Thurrock (UK Parliament constituency)

Thurrock
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Thurrock in Essex
Location of Essex within England
County	Essex
Electorate	77,667 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements	Grays, Tilbury, South Ockendon and Chafford
Current constituency
Created	1945
Member of Parliament	Jackie Doyle-Price (Conservative)
Number of members	One
Created from	South East Essex

Thurrock is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Jackie Doyle-Price, a Conservative.^{[n 2]}

History[]

History of boundaries

The seat was created from South East Essex as a result of the interim redistribution carried out for the 1945 general election. It remained unchanged until the redistribution following the reorganisation of local authorities under the Local Government Act 1972 (not coming into force until the 1983 general election), when it lost northern parts to the new constituency of Billericay. There was a small change for the 2010 general election, when East Tilbury was included in the new constituency of South Basildon and East Thurrock.

History of results

All campaigns since the seat's 1945 inception have resulted in a minimum of 26.8% of votes at each election for the main two parties, with Labour or the Conservatives alternating between first and second place. The third-placed party's share of the vote has fluctuated between 31.7% and 20.1% of the vote for UKIP and between 8.1% and 21.7% in the case of the Liberal Democrats and that party's predecessors. The seat attracted two candidates in 1959 and seven in 2015.

Thurrock was for 38 years from and including 1945 a large-majority Labour seat in parliamentary elections. The post-Falklands War election in 1983 gave a majority of less than 4% of the vote to a recently-split Labour Party (the breakaway faction, the SDP, came third). A Conservative gained Thurrock in 1987 with a small majority. In 1992, it was regained by a Labour candidate, Andrew MacKinlay. During his tenure as MP, MacKinlay was criticised for his questioning technique used on weapons expert Dr. David Kelly.

In the 2010 general election, a Conservative gained the seat, with Jackie Doyle-Price being elected as the MP on a majority of 92 votes, the third most marginal in that election.^[2] The 2015 result gave the seat the 8th most marginal majority of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.^[3] In that 2015 election fewer than 1,000 votes separated the top three parties: Conservative, Labour and UKIP. The seat has had bellwether outcome status since 1997.

In 2017, the seat was number 1 on UKIP's 2017 target list, the party only needing a 0.98% swing to win the seat from third place if the previous result were repeated. The constituency was also at number 7 on Labour's target list, with a 0.54% swing needed for their candidate to win the seat. In the event, the swing to Labour was around 0.2% and Doyle-Price held the seat by a mere 345 votes, making it the 26th-closest nationally (of 650 seats).^[4] This was also the third consecutive occasion that Thurrock had been held or won very narrowly. At the 2019 general election, Doyle-Price's vote share increased by 19.1%, the largest increase in vote share achieved by any Conservative candidate in the United Kingdom at that election, and her majority rose to 11,482 votes.^[5]

Prominent frontbenchers

Dr Oonagh McDonald was Opposition Spokesman on Defence from 1981 to 1983, and then Opposition Spokesman on Treasury and Economic Affairs from 1983 to 1987.

Boundaries and boundary changes[]

1945–1983: The Urban District of Thurrock.^[6]

The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944 set up Boundaries Commissions to carry out periodic reviews of the distribution of parliamentary constituencies. It also authorised an initial review to subdivide abnormally large constituencies in time for the 1945 election.^[7] This was implemented by the Redistribution of Seats Order 1945 under which South East Essex was divided into two constituencies. As a consequence, the new Thurrock Division of Essex was formed, comprising the Urban District of Thurrock (created largely from amalgamating the Urban Districts of Grays Thurrock and Tilbury and the Rural District of Orsett).

1983–2010: The Borough of Thurrock wards of Aveley, Belhus, Chadwell St Mary, East Tilbury, Grays Thurrock North, Grays Thurrock Town, Little Thurrock, Ockendon, Stifford, Tilbury, and West Thurrock.^[8][9]

Northern areas transferred to the new County Constituency of Billericay.

2010–present: The Borough of Thurrock wards of Aveley and Uplands, Belhus, Chadwell St Mary, Chafford and North Stifford, Grays Riverside, Grays Thurrock, Little Thurrock Blackshots, Little Thurrock Rectory, Ockendon, South Chafford, Stifford Clays, Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park, Tilbury St Chads, West Thurrock, and South Stifford.^[10]

Following a redistribution of local authority wards, East Tilbury was transferred to the new County Constituency of South Basildon and East Thurrock.

Constituency profile[]

Following the 2019 UK general election, Thurrock was retained by the Conservatives with a majority of nearly 11,500 votes, making it a safe Conservative seat.^[11] This was a significant increase over the 2017 general election when the Conservatives held the seat by just over 300 votes, when it was a marginal seat between the Conservatives and Labour. This industrial Essex seat, east of London, includes the towns of Grays, Tilbury and Purfleet and 18 miles of the north bank of the Thames.

Historically known for quarrying and heavy industry, it is now a retail destination thanks to the Lakeside Shopping Centre. Retail and distribution are big employers, while Tilbury Power Station has closed and Coryton oil refinery is being redeveloped as a business park. Tilbury is also London's major port, handling millions of tonnes of cargo a year and is a major cruise ship terminal.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 higher than the national average of 3.8%, at 4.8% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian. The regional average for the Eastern England region was considerably lower, at 3.2% of the population.^[12]

Members of Parliament[]

Election		Member[13]	Party
	1945	Leslie Solley	Labour
	1949		Labour Independent Group
	1950	Hugh Delargy	Labour
	1976 by-election	Oonagh McDonald	Labour
	1987	Tim Janman	Conservative
	1992	Andrew MacKinlay	Labour
	2010	Jackie Doyle-Price	Conservative

Elections[]

Elections in the 2010s[]

General election 2019: Thurrock^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jackie Doyle-Price	27,795	58.6	+19.1
	Labour	John Kent	16,313	34.4	−4.4
	Liberal Democrats	Stewart Stone	1,510	3.2	+1.6
	Independent	James Woollard	1,042	2.2	New
	Green	Ben Harvey	807	1.7	New
Majority			11,482	24.2	+23.5
Turnout			47,467	59.6	−4.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	+11.8

General election 2017: Thurrock^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jackie Doyle-Price	19,880	39.5	+5.8
	Labour	John Kent	19,535	38.8	+6.2
	UKIP	Tim Aker	10,112	20.1	−11.6
	Liberal Democrats	Kevin McNamara	798	1.6	+0.3
Majority			345	0.7	−0.4
Turnout			50,325	64.4	+0.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.2

General election 2015: Thurrock^[16][17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jackie Doyle-Price	16,692	33.7	−3.1
	Labour	Polly Billington[18]	16,156	32.6	−4.0
	UKIP	Tim Aker[19]	15,718	31.7	+24.3
	Liberal Democrats	Rhodri Jamieson-Ball	644	1.3	−9.4
	CISTA	Jamie Barnes	244	0.5	New
	Independent	Daniel Munyambu	79	0.2	New
	All People's Party	Aba Kristilolu	31	0.1	New
Majority			536	1.1	+0.9
Turnout			49,564	63.9	+4.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.4

General election 2010: Thurrock^[20][21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jackie Doyle-Price	16,869	36.8	+3.6
	Labour	Carl Morris	16,777	36.6	−9.6
	Liberal Democrats	Carys Davis	4,901	10.7	−0.4
	BNP	Emma Colgate	3,618	7.9	+2.1
	UKIP	Clive Broad	3,390	7.4	+4.0
	CPA	Arinola Araba	267	0.6	New
Majority			92	0.2	N/A
Turnout			45,822	59.1	+4.2
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+6.6

Elections in the 2000s[]

General election 2005: Thurrock^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Andrew MacKinlay	20,636	47.2	−9.3
	Conservative	Garry Hague	14,261	32.6	+2.8
	Liberal Democrats	Earnshaw Palmer	4,770	10.9	+0.6
	BNP	Nick Geri	2,526	5.8	New
	UKIP	Carol Jackson	1,499	3.4	0.0
Majority			6,375	14.6	-11.9
Turnout			43,692	54.9	+5.9
	Labour hold		Swing	−6.1

General election 2001: Thurrock^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Andrew MacKinlay	21,121	56.5	−6.8
	Conservative	Mike Penning	11,124	29.8	+3.0
	Liberal Democrats	John Lathan	3,846	10.3	+2.2
	UKIP	Christopher Sheppard	1,271	3.4	+1.6
Majority			9,997	26.7	-9.8
Turnout			37,362	49.0	−16.6
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s[]

General election 1997: Thurrock^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Andrew MacKinlay	29,896	63.3	+17.4
	Conservative	Andrew Rosindell	12,640	26.8	−16.9
	Liberal Democrats	Joe White	3,843	8.1	−1.4
	UKIP	Peter Compobassi	833	1.8	New
Majority			17,256	36.5	+34.3
Turnout			47,212	65.6	-12.5
	Labour hold		Swing	+17.2

General election 1992: Thurrock^[25][26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Andrew MacKinlay	24,791	45.9	+4.9
	Conservative	Tim Janman	23,619	43.7	+1.2
	Liberal Democrats	Alan J. Banton	5,145	9.5	−7.0
	Pensioners' Party	Charles Rogers	391	0.7	New
	Anti-Federalist League	Peter Compobassi	117	0.2	New
Majority			1,172	2.2	N/A
Turnout			54,063	78.1	+6.6
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+1.8

Elections in the 1980s[]

General election 1987: Thurrock^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tim Janman	20,527	42.5	+7.1
	Labour	Oonagh McDonald	19,837	41.0	+1.8
	SDP	Donald Benson	7,970	16.5	-5.2
Majority			690	1.5	N/A
Turnout			48,334	71.5	+3.8
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

General election 1983: Thurrock^[28][29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Oonagh McDonald	17,600	39.21
	Conservative	T Jallon	15,878	35.37
	SDP	Donald Benson	9,761	21.74
	Independent	M Bibby	1,200	2.67	New
	BNP	R Sinclair	252	0.6
	Communist	J Paul	199	0.4	New
Majority			1,722	3.8
Turnout			44,891	67.7
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s[]

General election 1979: Thurrock^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Oonagh McDonald	33,449	48.55
	Conservative	Tony Baldry	27,030	39.24
	Liberal	M Crowson	6,445	9.36
	National Front	E Burdett	1,358	1.97	N/A
	Independent	B Chattaway	365	0.53	new
	Workers Revolutionary	M Daly	242	0.35	New
Majority			6,419	9.31
Turnout			68,884	75.11
	Labour hold		Swing

1976 by-election: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Oonagh McDonald	22,191	45.27	-10.30
	Conservative	Percy Lomax	17,352	35.39	+10.95
	Liberal	Anthony Charlton	5,977	12.19	-7.80
	National Front	John Roberts	3,255	6.64	New
	English National	Frank Hansford-Miller	187	0.38	New
	World Grid Sunshine Room Party	Peter Bishop	72	0.15	New
Majority			4,839	9.88
Turnout			49,034
	Labour hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	34,066	55.57
	Conservative	P Lomax	14,986	24.44
	Liberal	A Charlton	12,255	19.99
Majority			19,080	31.13
Turnout			61,307	68.54
	Labour hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	36,217	52.15
	Conservative	Graham Bright	17,699	25.48
	Liberal	Kaye Fleetwood	15,534	22.37
Majority			18,518	26.67
Turnout			69,450	78.41
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1970: Thurrock Electorate 84,337

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	30,874	55.75
	Conservative	Graham Bright	19,486	35.18
	Liberal	Kaye Fleetwood	5,024	9.07
Majority			11,388	20.57
Turnout			55,384	65.67
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s[]

General election 1966: Thurrock Electorate 72,502

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	31,998	60.67
	Conservative	Cedric J Hodgson	14,094	26.72
	Liberal	James C Moran	6,648	12.61
Majority			17,904	33.95
Turnout			52,740	72.74
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1964: Thurrock Electorate 71,519

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	30,372	57.22
	Conservative	Robert McCrindle	14,615	27.53
	Liberal	A Noel H Blackburn	8,094	15.25	New
Majority			15,757	29.69
Turnout			53,081	74.22
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s[]

General election 1959: Thurrock Electorate 67,054

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	32,270	61.52
	Conservative	William E McNamara	20,188	38.48
Majority			12,082	23.04
Turnout			52,458	78.23
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1955: Thurrock Electorate 63,030

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	31,375	66.16
	Conservative	Gerald A Petty	16,046	33.84
Majority			15,329	32.32
Turnout			47,421	75.24
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1951: Thurrock Electorate 53,157

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	28,851	65.55
	Conservative	Godfrey Lagden	15,166	34.45
Majority			13,685	31.10
Turnout			44,017	82.81
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1950: Thurrock Electorate 50,962

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hugh Delargy	22,893	52.68
	Conservative	Airey Neave	13,306	30.62
	Independent Labour	Leslie Solley	4,250	9.78	New
	Liberal	William Harold Henry Siddons	3,010	6.93	New
Majority			9,587	22.06
Turnout			43,459	85.28
	Labour hold		Swing

Election in the 1940s[]

General election 1945: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Leslie Solley	23,171	70.05
	Conservative	Thomas Adam	9,909	29.95
Majority			13,262	40.10
Turnout			33,080	76.89
	Labour hold		Swing

See also[]

• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Essex

Notes[]

References[]

Coordinates: 51°29′N 0°19′E / 51.48°N 0.32°E / 51.48; 0.32