Watford (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Watford
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Watford (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
East of England - Watford constituency.svg
Boundary of Watford in the East of England
County Hertfordshire
Electorate 70,576 (2023) [1]
Major settlements Garston, Watford
Current constituency
Created 1885
Member of Parliament Matt Turmaine (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from Hertfordshire

Watford is a UK parliamentary constituency [n 1] represented in the House of Commons since 2024 by Matt Turmaine, a member of the Labour Party.

Contents

Constituency profile

The constituency comprises the whole of the Borough of Watford, together with five wards from Three Rivers District. Two of the Three Rivers wards, Carpenders Park and Oxhey Hall, are to the south of Watford town and include mostly prosperous, elevated, commuter villages. The remaining three, Abbots Langley, Langleybury and Leavesden, are to the north of Watford, the first of which is a large village, and is mixed in character and levels of income. [2]

Watford has a considerable service sector economy, with several notable headquarters, and engineering, trade-craft, and distribution in its economy. However, it is also a commuter town to the City of London. British Waterways, J D Wetherspoon, Camelot Group, Iveco, manufacturers of commercial vehicles; part of Balfour Beatty; Bathstore, the largest bathroom retailer in the UK; construction firm Taylor Woodrow; and Mothercare are the largest of these. The borough is also the UK base of many multinationals including C. H. Robinson, Total Oil, TK Maxx, Costco, Vinci and Beko appliances. International golf tournaments such as the 2006 World Golf Championship have taken place at The Grove hotel.

Workless claimants who were registered jobseekers were in November 2012 lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 3.0% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian . [3]

History

Before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 the area was part of the three-seat constituency of Hertfordshire. Upon this act, it took up the western division of the county; however, later seats such as South West Hertfordshire, established in 1950, have reduced its reach, as settlements in those areas, and Watford itself, have grown.

Political history

The seat has been a bellwether of the national result since February 1974, and since 1945 has only voted against the winning party twice: in 1951 and 1970. Watford saw considerable Liberal Democrat opposition in 2005, achieving second place, taking many Labour votes with the Conservative candidate close behind. [4]

Before the 2010 general election it was a three-way marginal seat in which local Tories, Labour supporters and Liberal Democrats aimed to garner support for their candidate. This election in Watford was won by Richard Harrington (Con) with 34.9% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats narrowly missed out on the seat with 32.4% of the vote and the defeat for Labour's candidate, Claire Ward, was a pronounced change with 26.7% of the vote. [5]

In 2015, the result saw a significantly increased majority for Harrington of more than 9,000 votes over Labour, whilst the Liberal Democrats fell back to third. The 2017 election saw Labour significantly cut the Conservative majority to 2,092. Harrington retired at the 2019 election, when a new Conservative candidate, Dean Russell, increased the majority to 4,433 over Labour.

However, in the 2024 General Election, Labour MP Matt Turmaine was elected with a majority of 4,723 votes, the first time the constituency was Labour since 2010.

Prominent frontbenchers

Dennis Herbert was Deputy Speaker from 1931 to 1943.

Major John Freeman was only a third-tier (junior) minister in the War Office as MP. His later unusually prominent positions in diplomacy led to his being appointed a member of the Privy Council and thereby being Rt Hon as of 1966.

Tristan Garel-Jones was Minister for Europe for three years of the Major ministry.

Both Herbert and Garel-Jones opted as peers in later life to use Watford as the territorial designation of their peerages.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

The constituency was established by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (which followed on from the Third Reform Act) as one of four Divisions of the abolished three-member Parliamentary County of Hertfordshire, and was formally named as the Western or Watford Division of Hertfordshire. It included the towns of Watford, Rickmansworth, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring.

1918–1950

Aldenham was transferred from St Albans.  Northern half of constituency, including Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring formed the majority of the new Hemel Hempstead Division.

1950–1983

Reconstituted as a Borough Constituency comprising the Municipal Borough of Watford. [9]   Remainder of the constituency formed the bulk of the new County Constituency of South West Hertfordshire.

1983–1997

Watford (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of boundaries 1997–2024

1997–2024

Three further wards in the Three Rivers District transferred from South West Hertfordshire.  Park Street and St Stephens transferred to St Albans.

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 parts in the District of Three Rivers were transferred to South West Hertfordshire. In order to bring the electorate back within the permitted range, the Bushey North ward was moved in from the Hertsmere constituency.

Members of Parliament

Hertfordshire prior to 1885

ElectionMember [14] Party
1885 Frederick Halsey Conservative
1906 Nathaniel Micklem QC Liberal
1910 Arnold Ward Conservative
1918 Dennis Herbert Conservative
1943 by-election William Helmore Conservative
1945 Major John Freeman Labour
1955 Frederick Farey-Jones Conservative
1964 Raphael Tuck Labour
1979 Tristan Garel-Jones Conservative
1997 Claire Ward Labour
2010 Richard Harrington Conservative
September 2019 Independent
October 2019 Conservative
2019 Dean Russell Conservative
2024 Matt Turmaine Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Watford [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Matt Turmaine 15,708 35.3 –4.0
Conservative Dean Russell 10,98524.7–17.3
Liberal Democrats Ian Stotesbury7,57717.0–0.7
Reform UK Gary Ling4,93011.1N/A
Workers Party Khalid Chohan2,6596.0N/A
Green Arran Bowen-la Grange2,4285.5+5.2
Heritage Sarah Knott1680.4N/A
Majority4,72310.6N/A
Turnout 44,45560.9–7.5
Registered electors 73,000
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase2.svg6.7

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [16]
PartyVote %
Conservative 20,28542.0
Labour 18,98539.3
Liberal Democrats 8,57017.7
Others3330.7
Green 1250.3
Turnout48,29868.4
Electorate70,576
General election 2019: Watford [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Dean Russell 26,421 45.5 –0.1
Labour Chris Ostrowski 21,98837.9–4.1
Liberal Democrats Ian Stotesbury9,32316.1+7.0
SDP Michael McGetrick3330.6N/A
Majority4,4337.6+4.0
Turnout 58,06569.7+1.9
Conservative hold Swing +2.0
General election 2017: Watford [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Harrington 26,731 45.6 +2.1
Labour Chris Ostrowski 24,63942.0+16.0
Liberal Democrats Ian Stotesbury5,3359.1−9.0
UKIP Ian Green1,1842.0−7.8
Green Alex Murray7211.2−1.2
Majority2,0923.6−13.9
Turnout 58,61067.8+1.2
Conservative hold Swing -6.9
General election 2015: Watford [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Harrington 24,400 43.5 +8.6
Labour Matthew Turmaine 14,60626.0−0.7
Liberal Democrats Dorothy Thornhill 10,15218.1−14.3
UKIP Nick Lincoln5,4819.8+7.6
Green Aidan Cottrell-Boyce1,3322.4+0.8
TUSC Mark O'Connor1780.3N/A
Majority9,79417.5+15.0
Turnout 56,14966.6−1.7
Conservative hold Swing +4.6
General election 2010: Watford [20] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Harrington 19,291 34.9 +5.3
Liberal Democrats Sal Brinton 17,86632.4+1.2
Labour Claire Ward 14,75026.7−6.9
BNP Andrew Emerson1,2172.2N/A
UKIP Graham Eardley1,1992.2−0.4
Green Ian Brandon8851.6−1.4
Majority1,4252.5N/A
Turnout 55,20868.3+3.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Background to Conservative candidates

In July 2007 former candidate Ali Miraj, a candidate for Aberavon in 2001, was dropped from the candidates list by the Conservative Party after he complained about David Cameron's leadership style and allegedly demanded a peerage. [22] [23] The public selected his former campaign manager Ian Oakley, who had been a candidate for Newport East in 2001 in the first Open Primary to be organised by the Conservative Party in November 2006. In July 2008, Oakley, withdrew candidature after being arrested for conducting a campaign of harassment against the local Liberal Democrats, [24] [25] for which he was convicted and given an 18-week suspended prison sentence and 12-month supervision order on 13 October 2008. [26]

In December 2008 Watford Conservative Association selected a new candidate, Richard Harrington. [27]

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Claire Ward 16,575 33.6 −11.7
Liberal Democrats Sal Brinton 15,42731.2+13.8
Conservative Ali Miraj 14,63429.6−3.7
Green Steve Rackett1,4663.0+1.1
UKIP Kenneth Wight1,2922.6+1.4
Majority1,1482.4−9.6
Turnout 49,39464.8+3.7
Labour hold Swing -12.8
General election 2001: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Claire Ward 20,992 45.3 0.0
Conservative Michael McManus15,43733.3−1.5
Liberal Democrats Duncan Hames 8,08817.4+0.6
Green Denise Kingsley9001.9N/A
UKIP Edmund Stewart-Mole5351.2N/A
Socialist Alliance Jon Berry4200.9N/A
Majority5,55512.0+1.5
Turnout 46,37261.1−13.5
Labour hold Swing +0.8

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Watford [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Claire Ward 25,109 45.3 +11.3
Conservative Robert Gordon19,22734.8−13.3
Liberal Democrats Andrew Canning9,27216.80.0
Referendum Philip Roe1,4842.7N/A
Natural Law Leslie Davis2340.4+0.1
Majority5,79210.5N/A
Turnout 55,23674.6−7.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +12.3
General election 1992: Watford [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tristan Garel-Jones 29,072 48.8 +0.1
Labour Michael J. Jackson19,48232.7+4.5
Liberal Democrats Mark Oaten 10,23117.2−5.9
Green Jeremy Hywel-Davies5661.0N/A
Natural Law Leslie Davis1760.3N/A
Majority9,59016.1−4.4
Turnout 59,52782.3+4.4
Conservative hold Swing −2.2

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tristan Garel-Jones 27,912 48.7 +0.7
Labour Michael Jackson16,17628.2+2.8
SDP Fiona Beckett13,20223.1−2.9
Majority11,73620.5−1.5
Turnout 57,29077.9+3.8
Conservative hold Swing -1.8
General election 1983: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tristan Garel-Jones 26,273 48.0 +0.3
SDP Peter Burton14,26726.0N/A
Labour Ian Wilson [30] 14,24726.0−14.3
Majority12,00622.0+14.6
Turnout 54,78776.1−5.1
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Watford [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tristan Garel-Jones 21,320 47.64 +12.5
Labour Tony Banks 18,03040.28−4.0
Liberal B Bodle5,01911.21−7.8
National Front Brent Cheetham3880.87−0.6
Majority3,2907.36N/A
Turnout 44,75781.26+4.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.3
General election October 1974: Watford [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Raphael Tuck 19,177 44.28
Conservative Tristan Garel-Jones 15,22035.14
Liberal Anthony Jacobs 8,24319.03
National Front Jeremy Wotherspoon6711.55
Majority3,9579.14
Turnout 43,31177.3−7.7
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Watford [33]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Raphael Tuck 18,884 40.47
Conservative David W. Clarke16,08934.48
Liberal David Jacobs 11,03523.65
National Front Jeremy Wotherspoon6511.4N/A
Majority2,7955.99
Turnout 46,65985.0
Labour hold Swing
General election 1970: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Raphael Tuck 19,698 45.71
Conservative David W. Clarke19,62245.53
Liberal Colin G. Watkins3,7788.77N/A
Majority760.18
Turnout 43,09875.44
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Raphael Tuck 23,832 54.38
Conservative David W. Clarke19,99645.62
Majority3,8368.76
Turnout 43,82882.87
Labour hold Swing
General election 1964: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Raphael Tuck 20,224 45.18
Conservative Frederick Farey-Jones 18,74441.87
Liberal Margaret Neilson5,79712.95
Majority1,4803.31N/A
Turnout 44,76583.61
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frederick Farey-Jones 21,216 46.85
Labour Renee Short 18,31540.44
Liberal Ian S. Steers5,75312.70N/A
Majority2,9016.41
Turnout 45,28484.82
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frederick Farey-Jones 22,546 51.98
Labour Ashley Bramall 20,82948.02
Majority1,7173.96N/A
Turnout 43,37582.36
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1951: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Freeman 22,370 47.90
Conservative Sydney William Leonard Ripley21,86246.81
Liberal Hamilton Brinsley Bush2,4695.29
Majority5081.09
Turnout 46,70187.18
Labour hold Swing
General election 1950: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Freeman 21,759 47.36
Conservative Max Bemrose 20,30244.19
Liberal Hamilton Brinsley Bush3,8798.44
Majority1,4573.17
Turnout 45,94087.14
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Freeman 32,138 46.03
Conservative William Helmore 29,94442.88
Liberal Henry Harben 7,74311.09N/A
Majority2,1943.15N/A
Turnout 69,82573.40
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
1943 Watford by-election [34]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Helmore 13,839 53.9 −11.5
Common Wealth Raymond Blackburn 11,83846.1N/A
Majority2,0017.8−23.0
Turnout 25,67738.0−25.5
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Dennis Herbert 28,196 65.42
Labour Stanley Walter Morgan14,90634.58
Majority13,29030.84
Turnout 43,10263.55
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Watford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Dennis Herbert 34,076 78.34
Labour Frank Jacques 9,42321.66
Majority24,65356.68
Turnout 43,49971.01
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Watford [35]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Dennis Herbert 18,583 45.9 −8.8
Liberal Edward Terrell 12,28830.3+11.6
Labour Herman Macdonald9,66523.8−2.8
Majority6,29515.6−12.5
Turnout 40,53672.4−0.7
Unionist hold Swing -10.2
Corbett Ashby 1923 Margery Corbett Ashby.jpg
Corbett Ashby
General election 1924: Watford [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Dennis Herbert 15,271 54.7 +11.7
Labour Herbert Elvin 7,41726.6−4.2
Liberal Margery Corbett Ashby 5,20518.7−7.5
Majority7,85428.1+15.9
Turnout 27,89373.1+4.6
Unionist hold Swing +8.0
General election 1923: Watford [35]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Dennis Herbert 10,533 43.0 −6.2
Labour Jimmy Mallon 7,53230.8−4.1
Liberal Robert Allen Bateman6,42326.2+10.3
Majority3,00112.2−2.1
Turnout 24,48868.5−0.5
Unionist hold Swing -1.0
General election 1922: Watford [35]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Dennis Herbert 12,040 49.2 −8.0
Labour Jimmy Mallon 8,56134.9+9.5
Liberal Robert Allen Bateman3,89615.9−1.5
Majority3,47914.3−17.5
Turnout 24,49769.0+9.5
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1910s

Frank Gray 1924 Frank Gray.jpg
Frank Gray
General election 1918: Watford [35]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Dennis Herbert 11,15557.2
Labour George Lathan 4,95225.4N/A
Liberal Frank Gray 3,39517.4
Majority6,20331.8
Turnout 19,5059.5
Unionist hold Swing N/A
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Watford [37] [38] [39]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frederick Halsey 4,032 52.1
Liberal Sir George Faudel Faudel-Phillips, 1st Baronet3,71247.9
Majority3204.2
Turnout 7,74477.2
Registered electors 10,029
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Watford [37] [38]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frederick Halsey Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

Halsey T F Halsey 1906 postcard.jpg
Halsey
General election 1892: Watford [37] [38]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frederick Halsey 4,802 57.0 N/A
Liberal John Marnham3,62743.0New
Majority1,17514.0N/A
Turnout 8,42976.4N/A
Registered electors 11,037
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: Watford [37] [38] [40]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frederick Halsey Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Watford [37] [38] [40]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frederick Halsey Unopposed
Conservative hold
Micklem Nathaniel Micklem 1906 postcard.jpg
Micklem
General election 1906: Watford [37] [38] [41]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Nathaniel Micklem 7,612 55.4 New
Conservative Frederick Halsey 6,13644.6N/A
Majority1,47610.8N/A
Turnout 13,74882.1N/A
Registered electors 16,741
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

Ward Arnold Ward 1906 postcard.jpg
Ward
General election January 1910: Watford [37] [42]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Arnold Ward 8,782 54.8 +10.2
Liberal Nathaniel Micklem 7,23145.2−10.2
Majority1,5519.6N/A
Turnout 15,98390.4+8.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.2
General election December 1910: Watford [37] [42]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Arnold Ward 8,043 52.9 −1.9
Liberal Nathaniel Micklem 7,16047.1+1.9
Majority8835.8−3.8
Turnout 15,20385.8−4.6
Conservative hold Swing -1.9

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;

See also

Notes

  1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)

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