Witney (UK Parliament constituency)

Witney
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Witney in Oxfordshire.

Outline map

Location of Oxfordshire within England.
County Oxfordshire
Electorate 78,220 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Witney, Carterton, Chipping Norton and Charlbury
Current constituency
Created 1983
Member of parliament Robert Courts (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from Mid Oxfordshire and Banbury[2]
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South East England

Witney is a county constituency in Oxfordshire 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, and was created for the 1983 general election. It is a safe Conservative Party seat.

The constituency was represented from 2001 to 2016 by David Cameron, who was Conservative leader from 2005 to 2016 and Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016.[3] On 12 September 2016, Cameron said that he would resign as an MP with immediate effect, triggering the 2016 Witney by-election, which was won by Robert Courts, also a Conservative, albeit with a significantly reduced majority[4]

The constituency is co-terminous with the district of West Oxfordshire and so, incorporates the towns of Carterton, Chipping Norton and Woodstock.

History

The constituency's first MP was Douglas Hurd, who served as a cabinet minister under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and retired in 1997. Hurd was succeeded by Shaun Woodward at the 1997 general election. However, Woodward defected to the Labour Party in 1999,[5] and Witney unexpectedly had a Labour MP. Woodward chose not to stand in Witney as a Labour candidate and moved to the Labour safe seat of St Helens South instead, following the practice of Alan Howarth in 1997.

At the 2001 general election, David Cameron was elected as MP for Witney. Cameron was re-elected to a fourth term as MP for the constituency at the 2015 general election with a majority of 25,155, the highest in his political career; on that occasion his Conservative Party won a surprise majority in the House of Commons, taking 330 seats to the opposition Labour Party's 232, and enabling them to become a majority government. However, on 24 June 2016, Cameron announced that he would resign as Prime Minister by that October due to the outcome of the EU Referendum the previous day, in which 51.9% of voters supported leaving the EU. On 12 September 2016, it was announced that Cameron would resign as MP for Witney. This triggered a by-election, which was won by Robert Courts, also a Conservative, albeit with a significantly reduced majority.

Boundaries

1983-1997: The District of West Oxfordshire wards of Ascott and Shipton, Aston Bampton and Standlake, Bampton, Bladon and Cassington, Brize Norton and Curbridge, Burford, Carterton North, Carterton South, Chadlington, Charlbury, Chipping Norton, Clanfield and Shilton, Combe and Stonesfield, Ducklington, Enstone, Eynsham, Filkins and Langford, Finstock and Leafield, Freeland and Hanborough, Hailey, Kingham, Milton-under-Wychwood, Minster Lovell, North Leigh, Rollright, Stanton Harcourt, Witney East, Witney North, Witney South, Witney West, and Woodstock, and the District of Cherwell wards of Gosford, North West Kidlington, South East Kidlington, and Yarnton.

1997-2010: The District of West Oxfordshire, and the District of Cherwell ward of Yarnton.

2010-present: The District of West Oxfordshire.

As part of the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies the Boundary Commission reported in 2004[6] that the seat of Witney could be composed from the entire district of West Oxfordshire.[7] Seven years later[8] the Commission recommended no change.[9]

In the late 19th century, the Bampton East petty sessional division, with Witney at its heart, formed one part of the Woodstock constituency.[10]

Until 1974, much of the seat remained as part of the Woodstock and latterly Banbury constituency.[11] From 1974 to 1983, the area was included in the Mid Oxfordshire seat along with parts of Bullingdon and Ploughley. Since 1983, Witney has been a full parliamentary seat in its own right and comprises the whole of the District of West Oxfordshire with surrounding villages attached until 1997.

Carterton is the second largest populated town with 14,000 and is situated alongside RAF Brize Norton which is vital to the local economy, being one of the largest and busiest Royal Air Force stations in the country.

For the 2010 general election, the Witney Parliamentary Constituency boundaries changed and it become co-terminous with the boundaries of West Oxfordshire District Council.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[12] PartyNotes
1983 Douglas Hurd Conservative Later Baron Hurd of Westwell; Cabinet minister 1984–95
1997

Shaun Woodward

 Conservative MP for St Helens South from 2001; later Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
1999[5] Labour
2001 David Cameron Conservative Leader of the Conservative Party 2005–2016; Prime Minister 2010–2016
2016 Robert Courts Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

By-election 2016: Witney[13] [14] [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Robert Courts 17,313 45.0 −15.2
Liberal Democrat Liz Leffman 11,611 30.2 +23.5
Labour Duncan Enright 5,765 15.0 −2.2
Green Larry Sanders 1,363 3.5 −1.5
UKIP Dickie Bird 1,354 3.5 −5.6
National Health Action Helen Salisbury 433 1.1 0.0
Independent Daniel Skidmore 151 0.4 N/A
Monster Raving Loony Mad Hatter 129 0.3 N/A
Independent Nicholas Ward 93 0.2 N/A
Bus-Pass Elvis David Bishop 61 0.2 N/A
Eccentric Party Lord Toby Jug 59 0.2 N/A
English Democrat Winston McKenzie 52 0.1 N/A
One Love Party Emilia Arno 44 0.1 N/A
Independent Adam Knight 27 0.1 N/A
Majority 5,702 14.8 −28.2
Turnout 38,492 46.8 −26.5
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 2015: Witney[16][17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative David Cameron 35,201 60.2 +1.4
Labour Duncan Enright 10,046 17.2 +4.2
UKIP Simon Strutt 5,352 9.2 +5.7
Liberal Democrat Andy Graham 3,953 6.8 −12.7
Green Stuart Sutherland MacDonald 2,970 5.1 +0.9
National Health Action Clive Peedell 616 1.1 N/A
Wessex Regionalist Colin Roland Bex 110 0.2 +0.1
Independent Christopher Tompson 94 0.2 N/A
Reduce VAT in Sport Vivien Inez Saunders 56 0.1 N/A
Give Me Back Elmo Bobby Smith 37 0.1 N/A
Land Party Deek Jackson 35 0.1 N/A
Independent Nathan Paul Handley 12 0.02 N/A
Majority 25,155 43 +3.6
Turnout 58,482 73.3 +0.0
Conservative hold Swing −1.4
General Election 2010: Witney[19][20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative David Cameron 33,973 58.8 +9.4
Liberal Democrat Dawn Barnes 11,233 19.4 -3.1
Labour Joe Goldberg 7,511 13.0 -9.4
Green Stuart Sutherland MacDonald 2,385 4.1 +1.0
UKIP Count Nikolai Tolstoy 2,001 3.5 +0.9
Monster Raving Loony Howling Laud Hope 234 0.3 N/A
Independent Paul Wesson 166 0.3 N/A
Independent Johnnie Cook 151 0.3 N/A
Wessex Regionalist Colin Roland Bex 62 0.1 N/A
Independent Aaron Barschak 53 0.1 N/A
Majority 22,740 39.4 +12.5
Turnout 57,769 73.3 +4.3
Conservative hold Swing +6.3

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Witney[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative David Cameron 26,571 49.3 +4.3
Liberal Democrat Liz Leffman 12,415 23.0 +2.7
Labour Tony Gray 11,845 22.0 -6.8
Green Richard Dossett-Davies 1,682 3.2 +0.9
UKIP Paul Wesson 1,356 2.5 +0.9
Majority 14,156 26.3 +10.1
Turnout 53,869 69.0 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.8
General Election 2001: Witney[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative David Cameron 22,153 45.0 +2.0
Labour Michael Bartlet 14,180 28.8 -1.8
Liberal Democrat Gareth Epps 10,000 20.3 +0.5
Green Mark Stevenson 1,100 2.2 +1.1
Independent Barry Beadle 1,003 2.0 N/A
UKIP Kenneth Dukes 767 1.6 +0.2
Majority 7,973 16.2 +3.8
Turnout 49,203 65.9 -10.8
Conservative hold Swing +1.9

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Witney[24][25][26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Shaun Woodward 24,282 43.0 -14.8
Labour Alexander J Hollingsworth 17,254 30.6 +12.5
Liberal Democrat Angela Lawrence 11,202 19.9 -2.7
Referendum Geoffrey Brown 2,262 4.0 N/A
UKIP Michael Montgomery 765 1.4 N/A
Green Sue N Chapple-Perrie 636 1.1 +0.00
Majority 7,028 12.4 -27.3
Turnout 56,401 76.7 -4.2
Conservative hold Swing -13.7
General Election 1992: Witney[28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Douglas Hurd 36,256 56.4 −1.1
Labour James Plaskitt 13,688 21.3 +4.6
Liberal Democrat Ian M. Blair 13,393 20.8 −4.9
Green Charlotte Beckford 716 1.1 N/A
Natural Law Sally B. Catling 134 0.2 N/A
Independent Conservative Marilyn CC Brown 119 0.2 N/A
Majority 22,568 35.1 +3.4
Turnout 64,306 81.9 +4.7
Conservative hold Swing −2.8

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Witney[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Douglas Hurd 33,458 57.5 +2.1
Liberal Muriel Eda Burton 14,994 25.8 −5.1
Labour Christine Frances Collette 9,733 16.7 +2.9
Majority 18,464 31.7 +7.2
Turnout 58,185 77.3 +2.6
Conservative hold Swing +3.6
General Election 1983: Witney[32][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Douglas Hurd 28,695 55.4 N/A
Liberal Philip John Baston 15,983 30.8 N/A
Labour Carole B Douse 7,145 13.8 N/A
Majority 12,712 24.5 N/A
Turnout 51,823 74.7 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)

Neighbouring constituencies

Constituencies bordering Witney
Stratford-on-Avon, Banbury
The Cotswolds Banbury
Henley
Oxford West and Abingdon
   Witney  
Wantage

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ↑ "'Witney', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  3. ↑ "David Cameron". Witney Conservatives. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  4. ↑ http://www.itv.com/news/2016-09-12/david-cameron-resigns-his-seat-as-an-mp/
  5. 1 2 "Anger as Tory defects to Labour". BBC News. 18 December 1999. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  6. ↑ Review area- Oxfordshire Boundary Commission for England via National Archives
  7. ↑ Final Recommendations – Oxfordshire BCE via National Archives
  8. ↑ What's Proposed – Oxfordshire Boundary Commission for England
  9. ↑ South West recommendations BCE
  10. ↑ 1885 Boundary Commission map Vision of Britain
  11. ↑ 1917 Boundary Commission map Vision of Britain
  12. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 5)
  13. ↑ West Oxfordshire District Council, "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll"
  14. ↑ Britain Elects, "Witney Result"
  15. ↑ "Deleleration of Results of Poll" (PDF). West Oxfordshire District Council.
  16. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. ↑ http://www.westoxon.gov.uk/media/1045231/statements-of-persons-nominated-and-notice-of-poll-for-parliamentary-election-7-may-2015.pdf
  18. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001046
  19. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. ↑ Statement of Persons Nominated, West Oxfordshire District Council
  21. ↑ "2010 Witney Election Result". BBC News. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  22. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  26. ↑ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.178 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  27. ↑ The 1997 election result is calculated relative to the notional, not the actual, 1992 result.
  28. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  30. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. ↑ "UK General Election results June 1987". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  32. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  33. ↑ "UK General Election results June 1983". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Folkestone and Hythe		 Constituency represented by the Leader of the Opposition
2005–2010 		Succeeded by
Camberwell and Peckham
Preceded by
Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath		 Constituency represented by the Prime Minister
2010–2016 		Succeeded by
Maidenhead

Coordinates: 51°48′N 1°30′W / 51.80°N 1.50°W / 51.80; -1.50

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/22/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.