Watford (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = Watford
Map1 = Watford
Map2 = Hertfordshire
Type = Borough
Year = 1885
Entity = Hertfordshire
County = Hertfordshire
EP = East of England
MP = Claire Ward
Party = Labour

Watford is a parliamentary 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. Prior to the establishment of this constituency in 1885 the area was part of the 3-seat constituency of Hertfordshire.

Boundaries

The constituency comprises the whole of Watford Borough Council, together with five wards from Three Rivers District. Two of the Three Rivers wards, Carpenders Park and Oxhey Hall, are to the south of Watford town and include mostly prosperous commuter villages. The remaining three, Abbots Langley, Langleybury and Leavesden, are to the north of Watford and include the large village of Abbots Langley which is more mixed in character. There was a considerable Liberal Democrat advance into second place in 2005, taking many votes off Labour with the Tories not too far behind; it is now a genuine three-way marginal seat.

Members of Parliament

* 1885 - 1906: Frederick Halsey (Conservative)
* 1906 - 1910: Nathaniel Micklem (Liberal)
* 1910 - 1918: Arnold Sandwith Ward (Conservative)
* 1918 - 1943: Dennis Herbert (Conservative)
* 1943 - 1945: William Helmore (Conservative)
* 1945 - 1955: John Freeman (Labour)
* 1955 - 1964: Frederick Farey-Jones (Conservative)
* 1964 - 1979: Raphael Tuck (Labour)
* 1979 - 1997: Tristan Garel-Jones (Conservative)
* 1997 - "present": Claire Ward (Labour)

Election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Sal Brinton
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Barry Newton
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Claire Ward
votes =
percentage =
change =

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: WatfordElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Claire Ward
votes = 16,575
percentage = 33.6
change = −11.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Sal Brinton
votes = 15,427
percentage = 31.2
change = +13.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Ali Miraj
votes = 14,634
percentage = 29.6
change = −3.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Steve Rackett
votes = 1,466
percentage = 3.0
change = +1.1Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Kenneth Wight
votes = 1,292
percentage = 2.6
change = +1.4Election box majority
votes = 1,148
percentage = 2.3
change = Election box turnout
votes = 49,394
percentage = 64.8
change = +3.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = −12.8

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: WatfordElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Claire Ward
votes = 20,992
percentage = 45.3
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Michael McManus
votes = 15,437
percentage = 33.3
change = -1.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Duncan Hames
votes = 8,088
percentage = 17.4
change = +0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Denise Kingsley
votes = 900
percentage = 1.9
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Edmund Stewart-Mole
votes = 535
percentage = 1.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Alliance (England)
candidate = Jon Berry
votes = 420
percentage = 0.9
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 5,555
percentage = 12.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 46,372
percentage = 61.1
change = -13.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Prospective Candidates for the Next Election

In July 2007 Ali Miraj was dropped as a candidate by the Conservative party after he complained about David Cameron's leadership style and allegedly after demanding a peerage. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6924988.stm BBC: Cameron critic axed as MP hopeful] ] [ [http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/ali+miraj+interview+transcript/641967 Channel 4 News interview transcript] ]

In July 2008 his replacement, Ian Oakley, stood down after being arrested for harassing the local Liberal Democrats, [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/2309794/Arrested-Conservative-candidate-for-Watford-stands-down.html Telegraph: Arrested Conservative candidate for Watford stands down] ] [ [http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/3546069.Police_charge_Oakley/ Police charge Oakley] ] which he has admitted. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/2504624/Ex-Tory-candidate-faces-jail-for-harassing-Lib-Dem-rivals.html Telegraph: Ex-Tory candidate faces jail for harassing Lib Dem rivals] ] [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/2504952/Former-Tory-candidate-Ian-Oakley-faces-jail-over-hate-campaign.html Telegraph: Former Tory candidate Ian Oakley faces jail over hate campaign] ] [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/aug/05/conservatives Guardian: Former Tory candidate faces jail for harassing rivals] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7542549.stm BBC: Ex-Tory admits harassment charges] ] [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4464311.ece Times: Tory candidate admits hate campaign against Lib Dem rivals] ] He is scheduled to be sentenced 13 Oct 2008. [ [http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/localnews/3677754.Oakley_sentencing_postponed/ Oakley sentencing postponed] ]

See also

* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Hertfordshire

References