Weald of Kent (UK Parliament constituency)

Weald of Kent
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Weald of Kent in South East England
County	Kent
Electorate	70,110 (2023) [1]
Major settlements	Tenterden, Cranbrook, Coxheath, Staplehurst
Current constituency
Created	2024
Member of Parliament	Katie Lam (Conservative)
Seats	One
Created from	Ashford Faversham and Mid Kent Maidstone and the Weald

Weald of Kent is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. ^[2] Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was first contested at the 2024 general election. The current MP is Katie Lam.

Constituency profile

This is one of the most rural seats in the South East, unlike its neighbours which each include at least one large town. House prices and incomes are significantly above UK averages. Electoral Calculus characterises the proposed seat as "Strong Right", with right-wing economic and social views, high home ownership levels and strong support for Brexit. ^[3]

Boundaries

Under the 2023 review, the constituency was defined as comprising the following, as they existed on 1 December 2020:

• The Borough of Ashford wards of: Biddenden, Charing, Downs North [Chilham], Downs West [Challock], Isle of Oxney, Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield, Rolvenden & Tenterden West, Tenterden North, Tenterden South, Tenterden St Michael's, Weald Central [Bethersden], Weald North [Smarden], and Weald South [Hamstreet & Woodchurch];
• The Borough of Maidstone wards of: Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton, Coxheath and Hunton, Headcorn & Sutton Valence, Loose, Marden and Yalding, Staplehurst, and Sutton Valence and Langley;
• The Borough of Tunbridge Wells wards of: Benenden and Cranbrook, and Frittenden and Sissinghurst. ^[4]

Following local government boundary reviews in Maidstone ^[5] and Tunbridge Wells ^[6] which came into effect in May 2024, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The Borough of Ashford wards of: Biddenden; Charing; Downs North; Downs West; Isle of Oxney; Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield; Rolvenden & Tenterden West; Tenterden North; Tenterden South; Tenterden St Michael's; Weald Central; Weald North; Weald South.
• The Borough of Maidstone wards or part wards of: Boughton Monchelsea & Chart Sutton (most); Coxheath & Farleigh; Headcorn & Sutton Valence; Leeds & Langley (Langley parish); Loose & Linton (part); Marden & Yalding; Staplehurst.
• The Borough of Tunbridge Wells ward of Cranbrook, Sissinghurst and Frittenden; and the Berenden parish of the Hawkhurst, Sandhurst and Berenden ward. ^[7]

The seat is a mostly rural area in the centre of Kent, including Tenterden, Coxheath, Staplehurst, Headcorn and Cranbrook. The seat was previously part of the Ashford, Maidstone and the Weald, and Faversham and Mid Kent constituencies.

Members of Parliament

Ashford and Maidstone and the Weald prior to 2024

Election		Member	Party
	2024	Katie Lam	Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Weald of Kent ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Katie Lam	20,202	39.8	−32.2
	Labour	Lenny Rolles	11,780	23.2	+9.1
	Reform	Daniel Kersten	10,208	20.1	N/A
	Green	Kate Walder	4,547	9.0	+5.1
	Liberal Democrats	John Howson	3,975	7.8	−2.3
Majority			8,422	16.6	−41.3
Turnout			50,712	66.7	−4.1
Registered electors			75,988
	Conservative hold		Swing	−20.7

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [9]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	35,730	72.0
	Labour	6,979	14.1
	Liberal Democrats	5,018	10.1
	Green	1,925	3.9
Turnout		49,652	70.8
Electorate		70,110

See also

• Parliamentary constituencies in Kent
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
2. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South East | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
3. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/calcwork23.py?seat=Weald+of+Kent
4. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
5. LGBCE. "Maidstone | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
6. LGBCE. "Tunbridge Wells | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
7. "Seat Details - Weald of Kent". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
8. "Weald of Kent - General election results 2024". BBC News.
9. "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament . Retrieved 11 July 2024.

External links

• Weald of Kent UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

51°07′N0°41′E / 51.11°N 0.69°E / 51.11; 0.69