Isle of Wight (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox alt
Name = Isle of Wight


Entity = England
Type = County
Year = 1832
DivisionType = County
Division = Isle of Wight
EP = South East England
MP = Andrew Turner
Party = ConservativeThe Isle of Wight is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Boundaries

The Isle of Wight forms a single constituency of the House of Commons, with an electorate of 108,253 (as of 2004). This is by far the largest electorate in the country, and more than 50% above the England average of 70,026; it is five times the size of the smallest electorate (Na h-Eileanan an Iar, formerly known as the Western Isles), despite the Isle of Wight having some of the same problems as an island constituency. Successive Boundary Commissions have considered the possibility of splitting the island into two constituencies (or possibly having a constituency crossing the Solent onto the mainland) but with a distinct lack of local enthusiasm for either option it was felt that the island would be better represented by a single MP. One repeated problem has been the difficulty of dividing the island in two in a way that would be acceptable to all interests. [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pbc/review_areas/IsleofWight.asp]

The next review of constituency boundaries is scheduled to take place between 2010 and 2012, at which it is likely that the question of multiple constituencies on the Island will be revisited.

The constituency covers exactly the same land area as the ceremonial county of the Isle of Wight, and the area administered by the unitary authority, Isle of Wight Council.

History

Before the Reform Act of 1832 the island had 3 Parliamentary boroughs: Newport, Newtown, and Yarmouth, each electing two MPs. Outside of the boroughs, people were represented by the two members for Hampshire. The Reform Act abolished Newtown and Yarmouth parliamentary boroughs, and created a constituency for the whole of the Isle of Wight. The separate Newport borough was abolished in 1885.

The constituency is traditionally a battleground between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. Between 1974 and 1987 the seat was a Liberal seat, then becoming Conservative until 1997 when the Liberal Democrats won on a reduced Conservative vote. The seat reverted to the Conservatives in 2001.

"See also:" Newtown constituency, Newport constituency and Yarmouth constituency

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2000s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Andrew Turner
votes = 32,717
percentage = 48.9
change = +9.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Anthony Rowlands
votes = 19,739
percentage = 29.5
change = -5.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Mark Chiverton
votes = 11,484
percentage = 17.2
change = +2.0Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Michael Tarrant
votes = 2,352
percentage = 3.5
change = +0.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Edward Corby
votes = 551
percentage = 0.8
change = Election box majority
votes = 12,978
percentage = 19.4
change = Election box turnout
votes = 66,843
percentage = 61.3
change = +0.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = +7.5

Election box begin | |title=General Election 2001: Isle of WightElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Andrew Turner
votes = 25,223
percentage = 39.7
change = +5.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Peter Brand
votes = 22,397
percentage = 35.3
change = -7.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Deborah Gardiner
votes = 9,676
percentage = 15.2
change = +2.1Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = David Lott
votes = 2,106
percentage = 3.3
change = +1.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = David Holmes
votes = 1,423
percentage = 2.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Paul Scivier
votes = 1,279
percentage = 2.0
change = +1.3Election box candidate
party = Isle of Wight Party
candidate = Philip Murray
votes = 1,164
percentage = 1.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
candidate = James Spensley
votes = 214
percentage = 0.3
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,826
percentage = 4.4
change = Election box turnout
votes = 63,482
percentage = 60.8
change = -11.2Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing = 6.6

Elections in the 1990s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Dr Peter Brand
votes = 31,274
percentage = 42.7
change = -2.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Andrew Turner
votes = 24,868
percentage = 34.0
change = -13.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Deborah Gardiner
votes = 9,646
percentage = 13.2
change = +7.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = Tim Bristow
votes = 4,734
percentage = 6.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Malcom Turner
votes = 2,106
percentage = 1.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Harry Rees
votes = 848
percentage = 1.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Paul Kevin Scivier
votes = 544
percentage = 0.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Natural Law Party
candidate = Clive Daly
votes = 87
percentage = 0.1
change = -0.3Election box candidate
party = Rainbow Warriors
candidate = Jonathan Eveleigh
votes = 86
percentage = 0.1
change = Election box majority
votes = 6,406
percentage = 8.6
change = Election box turnout
votes = 74,193
percentage = 72.0
change = -7.8Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = 6.6

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Barry Field
votes = 38,163
percentage = 47.9
change = -3.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Dr Peter Brand
votes = 36,336
percentage = 45.6
change = +2.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Ken Pearson
votes = 4,784
percentage = 6.0
change = +0.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Natural Law Party
candidate = C Daly
votes = 350
percentage = 0.4
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,827
percentage = 2.3
change = -6.0Election box turnout
votes = 79,633
percentage = 79.8
change = +0.2Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1980s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Barry Field
votes = 40,175
percentage = 51.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = M.A. Young
votes = 33,733
percentage = 42.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = K. Pearson
votes = 4,626
percentage = 5.9
change = Election box majority
votes = 6,442
percentage = 8.3
change = Election box turnout
votes = 78,560
percentage = 79.6
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Stephen Ross
votes = 38,407
percentage = 51.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Virginia Bottomley
votes = 34,904
percentage = 46.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = C. Wilson
votes = 1,828
percentage = 2.4
change = Election box candidate
party = Isle of Wight Residents Party
candidate = T.B.J. McDermott
votes = 208
percentage = 0.3
change = Election box majority
votes = 3,503
percentage = 4.7
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 80.0
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1970s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Stephen Ross
votes = 35,889
percentage = 48.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = J.D. Fishburn
votes = 35,537
percentage = 47.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = C Wilson
votes = 3,014
percentage = 4.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 352
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 81.8%
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Stephen Ross
votes = 29,697
percentage = 45.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = J.D. Fishburn
votes = 27,657
percentage = 42.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = L.D. Brooke
votes = 8,562
percentage = 13.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,040
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 76.7
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Stephen Ross
votes = 34,808
percentage = 50.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Martin Woodnutt
votes = 27,042
percentage = 39.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = TC Bisson
votes = 7,495
percentage = 10.8
change = Election box majority
votes = 7,766
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 81.4
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Martin Woodnutt
votes = 30,437
percentage = 52.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = K.W. Boulton
votes = 13,111
percentage = 22.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Stephen Ross
votes = 12,883
percentage = 22.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Vectis National Party
candidate = R.W.J Cowdell
votes = 1,607
percentage = 2.8
change = Election box majority
votes = 17,326
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 72.0
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1960s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Martin Woodnutt
votes = 25,862
percentage = 48.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = P Stephenson
votes = 15,411
percentage = 29.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Stephen Ross
votes = 11,915
percentage = 22.4
change = Election box majority
votes =
percentage = 75.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 10,451
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Martin Woodnutt
votes = 27,497
percentage = 53.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = W Mann
votes = 16,244
percentage = 31.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = B Bliss
votes = 7,666
percentage = 14.9
change = Election box majority
votes = 11,253
percentage = 21.9
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 74.3
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1950s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Martin Woodnutt
votes = 31,228
percentage = 62.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = E.C. Amey
votes = 18,396
percentage = 37.1
change = Election box majority
votes = 12,832
percentage = 25.9
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 74.1
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Peter Macdonald
votes = 31,335
percentage = 62.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = S.G. Conbeer
votes = 18,698
percentage = 37.4
change = Election box majority
votes = 12,637
percentage = 25.3
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 74.4
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Peter Macdonald
votes = 33,501
percentage = 61.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = S.G. Conbeer
votes = 20,712
percentage = 38.2
change = Election box majority
votes = 12,789
percentage = 23.6
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 80.3
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Peter Macdonald
votes = 32,984
percentage = 60.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = S.G. Conbeer
votes = 21,496
percentage = 39.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 11,488
percentage = 21.1
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 80.61
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

=Elections in the 1940s=

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Peter Macdonald
votes = 22,036
percentage = 46.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = W.J. Miller
votes = 19,252
percentage = 40.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = M. O'Connor
votes = 5,967
percentage = 12.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,784
percentage = 5.9
change = Election box turnout
votes = 47,255
percentage = 76.0
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

ee also

*Politics of the Isle of Wight

References