Ashford (UK Parliament constituency)

Ashford
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Ashford in South East England
CountyKent
Population112,940 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate73,546 (2023)[2]
Major settlementsAshford, Hawkinge, Wye
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentSojan Joseph (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromWest Kent

Ashford is a constituency[n 1] in Kent created in 1885 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Sojan Joseph of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Constituency profile

The constituency includes all of the large town of Ashford, which is seeing significant housing expansion[3] and has a manufacturing and services employment base; and surrounding rural areas to the east, including the village of Wye. The seat previously included the town of Tenterden but, due to population growth in Ashford itself, the 2023 boundary review proposed that Tenterden be removed from the Ashford constituency and included in the new constituency of Weald of Kent.

Residents' health and wealth are in line with UK averages.[4]

Boundaries

Map
Map of boundaries 2010–2024

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Tenterden, the Sessional Divisions of Ashford and Cranbrook, the corporate towns of Lydd and New Romney, and part of the Liberty of Romney Marsh.

1918–1950: The Municipal Boroughs of Lydd, New Romney, and Tenterden, the Urban District of Ashford, and the Rural Districts of Cranbrook, East Ashford, Romney Marsh, Tenterden, and West Ashford.

1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of Tenterden, the Urban District of Ashford, and the Rural Districts of Cranbrook, East Ashford, Tenterden, and West Ashford.

1974–1983: The Municipal Borough of Tenterden, the Urban District of Ashford, and the Rural Districts of East Ashford, Tenterden, and West Ashford. Cranbrook Rural District was transferred to the new Royal Tunbridge Wells constituency.

1983–2010: The Borough of Ashford. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged from 1974.

2010–2024: The Borough of Ashford wards of Aylesford Green, Beaver, Biddenden, Bockhanger, Boughton Aluph and Eastwell, Bybrook, Charing, Downs North, Downs West, Godinton, Great Chart with Singleton North, Highfield, Isle of Oxney, Kennington, Little Burton Farm, Norman, North Willesborough, Park Farm North, Park Farm South, Rolvenden and Tenterden West, St Michael's, Singleton South, South Willesborough, Stanhope, Stour, Tenterden North, Tenterden South, Victoria, Washford, Weald Central, Weald East, Weald North, Weald South, and Wye.

2024–present: Following the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The Borough of Ashford wards of: Aylesford & East Stour; Beaver; Bircholt; Bockhanger; Bybrook; Conningbrook & Little Burton Farm; Furley; Goat Lees; Godinton; Highfield; Kennington; Mersham, Sevington South with Finberry; Norman; Park Farm North; Park Farm South; Repton; Roman; Singleton East; Singleton West; Stanhope; Victoria; Washford; Willesborough; Wye with Hinxhill.
  • The District of Folkestone and Hythe wards of: North Downs East; North Downs West.[5]

The bulk of the geographic area of the constituency, including the town of Tenterden, and comprising approximately 35% of the current electorate, was moved to the newly created constituency of Weald of Kent.[6] To partly compensate, the two North Downs wards were transferred from Folkestone and Hythe.

Political history

Created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Ashford has been won by a Conservative at every election except that of 1929 when it was won by a Liberal, after that party's turn towards the left marked by the People's Budget in 1911, who won with a majority of less than 1% of the vote.

The most marginal victory since 1929 occurred in 1997 when its voters returned a Conservative who won by a 9.7% majority. The 2015 result made the seat the 106th safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.[7]

In June 2016, an estimated 60% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum chose to leave the European Union instead of to remain. This was matched in two January 2018 votes in Parliament by its MP.[8]

The Conservatives lost the seat at the 2024 general election to Sojan Joseph of the Labour Party, the first time in the seat's history that it was won by Labour.

Members of Parliament

West Kent prior to 1885

Election Member[9] Party
1885 William Pomfret Conservative
1892 Laurence Hardy
1918 Samuel Strang Steel Coalition Conservative
1929 Rev Roderick Kedward Liberal
1931 Michael Knatchbull Conservative
1933 by-election Patrick Spens
1943 by-election Edward Percy Smith
1950 Bill Deedes
October 1974 Keith Speed
1997 Damian Green
2024 Sojan Joseph Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

2024 general election: Ashford[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sojan Joseph 15,262 32.5 +8.7
Conservative Damian Green 13,483 28.7 −30.5
Reform UK Tristram Kennedy Harper 10,141 21.6 N/A
Green Mandy Rossi 4,355 9.3 +4.7
Liberal Democrats Adam Rowledge 2,445 5.2 −5.5
Consensus James Ransley 1,289 2.7 N/A
Majority 1,779 3.8
Turnout 46,975 61.6 −4.5
Registered electors 76,212
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +19.6

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[11]
Party Vote %
Conservative 28,759 59.2
Labour 11,548 23.8
Liberal Democrats 5,176 10.7
Green 2,234 4.6
Others 862 1.8
Turnout 48,579 66.1
Electorate 73,546
2019 general election: Ashford[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Green 37,270 62.1 +3.1
Labour Dara Farrell 13,241 22.0 −7.8
Liberal Democrats Adrian Gee-Turner 6,048 10.1 +4.9
Green Mandy Rossi 2,638 4.4 +2.1
Independent Susannah De Sanvil 862 1.4 N/A
Majority 24,029 40.1 +10.9
Turnout 60,059 67.1 −1.4
Registered electors 89,553
Conservative hold Swing +5.4
2017 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Green 35,318 59.0 +6.5
Labour Sally Gathern 17,840 29.8 +11.4
Liberal Democrats Adrian Gee-Turner 3,101 5.2 −0.8
UKIP Gerald O'Brien 2,218 3.7 −15.1
Green Mandy Rossi 1,402 2.3 −2.0
Majority 17,478 29.2 −4.5
Turnout 59,879 68.5 +1.2
Registered electors 87,387
Conservative hold Swing −2.5
2015 general election: Ashford[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Green 30,094 52.5 −1.6
UKIP Gerald O'Brien 10,798 18.8 +14.3
Labour Brendan Chilton 10,580 18.4 +1.7
Liberal Democrats Debbie Enever 3,433 6.0 −16.8
Green Mandy Rossi 2,467 4.3 +2.5
Majority 19,296 33.7 +2.4
Turnout 57,372 67.3 −0.6
Registered electors 85,177
Conservative hold Swing −8.0
2010 general election: Ashford[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Green 29,878 54.1 +2.7
Liberal Democrats Chris Took 12,581 22.8 +7.2
Labour Chris Clark 9,204 16.7 −9.7
UKIP Jeffrey Elenor[15] 2,508 4.5 +1.4
Green Steven Campkin 1,014 1.8 −1.6
Majority 17,297 31.3 +5.6
Turnout 55,185 67.9 +2.5
Registered electors 81,271
Conservative hold Swing +2.3

Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Green 26,651 51.6 +4.2
Labour Valerie Whitaker 13,353 25.8 −6.3
Liberal Democrats Chris Took 8,308 16.1 +1.0
Green Richard Boden 1,753 3.4 +0.6
UKIP Bernard Stroud 1,620 3.1 +0.5
Majority 13,298 25.8 +10.5
Turnout 51,685 65.0 +2.5
Registered electors 78,816
Conservative hold Swing +5.2
2001 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Green 22,739 47.4 +6.0
Labour John Adams 15,380 32.1 +0.4
Liberal Democrats Keith Fitchett 7,236 15.1 −4.6
Green Richard Boden 1,353 2.8 +1.6
UKIP David Waller 1,229 2.6 N/A
Majority 7,359 15.3 +5.6
Turnout 47,937 62.5 −11.7
Registered electors 76,699
Conservative hold Swing +3.2

Elections in the 1990s

1997 general election: Ashford[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Green 22,899 41.4 −13.2
Labour John Ennals 17,554 31.7 +11.7
Liberal Democrats John Williams 10,901 19.7 −4.4
Referendum Christopher Cruden 3,201 5.8 N/A
Green Richard Boden 660 1.2 −0.2
Natural Law Stephen Tyrell 89 0.2 N/A
Majority 5,345 9.7 −20.8
Turnout 55,294 74.2 −5.0
Registered electors 74,512
Conservative hold Swing −12.5
1992 general election: Ashford[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Speed 31,031 54.6 −1.9
Liberal Democrats Christine Headley 13,672 24.1 −3.2
Labour Doreen Cameron 11,365 20.0 +5.3
Green Charles Porter 773 1.4 −0.1
Majority 17,359 30.5 +1.3
Turnout 56,841 79.2 +3.5
Registered electors 71,767
Conservative hold Swing +0.7

Elections in the 1980s

1987 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Speed 29,978 56.5 −0.3
SDP Neil Macmillan 14,490 27.3 −0.5
Labour Michael Wiggins 7,775 14.7 +1.8
Green Charles Porter 778 1.5 +0.3
Majority 15,488 29.2 +0.2
Turnout 53,021 75.7 +2.5
Registered electors 70,052
Conservative hold Swing
1983 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Speed 27,230 56.8 +1.1
SDP Jo Hawkes 13,319 27.8 +11.6
Labour Paul Lewis 6,167 12.9 −13.8
Ecology Charles Porter 569 1.2 N/A
National Labour J.W. King 456 0.9 N/A
BNP R.E. Lockwood 195 0.4 N/A
Majority 13,911 29.0 0.0
Turnout 47,936 73.2 −3.5
Registered electors 65,442
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

1979 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Speed 26,224 55.7 +11.4
Labour A.A. Gilbert 12,586 26.7 −3.8
Liberal Alison Wainman 7,631 16.2 −9.0
National Front K.R. McKilliam 678 1.4 N/A
Majority 13,638 29.0 +15.2
Turnout 47,119 76.7 +2.2
Registered electors 61,460
Conservative hold Swing
October 1974 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Speed 19,294 44.3 −1.9
Labour M.B. Jackson 13,269 30.5 +4.9
Liberal Clive G. Dennis 10,983 25.2 −3.0
Majority 6,025 13.8 −4.2
Turnout 43,546 74.5 −7.0
Registered electors 58,419
Conservative hold Swing
February 1974 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Deedes 21,773 46.2 −6.4
Liberal Clive G. Dennis 13,314 28.2 +11.9
Labour M.B. Jackson 12,077 25.6 −5.4
Majority 8,459 18.0 −8.0
Turnout 47,164 81.5 +9.0
Registered electors 57,875
Conservative hold Swing
1970 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Deedes 26,649 54.8 +4.8
Labour John M. Bowyer 14,037 28.9 −2.1
Liberal Frederick Charles Truman 7,902 16.3 −2.7
Majority 12,612 26.0 +7.0
Turnout 48,588 72.5 −2.9
Registered electors 66,975
Conservative hold Swing +3.5

Elections in the 1960s

1966 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Deedes 21,362 50.0 +0.6
Labour Charles A. Thomas 13,249 31.0 +2.8
Liberal J. Gavin W. Peck 8,121 19.0 −3.4
Majority 8,113 19.0 −2.2
Turnout 42,732 75.4 −2.1
Registered electors 56,669
Conservative hold Swing
1964 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Deedes 21,026 49.4 −13.5
Labour Charles A. Thomas 11,989 28.2 −8.9
Liberal J. Gavin W. Peck 9,531 22.4 N/A
Majority 9,037 21.2 −4.6
Turnout 42,546 77.5 0.0
Registered electors 54,879
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

1959 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Deedes 25,383 62.9 +2.4
Labour Reginald Ward 14,983 37.1 −2.4
Majority 10,400 25.8 +4.9
Turnout 40,366 77.5 −0.6
Registered electors 52,097
Conservative hold Swing
1955 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Deedes 23,992 60.5 +1.4
Labour Neville Sandelson 15,685 39.5 −1.4
Majority 8,307 20.9 +2.6
Turnout 39,677 78.1 −3.8
Registered electors 50,821
Conservative hold Swing
1951 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Deedes 24,093 59.1 +7.5
Labour Neville Sandelson 16,645 40.9 +4.3
Majority 7,448 18.3 +3.3
Turnout 40,738 81.9 −2.2
Registered electors 49,715
Conservative hold Swing
1950 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Deedes 21,095 51.6 −0.4
Labour Neville Sandelson 14,948 36.6 +1.8
Liberal H. Shirley 4,828 11.8 −1,5
Majority 6,147 15.0 −2.2
Turnout 40,871 84.1 +12.8
Registered electors 48,607
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

1945 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Percy Smith 18,800 52.0 −7.2
Labour Horace Waterton Lee 12,575 34.8 +17.2
Liberal Harold Vezey Strong 4,804 13.3 −9.9
Majority 6,225 17.2 −18.8
Turnout 36,179 71.3 −2.3
Registered electors 50,760
Conservative hold Swing
1943 Ashford by-election[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Percy Smith 9,648 69.7 +10.5
Common Wealth Catherine E. Williamson 4,192 30.3 N/A
Majority 5,456 39.4 +3.4
Turnout 13,840 27.7 −45.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

14 November 1935 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Spens 21,323 59.2 +0.5
Liberal Borlase Matthews 8,338 23.2 N/A
Labour W.J. Beck 6,333 17.6 N/A
Majority 12,985 36.0 +18.6
Turnout 35,994 73.6 −2.3
Registered electors 48,914
Conservative hold Swing
1933 Ashford by-election:
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Spens 16,051 47.7 −11.0
Liberal Roderick Kedward 11,423 33.9 −7.4
Labour W.J. Beck 6,178 18.4 N/A
Majority 4,628 13.8 −3.6
Turnout 33,652 70.9 −5.0
Conservative hold Swing
27 October 1931 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Knatchbull 20,891 58.7 +16.1
National Liberal Roderick Kedward 14,681 41.3 −4.7
Majority 6,210 17.4 +14.0
Turnout 35,572 75.9 +0.6
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Elections in the 1920s

30 May 1929 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roderick Kedward 15,753 46.0 +24.2
Unionist Samuel Strang Steel 14,579 42.6 −17.8
Labour Mont Follick 3,885 11.4 −6.4
Majority 1,174 3.4 −42.0
Turnout 34,217 75.3 +4.9
Registered electors 45,445
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +21.0
29 October 1924 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Strang Steel 15,159 60.4 −1.7
Liberal Leonard John Humphrey 5,487 21.8 N/A
Labour Basil Noble 4,473 17.8 −20.1
Majority 9,672 38.6 +14.4
Turnout 25,119 70.4 +12.6
Registered electors 35,659
Unionist hold Swing +9.2
6 December 1923 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Strang Steel 12,644 62.1 −7.0
Labour Basil Noble 7,709 37.9 +7.0
Majority 4,935 24.2 −14.0
Turnout 20,353 57.8 −6.4
Registered electors 35,223
Unionist hold Swing +7.0
15 November 1922 general election: Ashford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Strang Steel 15,638 69.1 −11.9
Labour Basil Noble 6,977 30.9 N/A
Majority 8,661 38.2 −23.8
Turnout 22,615 64.2 +25.0
Registered electors 35,240
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1910s

14 December 1918 general election: Ashford[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Samuel Strang Steel 10,258 81.0 N/A
Independent Democrat William H. Deedes 2,408 19.0 N/A
Majority 7,850 62.0 N/A
Turnout 12,666 39.2 N/A
Registered electors 32,349
Unionist hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

General Election 1914–15: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

December 1910 general election: Ashford[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Laurence Hardy Unopposed
Conservative hold
January 1910 general election: Ashford[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Laurence Hardy 7,966 64.3 +12.7
Liberal Reginald John Farrer 4,422 35.7 −12.7
Majority 3,544 28.6 +25.4
Turnout 12,418 87.2 +3.5
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s

1906 general election: Ashford[22][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Laurence Hardy 5,994 51.6 −20.0
Liberal Percy Harris 5,614 48.4 N/A
Majority 380 3.2 −40.0
Turnout 11,608 83.7 +18.9
Registered electors 13,864
Conservative hold Swing
1900 general election: Ashford[22][24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Laurence Hardy 5,898 71.6 N/A
Independent Protestant Benjamin Nicholson 2,343 28.4 N/A
Majority 3,555 43.2 N/A
Turnout 8,241 64.8 N/A
Registered electors 12,714
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s

1895 general election: Ashford[22][24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Laurence Hardy Unopposed
Conservative hold
Hardy
1892 general election: Ashford[22][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Laurence Hardy 5,512 56.3 N/A
Liberal John U Bugler 4,281 43.7 N/A
Majority 1,231 12.6 N/A
Turnout 9,793 68.4 N/A
Registered electors 14,314
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s

1886 general election: Ashford[22][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Pomfret Unopposed
Conservative hold
1885 general election: Ashford[22][24][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Pomfret 6,020 55.2 N/A
Liberal George Crispe Whiteley 4,895 44.8 N/A
Majority 1,125 10.4 N/A
Turnout 10,915 81.5 N/A
Registered electors 13,389
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ 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

  1. ^ "Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  3. ^ UK Polling Report http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/ashford/
  4. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Ashford
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  6. ^ Baker, Carl; Johnston, Neil (20 March 2024). "Boundary review 2023: Which seats will change in the UK?".
  7. ^ "Conservative Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Damian Green MP, Ashford – TheyWorkForYou".
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 3)
  10. ^ "Ashford Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Ashford Borough Council. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "View the Statement or Persons Nominated as candidates for the Ashford constituency". Ashford Borough Council. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Ashford.gov.uk" (PDF).
  15. ^ "UKIP: Ashford". UKIP. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  16. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2010.
  17. ^ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.120 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  18. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  19. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
  20. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1922
  21. ^ Kent & Sussex Courier 27 Mar 1914
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
  23. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  24. ^ a b c d e f The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  25. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  26. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886

Sources

  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
  • Iain Dale, ed. (2003). The Times House of Commons 1929, 1931, 1935. Politico's (reprint). ISBN 1-84275-033-X.
  • The Times House of Commons 1945. 1945. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • The Times House of Commons 1950. 1950. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • The Times House of Commons 1955. 1955. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

51°09′N 0°56′E / 51.15°N 0.93°E / 51.15; 0.93