South West Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

South West Hertfordshire
County constituency
for the House of Commons
South West Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
East of England - South West Hertfordshire constituency.svg
Boundary of South West Hertfordshire in the East of England
County Hertfordshire
Electorate 71,552 (2023) [1]
Major settlements Rickmansworth, Kings Langley and Chorleywood
Current constituency
Created 1950
Member of Parliament Gagan Mohindra (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created from Watford and Hemel Hempstead [2]

South West Hertfordshire is a constituency [n 1] [n 2] in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, represented since 2019 by Gagan Mohindra, a Conservative.

Contents

Constituency profile

Since the 2024 United Kingdom general election, at which major boundary changes instigated by the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies took effect, this seat has consisted of the entirety of the Three Rivers District, plus the single ward of Kings Langley from the Dacorum district. [3]

The constituency surrounds the constituency (and town) of Watford on three sides, taking in the town of Rickmansworth and the villages of Abbots Langley, Chorleywood, Croxley Green, Heronsgate, Kings Langley, Leavesden, Loudwater, Maple Cross and South Oxhey.

Elevated and bordering Greater London and Buckinghamshire, this part of Hertfordshire is for its residents mostly middle-class suburbia, an established haven for commuters who travel from the outer reaches of the London Underground's Metropolitan line or two railways from London which serve different parts of the seat: the West Coast Main Line and Aylesbury Line. Much of the constituency is within the Greater London Built-up Area, though it also contains Green Belt land.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1950–1974

The constituency was formed from the Watford Division of Hertfordshire, excluding the part comprising the Municipal Borough of Watford. It also included the parishes of Abbots Langley and Sarratt, transferred from Hemel Hempstead.

1974–1983

The parish of Aldenha m in the Rural District of Watford was transferred to the new constituency of South Hertfordshire.

1983–1997

The parts of the District of Dacorum, including Berkhamsted, were transferred from the abolished constituency of Hemel Hempstead. Abbots Langley was transferred to Watford and Bushey to the new constituency of Hertsmere.

1997–2010

South West Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of boundaries 2010-2024

Gained Tring from the abolished constituency of West Hertfordshire. Kings Langley transferred to a re-established Hemel Hempstead, Bedmond to St Albans, and three further wards in the Three Rivers District to Watford.

2010–2024

Minor gain from Hemel Hempstead following revision of local authority wards.

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):

The constituency saw major changes with the bulk of the portion of the previous iteration of seat in the Borough of Dacorum, including the towns of Berkhamsted and Tring, forming part of the newly created constituency of Harpenden and Berkhamsted. The Bovingdon, Flaunden and Chipperfield ward went to Hemel Hempstead in exchange for the Kings Langley ward. The parts of the District of Three Rivers not previously within the constituency were transferred primarily from Watford, with a small area from St Albans. Only 55% of the electorate of the former constituency remained in the redrawn seat, and only 63% of the redrawn seat's electorate came from the previous version of the constituency [10]

Members of Parliament

Watford prior to 1950

ElectionMember [11] Party
1950 Gilbert Longden Conservative
Feb 1974 Geoffrey Dodsworth Conservative
1979 by-election Richard Page Conservative
2005 David Gauke Conservative
September 2019 Independent
December 2019 Gagan Mohindra Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gagan Mohindra [12] 16,458 34.1 −18.1
Liberal Democrats Sally Symington [13] 12,00224.9+12.2
Labour Alex Sufit [14] 9,63720.0+3.9
Reform UK Keith Steers [15] 6,79014.1N/A
Green Narinder Sian [16] 2,5325.2+3.7
Party of Women Bernadette O'Malley [17] 2950.6N/A
Rejoin EU Victor Silkin [18] 2320.5N/A
SDP Michael McGetrick [19] 1580.3N/A
UK VoiceKetankumar Pipaliya [18] 1500.3N/A
Majority4,4569.2−14.4
Turnout 48,25467.6−3.5
Registered electors 71,353
Conservative hold Swing –15.2

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [20]
PartyVote %
Conservative 26,54852.2
Others8,92517.5
Labour 8,18216.1
Liberal Democrats 6,46012.7
Green 7631.5
Turnout50,87871.1
Electorate71,552
General election 2019: South West Hertfordshire [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gagan Mohindra 30,327 49.6 –8.3
Independent David Gauke 15,91926.0+26.0
Labour Ali Aklakul7,22811.8–13.9
Liberal Democrats Sally Symington6,25110.2–1.5
Green Tom Pashby1,4662.4–0.2
Majority14,40823.6–8.6
Turnout 61,19176.1+0.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2017: South West Hertfordshire [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Gauke 35,128 57.9 +1.0
Labour Robert Wakely15,57825.7+9.4
Liberal Democrats Christopher Townsend7,07811.7+1.4
Green Paul De Hoest1,5762.6–1.9
UKIP Mark Anderson1,2932.1–9.4
Majority19,55032.2–8.4
Turnout 60,65375.5+3.6
Conservative hold Swing –4.2
General election 2015: South West Hertfordshire [23] [24] [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Gauke 32,608 56.9 +2.7
Labour Simon Diggins9,34516.3+4.8
UKIP Mark Anderson6,60311.5+8.9
Liberal Democrats Nigel Quinton5,87210.3–17.6
Green Charlotte Pardy2,5834.5N/A
Common Sense PartyGraham Cartmell2560.4N/A
Majority23,26340.6+14.3
Turnout 57,26771.9–0.6
Conservative hold Swing –1.1
General election 2010: South West Hertfordshire [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Gauke 30,773 54.2 +7.2
Liberal Democrats Christopher Townsend15,85327.9–2.1
Labour Harry Mann6,52611.5–9.3
UKIP Mark Benson1,4502.6+0.4
BNP Deirdre Gates1,3022.3N/A
Independent James Hannaway8461.5N/A
Majority14,92026.29+9.3
Turnout 56,75072.53
Conservative hold Swing +4.66

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: South West Hertfordshire [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Gauke 23,494 46.9 +2.6
Liberal Democrats Edward Featherstone15,02130.0+3.7
Labour Kerron Cross10,46620.9–6.1
UKIP Colin Rodden1,1072.2+0.4
Majority8,47316.9–0.4
Turnout 50,08868.5+4.0
Conservative hold Swing –0.5
General election 2001: South West Hertfordshire [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Page 20,933 44.3 –1.7
Labour Graham Dale12,75227.0–0.9
Liberal Democrats Edward Featherstone12,43126.3+4.0
UKIP Colin Dale-Mills8471.8N/A
ProLife Alliance Julia Goffin3060.6N/A
Majority8,18117.3–0.8
Turnout 47,26964.5–12.8
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: South West Hertfordshire [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Page 25,462 46.0 –11.0
Labour Mark Wilson15,44127.9+8.5
Liberal Democrats Ann Shaw12,38122.3–0.8
Referendum Timothy Millward1,8533.3N/A
Natural Law Christopher Adamson2740.5Steady2.svg 0.0
Majority10,02118.1–15.8
Turnout 55,41177.3–6.6
Conservative hold Swing –9.8
General election 1992: South West Hertfordshire [30] [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Page 33,825 57.0 +1.2
Liberal Democrats A Shaw13,71823.1–5.8
Labour AP Gale11,51219.4+4.1
Natural Law CJ Adamson2810.5N/A
Majority20,10733.9+7.0
Turnout 59,33683.7+6.0
Conservative hold Swing +3.5

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: South West Hertfordshire [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Page 32,791 55.8 +2.2
Liberal Ian Murray Blair17,00728.9–3.1
Labour Ian Willmore 8,96615.3+1.4
Majority15,78426.9+5.3
Turnout 58,76477.7+1.9
Conservative hold Swing +2.6
General election 1983: South West Hertfordshire [33]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Page 30,217 53.6 –1.1
Liberal Ian Murray Blair18,02332.0+15.8
Labour Edward Playfair7,81813.9–13.9
IndependentM Luton3070.5N/A
Majority12,19421.6–5.4
Turnout 56,36575.8–3.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

By-election 13 December 1979: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Page 17,031 45.94 –8.75
Labour Susan Ann Reeves10,25927.67–0.05
Liberal Dane Clouston8,75223.61+7.41
Ecology Nigel Jeskins6021.62N/A
ACMFT David Bundy2880.78N/A
Independent Nigel Ffooks1430.39N/A
Majority6,77218.27–8.70
Turnout 37,07548.30–31.44
Conservative hold Swing –3.8
Registered electors 76,776
General election 1979: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Geoffrey Dodsworth 33,112 54.69
Labour Tony Colman 16,78427.72
Liberal G Cass9,80816.20
National Front P Graves8391.39N/A
Majority16,32826.97
Turnout 60,54379.74
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Geoffrey Dodsworth 24,939 42.63
Labour ALC Cohen19,09832.64
Liberal JES Jarrett14,47024.73
Majority5,8419.99
Turnout 58,50776.99
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Geoffrey Dodsworth 26,563 42.15
Labour JE Mitchell18,46529.30
Liberal JES Jarrett17,98728.54
Majority8,09812.85
Turnout 63,01583.78
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Longden 32,661 50.32
Labour Bruce Grocott 24,21437.31
Liberal John W.S. Jarrett7,48911.54
Independent ResidentRonald Skilton5420.84N/A
Majority8,44713.01
Turnout 64,90675.66
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Longden 28,378 45.66
Labour S. John Chapman25,18640.52
Liberal Peter A.S. Benton8,59013.82
Majority3,1925.14
Turnout 62,15483.12
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Longden 28,308 45.77
Labour Syd Bidwell 22,23735.96
Liberal R. Douglas Brown11,30118.27
Majority6,0719.81
Turnout 61,84683.01
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Longden 29,724 50.8 −6.1
Labour Anthony John Whiteside19,48733.3−9.8
Liberal Desmond Banks 9,27815.9N/A
Majority10,23717.5+3.8
Turnout 58,48984.4+3.1
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Longden 28,847 56.87
Labour Wyndham Thomas (town planner)21,87843.13
Majority6,96913.74
Turnout 50,72581.31
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Longden 27,049 58.75
Labour Lawrence Allaker18,99141.25
Majority8,05817.50
Turnout 46,04085.02
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: South West Hertfordshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Longden 23,608 55.37
Labour Lawrence Allaker14,91334.98
Liberal George C Middleton4,1149.65
Majority8,69520.39
Turnout 42,63586.10
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.

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References

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  13. "Sally Symington Selected as Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for South West Herts". nickhollinghurst.org. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
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