Wokingham (UK Parliament Constituency)
Constituency profile
The seat covers the prosperous town of Wokingham, the southern suburbs of Reading, and a rural area to the west. Residents are significantly wealthier than the UK average, reflected in high property prices.
History
Originally, Wokingham was part of a larger constituency of Berkshire, which returned two Members of Parliament (MPs), increased to three in the Reform Act of 1832. In the Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885 Berkshire was divided into three county constituencies, Northern (Abingdon), Southern (Newbury), and Eastern (Wokingham), and two borough constituencies, Reading and New Windsor, each returning one member. The constituency was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918 being largely replaced by the newly created Windsor Division, with the town of Wokingham itself being added to the Newbury Division.
The second version of the seat was created for the 1950 general election. From 1983, its borders have gradually been moved westwards as new constituencies were created in the east of the county.
The constituency has been represented since 1987 by the high-profile Conservative John Redwood, having continuously elected Conservative MPs with comfortable majorities throughout its history. However, in 2019, the majority was drastically reduced to 11.9% from 31.5% in 2017 (and 43.2% in 2015) when Redwood was challenged by the Liberal Democrat candidate, Philip Lee, who had been the Conservative MP for the neighbouring constituency of Bracknell.
In December 2023, the Labour Party included the seat in its published list of 211 non-battleground seats, suggesting they did not see it as winnable. On 24 May 2024, two days after announcement of the date of the 2024 UK general election, and just 40 days before the actual date, John Redwood announced he would be not be standing again, saying that he had ‘other things I wish to do’.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1885–1918
- The Sessional Divisions of Maidenhead and Windsor;
- Part of the Sessional Division of Wokingham; and
- In the Sessional Division of Reading, the parishes of East Swallowfield and West Swallowfield.
1950–1955
- The Borough of Wokingham; and
- The Rural Districts of Easthampstead and Wokingham.
1955–1974
- The Borough of Wokingham;
- The Rural Districts of Easthampstead and Wokingham; and
- The East ward of the County Borough of Reading.
The East ward of Reading was transferred from the abolished constituency of Reading South. From the 1964 general election, the Park ward replaced the East ward following a revision to the local authority wards.
1974–1983
- The Borough of Wokingham;
- The Rural District of Easthampstead; and
- The Rural District of Wokingham parishes of Remenham, Ruscombe, St Nicholas Hurst, Twyford, Wargrave, and Wokingham Without.
The Park ward of the County Borough of Reading was transferred to the re-established constituency of Reading South, along with western parts of the Rural District of Wokingham.
1983–1997
- The District of Wokingham wards of Bulmershe, California, Charvil, Coronation, Emmbrook, Evendons, Hurst, Little Hungerford, Loddon, Norreys, Redhatch, Remenham and Wargrave, St Sebastian's, Sonning, South Lake, Twyford and Ruscombe, Wescott, Whitegates, and Winnersh.
The seat regained north-western parts of Reading South (abolished once again). Eastern areas, comprising the District of Bracknell (formerly the Rural District of Easthampstead) formed the bulk of the new constituency of East Berkshire.
1997–2010
- The District of Wokingham wards of Arborfield, Barkham, Emmbrook, Evendons, Little Hungerford, Norreys, Redhatch, Shinfield, Swallowfield, Wescott, and Winnersh; and
- The District of Newbury wards of Burghfield and Mortimer.
The boundaries moved westwards, gaining parts of Reading East (including Shinfield) and Newbury. The seat lost northern areas to Reading East and the new constituency of Maidenhead, as well as the ward of Wokingham Without in the south to the new constituency of Bracknell.
2010–2024
- The District of Wokingham wards of Arborfield, Barkham, Emmbrook, Evendons, Hawkedon, Hillside, Maiden Erlegh, Norreys, Shinfield North, Shinfield South, Swallowfield, Wescott, and Winnersh; and
- The District of West Berkshire wards of Burghfield, Mortimer, and Sulhamstead.
This change saw a further minor gain from Newbury.
The seat is currently centred on the southern part of Wokingham district, including a small part of the east of West Berkshire. It is in the South East region of England.
The neighbouring constituencies (clockwise from north) are: Reading West, Reading East, Maidenhead, Bracknell, North East Hampshire, Basingstoke, North West Hampshire and Newbury.
2024-present
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
- The Borough of Wokingham wards of: Arborfield; Barkham; Charvil; Emmbrook; Evendons; Finchampstead North; Finchampstead South; Hurst; Norreys; Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe; Swallowfield; Twyford; Wescott; Winnersh; Wokingham Without.
The seat will undergo major changes, with about half the electorate being transferred out - the parts in the District of West Berkshire to the newly named constituency of Reading West and Mid Berkshire; and north-western parts of the District of Wokingham, including Earley and Shinfield, to the newly created constituency of Earley and Woodley. To compensate, the boundaries will be extended southwards to include the Wokingham Without ward and the community of Finchampstead, transferred from Bracknell; and northwards to include the parts of Wokingham Borough currently in Maidenhead, including Twyford.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1885–1918
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1885 | Sir George Russell, Bt. | Conservative | |
1898 by-election | Oliver Young | Conservative | |
1901 by-election | Ernest Gardner | Conservative | |
1918 | Constituency abolished |
MPs since 1950
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1950 | Peter Remnant | Conservative | |
1959 | Sir William van Straubenzee | Conservative | |
1987 | Sir John Redwood | Conservative |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Merv Boniface | ||||
Conservative | Lucy Demery | ||||
Labour | Monica Hamidi | ||||
Liberal Democrats | Clive Jones | ||||
Reform UK | Colin Wright | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout | |||||
Registered electors | |||||
Swing |
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 30,734 | 49.6 | −7.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Phillip Lee | 23,351 | 37.7 | +21.8 | |
Labour | Annette Medhurst | 6,450 | 10.4 | −14.7 | |
Green | Kizzi Johannessen | 1,382 | 2.2 | −0.1 | |
Advance | Annabel Mullin | 80 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 7,383 | 11.9 | −19.6 | ||
Turnout | 61,997 | 73.8 | −1.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −14.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 33,806 | 56.6 | −1.1 | |
Labour | Andy Croy | 15,008 | 25.1 | +10.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Clive Jones | 9,512 | 15.9 | +2.4 | |
Green | Russell Seymour | 1,364 | 2.3 | −1.4 | |
Majority | 18,798 | 31.5 | −11.7 | ||
Turnout | 59,690 | 75.1 | +3.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −5.85 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 32,329 | 57.7 | +5.0 | |
Labour | Andy Croy | 8,132 | 14.5 | +4.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Clive Jones | 7,572 | 13.5 | −14.5 | |
UKIP | Philip Cunnington | 5,516 | 9.9 | +6.8 | |
Green | Adrian Windisch | 2,092 | 3.7 | +2.7 | |
Independent | Kaz Lokuciewski | 358 | 0.6 | New | |
Majority | 24,197 | 43.2 | +19.5 | ||
Turnout | 55,999 | 71.9 | +0.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 28,754 | 52.7 | +4.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Prue Bray | 15,262 | 28.0 | −4.7 | |
Labour | George Davidson | 5,516 | 10.1 | −4.9 | |
Independent | Mark Ashwell | 2,340 | 4.3 | New | |
UKIP | Ann Zebedee | 1,664 | 3.1 | +0.9 | |
Green | Marjory Bisset | 567 | 1.0 | New | |
Monster Raving Loony | Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen | 329 | 0.6 | −0.6 | |
Independent | Robin Smith | 96 | 0.2 | New | |
Majority | 13,492 | 24.7 | +9.0 | ||
Turnout | 54,528 | 71.5 | +4.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.7 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 22,174 | 48.1 | +2.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Prue Bray | 14,934 | 32.4 | 0.0 | |
Labour | David Black | 6,991 | 15.2 | −2.2 | |
UKIP | Frank Carstairs | 994 | 2.2 | +0.2 | |
Monster Raving Loony | Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen | 569 | 1.2 | −0.8 | |
BNP | Richard Colborne | 376 | 0.8 | New | |
Telepathic Partnership | Michael Hall | 34 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 7,240 | 15.7 | +2.0 | ||
Turnout | 46,072 | 67.1 | +3.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 20,216 | 46.1 | −4.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Royce Longton | 14,222 | 32.4 | +1.0 | |
Labour | Matthew Syed | 7,633 | 17.4 | +0.6 | |
UKIP | Franklin Carstairs | 897 | 2.0 | New | |
Monster Raving Loony | Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen | 880 | 2.0 | +0.2 | |
Majority | 5,994 | 13.7 | -5.0 | ||
Turnout | 43,848 | 64.1 | −11.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -2.6 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 25,086 | 50.1 | -11.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Royce Longton | 15,721 | 31.4 | +5.7 | |
Labour | Patricia Colling | 8,424 | 16.8 | +5.5 | |
Monster Raving Loony | Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen | 877 | 1.8 | +1.1 | |
Majority | 9,365 | 18.7 | -17.6 | ||
Turnout | 50,108 | 75.0 | -6.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -8.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 43,497 | 61.4 | 0.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Paul Simon | 17,788 | 25.1 | −4.8 | |
Labour | Nelson Bland | 8,846 | 12.5 | +3.8 | |
Monster Raving Loony | Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen | 531 | 0.7 | New | |
Independent | Philip Harriss | 148 | 0.2 | New | |
Majority | 25,709 | 36.3 | +4.8 | ||
Turnout | 70,810 | 81.8 | +3.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.4 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Redwood | 39,808 | 61.4 | +1.0 | |
Liberal | John Leston | 19,421 | 29.9 | −1.7 | |
Labour | Peter Morgan | 5,622 | 8.7 | +0.7 | |
Majority | 20,387 | 31.5 | +2.7 | ||
Turnout | 64,851 | 78.1 | +2.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William van Straubenzee | 32,925 | 60.4 | +6.0 | |
Liberal | John Leston | 17,227 | 31.6 | +13.4 | |
Labour | Michael Orton | 4,362 | 8.0 | -18.2 | |
Majority | 15,698 | 28.8 | +0.6 | ||
Turnout | 54,514 | 76.0 | -2.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -3.7 |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William van Straubenzee | 36,194 | 54.44 | +11.29 | |
Labour | AE Furley | 17,448 | 26.24 | -3.06 | |
Liberal | P Mullarky | 12,120 | 18.23 | -9.32 | |
National Front | G Sanders | 722 | 1.09 | New | |
Majority | 18,746 | 28.20 | +14.35 | ||
Turnout | 65,762 | 78.22 | +2.62 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.18 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William van Straubenzee | 24,009 | 43.15 | -2.01 | |
Labour | RW Crew | 16,304 | 29.30 | +2.31 | |
Liberal | T Blyth | 15,329 | 27.55 | -0.30 | |
Majority | 7,705 | 13.85 | -3.46 | ||
Turnout | 55,642 | 75.60 | -7.24 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William van Straubenzee | 27,223 | 45.16 | -9.84 | |
Liberal | SMM Cuff | 16,791 | 27.85 | +11.67 | |
Labour | RW Crew | 16,269 | 26.99 | -1.83 | |
Majority | 10,432 | 17.31 | -8.87 | ||
Turnout | 60,283 | 82.84 | +10.63 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William van Straubenzee | 43,183 | 55.00 | +7.11 | |
Labour | Christopher AR Helm | 22,630 | 28.82 | -5.59 | |
Liberal | Denis HV Case | 12,704 | 16.18 | -1.51 | |
Majority | 20,553 | 26.18 | +12.70 | ||
Turnout | 78,517 | 72.21 | -7.02 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1960s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William van Straubenzee | 34,011 | 47.89 | ||
Labour | Raymond Carter | 24,437 | 34.41 | ||
Liberal | Margaret Wingfield | 12,564 | 17.69 | ||
Majority | 9,574 | 13.48 | |||
Turnout | 71,012 | 79.23 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William van Straubenzee | 32,777 | 50.23 | -7.30 | |
Labour | John Ellis | 17,954 | 27.52 | -0.24 | |
Liberal | Margaret Wingfield | 13,875 | 21.26 | ||
Ind. Conservative | Charles Ford | 645 | 0.99 | New | |
Majority | 14,823 | 22.71 | |||
Turnout | 65,251 | 79.21 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William van Straubenzee | 30,896 | 57.53 | -1.99 | |
Labour | Terence Boston | 14,905 | 27.76 | -1.94 | |
Liberal | Claud William J Rout | 7,899 | 14.71 | +3.93 | |
Majority | 15,991 | 29.77 | |||
Turnout | 53,700 | 79.98 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Remnant | 25,843 | 59.52 | ||
Labour | Terence Boston | 12,895 | 29.70 | -0.18 | |
Liberal | John Patrick McQuade | 4,679 | 10.78 | +1.67 | |
Majority | 12,948 | 29.82 | |||
Turnout | 43,417 | 76.63 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Remnant | 21,652 | 61.01 | ||
Labour | Eric A Hubble | 10,606 | 29.88 | ||
Liberal | John Patrick McQuade | 3,233 | 9.11 | ||
Majority | 11,046 | 31.13 | |||
Turnout | 35,491 | 78.45 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Remnant | 20,612 | 57.7 | ||
Labour | Eric A Hubble | 10,296 | 28.8 | ||
Liberal | John Patrick McQuade | 4,793 | 13.4 | ||
Majority | 10,316 | 28.9 | |||
Turnout | 35,701 | 81.0 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
Election results 1885–1918
Elections in the 1880s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Russell | 4,710 | 60.6 | ||
Liberal | Edwin Lawrence | 3,062 | 39.4 | ||
Majority | 1,648 | 21.2 | |||
Turnout | 7,772 | 83.9 | |||
Registered electors | 9,258 | ||||
Conservative win (new seat) |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Russell | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Elections in the 1890s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Russell | 4,986 | 64.6 | N/A | |
Liberal | Frederick Joseph Patton | 2,738 | 35.4 | New | |
Majority | 2,248 | 29.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 7,724 | 76.2 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 10,142 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Russell | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Oliver Young | 4,726 | 56.2 | N/A | |
Liberal | George William Palmer | 3,690 | 43.8 | New | |
Majority | 1,036 | 12.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,416 | 75.2 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 11,189 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
- Caused by Russell's death.
Elections in the 1900s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Oliver Young | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ernest Gardner | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ernest Gardner | 6,075 | 56.1 | N/A | |
Liberal | George Gordon | 4,750 | 43.9 | New | |
Majority | 1,325 | 12.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 10,825 | 83.1 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 13,033 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Elections in the 1910s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ernest Gardner | 8,132 | 66.5 | +10.4 | |
Liberal | Holford Knight | 4,095 | 33.5 | −10.4 | |
Majority | 4,037 | 33.0 | +20.8 | ||
Turnout | 12,227 | 85.3 | +2.2 | ||
Registered electors | 14,327 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +10.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ernest Gardner | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
See also
- List of parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire
- List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)