Weald of Kent (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated
Weald of Kent
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Weald of Kent (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
South East England - Weald of Kent constituency.svg
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)
SeatsOne
Created from

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.

Contents

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:

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 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

ElectionMemberParty
2024 Katie Lam Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Weald of Kent [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Katie Lam 20,202 39.8 –32.2
Labour Lenny Rolles11,78023.2+9.1
Reform UK Daniel Kersten10,20820.1N/A
Green Kate Walder4,5479.0+5.1
Liberal Democrats John Howson3,9757.8−2.3
Majority8,42216.6–41.3
Turnout 50,71266.7–4.1
Registered electors 75,988
Conservative hold Swing –20.7

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [9]
PartyVote %
Conservative 35,73072.0
Labour 6,97914.1
Liberal Democrats 5,01810.1
Green 1,9253.9
Turnout49,65270.8
Electorate70,110

See also

Related Research Articles

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The Borough of Tunbridge Wells is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The borough also contains the towns of Paddock Wood and Southborough, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Large parts of the borough fall within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Maidstone</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

The Borough of Maidstone is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its administrative centre is Maidstone, the county town of Kent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sissinghurst</span> Village in Kent, England

Sissinghurst is a small village in the borough of Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. Originally called Milkhouse Street, Sissinghurst changed its name in the 1850s, possibly to avoid association with the smuggling and cockfighting activities of the Hawkhurst Gang. It is in the civil parish of Cranbrook and Sissinghurst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Ashford</span> Non-metropolitan district and borough in England

The Borough of Ashford is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. It is named after its largest town, Ashford, where the council is based. The borough also includes the town of Tenterden and an extensive surrounding rural area including numerous villages; with an area of 580 square kilometres (220 sq mi), it is the largest district in Kent. Parts of the borough lie within the designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty of High Weald and the Kent Downs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Headcorn</span> Human settlement in England

Headcorn is a village and civil parish in the borough of Maidstone in Kent, England. The parish is on the floodplain of the River Beult south east of Maidstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sutton Valence</span> Human settlement in England

Sutton Valence is a village about five miles (8 km) SE of Maidstone, Kent, England on the A274 road going south to Headcorn and Tenterden. It is on the Greensand Ridge overlooking the Vale of Kent and Weald. St Mary's Church is on the west side of the village on Chart Road, close to the junction of the High Street with the A274. Another landmark is Sutton Valence Castle on the east side of the village, of which only the ruins of the 12th-century keep remain, under the ownership of English Heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Headcorn railway station</span> Railway station in Kent, England

Headcorn railway station is on the South Eastern Main Line in England, serving the village of Headcorn, Kent. It is 45 miles 20 chains (72.8 km) down the line from London Charing Cross. The station and all trains that serve the station are operated by Southeastern.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maidstone and The Weald (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997-2024

Maidstone and The Weald was a constituency in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. From the 2010 general election it was represented by Helen Grant of the Conservative Party. She succeeded fellow party member Ann Widdecombe, who had held the seat since it was created for the 1997 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tunbridge Wells (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1974 onwards

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faversham and Mid Kent (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997 onwards

Faversham and Mid Kent is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Since 2015, the seat has been held by Helen Whately of the Conservative Party.

The ceremonial county of Kent,, is divided into 18 parliamentary constituencies - 2 borough constituency and 16 county constituencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chart Sutton</span> Human settlement in England

Chart Sutton is a civil parish and small village on the edge of the Weald of Kent, England. It lies approximately 5 miles (8 km) to the south of Maidstone.

The TN postcode area, also known as the Tunbridge Wells postcode area, is a group of 40 postcode districts in England, within 24 post towns. These cover south and west Kent and northern and eastern East Sussex, plus very small parts of Surrey and the London Borough of Bromley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Beult</span> River in Kent, England

The River Beult is a tributary of the River Medway in South East England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staplehurst</span> Human settlement in England

Staplehurst is a town and civil parish in the borough of Maidstone in Kent, England, 9 miles (14 km) south of the town of Maidstone and with a population of 5,947. The town lies on the route of a Roman road, which is now incorporated into the course of the A229. The name Staplehurst comes from the Old English 'stapol' meaning a 'post, pillar' and 'hyrst', as a 'wooded hill'; therefore, 'wooded-hill at a post', a possible reference to a boundary marker at the position of All Saints' church atop the hill along the road from Maidstone to Cranbrook. The parish includes the hamlet of Hawkenbury.

The Cranbrook and Tenterden Light Railway was a railway line which was to have linked the Hawkhurst Branch Line with the Rother Valley Railway in Kent. Although it received authorisation for its construction, only a short section of it was ever built. This section is open today as part of the Kent and East Sussex Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maidstone and Malling (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2024 onwards

Maidstone and Malling is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. It was created under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, and was first contested in the 2024 general election. It is represented by Helen Grant of the Conservatives, who was MP for the predecessor seat of Maidstone and the Weald from 2010 to 2024.

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.

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