Tunbridge Wells (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = Tunbridge Wells
Map1 = TunbridgeWells
Map2 = Kent
Type = County
Year = 1974
Entity = Kent
County = Kent
EP = South East England
MP = Greg Clark
Party = Conservative

Tunbridge Wells is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Boundaries

It is located in the west of the county of Kent in south eastern England and covers the area of Tunbridge Wells borough.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Kent, the Boundary Commission for England has made major changes to the existing constituency arrangement as a consequence of population changes across the county.

The electoral wards used in the formation of the modified Tunbridge Wells constituency are;
*Brenchley and Horsmonden, Broadwater, Capel, Culverden, Goudhurst and Lamberhurst, Hawkhurst and Sandhurst, Paddock Wood East, Paddock Wood West, Pantiles and St Mark’s, Park, Pembury, Rusthall, St James’, St John’s, Sherwood, Southborough and High Brooms, Southborough North, and Speldhurst and Bidborough

History

The constituency was created for the February 1974 general election as "Royal Tunbridge Wells". It consisted of the following areas of the administrative county of Kent:
*The borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells;
*The urban district of Southborough;
*The rural district of Cranbrook;
*Part of the rural district of Tonbridge (the parishes of Bidborough, Brenchley, Capel, Horsmonden, Lamberhurst, Paddock Wood, Pembury and Speldhurst) [The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970 (S.I. 1970 No. 1674)]

Except for Cranbrook Rural District (previously part of the Ashford constituency) the area had formed part of the constituency of Tonbridge prior to 1974.

In 1983 the "Royal" prefix was removed, and the boundaries of the constituency were realigned to coincide with the Borough of Tunbridge Wells created by the Local Government Act 1972. [The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983 (S.I. 1983 No.417)]

The area is rural with strong Conservative support although there is a degree of light engineering too and many locals commute to London. In 1994 the Conservative group in the council surprisingly lost control but has since regained it.

Members of Parliament

*"Constituency created" (1974)

Elections

Election box begin
title=Next United Kingdom general election: Tunbridge WellsElection box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Steve Dawe
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Victor Webb
votes =
percentage =
change =

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: Tunbridge WellsElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Greg Clark
votes = 21,083
percentage = 49.6
change = +0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Laura Murphy
votes = 11,095
percentage = 26.1
change = +1.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Jacqui Jedrzejewski
votes = 8,736
percentage = 20.6
change = -2.6Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Victor Webb
votes = 1,568
percentage = 3.7
change = +0.4Election box majority
votes = 9,988
percentage = 23.5
change = Election box turnout
votes = 42,482
percentage = 65.7
change = 3.4Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = +0.3

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: Tunbridge WellsElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Archie Norman
votes = 19,643
percentage = 48.9
change = +3.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Keith Brown
votes = 9,913
percentage = 24.7
change = -5.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Ian Carvell
votes = 9,332
percentage = 23.2
change = +2.8Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Victor Webb
votes = 1,313
percentage = 3.3
change = +2.7Election box majority
votes = 9,730
percentage = 24.2
change = Election box turnout
votes = 40,201
percentage = 62.3
change = -11.8Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

References

ee also

*List of Parliamentary constituencies in Kent