West Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)

West Hertfordshire was a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system. The constituency was abolished for the 1997 general election.

West Hertfordshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyHertfordshire
19831997
SeatsOne
Created fromHemel Hempstead[1]
Replaced byHemel Hempstead and South West Hertfordshire[1]

History edit

The constituency was created for the 1983 general election from the majority of the abolished seat of Hemel Hempstead. It was in turn abolished for the 1997 general election, with Tring being transferred to South West Hertfordshire and the remaining areas forming the re-established Hemel Hempstead constituency.

It was held by the Conservatives for the entire period of its existence.

Boundaries edit

The District of Dacorum wards of Adeyfield East, Adeyfield West, Aldbury and Wigginton, Ashridge, Bennetts End, Berkhamsted, Boxmoor, Central, Chaulden, Crabtree, Cupid Green, Flamstead and Markyate, Gadebridge, Grove Hill, Highfield, Leverstock Green, Nash Mills, South, Tring Central, Tring East, Tring West, and Warners End.[2]

The main settlements in the constituency were Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring.

Members of Parliament edit

Election Member[3] Party
1983 Robert Jones Conservative
1997 constituency abolished: see Hemel Hempstead & South West Hertfordshire

Election results edit

Elections in the 1980s edit

General election 1983: Hertfordshire West[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Jones 28,436 46.6
SDP Nicholas Hollinghurst 18,860 31.0
Labour Paul Boateng 13,583 22.3
Majority 9,486 15.6
Turnout 60,879 79.4
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1987: Hertfordshire West[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Jones 31,760 49.7 +3.1
SDP Nicholas Hollinghurst 16,836 26.3 ―4.7
Labour Tony McBrearty 15,317 24.0 +1.7
Majority 14,924 23.4 +7.8
Turnout 63,913 80.9 +1.5
Conservative hold Swing ―3.9

Elections in the 1990s edit

General election 1992: Hertfordshire West[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Jones 33,340 51.5 +1.8
Labour Eryl McNally 19,400 30.0 +6.0
Liberal Democrats Martin Trevett 10,464 16.2 ―10.1
Green James Hannaway 674 1.0 New
National Front John McAuley 665 1.0 New
Natural Law Guy Harvey 175 0.3 New
Majority 13,940 21.5 −1.9
Turnout 64,718 82.4 +1.5
Conservative hold Swing ―2.1

See also edit

Notes and references edit

  1. ^ a b "'Hertfordshire West', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  3. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)
  4. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.