Hitchin and Harpenden (UK Parliament constituency)

Hitchin and Harpenden
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Hitchin and Harpenden in Hertfordshire
CountyHertfordshire
Electorate74,189 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsHitchin, Harpenden, Wheathampstead, Redbourn
1997–2024
SeatsOne
Created fromNorth Hertfordshire
St Albans
Welwyn Hatfield
Replaced byHitchin
Harpenden and Berkhamsted

Hitchin and Harpenden was a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1997 general election until 2024 general election.[n 2] The seat was represented by the Conservative Party for the duration of its existence.

Following its abolition in 2024, the contents of the constituency were distributed to the new seats of Hitchin and Harpenden and Berkhamsted.[2]

History

The constituency was created for the 1997 general election from parts of several former Hertfordshire seats. Prior to 1997, Hitchin was included in the abolished North Hertfordshire constituency and Harpenden in the St Albans constituency, while the village of Wheathampstead was part of the Welwyn Hatfield constituency.

The seat's first MP was Peter Lilley, a former Secretary of State for various government departments in the Major ministry in the 1990s, who had previously represented St Albans from 1983 to 1997. He announced he would not contest the seat at the 2017 general election.[3] He was succeeded in 2017 by Bim Afolami of the Conservatives, who retained it at the 2019 general election, albeit with a reduced majority.

The seat was abolished at the 2024 general election, and was divided between the new seats of Hitchin (containing 54.9% of the abolished seat's electorate) and Harpenden and Berkhamsted (containing the remaining 45.1%). Afolami attempted to seek re-election in Hitchin, but was defeated by the Labour candidate Alistair Strathern.

Boundaries

Map
Map of boundaries 2010-2024

1997–2010

  • The District of North Hertfordshire wards of Ashbrook, Bearton, Cadwell, Highbury, Hitchwood, Hoo, Kimpton, Offa, Oughton, Priory, and Walsworth; and
  • The City of St Albans wards of Harpenden East, Harpenden North, Harpenden South, Harpenden West, Redbourn, Sandridge, and Wheathampstead.[4]

2010–2024

  • The District of North Hertfordshire wards of Cadwell, Graveley and Wymondley, Hitchin Bearton, Hitchin Highbury, Hitchin Oughton, Hitchin Priory, Hitchin Walsworth, Hitchwood, Hoo, Kimpton, and Offa; and
  • The City of St Albans wards of Harpenden East, Harpenden North, Harpenden South, Harpenden West, Redbourn, Sandridge, and Wheathampstead.[5]

Minor gain from North East Hertfordshire due to revision of local authority wards.

Abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished for the 2024 general election, with its contents distributed to two new constituencies:[2]

Members of Parliament

Election Member[6] Party
1997 Peter Lilley Conservative
2017 Bim Afolami Conservative

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Hitchin and Harpenden[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bim Afolami 27,719 47.1 –6.0
Liberal Democrats Sam Collins 20,824 35.4 +24.8
Labour Kay Tart 9,959 16.9 –15.7
CPA Sid Cordle 268 0.5 +0.1
Advance Peter Marshall 101 0.2 New
Majority 6,895 11.7 –8.8
Turnout 58,921 77.1 –0.3
Conservative hold Swing –15.4
General election 2017: Hitchin and Harpenden [8] [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bim Afolami[10] 31,189 53.1 –3.8
Labour John Hayes[11] 19,158 32.6 +12.0
Liberal Democrats Hugh Annand[12] 6,236 10.6 +2.5
Green Richard Cano[13] 1,329 2.3 –3.2
Independent Ray Blake[14] 629 1.1 New
CPA Sid Cordle[14] 242 0.4 New
Majority 12,031 20.5 –15.8
Turnout 58,783 77.4 +8.5
Conservative hold Swing –7.9
General election 2015: Hitchin and Harpenden[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Lilley 31,488 56.9 +2.3
Labour Rachel Burgin 11,433 20.6 +7.0
UKIP John Stocker 4,917 8.9 +5.9
Liberal Democrats Pauline Pearce 4,484 8.1 –18.6
Green Richard Wise 3,053 5.5 +4.0
Majority 20,055 36.3 +8.4
Turnout 55,375 68.9 –5.2
Conservative hold Swing +2.3
General election 2010: Hitchin and Harpenden[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Lilley 29,869 54.6 +4.7
Liberal Democrats Nigel Quinton 14,598 26.7 +0.9
Labour Oliver de Botton 7,413 13.6 −8.8
UKIP Graham Wilkinson 1,633 3.0 +1.3
Green Richard Wise 807 1.5 New
Independent Margaret Henderson 109 0.2 New
Citizens for Undead Rights and Equality Simon Byron 108 0.2 New
Your Right to Democracy Eric Hannah 90 0.2 New
Independent Peter Rigby 50 0.1 −0.3
Majority 15,271 27.9 +3.9
Turnout 54,707 74.1 +5.4
Conservative hold Swing +2.5

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Hitchin and Harpenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Lilley 23,627 49.9 +2.6
Liberal Democrats Hannah Hedges 12,234 25.8 +7.8
Labour Paul Orrett 10,499 22.2 −10.3
UKIP John Saunders 828 1.7 +0.4
Independent Peter Rigby 199 0.4 −0.4
Majority 11,393 24.1 +9.3
Turnout 47,387 70.5 +3.6
Conservative hold Swing -2.6
General election 2001: Hitchin and Harpenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Lilley 21,271 47.3 +1.4
Labour Alan Amos 14,608 32.5 −0.6
Liberal Democrats John Murphy 8,076 18.0 −2.1
UKIP John Saunders 606 1.3 New
Independent Peter Rigby 363 0.8 New
Majority 6,663 14.8 +2.0
Turnout 44,924 66.9 −11.1
Conservative hold Swing +1.0

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Hitchin and Harpenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Lilley 24,038 45.9
Labour Rosemary Sanderson 17,367 33.1
Liberal Democrats Chris J. White 10,515 20.1
Natural Law David R.H. Cooke 290 0.6
Socialist Alternative Jim D.O. Horton 217 0.4
Majority 6,671 12.8
Turnout 52,427 78.0
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. ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ^ a b "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – Eastern | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Hitchin MP announces his decision to stand down after 34 years". 26 April 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  6. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)
  7. ^ "Hitchin & Harpenden Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  8. ^ "UK Parliamentary General Election 8 June 2017". St Albans City and District Council. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  9. ^ "BBC News: Hitchin and Harpenden Parliamentary Constituency". St Albans City and District Council. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  10. ^ "General Election 2017: Conservatives name parliamentary candidate for Hitchin and Harpenden". The Herts Advertiser. 6 May 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  11. ^ "General Election 2017 – Candidate List – (A – M)". labour.org.uk. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Hitchin and Harpenden Liberal Democrat candidate hopes to win 'enormous pro-remain' area". Hertfordshire Mercury. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  13. ^ "Lets create 'shock wave of hope' says Hitchin Green candidate". 4 May 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  14. ^ a b Mike Lovelady (11 May 2017), STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL (PDF)[bare URL PDF]
  15. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Harpenden & Hitching parliamentary constituency – Election 2015 – BBC news". bbc.co.uk.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Hitchin and Harpenden". Election 2010. BBC News. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2010.

51°50′N 0°13′W / 51.83°N 0.21°W / 51.83; -0.21