Chesham and Amersham (UK Parliament constituency)

Chesham and Amersham (/ˈtʃɛʃəm ... ˈæmərʃəm/) is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1992 by Cheryl Gillan, a Conservative.

Chesham and Amersham
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire
Location of Buckinghamshire within England
CountyBuckinghamshire
Population92,635 (2011 UK Census)[1]
Electorate71,259 (2018)[2]
Major settlementsChesham and Amersham
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentCheryl Gillan (Conservative)
Number of membersOne
Created fromSouth Buckinghamshire and Aylesbury

History

Contents and regional context

Formed as a new county constituency for the February 1974 general election, comprising the southern part of the Rural District of Amersham, including Amersham and the Chalfonts, previously part of the abolished constituency of South Buckinghamshire, and Chesham and the northern part of the Rural District of Amersham, transferred from Aylesbury.

Political history

General elections have seen a Conservative winning margin of between 10,416 and 22,220 votes since the seat's creation.

In every election except two, Liberals, or subsequently Liberal Democrats, have come second with results as high as 31.15% of the votes cast.

Labour have only come second twice, never achieving higher than 20.6%.

In June 2016, an estimated 55% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum in the constituency voted to remain in the European Union. The estimated turnout of 83.6% was highest turnout of any constituency in the UK, the only higher turnout in the referendum being Gibraltar.[3] In the 2019 EU Parliament elections, over 50% voted for parties supporting continued UK membership of the EU on a turnout of 42.8%. The pro-EU Liberal Democrats were the most popular party with 31.9%, with the pro-Leave Brexit Party in second place with 30%.[4] Despite the seat's Remain-stance, its pro-Brexit MP, Dame Cheryl Gillan, has been re-elected with over half the vote in both the General Elections since the Referendum, albeit with a reduced majority.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1974–1983: The Urban District of Chesham, and the Rural District of Amersham.[5]

1983–1997: The District of Chiltern wards of Amersham Common, Amersham-on-the-Hill, Amersham Town, Asheridge Vale, Ashley Green and Latimer, Austenwood, Chalfont Common, Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter Central, Chartridge, Chenies, Chesham Bois and Weedon Hill, Cholesbury and The Lee, Coleshill and Penn Street, Gold Hill, Hilltop, Holmer Green, Little Chalfont, Little Missenden, Lowndes, Newtown, Penn, Pond Park, St Mary's, Seer Green and Jordans, Townsend, and Waterside, and the District of Wycombe wards of Hazlemere North and Hazlemere South.[6]

Hazlemere transferred from Wycombe.  Great Missenden transferred to Aylesbury.

1997–2010: All the wards of the District of Chiltern except the wards of Ballinger and South Heath, Great Missenden, and Prestwood and Heath End, and the District of Wycombe wards of Hazlemere Central, Hazlemere East and Hazlemere West.[7]

Minor changes.

2010–present: The District of Chiltern wards of Amersham Common, Amersham-on-the-Hill, Amersham Town, Asheridge Vale and Lowndes, Ashley Green, Latimer and Chenies, Austenwood, Ballinger, South Heath and Chartridge, Central, Chalfont Common, Chalfont St Giles, Chesham Bois and Weedon Hill, Cholesbury, The Lee and Bellingdon, Gold Hill, Great Missenden, Hilltop and Townsend, Holmer Green, Little Chalfont, Little Missenden, Newtown, Penn and Coleshill, Prestwood and Heath End, Ridgeway, St Mary's and Waterside, Seer Green, and Vale.[8]

Great Missenden transferred back from Aylesbury and Hazlemere returned to Wycombe.

The constituency is in Buckinghamshire and coincides with the Chiltern Local Government District. It includes the towns of Chesham and Amersham and outlying rural village settlements within the Metropolitan Green Belt and partly also within the Chilterns AONB. The area is connected with central London by the Metropolitan line of London Underground and the London to Aylesbury Line operated by Chiltern Railways. The constituency is also close to the M40 motorway and is one the Conservatives' safest seats, home to many affluent professionals and commuters to London.

Members of Parliament

The current Member of Parliament for Chesham and Amersham is the Conservative Cheryl Gillan. She has been in this position since 1992.

ElectionMember[9][10] Party
Feb 1974 Sir Ian Gilmour Conservative
1992 Dame Cheryl Gillan Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Chesham and Amersham[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 30,850 55.4 5.3
Liberal Democrats Dan Gallagher 14,627 26.3 13.3
Labour Matt Turmaine 7,166 12.9 7.7
Green Alan Booth 3,042 5.5 2.5
Majority 16,223 29.1 11.0
Turnout 55,978 76.8 0.3
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 2017: Chesham and Amersham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 33,514 60.7 1.6
Labour Nina Dluzewska 11,374 20.6 7.9
Liberal Democrats Peter Jones 7,179 13.0 4.0
Green Alan Booth 1,660 3.0 2.5
UKIP David Meacock 1,525 2.8 10.9
Majority 22,140 40.1 5.3
Turnout 55,252 77.1 4.4
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 2015: Chesham and Amersham[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 31,138 59.1 -1.3
UKIP Alan Stevens 7,218 13.7 +9.6
Labour Ben Davies[15] 6,712 12.7 +7.1
Liberal Democrats Kirsten Johnson[16] 4,761 9.0 -19.5
Green Gill Walker[17] 2,902 5.5 +4.0
Majority 23,920 45.4 +13.5
Turnout 52,731 72.7 -1.9
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 2010: Chesham and Amersham[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 31,658 60.4 +6.8
Liberal Democrats Tim Starkey 14,948 28.5 +2.3
Labour Anthony Gajadharsingh 2,942 5.6 -8.0
UKIP Alan Stevens 2,129 4.1 +0.9
Green Nick Wilkins 767 1.5 -2.0
Majority 16,710 31.9 +2.6
Turnout 52,444 74.6 +6.6
Conservative hold Swing +2.2

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Chesham and Amersham[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 25,619 54.4 +3.9
Liberal Democrats John Ford 11,821 25.1 +0.8
Labour Rupa Huq 6,610 14.0 -4.8
Green Nick Wilkins 1,656 3.5 +1.0
UKIP David Samuel-Camps 1,391 3.0 0.0
Majority 13,798 29.3 +3.1
Turnout 47,097 68.0 +3.3
Conservative hold Swing +1.5
General election 2001: Chesham and Amersham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 22,867 50.5 +0.1
Liberal Democrats John Ford 10,985 24.3 +0.4
Labour Kenneth Hulme 8,497 18.8 -0.9
UKIP Ian Harvey 1,367 3.0 +1.8
Green Nick Wilkins 1,114 2.5 N/A
ProLife Alliance Gillian Duval 453 1.0 N/A
Majority 11,882 26.2 -0.4
Turnout 45,283 64.7 -9.9
Conservative hold Swing -0.1

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Chesham and Amersham[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 26,298 50.4 -12.9
Liberal Democrats Michael Brand 12,439 23.8 -0.7
Labour Paul Farrelly 10,240 19.6 +9.2
Referendum Paul Andrews 2,528 4.8 N/A
UKIP C Shilson 618 1.2 N/A
Natural Law Hugh Godfrey 74 0.1 -0.3
Majority 13,859 26.6 -12.2
Turnout 52,197 74.5 -7.4
Conservative hold Swing -6.1
General election 1992: Chesham and Amersham[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 36,273 63.3 +1.2
Liberal Democrats Andrew Ketteringham 14,053 24.5 −2.6
Labour Candy Atherton 5,931 10.4 +1.0
Green CL Strickland 753 1.3 −0.1
Natural Law MTL Griffith-Jones 255 0.4 N/A
Majority 22,220 38.8 +3.8
Turnout 57,265 81.9 +4.5
Conservative hold Swing +1.9

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Chesham and Amersham[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 34,504 62.17 +1.13
Liberal Andrew Ketteringham 15,064 27.14 -4.01
Labour Paul Goulding 5,170 9.32 +1.51
Green Ann Darnbrough 760 1.37 N/A
Majority 19,440 35.03 +5.15
Turnout 55,498 77.35 +1.41
Conservative hold Swing +2.57
General election 1983: Chesham and Amersham[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 32,435 61.04 -0.39
Liberal R Bradnock 16,556 31.15 +8.15
Labour C Duncan 4,150 7.81 -6.45
Majority 15,879 29.88 -8.55
Turnout 53,141 75.94 -3.78
Conservative hold Swing -3.88

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Chesham and Amersham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 32,924 61.43 +9.76
Liberal R Bradnock 12,328 23.00 -5.47
Labour Elizabeth M. Barratt 7,645 14.26 -6.6
National Front S Clinch 697 1.30 N/A
Majority 20,596 38.43 +16.23
Turnout 53,594 79.72 +1.64
Conservative hold Swing +7.61
General election October 1974: Chesham and Amersham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 25,078 50.67
Liberal DA Stoddart 14,091 28.47 -2.68
Labour JR Poston 10,325 20.86 +1.34
Majority 10,987 22.2 +2.68
Turnout 49,494 78.08 -4.95
Conservative hold Swing -1.34
General election February 1974: Chesham and Amersham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 27,035 50.67 N/A
Liberal DA Stoddart 16,619 31.15 N/A
Labour BM Warshaw 9,700 18.18 N/A
Majority 10,416 19.52 N/A
Turnout 53,354 85.03 N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

See also

Notes and references
Notes
    References
    1. "Chesham and Amersham: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
    2. "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
    3. "EU Referendum Results and Turnout". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
    4. "European Union Parliamentary Election Result". Chiltern District Council. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
    5. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
    6. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
    7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
    8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
    9. "Chesham and Amersham 1974-". Hansard 1803-2005. UK Parliament. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
    10. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
    11. "Chesham & Amersham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
    12. "Chesham & Amersham parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
    13. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
    14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    16. http://www.libdems.org.uk/kirsten_johnson
    17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    18. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
    19. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
    20. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
    21. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
    22. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
    23. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
    24. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
    25. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.