Sevenoaks (UK Parliament constituency)

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Sevenoaks
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Sevenoaks in Kent for the 2010 general election.
Outline map
Location of Kent within England.
County Kent
Electorate 69,925 (December 2010)[1]
Current constituency
Created 1885 (1885)
Member of Parliament Michael Fallon (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from West Kent
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South East England

Sevenoaks is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Michael Fallon, a Conservative.[n 2]

Contents

History [edit]

This constituency has existed since the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.

With the exception of the one-year Parliament in 1923, the constituency has to date been a Conservative stronghold.

1885-1950

Sir Thomas Jewell Bennett before entering Parliament was a leader writer at The Standard and lived in India for many years, working at the Bombay Gazette before becoming both editor and principal proprietor of the Times of India. Bennett returned to England in 1901 and in 1910 unsuccessfully contested his first Parliamentary election, losing to Alfred Gelder at the time of David Lloyd George and H. H. Asquith's celebrated "People's Budget". He represented the seat for five years from 1918.

Higher in government in this period was Hilton Young, the Health Secretary between 1931 and 1935. The health portfolio at the time included responsibility for housing, including slum clearance and rehousing. Key items of legislation to which he contributed in this period were: the Town and Country Planning Act (1932) (which applied to all 'developable' land), the Housing Act (1935) (which laid down standards of accommodation)[2] and the Restriction of Ribbon Development Act (1935) (which sought to consolidate urban development and restrict ribbon sprawl along major highways).[3]

1950-date

Since 1950 the highest government position has been that of Michael Fallon who is currently a Business Minister.

Boundaries [edit]

Settlements

Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which slightly altered this constituency[n 3] for the General Election 2010 since which it has electoral wards:

  • Ash, Brasted, Chevening and Sundridge, Crockenhill and Well Hill, Dunton Green and Riverhead, Eynsford, Farningham, Horton Kirby and South Darenth, Fawkham and West Kingsdown, Halstead, Knockholt and Badgers Mount, Hextable, Kemsing, Otford and Shoreham, Seal and Weald, Sevenoaks Eastern, Sevenoaks Kippington, Sevenoaks Northern, Sevenoaks Town and St John’s, Swanley Christchurch and Swanley Village, Swanley St Mary’s, Swanley White Oak, and Westerham and Crockham Hill.[4]

Constituency Profile [edit]

The seat is in mainstay City commuter belt territory, which supports a relatively high-income local economy with retail and self-employed trades principally benefiting. Sevenoaks constituency covers the towns of Sevenoaks and Swanley in Kent and some of the surrounding area. Most wards are most often Conservative councillor represented with the exceptions being part-Labour councillor represented Swanley and Crockenhill (5 of the 11 councillors who serve Swanley wards in 2013 for example) and two of three Sevenoaks Eastern councillors are Liberal Democrats based on local election results. Despite an unprecedented number of parties standing in 2010 no other parties have local councillors.[5]

In Statistics

The constituency consists of Census Output Areas of one local government districts with a working population whose income is higher than the national average and lower than average reliance upon social housing.[6] At the end of 2012 the unemployment rate in the constituency stood as 1.7% of the population claiming jobseekers allowance, compared to the regional average of 2.4%.[7] The borough contributing to the bulk of the seat has a low 13.1% of its population without a car, 19.2% of the population without qualifications and a high 32.0% with level 4 qualifications or above. In terms of tenure 72.7% of homes are owned outright or on a mortgage by occupants as at the 2011 census across the district.[8]

Members of Parliament [edit]

Election Member [9] Party
1885 Charles Mills Conservative
1892 Henry Forster Conservative
1918 Sir Thomas Bennett Coalition Conservative
1923 Ronald Williams Liberal
1924 Walter Styles Conservative
1929 Sir Hilton Young Conservative
1935 Sir Charles Ponsonby Conservative
1950 Sir John Rodgers Conservative
1979 Mark Wolfson Conservative
1997 Michael Fallon Conservative

Elections [edit]

Elections in the 2010s [edit]

General Election 2010: Sevenoaks[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Fallon 28,076 56.8 +5.0
Liberal Democrat Alan Bullion 10,561 21.4 −0.5
Labour Gareth Siddorn 6,541 13.2 −7.8
UKIP Christopher Heath 1,782 3.6 +0.6
BNP Paul Golding 1,384 2.8 N/A
English Democrats Louise Uncles 806 1.6 −0.1
Independent Mark Ellis 258 0.5 N/A
Majority 17,515 35.4 +5.4
Turnout 49,408 71.1 +12.4
Conservative hold Swing +3.1

Elections in the 2000s [edit]

General Election 2005: Sevenoaks
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Fallon 22,437 51.8 +2.4
Liberal Democrat Ben Abbotts 9,467 21.9 +0.3
Labour Tim Stanley 9,101 21.0 -4.6
UKIP Robert Dobson 1,309 3.0 +0.3
English Democrats John Marshall 751 1.7 N/A
United Kingdom Pathfinders Mark Ellis 233 0.5 -0.2
Majority 12,970 30
Turnout 43,298 58.7 -5.2
Conservative hold Swing +1.1
General Election 2001: Sevenoaks
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Fallon 21,052 49.4 +4.0
Labour Caroline Humphreys 10,898 25.6 +1.0
Liberal Democrat Clive Gray 9,214 21.6 -2.5
UKIP Lisa Hawkins 1,155 2.7 N/A
United Kingdom Pathfinders Mark Ellis 295 0.7 N/A
Majority 10,154 23.8
Turnout 42,614 63.9 -11.4
Conservative hold Swing +1.5

Elections in the 1990s [edit]

General Election 1997: Sevenoaks[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Fallon 22,776 45.42
Labour J Hayes 12,315 24.56
Liberal Democrat R Walshe 12,086 24.1
Referendum Party N Large 2,138 4.26
Green M Lawrence 443 0.88
Independent M Ellis 244 0.49
Natural Law A Hankey 147 0.29
Majority 10,461 20.86
Turnout 50,151 75.38
General Election 1992: Sevenoaks[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Wolfson 33,245 57.5 −1.4
Liberal Democrat RFC Walshe 14,091 24.4 −3.5
Labour Ms. JS Evans 9,470 16.4 +3.2
Green Ms. ME Lawrence 786 1.4 N/A
Natural Law PL Wakeling 210 0.4 N/A
Majority 19,154 33.1 +2.1
Turnout 57,802 81.3 +4.9
Conservative hold Swing +1.1

Elections in the 1980s [edit]

General Election 1987: Sevenoaks[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Wolfson 32,945 58.91
SDP–Liberal Alliance SR Jakobi 15,600 27.9
Labour GA Green 7,379 13.19
Majority 17,345 31.02
Turnout 55,923 76.42
General Election 1983: Sevenoaks[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Wolfson 30,722 58.41
SDP–Liberal Alliance S Jakobi 15,061 28.55
Labour R Gooding 6,439 12.24
National Front GL Burnett 416 0.79
Majority 15,706 29.86
Turnout 52,596 73.74

Elections in the 1970s [edit]

General Election 1979: Sevenoaks[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Wolfson 36,697 57.39
Labour RH Redden 14,583 22.81
Liberal G Phillips 11,839 18.52
National Front Michael Easter 821 1.28
Majority 22,114 34.59
Turnout 63,942 78.98
General Election October 1974: Sevenoaks
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir John Rodgers 26,670 46.99
Labour J Scanlan 15,065 26.54
Liberal R Webster 15,024 26.47
Majority 11,605 20.45
Turnout 56,759 75.71
General Election February 1974: Sevenoaks[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir John Rodgers 29,963 48.36
Liberal I Bradley 16,223 26.21
Labour J Scanlan 14,987 24.21
Independent DJ Woolard 754 1.22
Majority 13,713 22.15
Turnout 61,898 83.4

Elections in the 1940s [edit]

General Election 1945: Sevenoaks
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Col. Charles Ponsonby 18,893 45.61
Labour John Pudney 14,947 36.08
Liberal Miss. Nelia Muspratt 6,906 16.67
Communist K. Thompson 676 1.63
Majority 3,946 9.53
Turnout 73.6
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s [edit]

General Election 1935

Electorate 48,559
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Edward Ponsonby 21,405
Liberal John Horridge 10,297
Majority
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931

Electorate 45,610
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon Sir Edward Hilton Young unopposed
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s [edit]

General Election 1929

Electorate 43,627
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Rt Hon. Sir Edward Hilton Young 16,767
Liberal Edgar Sratton Liddiard 7,844
Labour Henry Hamilton Fyfe 6,634
Majority
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1924

Electorate
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Walter Styles 15,125
Liberal Ronald Samuel Ainslie Williams 9,311
Majority 5,814
Turnout
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
General Election 1923

Electorate
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ronald Samuel Ainslie Williams 10,656
Unionist Thomas Jewell Bennett 9,987
Majority 669
Turnout
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing
General Election 1922

Electorate
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Thomas Jewell Bennett 12,045
Labour L. A. Goldie 6,849
Majority 5,196
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1910s [edit]

General Election 1918

Electorate 30,189
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist # Sir Thomas Jewell Bennett 10,650
Labour J. E. Skinner 3,323
Majority
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing

A # denotes candidate who was endorsed by the Coalition Government.

See also [edit]

Notes and References [edit]

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.
  3. ^ Three wards were before 2010 shared by this constituency and neighbours: Hartley and Hodsall Street; the Farningham etc. ward and the Fawkham and West Kingsdown ward
References

Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

  1. ^ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011. 
  2. ^ Young, W. (1971), p.1089.
  3. ^ Sheail, J. (1979), The Restriction of Ribbon Development Act: The character and perception of land-use control in inter-war Britain, Regional Studies, 13: 6, 501–12.
  4. ^ 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England
  5. ^ Sevenoaks Councillors
  6. ^ 2001 Census
  7. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  8. ^ 2011 census interactive maps
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 2)[self-published source][better source needed]
  10. ^ http://www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/news/2010/may/4176.asp
  11. ^ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/constit/399.htm
  12. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06. 
  13. ^ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge87/i17.htm
  14. ^ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge83/i17.htm
  15. ^ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge79/i18.htm
  16. ^ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge74a/i18.htm

Coordinates: 51°20′N 0°11′E / 51.333°N 0.183°E / 51.333; 0.183

Constituencies in South East England (84)
Conservative (74)
Labour (4)
Liberal Democrats (4)
Green (1)
Speaker (1)
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