2020). "General Election 2019: full results and analysis". Cite journal requires
|journal=
(help) - ^ a b c "Constituencies A-Z - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "2023 Review | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ "New Constituency Proposed for Kent". Kent Bylines. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ Bailes, Kathy (8 June 2021). "Boundary changes proposed for Thanet with East and West constituencies". The Isle Of Thanet News. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ "Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the South East region | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ Watson, Christopher; Uberoi, Elise; Loft, Philip (17 April 2020). "General election results from 1918 to 2019". Cite journal requires
|journal=
(help)
- Parliamentary constituencies in South East England
- Lists of constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in England
- Politics of Kent
- Parliamentary constituencies in Kent
- Kent-related lists