Reading East (UK Parliament constituency)
Reading East is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Matt Rodda, of the Labour Party.[n 2] The seat is one of two won (held or gained) by a Labour candidate in 2017 from a total of eight covering its county. Rodda's 2017 win was one of 30 net gains of the Labour Party.
Reading East | |
---|---|
Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
![]() Boundary of Reading East in Berkshire | |
![]() Location of Berkshire within England | |
County | Berkshire |
Electorate | 72,647 (2018)[1] |
Major settlements | Reading |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 |
Member of Parliament | Matt Rodda (Labour) |
Number of members | One |
Created from | Reading North, Reading South and Henley[2] |
The seat has been relative to others a semi-marginal seat and major-swing (volatile) seat since 2010 as well as a swing seat as its winner's majority has not exceeded 12.9% of the vote since the 15.2% majority won in that year. The seat has changed hands once since that year.
History
The Reading East parliamentary constituency was first contested in 1983, when it was won by a partial incumbent, Gerry Vaughan, a Conservative who was before that election sitting MP for abolished Reading South. He held the seat through two general elections until he retired before the 1997 election. The constituency was in 1997 won by the Labour Party's Jane Griffiths, thus a backbencher under the Blair Ministry. She retained the seat in the 2001 election but was deselected by her Constituency Labour Party before the 2005 election, when the seat was won by the Tory candidate, Rob Wilson, who held the seat through two elections. The seat was regained by the Labour Party's candidate in 2017, Matt Rodda, achieving the party's best showing since the seat's creation. The 2017 result came when there was a hung parliament nationally. Until 2005 the seat had been a national bellwether.
Reading East is one of five constituencies, the others being Croydon Central, Enfield Southgate, Leeds North West and Peterborough, which elected Labour MPs in 2017 having not done so since 2001. As of the 2017 general election, the seat is one of two Labour seats from a total of eight seats in Berkshire.
Demographic and economic profile
The seat contains the University of Reading and the residential areas surrounding it. The Thames Valley Business Park is in another part of the seat, hosting multinational and cutting-edge technology companies in the software and advanced computer science areas. Adjoining the redeveloped heart of town are a handful mid-rise blocks of ex-council flats and serried ranks of former relatively philanthropic biscuit, brick and seeds manufacturing/processing workers' neat terraces towards the south-centre and east of the town, including firmly Labour-held wards. The suburban north bank of the Thames section takes in Caversham, forming four wards, whilst Earley and Woodley, adding a further three wards, make up strongly-leaning Conservative wards. Intermediate wards such as Redlands and Park have three or four-party politics and have been served by multiple Green Party and Liberal Democrat councillors. Most of the University's students live in Reading East, which is severed from the most part of Reading West by a high speed link road and the River Kennet.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1983–1997: Formed as a county constituency, largely from parts of the abolished constituency of Reading South. it also incorporated parts of the abolished borough constituency of Reading North, including Caversham. It comprised the Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Caversham, Church, Park, Peppard, Redlands, Thames, and Whitley, and the District of Wokingham wards of Arborfield, Barkham, Finchampstead, Shinfield, and Swallowfield.[3]
1997–2010: For the 1997 general election, the constituency lost its southern areas comprising the parts of the District of Wokingham to the County Constituencies of Wokingham (including Shinfield) and Bracknell (Finchampstead), but gained other parts of Wokingham to the east of the Reading. The boundary with Reading West was realigned, gaining Katesgrove ward and losing Whitley ward. It was redesignated as a Borough Constituency.
The revised constituency comprised the Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Caversham, Church, Katesgrove, Park, Peppard, Redlands, and Thames, and the District of Wokingham wards of Bulmershe, Loddon, South Lake, and Whitegates.[4]
2010–present: The Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Caversham, Church, Katesgrove, Mapledurham, Park, Peppard, Redlands, and Thames, and the District of Wokingham wards of Bulmershe and Whitegates, Loddon, and South Lake.[5]
Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.
Reading East is bordered by Reading West, Henley, Maidenhead, and Wokingham.[6]
Members of Parliament
Election | Member[7] | Party | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1983 | Gerard Vaughan | Conservative | ||
1997 | Jane Griffiths | Labour | ||
2005 | Rob Wilson | Conservative | Minister for Civil Society (27 September 2014 – 9 June 2017) | |
2017 | Matt Rodda | Labour | Shadow Minister for Local Transport (12 January 2018 – present) |
Elections
![](../I/Readingeast.svg.png.webp)
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Matt Rodda | 27,102 | 48.5 | -0.5 | |
Conservative | Craig Morley | 21,178 | 37.9 | −4.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Imogen Shepherd-DuBey | 5,035 | 9.0 | +2.9 | |
Green | David McElroy | 1,549 | 2.8 | +0.8 | |
Brexit Party | Mitchell Feierstein | 852 | 1.5 | N/A | |
CPA | Yemi Awolola | 202 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 5,924 | 10.6 | +3.9 | ||
Turnout | 56,055 | 72.6 | -0.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Matt Rodda | 27,093 | 49.0 | +15.9 | |
Conservative | Rob Wilson | 23,344 | 42.3 | −3.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Jenny Woods | 3,378 | 6.1 | −1.3 | |
Green | Kizzi Johannessen | 1,093 | 2.0 | −4.4 | |
Independent | Michael Turberville | 188 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Movement for Active Democracy | Andy Kirkwood | 142 | 0.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,749 | 6.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 55,370 | 73.1 | +3.1 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Rob Wilson | 23,217 | 46.0 | +3.4 | |
Labour | Matt Rodda | 16,697 | 33.1 | +7.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Jenny Woods | 3,719 | 7.4 | −19.9 | |
UKIP | Christine Forrester[14] | 3,647 | 7.2 | +5.0 | |
Green | Rob White | 3,214 | 6.4 | +4.3 | |
Majority | 6,520 | 12.9 | -2.3 | ||
Turnout | 50,494 | 69.0 | +2.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −2.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Rob Wilson | 21,269 | 42.6 | +6.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Gareth Epps | 13,664 | 27.3 | +3.1 | |
Labour | Anneliese Dodds | 12,729 | 25.5 | −8.5 | |
UKIP | Adrian Pitfield | 1,086 | 2.2 | +0.2 | |
Green | Rob White | 1,069 | 2.1 | −1.4 | |
Independent | Joan Lloyd | 111 | 0.2 | +0.2 | |
Independent | Michael Turberville | 57 | 0.1 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 7,605 | 15.3 | -2.1 | ||
Turnout | 49,985 | 66.7 | +8.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.0 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Rob Wilson | 15,557 | 35.4 | +3.4 | |
Labour | Tony Page | 15,082 | 34.3 | −10.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | John Howson | 10,619 | 24.2 | +5.7 | |
Green | Rob White | 1,548 | 3.5 | +1.1 | |
UKIP | David Lamb | 849 | 1.9 | +0.7 | |
Independent | Joan Lloyd | 135 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Independent | Rex Hora | 122 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 475 | 1.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 43,912 | 60.3 | +1.9 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +7.0 | |||
Source BBC[17] |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jane Griffiths | 19,538 | 44.8 | +2.1 | |
Conservative | Barry Tanswell | 13,943 | 32.0 | −3.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Thomas Dobrashian | 8,078 | 18.5 | 0.0 | |
Green | Miriam Kennet | 1,053 | 2.4 | N/A | |
UKIP | Amy Thornton | 525 | 1.2 | +0.7 | |
Socialist Alliance | Darren Williams | 394 | 0.9 | N/A | |
Independent | Peter Hammerson | 94 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 5,595 | 12.8 | +5.3 | ||
Turnout | 43,625 | 58.4 | −11.7 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | −2.7 | |||
Source House of Commons Library[19] |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jane Griffiths | 21,461 | 42.7 | +13.8 | |
Conservative | John Watts | 17,666 | 35.2 | −13.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Sam Samuel | 9,307 | 18.5 | -1.9 | |
Referendum | David Harmer | 1,042 | 2.1 | N/A | |
Natural Law | John Buckley | 254 | 0.5 | N/A | |
UKIP | A L Thornton | 252 | 0.5 | N/A | |
BNP | Barbara Packer | 238 | 0.5 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,795 | 7.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 50,220 | 70.2 | −4.8 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +17.2 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerard Vaughan | 29,148 | 53.8 | +0.0 | |
Labour | Gillian Parker | 14,593 | 27.0 | +5.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Denis Thair | 9,528 | 17.6 | −5.6 | |
Green | A McCubbin | 861 | 1.6 | +0.3 | |
Majority | 14,555 | 26.8 | −3.8 | ||
Turnout | 54,130 | 75.0 | +1.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −2.8 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerard Vaughan | 28,515 | 53.8 | +2.2 | |
Alliance (SDP) | Susan Baring | 12,298 | 23.2 | −4.2 | |
Labour | Martin Salter | 11,371 | 21.5 | +2.1 | |
Green | Philip Unsworth | 667 | 1.3 | +0.2 | |
CSOSMG | Arthur Shone | 125 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 16,217 | 30.6 | +6.4 | ||
Turnout | 52,976 | 73.3 | +2.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerard Vaughan | 24,516 | 51.6 | N/A | |
Alliance (SDP) | Chris Huhne | 13,008 | 27.4 | N/A | |
Labour | K. Boyle | 9,218 | 19.4 | N/A | |
Ecology | Geoffrey Darnton | 519 | 1.1 | N/A | |
BNP | P. Baker | 147 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Common Market Party | B. Shone | 113 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 11,508 | 24.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 47,512 | 70.4 | N/A | ||
Conservative win (new seat) |
Notes and references
Notes
- A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
References
- "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- "'Reading East', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
- "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
- "Reading East parliamentary constituency – Election 201( – BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- "Reading Borough Council – statement of persons nominated 2017" (PDF).
- "Reading East parliamentary constituency – Election 2017 – BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- "Reading Borough Council". www.reading.gov.uk.
- "Notice of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Reading Borough Council.
- "Parliamentary results 2015". Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- "UK Polling Report".
- "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- "Election 2005 – Reading East". BBC. 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2005.
- "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- "Research Paper 01/54 – General Election Results – 7 June 2001" (PDF). House of Commons Library. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2005.
- "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.