- Arundel and South Downs (UK Parliament constituency)
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Coordinates: 51°51′22″N 0°33′32″W / 51.856°N 0.559°W
Arundel and South Downs County constituency for the House of Commons 
Boundary of Arundel and South Downs in West Sussex.
Location of West Sussex within England.County West Sussex Electorate 76,697 (December 2010)[1] Current constituency Created 1997 Member of Parliament Nick Herbert (Conservative) Number of members One Created from Arundel and Horsham Overlaps European Parliament constituency South East England Arundel and South Downs is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Contents
Boundaries
The constituency contains the town of Arundel, and many villages and hamlets along the South Downs, including Petworth, Pulborough and Steyning.
Boundary review
Following their review of parliamentary boundaries in West Sussex, the Boundary Commission for England has made alterations to all existing constituencies to deal with population changes. The modified Arundel and South Downs constituency is created with the following electoral wards:
- From the District of Arun - Angmering, Arundel, Barnham, Findon, and Walberton
- From Chichester - Bury, Petworth, and Wisborough Green
- From Horsham - Bramber, Upper Beeding and Woodmancote, Chanctonbury, Chantry, Cowfold, Shermanbury and West Grinstead, Henfield, Pulborough and Coldwaltham, and Steyning
- From Mid Sussex - Hassocks, and Hurstpierpoint and Downs.
History
Arundel and South Downs has been a Conservative Party stronghold. The constituency shot to prominence in the run-up to the 2005 general election due to the deselection of its sitting Conservative member, Howard Flight, who had represented the constituency since its creation at the 1997 general election. Anne Marie Morris, Laura Sandys and Nick Herbert put themselves forward for nomination as replacement candidates. The chosen candidate, Nick Herbert, won the seat at the election. [2]
In their provisional recommendations, the Boundary Commission for England initially suggested calling the new constituency Chanctonbury after Chanctonbury Ring, an ancient hill fort at its centre. This name was rejected during the local inquiry process at which the current name was chosen.[3]
Prior to 1997, this seat had been split between other constituencies. Between 1983 and 1997, the town of Arundel had been part of the Arundel constituency, which also included the towns of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, and the area of the South Downs had been part of the Horsham constituency.
Between 1974 and 1983, much of the South Downs area was part of the Shoreham constituency, with the town of Arundel remaining in the Arundel constituency.
Prior to 1974, the seat was largely part of the Arundel and Shoreham constituency.
Members of Parliament
Election Member [4] Party 1997 Howard Flight Conservative 2005 Nick Herbert Conservative Elections
Elections in the 2010s
General Election 2010: Arundel and South Downs Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Nick Herbert 32,333 57.8 +8.0 Liberal Democrat Derek Deedman 15,642 27.9 +0.8 Labour Tim Lunnon 4,835 8.6 -8.5 UKIP Stuart Bower 3,172 5.7 +0.3 Majority 16,691 29.9 Turnout 55,982 72.2 +1.4 Conservative hold Swing +3.0 Elections in the 2000s
General Election 2005: Arundel and South Downs Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Nick Herbert 24,752 49.8 -2.4 Liberal Democrat Derek Deedman 13,443 27.1 +4.7 Labour Sharon Whitlam 8,482 17.1 -3.6 UKIP Andrew Moffat 2,700 5.4 +0.7 Protest Vote Party Mark Stack 313 0.6 +0.6 Majority 11,309 22.8 Turnout 49,690 68.5 3.8 Conservative hold Swing -3.5 General Election 2001: Arundel and South Downs Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Howard Flight 23,969 52.2 -0.9 Liberal Democrat Derek Deedman 10,265 22.4 -3.4 Labour Charles Taylor 9,488 20.7 +2.4 UKIP Robert Perrin 2,167 4.7 +1.8 Majority 13,704 29.8 Turnout 45,889 64.7 -10.8 Conservative hold Swing Elections in the 1990s
General Election 1997: Arundel and South Downs Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Howard Flight 27,251 53.1 Liberal Democrat John Goss 13,216 25.7 Labour Richard Black 9,376 18.3 UKIP J. Herbert 1,494 2.9 Majority 14,035 Turnout 75.9 See also
Notes and references
- ^ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. http://www.boundarycommissionforengland.org.uk/electoral-figures/electoral-figures.htm. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4407361.stm
- ^ Boundary Commission for England, fourth periodic report, 1995
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 3)
Sources
- Election result, 2005 (BBC)
- Election results, 1997 - 2001 (BBC)
- Election results, 1997 - 2001 (Election Demon)
- Election results, 1997 - 2005 (Guardian)
Categories:- Parliamentary constituencies in South East England
- United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies established in 1997
- Politics of West Sussex
- Arun
- Chichester (district)
- Mid Sussex
- Horsham
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