Witney (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Witney
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Witney (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
South East England - Witney constituency.svg
Boundary of Witney in South East England
County Oxfordshire
Electorate 70,042 (2023) [1]
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created 1983
Member of Parliament Charles Maynard (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created from

Witney is a county constituency in Oxfordshire represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election, and was created for the 1983 general election.

Contents

Historically a safe Conservative Party seat for the most part of its existence, it has been represented since 2024 by Charles Maynard of the Liberal Democrats. Its most prominent MP, however, was David Cameron, who was the prime minister from 2010 until his resignation in 2016, and the Leader of the Conservative Party (2005–2016). He represented the constituency from 2001 to 2016. [3]

History

In the late 19th century, the Bampton East petty sessional division, with Witney at its heart, formed one part of the Woodstock constituency. [4]

Until 1974, much of the seat remained as part of the Woodstock and latterly Banbury constituency. [5] From 1974 to 1983, the area was included in the Mid Oxfordshire seat along with parts of Bullingdon and Ploughley [ citation needed ]. Since 1983, Witney has been a full parliamentary seat in its own right and comprises the whole of the District of West Oxfordshire with surrounding villages attached until 1997.

Carterton is the second-largest populated town with 14,000[ citation needed ] and is situated alongside RAF Brize Norton which is vital to the local economy, being one of the largest and busiest Royal Air Force stations in the country[ citation needed ].

The constituency's first MP was Douglas Hurd, who served as a cabinet minister under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and retired in 1997. Hurd was succeeded by Shaun Woodward at the 1997 general election. However, Woodward defected to the Labour Party in 1999, [6] and Witney unexpectedly had a Labour MP. Woodward chose not to stand in Witney as a Labour candidate at the next general election and moved to the Labour safe seat of St Helens South instead, following the practice of Alan Howarth in 1997.

At the 2001 general election, David Cameron was elected as MP for Witney. Cameron was re-elected to a fourth term as MP for the constituency at the 2015 general election with a majority of 25,155, the highest in his political career; on that occasion, his Conservative Party won a surprise overall majority in the House of Commons, taking 330 seats to the opposition Labour Party's 232. However, on 24 June 2016, Cameron announced that he would resign as prime minister by that October due to the outcome of the EU Referendum the previous day, in which 51.9% of those who voted supported leaving the EU. Accordingly, Cameron stepped down as premier that July, on the election of Theresa May as Conservative Party leader and prime minister. On 12 September 2016, it was announced that Cameron would resign as MP for Witney. [7] This triggered a by-election, which was won by Robert Courts, also a Conservative, albeit with a significantly reduced majority. His vote share subsequently rose to 55% at both the 2017 and 2019 general elections.

Before the 2019 general election, the Liberal Democrats and Green Party agreed not to run against each other as part of a "Unite to Remain" alliance. [8] This led to Andrew Prosser, who had been selected as the Green Party's prospective candidate [9] standing down.

Boundaries and boundary changes

Witney (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of 2010-2024 boundaries

1983–1997

The new constituency was largely formed from the majority of the abolished constituency of Mid-Oxon, including the settlements of Witney, Carterton, Woodstock and Kidlington. Chipping Norton and surrounding rural areas were transferred from the Banbury constituency.

1997–2010

The remaining two wards of the District of West Oxfordshire (Bartons, and Tackley and Wooton) were transferred from Banbury. Kidlington transferred to Oxford West and Abingdon.

2010–2024

Under the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the District of Cherwell ward of Yarnton was transferred to Oxford West and Abingdon. [12]

2024-present

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

Major changes with Chipping Norton and Charlbury to be transferred to Banbury, and Woodstock and surrounding areas to be included in the newly created constituency of Bicester and Woodstock. Partly offset by the transfer in of parts of the District of Vale of White Horse currently in the Wantage constituency, including the town of Faringdon.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember [14] Party
1983 Douglas Hurd Conservative
1997

Shaun Woodward

Conservative
1999 [6] Labour
2001 David Cameron Conservative
2016 by-election Robert Courts Conservative
2024 Charles Maynard Liberal Democrats

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Witney [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Charles Maynard 20,832 41.2 +15.2
Conservative Robert Courts 16,49332.6−25.5
Reform UK Richard Langridge6,30712.5+12.5
Labour Antonio Weiss4,7739.4−6.0
Green Andrew Prosser1,6613.3N/A
Independent Barry Ingleton3500.7N/A
Heritage David Cox1680.3N/A
Majority4,3398.6N/A
Turnout 50,58467.1–2.6
Registered electors 75,448
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +20.4

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [17]
PartyVote %
Conservative 28,35558.1
Liberal Democrats 12,68126.0
Labour 7,52015.4
Others2740.6
Brexit Party 9<0.1
Turnout48,83969.7
Electorate70,042
General election 2019: Witney [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Robert Courts 33,856 55.2 −0.3
Liberal Democrats Charlotte Hoagland18,67930.5+10.1
Labour Co-op Rosa Bolger8,77014.3−6.4
Majority15,17724.7−10.1
Turnout 61,30573.1−0.5
Conservative hold Swing -5.2
General election 2017: Witney [19] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Robert Courts 33,839 55.5 −4.7
Labour Laetisia Carter12,59820.7+3.5
Liberal Democrats Liz Leffman12,45720.4+13.6
Green Claire Lasko1,0531.7–3.4
UKIP Alan Craig 9801.6−7.6
Majority21,24134.8−8.2
Turnout 60,92773.6+0.3
Conservative hold Swing -4.1
By-election 2016: Witney [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Robert Courts 17,313 45.0 −15.2
Liberal Democrats Liz Leffman11,61130.2+23.4
Labour Duncan Enright5,76515.0−2.2
Green Larry Sanders 1,3633.5−1.6
UKIP Dickie Bird1,3543.5−5.7
NHA Helen Salisbury4331.10.0
IndependentDaniel Skidmore1510.4New
Monster Raving Loony Mad Hatter1290.3New
IndependentNicholas Ward930.2New
Bus-Pass Elvis David Bishop610.2New
Eccentric Party Lord Toby Jug 590.2New
English Democrat Winston McKenzie 520.1New
One Love Emilia Arno440.1New
IndependentAdam Knight270.1New
Majority5,70214.8−28.2
Turnout 38,45546.8−26.5
Conservative hold Swing -19.3

General election 2015: Witney [22] [23] [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Cameron 35,201 60.2 +1.4
Labour Duncan Enright10,04617.2+4.2
UKIP Simon Strutt5,3529.2+5.7
Liberal Democrats Andy Graham3,9536.8−12.6
Green Stuart MacDonald2,9705.1+1.0
NHA Clive Peedell 6161.1New
Wessex Regionalist Colin Bex1100.2+0.1
Independent Christopher Tompson940.2New
Reduce VAT in Sport Vivien Saunders 560.1New
Give Me Back Elmo Bobby Smith 370.1New
Land PartyDeek Jackson350.1New
Independent Nathan Handley120.02New
Majority25,15543.0+3.6
Turnout 58,48273.30.0
Conservative hold Swing −1.4

General election 2010: Witney [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Cameron 33,973 58.8 +9.4
Liberal Democrats Dawn Barnes11,23319.4−3.1
Labour Joe Goldberg7,51113.0−9.4
Green Stuart MacDonald2,3854.1+1.0
UKIP Nikolai Tolstoy 2,0013.5+0.9
Monster Raving Loony Howling Laud Hope 2340.3New
Independent Paul Wesson1660.3New
Independent Johnnie Cook1510.3New
Wessex Regionalist Colin Bex620.1New
Independent Aaron Barschak 530.1New
Majority22,74039.4+12.5
Turnout 57,76973.3+4.3
Conservative hold Swing +6.3

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Witney [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Cameron 26,571 49.3 +4.3
Liberal Democrats Liz Leffman12,41523.0+2.7
Labour Tony Gray11,84522.0−6.8
Green Richard Dossett-Davies1,6823.2+1.0
UKIP Paul Wesson1,3562.5+0.9
Majority14,15626.3+10.1
Turnout 53,86969.0+3.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.8

General election 2001: Witney [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Cameron 22,153 45.0 +2.0
Labour Michael Bartlet14,18028.8−1.8
Liberal Democrats Gareth Epps10,00020.3+0.4
Green Mark Stevenson1,1002.2+1.1
Independent Barry Beadle1,0032.0New
UKIP Kenneth Dukes7671.6+0.2
Majority7,97316.2+3.8
Turnout 49,20365.9−10.8
Conservative hold Swing +1.9

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Witney [28] [29] [30] [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Shaun Woodward 24,282 43.0 −14.8
Labour Alexander Hollingsworth17,25430.6+12.5
Liberal Democrats Angela Lawrence11,20219.9−2.7
Referendum Geoffrey Brown2,2624.0New
UKIP Michael Montgomery7651.4New
Green Sue Chapple-Perrie6361.10.0
Majority7,02812.4−27.3
Turnout 56,40176.7−4.2
Conservative hold Swing -13.7
General election 1992: Witney [32] [33]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Douglas Hurd 36,256 56.4 −1.1
Labour James Plaskitt 13,68821.3+4.6
Liberal Democrats Ian Blair13,39320.8−5.0
Green Charlotte Beckford7161.1New
Natural Law Sally Catling1340.2New
Ind. Conservative Marilyn Brown1190.2New
Majority22,56835.1+3.4
Turnout 64,30681.9+4.6
Conservative hold Swing −2.8

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Witney [34] [35]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Douglas Hurd 33,458 57.5 +2.1
Liberal Muriel Burton14,99425.8−5.0
Labour Christine Collette9,73316.7+2.9
Majority18,46431.7+7.1
Turnout 58,18577.3+2.6
Conservative hold Swing +3.6
General election 1983: Witney [36] [37]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Douglas Hurd 28,695 55.4
Liberal Philip Baston15,98330.8
Labour Carole Douse7,14513.8
Majority12,71224.6
Turnout 51,82374.7
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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References

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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Constituency represented by the leader of the opposition
2005–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Constituency represented by the prime minister
2010–2016
Succeeded by

51°44′N1°32′W / 51.73°N 1.54°W / 51.73; -1.54