Dartford (UK Parliament constituency)
| Dartford | |
|---|---|
| County constituency for the House of Commons | |
![]() Interactive map of boundaries from 2024 | |
Boundary of Dartford in South East England | |
| County | Kent |
| Electorate | 72,048 (2023)[1] |
| Major settlements | Dartford |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 1885 |
| Member of Parliament | Jim Dickson (Labour) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | West Kent |
Dartford is a constituency[n 1] in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Jim Dickson of the Labour Party since 2024.
It is currently the longest-running bellwether constituency in the UK, having voted for an MP of the party which formed the government in every General Election since 1964.
Constituency profile
[edit]The Dartford constituency is located in Kent and lies just outside the boundaries of Greater London. It is roughly coterminous with the local government district of the same name. The constituency covers the large town of Dartford and its surrounding settlements, including the small town of Swanscombe and the villages of Greenhithe, Longfield and Maypole. Dartford has an industrial heritage and was a centre for cement, flour and paper manufacturing until the decline of industry in the 20th century.[2][3] Today Dartford serves as a commuter town and is connected to central London by the Southeastern and Thameslink rail services.[4][5]
Compared to the rest of the country, residents of the constituency have average levels of education and professional employment and above-average household income.[6] At the 2021 census, White people made up 73% of the population, Black people were 11% and Asians were 10%.[7] At the local borough council, most of the constituency is represented by Conservatives with some Labour councillors in Swanscombe and parts of Dartford. At the county council, all wards in the constituency elected Reform UK councillors. Voters in the constituency strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, with an estimated 64% in favour of Brexit.[6]
History
[edit]The seat was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. This Act added a net 18 seats, but its main purpose was to correct the over-representation of minor, if often old,boroughs and of depopulated county divisions. In their place were created new seats with a larger population. In Kent the Act finally abolished the Sandwich constituency, which sent two MPs until 1885. It also halved the representation of no fewer than four other historic towns. In contrast a seat for Dartford, the North-Western Division of Kent or North West Kent, was created.
The area of the seat, remaining a combination of urban, suburban and a small rural population, has been gradually reduced through its territory being contributed to new constituencies, their county designation later being changed in 1965 to become part of the new county of Greater London, which adjoins Dartford. These seats were Bexley, created in 1945, and Erith & Crayford, created in 1955.
- Political history
In the early 20th century, the Dartford constituency was very much a bellwether. Dartford's results later shifted towards the left: in a by-election in 1938 and then in the general elections from 1951 to 1959, a Labour candidate won, going against the national result.
Since 1964, however, Dartford has alternated between Labour and the Conservatives in line with the national result, and has thus served as a bellwether again. Indeed, as of the 2024 General Election it is the longest-running bellwether constituency in the United Kingdom.[8] Candidates for the largest two parties nationally have also polled first and second since 1923 in Dartford.
This was the first constituency contested by future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (then Margaret Roberts). She was the Conservative candidate at the 1950 and 1951 general elections, unsuccessful on both occasions.
Boundaries
[edit]1885–1918: The Sessional Division of Dartford, and part of the Sessional Division of Bromley.
1918–1945: The Urban Districts of Bexley, Dartford, and Erith, and in the Rural District of Dartford the parishes of Crayford, Stone, and Swanscombe.
1945–1955: The Boroughs of Dartford and Erith, and the Urban District of Crayford.
1955–1974: The Borough of Dartford, the Urban District of Swanscombe, and the Rural District of Dartford.
1974–1983: The Borough of Dartford, the Urban District of Swanscombe, and in the Rural District of Dartford the parishes of Darenth, Southfleet, Stone, Sutton-at-Hone, and Wilmington.
1983–1997: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks wards of Ash-cum-Ridley, Fawkham and Hartley, Horton Kirby, and Longfield.
1997–2010: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks wards of Fawkham and Hartley, and Horton Kirby.
2010–2024: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks ward of Hartley and Hodsoll Street.
2024–present: The Borough of Dartford wards of Bean & Village Park, Brent, Burnham, Darenth, Ebbsfleet, Greenhithe & Knockhall, Heath, Joyden's Wood, Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet, Maypole & Leyton Cross, Newtown, Princes, Stone Castle, Stone House, Swanscombe, Temple Hill, Town, and West Hill.[9]
- The electorate was reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring the District of Sevenoaks ward of Hartley and Hodsoll Street to Tonbridge and the Dartford Borough ward of Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone & Hawley to Sevenoaks.
Members of Parliament
[edit]West Kent prior to 1885
| Election | Member[10] | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | Sir William Hart Dyke | Conservative | |
| 1906 | James Rowlands | Liberal | |
| Jan 1910 | William Foot Mitchell | Conservative | |
| Dec 1910 | James Rowlands | Liberal | |
| 1918 | Coalition Liberal | ||
| 1920 by-election | John Edmund Mills | Labour | |
| 1922 | George Jarrett | Constitutionalist | |
| 1923 | John Edmund Mills | Labour | |
| 1924 | Angus McDonnell | Conservative | |
| 1929 | John Edmund Mills | Labour | |
| 1931 | Frank Clarke | Conservative | |
| 1938 by-election | Jennie Adamson | Labour | |
| 1945 | constituency split, with half becoming the new Bexley seat | ||
| 1945 | Norman Dodds | Labour and Co-operative | |
| 1955 | Sydney Irving | Labour Co-op | |
| 1970 | Peter Trew | Conservative | |
| Feb 1974 | Sydney Irving | Labour Co-op | |
| 1979 | Bob Dunn | Conservative | |
| 1997 | Howard Stoate | Labour | |
| 2010 | Gareth Johnson | Conservative | |
| 2024 | Jim Dickson | Labour | |
Elections
[edit]
Elections in the 2020s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Jim Dickson | 15,392 | 34.6 | +5.1 | |
| Conservative | Gareth Johnson | 14,200 | 31.9 | −29.2 | |
| Reform | Lee Stranders | 9,523 | 21.4 | N/A | |
| Green | Laura Edie | 3,189 | 7.2 | +4.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Kyle Marsh | 2,184 | 4.9 | −2.1 | |
| Majority | 1,192 | 2.7 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 44,488 | 59.0 | –5.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 75,426 | ||||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 2010s
[edit]| 2019 notional result[12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 28,413 | 61.1 | |
| Labour | 13,709 | 29.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 3,251 | 7.0 | |
| Green | 1,115 | 2.4 | |
| Turnout | 46,488 | 64.5 | |
| Electorate | 72,048 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gareth Johnson | 34,006 | 62.9 | +5.3 | |
| Labour | Sacha Gosine | 14,846 | 27.5 | −5.7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Kyle Marsh | 3,736 | 6.9 | +4.3 | |
| Green | Mark Lindop | 1,435 | 2.7 | +1.2 | |
| Majority | 19,160 | 35.4 | +11.0 | ||
| Turnout | 54,023 | 65.7 | −4.1 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gareth Johnson | 31,210 | 57.6 | +8.6 | |
| Labour | Bachchu Kaini | 18,024 | 33.2 | +7.8 | |
| UKIP | Ben Fryer | 2,544 | 4.7 | −15.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Simon Beard[16] | 1,428 | 2.6 | −0.2 | |
| Green | Andrew Blatchford | 807 | 1.5 | −1.0 | |
| Independent | Ola Adewunmi | 211 | 0.4 | New | |
| Majority | 13,186 | 24.4 | +0.8 | ||
| Turnout | 54,224 | 69.8 | +1.4 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gareth Johnson[19] | 25,670 | 49.0 | +0.2 | |
| Labour | Simon Thomson[19] | 13,325 | 25.4 | −2.2 | |
| UKIP | Elizabeth Jones | 10,434 | 19.9 | +16.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Simon Beard | 1,454 | 2.8 | −11.9 | |
| Green | Andy Blatchford | 1,324 | 2.5 | New | |
| English Democrat | Steve Uncles | 211 | 0.4 | −3.9 | |
| Majority | 12,345 | 23.6 | +2.4 | ||
| Turnout | 52,418 | 68.4 | +2.7 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gareth Johnson | 24,428 | 48.8 | +7.6 | |
| Labour | John Adams | 13,800 | 27.6 | −15.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | James Willis | 7,361 | 14.7 | +4.6 | |
| English Democrat | Gary Rogers | 2,178 | 4.3 | +1.7 | |
| UKIP | Richard Palmer | 1,842 | 3.7 | +0.7 | |
| Independent | Stephane Tindame | 264 | 0.5 | New | |
| Fancy Dress Party | Ernie Crockford | 207 | 0.4 | New | |
| Majority | 10,628 | 21.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 50,080 | 65.7 | +2.4 | ||
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +11.6 | |||
Elections in the 2000s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Howard Stoate | 19,909 | 42.6 | −5.4 | |
| Conservative | Gareth Johnson | 19,203 | 41.1 | +0.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter Bucklitsch | 5,036 | 10.8 | +2.3 | |
| UKIP | Mark Croucher | 1,407 | 3.0 | +0.8 | |
| New England | Michael Tibby | 1,224 | 2.6 | New | |
| Majority | 706 | 1.5 | −5.9 | ||
| Turnout | 46,779 | 63.2 | +1.3 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | −2.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Howard Stoate | 21,466 | 48.0 | −0.6 | |
| Conservative | Bob Dunn | 18,160 | 40.6 | +0.3 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Graham Morgan | 3,781 | 8.5 | −0.9 | |
| UKIP | Mark Croucher | 989 | 2.2 | New | |
| Fancy Dress Party | Keith Davenport | 344 | 0.8 | +0.3 | |
| Majority | 3,306 | 7.4 | −0.9 | ||
| Turnout | 44,740 | 61.9 | −12.7 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1990s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Howard Stoate | 25,278 | 48.6 | +12.4 | |
| Conservative | Bob Dunn | 20,950 | 40.3 | −10.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Dorothy Webb | 4,872 | 9.4 | −2.8 | |
| BNP | Paul McHale | 424 | 0.8 | New | |
| Fancy Dress Party | Peter Homden | 287 | 0.5 | +0.1 | |
| Christian Democrat | James Pollitt | 228 | 0.4 | New | |
| Majority | 4,328 | 8.3 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 52,039 | 74.6 | |||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Bob Dunn | 31,194 | 51.9 | −1.6 | |
| Labour | Howard Stoate | 20,880 | 34.7 | +7.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter Bryden | 7,584 | 12.6 | −5.6 | |
| Fancy Dress Party | A Munro | 262 | 0.4 | −0.5 | |
| Natural Law | Angela Holland | 241 | 0.4 | New | |
| Majority | 10,314 | 17.2 | −8.8 | ||
| Turnout | 60,161 | 83.1 | +4.1 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −4.4 | |||
Elections in the 1980s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Bob Dunn | 30,685 | 53.5 | +1.9 | |
| Labour | Barrie Clarke | 15,756 | 27.5 | +0.7 | |
| SDP | Michael Bruce | 10,439 | 18.2 | −2.3 | |
| Fancy Dress Party | Keith Davenport | 491 | 0.9 | +0.2 | |
| Majority | 14,929 | 26.0 | +1.2 | ||
| Turnout | 57,371 | 79.0 | +2.6 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Bob Dunn | 28,199 | 51.6 | ||
| Labour | David Townsend | 14,636 | 26.8 | ||
| Liberal | John Mills | 11,204 | 20.5 | ||
| Fancy Dress Party | A Crockford | 374 | 0.7 | ||
| National Front | GE Nye | 282 | 0.5 | ||
| Majority | 13,563 | 24.8 | |||
| Turnout | 54,695 | 76.4 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1970s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Bob Dunn | 21,195 | 45.87 | ||
| Labour Co-op | Sydney Irving | 19,803 | 42.86 | ||
| Liberal | Ian Josephs | 4,407 | 9.54 | ||
| National Front | I Nobbs | 476 | 1.03 | ||
| Fancy Dress Party | J Beddowes | 328 | 0.71 | New | |
| Majority | 1,392 | 3.01 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 46,209 | 80.35 | |||
| Conservative gain from Labour Co-op | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Sydney Irving | 20,817 | 47.64 | ||
| Conservative | Graham Bright | 15,331 | 35.09 | ||
| Liberal | George H Dunk | 6,606 | 15.12 | ||
| National Front | RH Aldous | 939 | 2.15 | ||
| Majority | 5,486 | 12.55 | |||
| Turnout | 43,693 | 76.60 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +1.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Sydney Irving | 19,803 | 41.98 | ||
| Conservative | Peter Trew | 16,149 | 34.24 | ||
| Liberal | Ian Josephs | 10,273 | 21.78 | ||
| National Front | RH Aldous | 945 | 2.00 | New | |
| Majority | 3,654 | 7.74 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 47,170 | 83.44 | |||
| Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Peter Trew | 27,822 | 45.96 | ||
| Labour Co-op | Sydney Irving | 27,262 | 45.03 | ||
| Liberal | J Paul Johnson | 5,453 | 9.01 | ||
| Majority | 560 | 0.93 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 60,537 | 74.02 | |||
| Conservative gain from Labour Co-op | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1960s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Sydney Irving | 29,547 | 49.84 | ||
| Conservative | Peter Trew | 22,638 | 38.19 | ||
| Liberal | Peter Loftus | 7,094 | 11.97 | ||
| Majority | 6,909 | 11.65 | |||
| Turnout | 59,279 | 80.80 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Sydney Irving | 27,371 | 46.46 | ||
| Conservative | James J Davis | 22,496 | 38.18 | ||
| Liberal | Morris Janis | 9,047 | 15.36 | ||
| Majority | 4,875 | 8.28 | |||
| Turnout | 58,914 | 81.48 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1950s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Sydney Irving | 25,323 | 45.83 | ||
| Conservative | Peter Walker | 24,047 | 43.52 | ||
| Liberal | Barry Charles Davis | 5,881 | 10.64 | New | |
| Majority | 1,276 | 2.31 | |||
| Turnout | 55,251 | 82.96 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Sydney Irving | 25,928 | 54.40 | ||
| Conservative | Peter Walker | 21,730 | 45.60 | ||
| Majority | 4,198 | 8.80 | |||
| Turnout | 47,658 | 80.98 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Norman Dodds | 40,094 | 59.09 | ||
| Conservative | Margaret Roberts | 27,760 | 40.91 | ||
| Majority | 12,334 | 18.18 | |||
| Turnout | 67,854 | 85.22 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +3.71 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Norman Dodds | 38,128 | 56.38 | ||
| Conservative | Margaret Roberts | 24,490 | 36.21 | ||
| Liberal | Anthony H. Giles | 5,011 | 7.41 | New | |
| Majority | 13,638 | 20.17 | |||
| Turnout | 67,629 | 85.51 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
Election in the 1940s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Norman Dodds | 36,665 | 68.38 | ||
| Conservative | Ralph Ernest Watkins Grubb | 16,951 | 31.62 | ||
| Majority | 19,714 | 36.76 | |||
| Turnout | 53,616 | 74.89 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
- 1945 saw radical boundary changes, with half the constituency becoming part of the Bexley seat.
Elections in the 1930s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Jennie Adamson | 46,514 | 52.39 | ||
| Conservative | Godfrey Mitchell | 42,276 | 47.61 | ||
| Majority | 4,238 | 4.78 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 88,790 | 68.00 | |||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Frank Clarke | 38,242 | 51.79 | ||
| Labour | Jennie Adamson | 35,596 | 48.21 | ||
| Majority | 2,646 | 3.58 | |||
| Turnout | 73,838 | 69.63 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Frank Clarke | 34,095 | 55.49 | ||
| Labour | John Edmund Mills | 27,349 | 44.51 | ||
| Majority | 6,746 | 10.98 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 61,444 | 79.01 | |||
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1920s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Edmund Mills | 26,871 | 50.6 | +1.6 | |
| Unionist | Ashley Edwards | 16,568 | 31.2 | −19.8 | |
| Liberal | John Woolfenden Williamson | 9,689 | 18.2 | New | |
| Majority | 10,303 | 19.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 53,128 | 76.9 | −2.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 69,070 | ||||
| Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +10.7 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist | Angus McDonnell | 20,108 | 51.0 | New | |
| Labour | John Edmund Mills | 19,352 | 49.0 | −5.2 | |
| Majority | 756 | 3.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 39,460 | 79.2 | +9.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 49,804 | ||||
| Unionist gain from Labour | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Edmund Mills | 18,329 | 54.2 | +10.3 | |
| Constitutionalist | George Jarrett | 15,500 | 45.8 | −3.8 | |
| Majority | 2,829 | 8.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 33,829 | 70.0 | −1.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 48,320 | ||||
| Labour gain from Constitutionalist | Swing | +7.1 | |||

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constitutionalist | George Jarrett | 16,662 | 49.6 | New | |
| Labour | John Edmund Mills | 14,744 | 43.9 | +15.3 | |
| Liberal | Alison Garland | 2,175 | 6.5 | −64.9 | |
| Majority | 1,918 | 5.7 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 33,581 | 71.2 | +23.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 47,132 | ||||
| Constitutionalist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Edmund Mills | 13,610 | 50.2 | +21.6 | |
| Liberal | Thomas Wing | 4,562 | 16.8 | −54.6 | |
| Coalition Unionist | Richard Meller | 4,221 | 15.5 | New | |
| National | Reginald Applin | 2,952 | 10.9 | New | |
| Ind. Unionist | Frank Emil Fehr | 1,802 | 6.6 | New | |
| Majority | 9,048 | 33.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 27,147 | 61.3 | +13.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 44,281 | ||||
| Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +38.1 | |||
Elections in the 1910s
[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Liberal | James Rowlands | 15,626 | 71.4 | +20.8 |
| Labour | William Ling | 6,256 | 28.6 | New | |
| Majority | 9,370 | 42.8 | +41.6 | ||
| Turnout | 21,892 | 47.9 | −36.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 45,666 | ||||
| Liberal 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;
- Liberal: James Rowlands
- Unionist:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lib-Lab | James Rowlands | 9,152 | 50.6 | +2.8 | |
| Conservative | William Foot Mitchell | 8,918 | 49.4 | −2.8 | |
| Majority | 234 | 1.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 18,070 | 84.4 | −3.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 21,398 | ||||
| Lib-Lab gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.8 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | William Foot Mitchell | 9,807 | 52.2 | +10.8 | |
| Lib-Lab | James Rowlands | 8,990 | 47.8 | −10.8 | |
| Majority | 817 | 4.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 18,797 | 87.8 | +5.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 21,398 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Lib-Lab | Swing | +10.8 | |||
Elections in the 1900s
[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lib-Lab | James Rowlands | 9,532 | 58.6 | New | |
| Conservative | William Hart Dyke | 6,728 | 41.4 | N/A | |
| Majority | 2,804 | 17.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 16,260 | 82.4 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 19,741 | ||||
| Lib-Lab gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | William Hart Dyke | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Elections in the 1890s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | William Hart Dyke | 5,699 | 55.6 | +2.7 | |
| Liberal | Patteson Nickalls | 4,557 | 44.4 | −2.7 | |
| Majority | 1,142 | 11.2 | +5.4 | ||
| Turnout | 10,256 | 73.8 | +3.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 13,888 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.7 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | William Hart Dyke | 5,294 | 52.9 | −5.7 | |
| Liberal | Jeremiah Lyon[38] | 4,722 | 47.1 | +5.7 | |
| Majority | 572 | 5.8 | −11.4 | ||
| Turnout | 10,016 | 70.4 | +6.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 14,227 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −5.7 | |||
Elections in the 1880s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | William Hart Dyke | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative hold | |||||
- Caused by Dyke's appointment as Vice-president of the Committee of the Council on Education.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | William Hart Dyke | 4,198 | 58.6 | +5.8 | |
| Liberal | James Ebenezer Saunders | 2,965 | 41.4 | −5.8 | |
| Majority | 1,233 | 17.2 | +11.6 | ||
| Turnout | 7,163 | 64.1 | −11.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 11,173 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.8 | |||

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | William Hart Dyke | 4,488 | 52.8 | ||
| Liberal | James Ebenezer Saunders | 4,006 | 47.2 | ||
| Majority | 482 | 5.6 | |||
| Turnout | 8,494 | 76.0 | |||
| Registered electors | 11,173 | ||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
See also
[edit]- List of parliamentary constituencies in Kent
- List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)
Notes
[edit]- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
References
[edit]- ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 837.
- ^ "The Decline of Traditional Industries". Dartford Town Archive. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Timetables". Southeastern. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Timetables". ThamesLink. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ a b Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Dartford
- ^ "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- ^ "Election 2015: Five answers for an election geek". BBC News. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 1)
- ^ "Notice of Poll, Persons Nominated and Polling Locations".
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Election results for Dartford". Dartford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Dartford parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Election results for Dartford". Dartford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "'This is not the time for business as usual': Liberal Democrats reveal candidate for Dartford". News Shopper. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Dartford parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ a b "DARTFORD 2015". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "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 Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. 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.
- ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1964". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1959". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1955". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1951". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Dartford :: UK General Election 1950". Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
- ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
- ^ The Constitutional Year Book, 1925
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
- ^ "London Correspondence". Freeman's Journal. 6 September 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
External links
[edit]- Dartford UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
- Dartford UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Dartford UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

