Wokingham (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Wokingham
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Wokingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
South East England - Wokingham constituency.svg
Boundary of Wokingham in South East England
County Berkshire
Electorate 70,235 (2023) [1]
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created 1950
Member of Parliament Clive Jones (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created from
1885–1918
Type of constituency County constituency
Created from Berkshire
Replaced by

Wokingham is a constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, located in the English county of Berkshire. From its creation in 1950 until 2024, it was represented solely by Conservatives, most notably, John Redwood, who held his position from 1987 until 2024 when he stepped down following the dissolution of parliament.

Contents

Since 4 July 2024, Wokingham has been represented by Clive Jones, a Liberal Democrat.

Constituency profile

The seat covers the prosperous town of Wokingham, the southern suburbs of Reading, and a rural area to the west. Residents are significantly wealthier than the UK average, reflected in high property prices. [2] In 2019 the area was ranked as the least deprived constituency in the UK. [3]

History

Originally, Wokingham was part of a larger constituency of Berkshire, which returned two Members of Parliament (MPs), increased to three in the Reform Act 1832. In the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 Berkshire was divided into three county constituencies, Northern (Abingdon), Southern (Newbury), and Eastern (Wokingham), and two borough constituencies, Reading and New Windsor, each returning one member. The constituency was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918 being largely replaced by the newly created Windsor Division, with the town of Wokingham itself being added to the Newbury Division.

The second version of the seat was created for the 1950 general election. From 1983, its borders have gradually been moved westwards as new constituencies were created in the east of the county.

The constituency has been represented since 1987 by the high-profile Conservative John Redwood, having continuously elected Conservative MPs with comfortable majorities throughout its history. However, in 2019, the majority was drastically reduced to 11.9% from 31.5% in 2017 (and 43.2% in 2015) when Redwood was challenged by the Liberal Democrat candidate, Philip Lee, who had been the Conservative MP for the neighbouring constituency of Bracknell.

In December 2023, the Labour Party included the seat in its published list of 211 non-battleground seats, suggesting they did not see it as winnable. On 24 May 2024, two days after announcement of the date of the 2024 UK general election, and just 40 days before the actual date, John Redwood announced he would not be standing again, saying that he had 'other things I wish to do'. [4] [5] The 2024 election result saw Clive Jones of the Liberal Democrats take the seat – the first non-Conservative to do so in the seat's history.

Boundaries and boundary changes

Wokingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of 2010–2024 boundaries

1885–1918

1950–1955

1955–1974

The East ward of Reading was transferred from the abolished constituency of Reading South. From the 1964 general election, the Park ward replaced the East ward following a revision to the local authority wards. [7]

1974–1983

The Park ward of the County Borough of Reading was transferred to the re-established constituency of Reading South, along with western parts of the Rural District of Wokingham.

1983–1997

The seat regained north-western parts of Reading South (abolished once again). Eastern areas, comprising the District of Bracknell (formerly the Rural District of Easthampstead) formed the bulk of the new constituency of East Berkshire.

1997–2010

The boundaries moved westwards, gaining parts of Reading East (including Shinfield) and Newbury. The seat lost northern areas to Reading East and the new constituency of Maidenhead, as well as the ward of Wokingham Without in the south to the new constituency of Bracknell.

2010–2024

This change saw a further minor gain from Newbury.

2024–present

Under the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following, as they existed on 1 December 2020:

The seat underwent major changes, with about half the electorate being transferred out – the parts in the District of West Berkshire to the newly named constituency of Reading West and Mid Berkshire; and western parts of the District of Wokingham, including Earley and Shinfield, to the newly created constituency of Earley and Woodley. To compensate, the boundaries were extended southwards to include the Wokingham Without ward and the community of Finchampstead, transferred from Bracknell; and northwards to include the parts of Wokingham Borough previously in Maidenhead, including Twyford.

Following a local government boundary review in Wokingham which came into effect in May 2024, [13] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

The seat currently comprises a majority of Wokingham district in Berkshire, centred around the town of Wokingham itself. It is in the South East region of England.

The neighbouring constituencies (clockwise from north) are: Wycombe, Maidenhead, Bracknell, North East Hampshire, Reading West and Mid Berkshire, Earley and Woodley, and Henley and Thame.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1918

ElectionMember [15] Party
1885 Sir George Russell, Bt. Conservative
1898 by-election Oliver Young Conservative
1901 by-election Ernest Gardner Conservative
1918 Constituency abolished

MPs since 1950

ElectionMember [15] Party
1950 Peter Remnant Conservative
1959 Sir William van Straubenzee Conservative
1987 Sir John Redwood Conservative
2024 Clive Jones Liberal Democrats

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Clive Jones 25,743 47.7 +15.4
Conservative Lucy Demery17,39832.2−23.3
Reform UK Colin Wright5,2749.8New
Labour Monica Hamidi3,6316.7−3.2
Green Merv Boniface1,9533.6+1.4
Majority 8,34515.5
Turnout 53,99972.0−6.3
Registered electors 75,082
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +19.4

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [16]
PartyVote%
Conservative 30,52455.5
Liberal Democrats 17,77432.3
Labour 5,4239.9
Green 1,2112.2
Others800.1
Turnout55,01278.3
Electorate70,235
General election 2019: Wokingham [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 30,734 49.6 −7.0
Liberal Democrats Phillip Lee 23,35137.7+21.8
Labour Annette Medhurst6,45010.4−14.7
Green Kizzi Johannessen1,3822.2−0.1
Advance Annabel Mullin800.1New
Majority 7,38311.9−19.6
Turnout 61,99773.8−1.6
Conservative hold Swing −14.4
General election 2017: Wokingham [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 33,806 56.6 −1.1
Labour Andy Croy15,00825.1+10.6
Liberal Democrats Clive Jones 9,51215.9+2.4
Green Russell Seymour1,3642.3−1.4
Majority 18,79831.5−11.7
Turnout 59,69075.1+3.2
Conservative hold Swing −5.85
General election 2015: Wokingham [19] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 32,329 57.7 +5.0
Labour Andy Croy8,13214.5+4.4
Liberal Democrats Clive Jones 7,57213.5−14.5
UKIP Philip Cunnington [21] 5,5169.9+6.8
Green Adrian Windisch2,0923.7+2.7
Independent Kaz Lokuciewski3580.6New
Majority 24,19743.2+19.5
Turnout 55,99971.9+0.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.3
General election 2010: Wokingham [22] [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 28,754 52.7 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Prue Bray15,26228.0−4.7
Labour George Davidson5,51610.1−4.9
Independent Mark Ashwell2,3404.3New
UKIP Ann Zebedee1,6643.1+0.9
Green Marjory Bisset5671.0New
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen3290.6−0.6
Independent Robin Smith960.2New
Majority 13,49224.7+9.0
Turnout 54,52871.5+4.4
Conservative hold Swing +4.7

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Wokingham [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 22,174 48.1 +2.0
Liberal Democrats Prue Bray14,93432.40.0
Labour David Black6,99115.2−2.2
UKIP Frank Carstairs9942.2+0.2
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen5691.2−0.8
BNP Richard Colborne3760.8New
Telepathic PartnershipMichael Hall340.1New
Majority 7,24015.7+2.0
Turnout 46,07267.1+3.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.0
General election 2001: Wokingham [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 20,216 46.1 −4.0
Liberal Democrats Royce Longton14,22232.4+1.0
Labour Matthew Syed 7,63317.4+0.6
UKIP Franklin Carstairs8972.0New
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen8802.0+0.2
Majority 5,99413.7−5.0
Turnout 43,84864.1−11.0
Conservative hold Swing -2.6

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Wokingham [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 25,086 50.1 −11.7
Liberal Democrats Royce Longton15,72131.4+5.7
Labour Patricia Colling8,42416.8+5.5
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen8771.8+1.1
Majority 9,36518.7−17.6
Turnout 50,10875.0−6.8
Conservative hold Swing -11.7
General election 1992: Wokingham [27] [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 43,497 61.4 0.0
Liberal Democrats Paul Simon17,78825.1−4.8
Labour Nelson Bland8,84612.5+3.8
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen5310.7New
Independent Philip Harriss1480.2New
Majority 25,70936.3+4.8
Turnout 70,81081.8+3.7
Conservative hold Swing +2.4

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Wokingham [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Redwood 39,808 61.4 +1.0
Liberal John Leston19,42129.9−1.7
Labour Peter Morgan5,6228.7+0.7
Majority 20,38731.5+2.7
Turnout 64,85178.1+2.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.8
General election 1983: Wokingham [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 32,925 60.4 +6.0
Liberal John Leston17,22731.6+13.4
Labour Michael Orton4,3628.0−18.2
Majority 15,69828.8+0.6
Turnout 54,51476.0−2.2
Conservative hold Swing -3.7

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 36,194 54.44 +11.29
Labour AE Furley17,44826.24−3.06
Liberal P Mullarky12,12018.23−9.32
National Front G Sanders7221.09New
Majority 18,74628.20+14.35
Turnout 65,76278.22+2.62
Conservative hold Swing +7.18
General election October 1974: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 24,009 43.15 −2.01
Labour RW Crew16,30429.30+2.31
Liberal T Blyth15,32927.55−0.30
Majority 7,70513.85−3.46
Turnout 55,64275.60−7.24
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 27,223 45.16 −9.84
Liberal SMM Cuff16,79127.85+11.67
Labour RW Crew16,26926.99−1.83
Majority 10,43217.31−8.87
Turnout 60,28382.84+10.63
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 43,183 55.00 +7.11
Labour Christopher AR Helm22,63028.82−5.59
Liberal Denis HV Case12,70416.18−1.51
Majority 20,55326.18+12.70
Turnout 78,51772.21−7.02
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 34,011 47.89
Labour Raymond Carter 24,43734.41
Liberal Margaret Wingfield 12,56417.69
Majority 9,57413.48
Turnout 71,01279.23
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 32,777 50.23 −7.30
Labour John Ellis 17,95427.52−0.24
Liberal Margaret Wingfield 13,87521.26
Ind. Conservative Charles Ford6450.99New
Majority 14,82322.71
Turnout 65,25179.21
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 30,896 57.53 −1.99
Labour Terence Boston 14,90527.76−1.94
Liberal Claud William J Rout7,89914.71+3.93
Majority 15,99129.77
Turnout 53,70079.98
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Remnant 25,843 59.52
Labour Terence Boston 12,89529.70−0.18
Liberal John Patrick McQuade4,67910.78+1.67
Majority 12,94829.82
Turnout 43,41776.63
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Remnant 21,652 61.01
Labour Eric A Hubble10,60629.88
Liberal John Patrick McQuade3,2339.11
Majority 11,04631.13
Turnout 35,49178.45
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Wokingham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Remnant 20,612 57.7
Labour Eric A Hubble10,29628.8
Liberal John Patrick McQuade4,79313.4
Majority 10,31628.9
Turnout 35,70181.0
Conservative win (new seat)

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Wokingham [31] [32] [33]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Russell 4,710 60.6
Liberal Edwin Lawrence 3,06239.4
Majority 1,64821.2
Turnout 7,77283.9
Registered electors 9,258
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Russell Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Russell 4,986 64.6 N/A
Liberal Frederick Joseph Patton [34] 2,73835.4New
Majority 2,24829.2N/A
Turnout 7,72476.2N/A
Registered electors 10,142
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Russell Unopposed
Conservative hold
By-election, 30 Mar 1898: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Oliver Young 4,726 56.2 N/A
Liberal George William Palmer 3,69043.8New
Majority 1,03612.4N/A
Turnout 8,41675.2N/A
Registered electors 11,189
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Oliver Young Unopposed
Conservative hold
By-election, 1901: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ernest Gardner Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1906: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ernest Gardner 6,075 56.1 N/A
Liberal George Gordon 4,75043.9New
Majority 1,32512.2N/A
Turnout 10,82583.1N/A
Registered electors 13,033
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ernest Gardner 8,132 66.5 +10.4
Liberal Holford Knight 4,09533.5−10.4
Majority 4,03733.0+20.8
Turnout 12,22785.3+2.2
Registered electors 14,327
Conservative hold Swing +10.4
General election December 1910: Wokingham [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ernest Gardner Unopposed
Conservative hold

See also

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 4 June 2024.
  2. ↑ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Wokingham
  3. ↑ House of Commons Library https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7327/
  4. ↑ Belger, Tom (8 December 2023). "Labour selections: Full list of 211 'non-battleground' seats now open to applications". labourlist.org. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Penna, Dominic (24 May 2024). "John Redwood to step down as record number of Tory MPs set to quit". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  6. ↑ Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  7. 1 2 3 S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN   0900178094. OCLC   539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  10. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  11. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  12. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  13. ↑ LGBCE. "Wokingham | LGBCE". lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  14. ↑ "Seat Details – Wokingham". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  15. 1 2 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 5)
  16. ↑ "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.
  17. ↑ "Statement of Persons Nominated". Wokingham Borough Council. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  18. ↑ "Statement of Persons Nominated". Wokingham Borough Council. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Results from previous elections – Wokingham Borough Council". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  21. ↑ "Meet the Wokingham UKIP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate – UK Independence Party". wokinghamukip.org.uk.
  22. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. ↑ "Election 2010 – Constituency – Wokingham". BBC News.
  24. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  29. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  30. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   9781349022984.
  32. ↑ The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  33. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  34. ↑ "Notices: Parliamentary Election, 1892. Eastern or Wokingham Division of the County of Berks". Reading Mercury. 20 August 1892. Retrieved 20 November 2017.

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