Braintree | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
![]() Boundaries since 2024 | |
![]() Boundary of Braintree in the East of England | |
County | Essex |
Population | 97,840 (2011 census) [1] |
Electorate | 75,662 (2023) [2] |
Major settlements | Braintree, Halstead, Great Notley |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1974 |
Member of Parliament | James Cleverly (Conservative) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Maldon |
Braintree is a constituency [n 1] in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by James Cleverly, a member of the Conservative Party. [n 2]
Cleverly is a former chairman of the Conservative Party and home secretary. He is also a former foreign secretary and secretary of state for education.
The constituency includes the town of Braintree at its southern end, and a large area of rural Essex to the north, including the town of Halstead.
The seat was created for the February 1974 general election, largely from the majority of the constituency of Maldon, including the towns of Braintree and Witham. It underwent a major redistribution for the 2010 general election when Witham was formed as a separate constituency. This resulted in making the seat safer for the Conservatives.
The former Leader of the House Tony Newton held the seat for the Conservatives from its creation in 1974 until 1997 when Alan Hurst defeated Newton to gain the seat for Labour. Brooks Newmark defeated Hurst in 2005 to regain the seat for the Conservatives, and held it until he stood down in 2015, being succeeded by James Cleverly, also a Conservative. [3]
Formed largely from the existing constituency of Maldon. The northern part of the Rural District of Chelmsford was transferred from Chelmsford and a small part of the Rural District of Braintree was previously in Saffron Walden.
Following changes to the structure of local authorities in 1974, the seat was largely unchanged, with just the Boreham and Springfield ward of Chelmsford Borough being transferred to the Chelmsford constituency.
The parts in the Borough of Chelmsford now included in the new constituency of West Chelmsford. Two small wards (Earls Colne and Gosfield) transferred from Saffron Walden.
The 2010 redistribution saw a major change, with southern and western areas, including the town of Witham, forming the basis of the new County Constituency of Witham. Extended northwards, gaining the District of Braintree wards previously in Saffron Walden, including the town of Halstead.
Following 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 changes – the two Uttlesford District wards were transferred from Saffron Walden (renamed North West Essex), offset by a net loss to Witham mainly due to revision of ward boundaries.
Election | Member [9] [10] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
Feb 1974 | Tony Newton | Conservative | |
1997 | Alan Hurst | Labour | |
2005 | Brooks Newmark | Conservative | |
2015 | James Cleverly | Conservative |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Cleverly | 17,414 | 35.5 | −32.0 | |
Labour | Matthew Wright | 13,744 | 28.0 | +9.8 | |
Reform UK | Richard Thomson | 11,346 | 23.1 | New | |
Liberal Democrats | Kieron Franks | 2,879 | 5.9 | −3.8 | |
Green | Paul Thorogood | 2,878 | 5.9 | +5.4 | |
Independent | David Heather | 767 | 1.6 | New | |
Majority | 3,670 | 7.5 | −41.3 | ||
Turnout | 49,028 | 63 | −5.3 | ||
Registered electors | 77,781 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −20.9 |
2019 general election notional result [13] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Vote | % | |
Conservative | 34,863 | 67.5 | |
Labour | 9,397 | 18.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | 5,013 | 9.7 | |
Others | 2,169 | 4.4 | |
Green | 233 | 0.5 | |
Turnout | 51,675 | 68.3 | |
Electorate | 75,662 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Cleverly | 34,112 | 67.5 | +4.7 | |
Labour | Joshua Garfield | 9,439 | 18.7 | −8.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dominic Graham | 4,779 | 9.5 | +5.2 | |
Independent | Jo Beavis | 1,488 | 2.9 | New | |
Independent | David Mansell | 420 | 0.8 | New | |
Independent | Alan Dorkins | 261 | 0.5 | New | |
Majority | 24,673 | 48.8 | +13.6 | ||
Turnout | 50,499 | 67.1 | −2.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +6.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Cleverly | 32,873 | 62.8 | +9.0 | |
Labour | Malcolm Fincken | 14,451 | 27.6 | +9.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Peter Turner | 2,251 | 4.3 | −0.6 | |
UKIP | Richard Bingley | 1,835 | 3.5 | −15.3 | |
Green | Thomas Pashby | 916 | 1.8 | −1.3 | |
Majority | 18,422 | 35.2 | +0.2 | ||
Turnout | 52,326 | 69.5 | +1.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Cleverly | 27,071 | 53.8 | +1.2 | |
UKIP | Richard Bingley | 9,461 | 18.8 | +13.8 | |
Labour | Malcolm Fincken | 9,296 | 18.5 | −1.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Matthew Klesel | 2,488 | 4.9 | −13.9 | |
Green | Paul Jeater | 1,564 | 3.1 | +1.6 | |
Independent | Toby Pereira | 295 | 0.6 | New | |
BNP | Paul Hooks | 108 | 0.2 | −2.0 | |
Majority | 17,610 | 35.0 | +2.3 | ||
Turnout | 50,283 | 68.4 | −0.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −6.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Brooks Newmark | 25,901 | 52.6 | +2.7 | |
Labour | Bill Edwards | 9,780 | 19.9 | −10.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Steve Jarvis | 9,247 | 18.8 | +5.2 | |
UKIP | Michael Ford | 2,477 | 5.0 | +2.6 | |
BNP | Paul Hooks | 1,080 | 2.2 | New | |
Green | Daisy Blench | 718 | 1.5 | −1.5 | |
Majority | 16,121 | 32.7 | +25.3 | ||
Turnout | 49,203 | 69.1 | +4.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +6.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Brooks Newmark | 23,597 | 44.5 | +3.2 | |
Labour | Alan Hurst | 19,704 | 37.1 | −4.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Peter Turner | 7,037 | 13.3 | +2.0 | |
Green | James Abbott | 1,308 | 2.5 | 0.0 | |
UKIP | Roger Lord | 1,181 | 2.2 | +0.7 | |
Independent | Michael Nolan | 228 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 3,893 | 7.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 53,055 | 65.9 | +2.3 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +4.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Alan Hurst | 21,123 | 42.0 | −0.7 | |
Conservative | Brooks Newmark | 20,765 | 41.3 | +1.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Peter Turner | 5,664 | 11.3 | −0.3 | |
Green | James Abbott | 1,241 | 2.5 | +1.2 | |
Legalise Cannabis | Michael Nolan | 774 | 1.5 | New | |
UKIP | Charles Cole | 748 | 1.5 | New | |
Majority | 358 | 0.7 | −1.9 | ||
Turnout | 50,315 | 63.6 | −12.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | −0.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Alan Hurst | 23,729 | 42.7 | +17.0 | |
Conservative | Tony Newton | 22,278 | 40.1 | −12.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Trevor K. Ellis | 6,418 | 11.6 | −9.1 | |
Referendum | Nicholas P. Westcott | 2,165 | 3.9 | New | |
Green | James Abbott | 712 | 1.3 | 0.0 | |
Independent | Michael Nolan | 274 | 0.5 | New | |
Majority | 1,451 | 2.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 55,576 | 76.1 | −7.3 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Tony Newton | 34,415 | 52.3 | −1.9 | |
Labour | Ian Willmore | 16,921 | 25.7 | +6.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Diana P. Wallis | 13,603 | 20.7 | −5.8 | |
Green | James Abbott | 855 | 1.3 | New | |
Majority | 17,494 | 26.6 | −1.1 | ||
Turnout | 65,794 | 83.4 | +4.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Tony Newton | 32,978 | 54.2 | +1.6 | |
SDP | Inigo Bing | 16,121 | 26.5 | −2.1 | |
Labour | Brian Stapleton | 11,764 | 19.3 | +0.5 | |
Majority | 16,857 | 27.7 | +3.7 | ||
Turnout | 60,863 | 79.1 | +2.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Tony Newton | 29,462 | 52.6 | +0.6 | |
SDP | Inigo Bing | 16,021 | 28.6 | New | |
Labour | Janet Dyson | 10,551 | 18.8 | −12.6 | |
Majority | 13,441 | 24.0 | +3.4 | ||
Turnout | 56,034 | 76.2 | −4.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −14.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Tony Newton | 31,593 | 52.0 | +12.5 | |
Labour | J.E.B. Gyford | 19,075 | 31.4 | −6.0 | |
Liberal | J. Bryan | 10,115 | 16.6 | −6.5 | |
Majority | 12,518 | 20.6 | +18.5 | ||
Turnout | 60,783 | 80.9 | +1.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +9.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Tony Newton | 20,559 | 39.5 | +1.5 | |
Labour | Keith Kyle | 19,469 | 37.4 | +3.1 | |
Liberal | Richard Holme | 12,004 | 23.1 | −4.7 | |
Majority | 1,090 | 2.1 | −1.6 | ||
Turnout | 52,032 | 79.4 | −4.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Tony Newton | 20,797 | 38.0 | ||
Labour | Keith Kyle | 18,796 | 34.3 | ||
Liberal | D. Scott | 15,204 | 27.8 | ||
Majority | 2,001 | 3.7 | |||
Turnout | 54,797 | 84.3 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |