Christchurch is a constituency in Dorset represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Sir Christopher Chope of the Conservative Party.
Christchurch | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | 1983–present: Dorset 1572–1918: Hampshire |
Population | 83,596 (2011 census) |
Electorate | 69,008 (December 2010) |
Major settlements | Christchurch |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 |
Member of Parliament | Christopher Chope (Conservative) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Christchurch and Lymington, North Dorset, New Forest |
1572–1918 | |
Seats | 1572–1832: Two 1832–1918: One |
Type of constituency | Borough constituency |
Replaced by | New Forest and Christchurch and Bournemouth |
The original Christchurch constituency, a parliamentary borough, existed from 1572 until 1918. In 1918 the constituency was divided between New Forest and Christchurch and Bournemouth.
The constituency was re-created as a county constituency in 1983 from parts of the seats of Christchurch and Lymington, North Dorset and New Forest. It has since 1983 seen strong Conservative majorities, with the exception of a 1993 by-election caused by the death of Robert Adley when it was won by Diana Maddock, a Liberal Democrat. The Conservatives regained the seat at the next general election in 1997, despite their landslide defeat nationally and Chris Chope has retained it ever since. As of 2017, it is the second strongest Conservative seat in terms of voteshare (69.7%) and strongest in terms of majority (49.6%) in the country, although 2017 also saw Labour come second in the seat for the first time in history, having historically been far weaker than the Liberal Democrats and, in 2015, UKIP.
1983–1997: The Borough of Christchurch, and the District of Wimborne wards of Ameysford, Ferndown Central, Golf Links, Longham, St Leonards and St Ives East, St Leonards and St Ives South, St Leonards and St Ives West, Stapehill, Tricketts Cross, Verwood, West Moors North, West Moors South, and West Parley.
1997–2010: The Borough of Christchurch, and the District of East Dorset wards of Ameysford, Ferndown Central, Golf Links, St Leonards and St Ives East, St Leonards and St Ives South, St Leonards and St Ives West, Tricketts Cross, Verwood, West Moors North, West Moors South, and West Parley.
2010–present: The Borough of Christchurch, and the District of East Dorset wards of Ameysford, Ferndown Central, Ferndown Links, Longham, Parley, St Leonards and St Ives East, St Leonards and St Ives West, Stapehill, and West Moors.
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
Minor changes following re-organisation of local authorities and wards in Dorset.
The area is not as rural as the adjoining New Forest constituencies, nor as urban as Bournemouth and Poole, and contains a mixed assortment of coastal retirement havens, outlying Bournemouth suburbs and the town of Christchurch itself which has expanded to include dedicated villages of sheltered housing on its outskirts.
Consequently, the present Christchurch seat contains one of the most elderly electorates in the country – only Eastbourne and East Devon have an older average voter age and Christchurch has the highest proportion of over-60s of all UK seats. Having recovered from an early-1990s by-election loss, it is today a very safe Conservative seat, with MP Christopher Chope attaining 65% of the votes, a majority of 47%, at the last general election. It is the safest Tory seat in the South West and on most analyses is on the fringe of the area that usually qualifies as the South West, served by a station with direct links to the capital and closest to London.
Bournemouth Airport is located in the constituency.
Parliament | First member | Second member | |
---|---|---|---|
Parliament of 1571 | Andrew Rogers | John Hyett | |
Parliament of 1572–1581 | Henry Knollys | Matthew Evans | |
Parliament of 1584–1585 | Alexander Nevill | ||
Parliament of 1586–1587 | Henry Ashley | ||
Parliament of 1588–1589 | Justinian Champernoun | Sampson Lennard | |
Parliament of 1593 | John Herbert | John Agmondesham | |
Parliament of 1597–1598 | Simon Willis | Andrew Rogers | |
Parliament of 1601 | Henry Meere | ||
Parliament of 1604–1611 | Richard Martin | Nicholas Hyde | |
Addled Parliament (1614) | Sir Thomas Norton | Henry Breton | |
Parliament of 1621–1622 | Sir George Hastings | Nathaniel Tomkins | |
Happy Parliament (1624–1625) | Sir George Astmyll | ||
Useless Parliament (1625) | Sir Thomas Wilford | ||
Parliament of 1625–1626 | Robert Mason | ||
Parliament of 1628–1629 | Henry Croke | ||
No Parliament summoned 1629–1640 |
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Robert Adley | Conservative | |
1993 by-election | Diana Maddock | Liberal Democrat | |
1997 | Sir Christopher Chope | Conservative |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reform UK | Robin Adamson | ||||
Liberal Democrats | Mike Cox | ||||
Green | Susan Graham | ||||
SDP | Trevor Parsons | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout | |||||
Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Christopher Chope | 33,894 | 65.2 | −4.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Mike Cox | 9,277 | 17.9 | +10.0 | |
Labour | Andrew Dunne | 6,568 | 12.6 | −7.3 | |
Green | Chris Rigby | 2,212 | 4.3 | +1.7 | |
Majority | 24,617 | 47.3 | −2.4 | ||
Turnout | 51,951 | 72.6 | +0.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −7.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Christopher Chope | 35,230 | 69.6 | +11.5 | |
Labour | Patrick Canavan | 10,059 | 19.9 | +10.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Mike Cox | 4,020 | 7.9 | +1.3 | |
Green | Chris Rigby | 1,324 | 2.6 | −1.7 | |
Majority | 25,171 | 49.7 | +13.1 | ||
Turnout | 50,633 | 72.0 | +0.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Christopher Chope | 28,887 | 58.1 | +1.7 | |
UKIP | Robin Grey | 10,663 | 21.5 | +13.0 | |
Labour | Andrew Satherley | 4,745 | 9.5 | −0.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Andy Canning | 3,263 | 6.6 | −18.7 | |
Green | Shona Dunn | 2,149 | 4.3 | New | |
Majority | 18,224 | 36.6 | +5.5 | ||
Turnout | 49,707 | 71.7 | −0.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −5.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Christopher Chope | 27,888 | 56.4 | +1.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Martyn Hurll | 12,478 | 25.3 | +1.2 | |
Labour | Robert Deeks | 4,849 | 9.8 | −5.8 | |
UKIP | David Williams | 4,201 | 8.5 | +3.4 | |
Majority | 15,410 | 31.1 | +0.9 | ||
Turnout | 49,416 | 71.8 | +1.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Christopher Chope | 28,208 | 54.7 | −0.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Leslie Coman | 12,649 | 24.5 | −3.3 | |
Labour | Jim King | 8,051 | 15.6 | +0.5 | |
UKIP | David Hughes | 2,657 | 5.2 | +3.2 | |
Majority | 15,559 | 30.2 | +2.9 | ||
Turnout | 51,565 | 69.6 | +2.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Christopher Chope | 27,306 | 55.1 | +8.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dorothy Webb | 13,762 | 27.8 | -14.8 | |
Labour | Judith Begg | 7,506 | 15.1 | +8.2 | |
UKIP | Margaret Strange | 993 | 2.0 | +0.9 | |
Majority | 13,544 | 27.3 | +23.5 | ||
Turnout | 49,567 | 67.5 | -11.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +11.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Christopher Chope | 26,095 | 46.4 | -17.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Diana Maddock | 23,930 | 42.6 | +19.0 | |
Labour | Charles Mannan | 3,884 | 6.9 | -5.2 | |
Referendum | Ray Spencer | 1,684 | 3.0 | New | |
UKIP | R.H. Dickinson | 606 | 1.1 | New | |
Majority | 2,165 | 3.8 | -36.1 | ||
Turnout | 56,199 | 78.5 | -2.2 | ||
Conservative win |
Percentage share changes compared with 1992 general election. .
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Diana Maddock | 33,164 | 62.2 | +38.6 | |
Conservative | Robert Hayward | 16,737 | 31.4 | −32.1 | |
Labour | Nigel Lickley | 1,453 | 2.7 | −9.4 | |
Anti-Federalist League | Alan Sked | 878 | 1.6 | New | |
Monster Raving Loony | David Sutch | 404 | 0.8 | New | |
Ind. Conservative | Andrew Bannon | 357 | 0.7 | New | |
Sack Graham Taylor | Peter G. Newman | 80 | 0.2 | New | |
Buy the Daily Sport | Tara Bardot-Jackson | 67 | 0.1 | New | |
Save the National Health Service | Peter A. Hollyman | 60 | 0.1 | New | |
Highlander IV Wednesday Promotion | John P. Crockard | 48 | 0.1 | New | |
Natural Law | Mark Griffiths | 45 | 0.1 | −0.3 | |
Ian For King | Mark Belcher | 23 | 0.0 | New | |
Alfred The Chicken | Karl Fitzhugh | 18 | 0.0 | New | |
Rainbow Alliance | John R. Walley | 16 | 0.0 | New | |
Majority | 16,427 | 30.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 53,350 | 74.2 | -6.5 | ||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +35.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Adley | 36,627 | 63.5 | −2.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dennis Bussey | 13,612 | 23.6 | −0.9 | |
Labour | Alan Lloyd | 6,997 | 12.1 | +2.5 | |
Natural Law | James Barratt | 243 | 0.4 | New | |
Chauvinist Raving Alliance | Adrian Wareham | 175 | 0.3 | New | |
Majority | 23,015 | 39.9 | −1.5 | ||
Turnout | 57,654 | 80.7 | +4.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Adley | 35,656 | 65.9 | −1.2 | |
SDP | Hilary McKenzie | 13,282 | 24.5 | −0.8 | |
Labour | Caralyn Longhurst | 5,174 | 9.6 | +2.0 | |
Majority | 22,374 | 41.4 | -0.4 | ||
Turnout | 54,112 | 76.3 | +4.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -1.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Adley | 31,722 | 67.1 | ||
SDP | Stephen Alexander | 11,984 | 25.3 | ||
Labour | John Mitchell | 3,590 | 7.6 | ||
Majority | 19,738 | 41.8 | |||
Turnout | 47,296 | 72.2 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Edmund Haviland-Burke | 609 | 52.1 | +11.7 | |
Conservative | Henry Drummond Wolff | 560 | 47.9 | −11.7 | |
Majority | 49 | 4.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,169 | 88.0 | +3.5 | ||
Registered electors | 1,329 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +11.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Henry Drummond Wolff | 978 | 61.7 | +13.8 | |
Liberal | Clement Milward | 607 | 38.3 | −13.8 | |
Majority | 371 | 23.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,585 | 86.6 | −1.4 | ||
Registered electors | 1,831 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +13.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Horace Davey | 1,185 | 51.5 | +13.2 | |
Conservative | John Edwards-Moss | 1,117 | 48.5 | −13.2 | |
Majority | 68 | 3.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 2,302 | 90.1 | +3.5 | ||
Registered electors | 2,555 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Young | 2,184 | 52.1 | +3.6 | |
Liberal | Horace Davey | 2,006 | 47.9 | −3.6 | |
Majority | 178 | 4.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 4,190 | 90.6 | +0.5 | ||
Registered electors | 4,626 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Young | 2,072 | 53.1 | +1.0 | |
Liberal | Alpheus Morton | 1,833 | 46.9 | -1.0 | |
Majority | 239 | 6.2 | +2.0 | ||
Turnout | 3,905 | 84.4 | -6.2 | ||
Registered electors | 4,626 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Abel Henry Smith | 2,803 | 51.9 | −1.2 | |
Liberal | Banister Fletcher | 2,600 | 48.1 | +1.2 | |
Majority | 203 | 3.8 | −2.4 | ||
Turnout | 5,403 | 85.8 | +1.4 | ||
Registered electors | 6,294 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Abel Henry Smith | 3,198 | 50.7 | −1.2 | |
Liberal | Thomas Brassey | 3,114 | 49.3 | +1.2 | |
Majority | 84 | 1.4 | −2.4 | ||
Turnout | 6,312 | 84.4 | −1.4 | ||
Registered electors | 7,477 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Kenneth Balfour | 3,407 | 50.1 | −0.6 | |
Liberal | Thomas Brassey | 3,399 | 49.9 | +0.6 | |
Majority | 8 | 0.2 | −1.2 | ||
Turnout | 6,806 | 83.9 | −0.5 | ||
Registered electors | 8,116 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.6 |
The original tally for the 1906 election had Balfour with 3,411 votes and Brassey with 3,408 votes. However, a recount resulted in the increased majority for Balfour.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Acland Allen | 4,634 | 53.3 | +3.4 | |
Conservative | Kenneth Balfour | 4,067 | 46.7 | −3.4 | |
Majority | 567 | 6.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,701 | 91.3 | +7.4 | ||
Registered electors | 9,530 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Henry Croft | 5,538 | 53.5 | +6.8 | |
Liberal | Arthur Acland Allen | 4,807 | 46.5 | −6.8 | |
Majority | 731 | 7.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 10,345 | 94.1 | +2.8 | ||
Registered electors | 10,991 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Henry Croft | 5,275 | 53.3 | −0.2 | |
Liberal | Frederick Verney | 4,619 | 46.7 | +0.2 | |
Majority | 656 | 6.6 | −0.4 | ||
Turnout | 9,894 | 90.0 | −4.1 | ||
Registered electors | 10,991 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.2 |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | George Tapps | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 206 | ||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Tapps | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 354 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Henry Rose | 116 | 52.3 | N/A | |
Whig | William Gordon Cameron | 106 | 47.7 | New | |
Majority | 10 | 4.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 222 | 81.9 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 271 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Henry Rose | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 300 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Rose resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Harris | 180 | 68.2 | N/A | |
Whig | William Tice | 84 | 31.8 | New | |
Majority | 96 | 36.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 264 | 79.8 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 331 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Harris | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 301 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Edward Walcott | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 313 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Edward Walcott | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 328 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Edward Walcott | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 339 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Edward Walcott | 211 | 59.6 | N/A | |
Liberal | Edmund Haviland-Burke | 143 | 40.4 | New | |
Majority | 68 | 19.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 354 | 84.5 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 419 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | George Henry Rose | Unopposed | |||
Tory | George Pitt Rose | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 36 | ||||
Tory hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | George Henry Rose | Unopposed | |||
Tory | George Pitt Rose | Unopposed | |||
Tory hold | |||||
Tory hold |
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