Canterbury (UK Parliament constituency) explained
| Canterbury |
| Parliament: | uk |
| Year: | 1295 |
| Type: | County |
| Population: | 109,280 (2011 census)[1] |
| Electorate: | 75,499 (2023)[2] |
| Region: | England |
| Elects Howmany: | One |
| Year2: | 1295 |
| Abolished2: | 1918 |
| Type2: | Borough |
Canterbury is a constituency in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Rosie Duffield formerly of the Labour Party and since September 2024 an Independent.
The seat dates to the earliest century of regular parliaments, in 1295; it elected two MPs until 1885, electing one thereafter, before being altered by the Representation of the People Act 1918 (the later-termed "Fourth Reform Act", the first being in 1832).
Constituency profile
The seat takes in the cathedral and university city of Canterbury, rural villages to the south, and the seaside resort of Whitstable to the north. Full time students make up around a quarter of the electorate.[3]
History
- Constitutional status of seatThe current Canterbury seat is constituted as a county constituency and was formed in 1918 from an expansion of the narrow parliamentary borough (or simply borough) of the same name that existed from 1295 to 1918. This had elected two MPs from 1295 (the Model Parliament) until 1885, and then one until 1918.
- Political historyBefore the seat was reformed the politics of the town were greatly influenced by Canterbury Cathedral and the Archbishop of Canterbury.[4]
MP representation in the constituency was suspended between 1880 and 1885, following a corruption scandal in which bribery was found to have been extensively used in the re-election of the two sitting Conservative MPs, and the result was overturned. Following the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883 and the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, representation was resumed at the 1885 general election, when the number of MPs returned was reduced from two to one. [5]
From 1835 (where a Conservative was elected on petition) until 2017, the local electorate elected mostly candidates of the Conservative Party (with the exceptions of the elections of Independent Unionist Francis Bennett-Goldney, MP from 1910 to 1918, and of a few Whigs or Liberals when Canterbury had two seats); the seat was recognised in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest uninterrupted period of one party holding a Parliamentary seat. The election of Labour's Rosie Duffield, who won the seat by just 187 votes in the 2017 election, marked the end of a 185-year period of Canterbury almost always electing Conservative-allied MPs, the longest recorded unbroken record of party representation in British political history. Her victory in this election was largely credited to the strategies of electoral strategist Jack Wilson, who at the time was the youngest senior political adviser in British history.
Duffield kept the seat at the 2019 election, increasing her majority – one of only a handful of seats to swing to Labour. At the 2024 election, her majority increased substantially following the collapse of the Conservative vote.
Boundaries
1918–1950: The County Borough of Canterbury, the Urban Districts of Herne Bay and Whitstable, the Rural Districts of Bridge and Elham, and the Rural District of Blean with the detached parts of the parishes of Dunkirk and Hernhill which were wholly surrounded by the rural district.
1950–1983: The County Borough of Canterbury, the Urban Districts of Herne Bay and Whitstable, and the Rural District of Bridge Blean.
1983–1997: The City of Canterbury wards of Barham Downs, Barton, Blean Forest, Chartham, Chestfield, Gorrell, Harbledown, Harbour, Little Stour, Marshside, Northgate, North Nailbourne, St Stephen's, Seasalter, Stone Street, Sturry North, Sturry South, Swalecliffe, Tankerton, Westgate, and Wincheap, and the Borough of Swale wards of Boughton and Courtenay.
1997–2010: as 1983 less the two Borough of Swale wards.
2010–2024: The City of Canterbury wards of Barham Downs, Barton, Blean Forest, Chartham and Stone Street, Chestfield and Swalecliffe, Gorrell, Harbledown, Harbour, Little Stour, North Nailbourne, Northgate, St Stephen's, Seasalter, Sturry North, Sturry South, Tankerton, Westgate, and Wincheap.
2024–present: The City of Canterbury wards of Barton; Blean Forest; Chartham & Stone Street; Chestfield; Gorrell; Little Stour & Adisham; Nailbourne; Northgate; St. Stephens; Seasalter; Swalecliffe; Tankerton; Westgate; and Wincheap.[6]
Electorate reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring Sturry to the new seat of Herne Bay and Sandwich.
Members of Parliament
| MPs 1295–1660 —MPs 1660–1880 —MPs 1885–1918 —MPs 1918–present —Elections —See also —Notes and references | |
MPs 1295–1660
||
Robert Alcock[11] |-|1572||
Anthony Webbe,
died
and replaced 1582 by Sir George Carey||
William Lovelace,
died
and replaced 1578 by ?[11] |-|1584||
Simon Brome||
John Rose[11] [12] |-|1586||
Simon Brome||
John Rose[11] |-|1588||
Simon Brome||
Bartholomew Brome[11] |-|1593||
Richard Lee||
Sir Henry Finch[11] |-|1597||
John Boys||
Sir Henry Finch[11] |-|1601||
John Boys||
John Rogers II[11] |-|1604||
John Boys||
Matthew Hadde|-|1614||
George Newman||
Sir William Lovelace|-|1621–1622||
John Finch|| Sir Robert Newington|-|1624||
Thomas Scot|| Thomas Denn|-|1625|| John Fisher|| Sir Thomas Wilsford |-|1626||
Sir John Finch||
James Palmer|-|1628–1629||
Sir John Finch||
Thomas Scott|-|1629–1640|| colspan = "2"|
No Parliaments summoned|- |1640 (April)||
Edward Masters||
John Nutt |- |1640 (November)||
Sir Edward Masters||
John Nutt|-|1645||
Sir Edward Masters||
John Nutt|-|1648||
Sir Edward Masters||
John Nutt|-|1653|| colspan = "2"|
Canterbury not represented in Barebones Parliament|-|1654||
Thomas Scot|| Francis Butcher|-|1656|| Thomas St Nicholas||
Vincent Denne|-|1659|| Thomas St Nicholas|| Robert Gibbon |-|1659||
Sir Edward Masters||
John Nutt |}
MPs 1660–1880
MPs 1885–1918
- Constituency representation restored and reduced to one (1885)
Canterbury county constituency
MPs 1918–present
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
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;
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1880s
After findings of corruption, the writ for Canterbury was suspended and the election result voided. The constituency was reconstituted in 1885.
Elections in the 1870s
Butler-Johnstone resigned, causing a by-election.
Majendie resigned, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s
Johnstone resigned, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1850s
Denison was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Londesborough, and causing a by-election.
- Smythe retired before polling.[33] The election was declared void on petition, due to bribery, and the writ suspended on 21 February 1853.[34] A by-election was called to replace both MPs in August 1854.
Elections in the 1840s
- Caused by Bradshaw's death
- Caused by Denison's resignation
Elections in the 1830s
- On petition, Villiers was declared unduly elected and Lushington declared elected.
See also
Sources
- Book: The Times House of Commons 1929, 1931, 1935 . Politico's (reprint) . 2003 . . 1-84275-033-X .
- Book: The Times House of Commons 1945 . 1945 .
- Book: The Times House of Commons 1950 . 1950 .
- Book: The Times House of Commons 1955 . 1955 .
External links
51.3°N 4°W
Notes and References
- Web site: Canterbury: Usual Resident Population, 2011 . Neighbourhood Statistics . Office for National Statistics . 16 February 2015.
- Web site: The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East . Boundary Commission for England . 24 June 2024 . dmy .
- UK Polling Report http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/canterbury/
- Pages 99 to 102,Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
- News: West . Richard . The election scandal that rocked city . Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District . 2019-12-05 . 2024-07-06 .
- Web site: The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023 . Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
- Web site: History of Parliament 1386–1421. History of Parliament. 16 November 2011.
- History of Parliament
- Book: P. R. Cavill. The English Parliaments of Henry VII 1485–1504. 2009. OUP Oxford. 978-0-19-161026-4. 164.
- Web site: History of Parliament 1509–1558. History of Parliament. 16 November 2011.
- Web site: History of Parliament 1558–1603. History of Parliament. 16 November 2011.
- Browne Willis
- Sir William Hardres was re-elected in 1734, but the result was overturned on petition and his seat awarded in 1735 to Sir Thomas Hales
- Book: Stooks Smith
, Henry.
. Craig, FWS . The Parliaments of England . 1844–1850 . 2nd . 1973 . Parliamentary Research Services . Chichester . 0-900178-13-2 . 158–160 .
- Boase. George Clement. Denison, Albert. 52.
- Book: Mosse. Richard Bartholomew. The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. 1838. 156.
- News: The Elections. West Kent Guardian. 31 July 1847. 4. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
- News: Important Notice. Kentish Gazette. 3 August 1847. 2. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
- A petition was lodged against the 1837 result, but withdrawn
- A petition was lodged against the result of the by-election in February 1841, but it was dismissed
- News: The Nomination. Bell's Weekly Messenger. 26 February 1859. 6. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
- News: County Intelligence. Dover Express. 19 February 1859. 4. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
- News: Latest Intelligence. Worcestershire Chronicle. 6 March 1850. 8. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
- News: England and Wales. The Spectator. 14 March 1857. 9.
- News: Election News. Perthshire Advertiser. 17 August 1854. 2. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
- Sir William Somerville was known from 1863 as The Lord Athlumney
- News: Election Intelligence. Norfolk Chronicle. 19 August 1854. 2. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
- Somerville, William Meredyth. le Grys Norgate. Gerald. 53.
- A petition was lodged against the 1865 result, but withdrawn
- Web site: Canterbury 1660-. Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 2 February 2015.
- Web site: Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019 . 11 July 2024 . Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News . UK Parliament.
- Standard 21 May 1914
- News: The General Election. The Spectator. 10 July 1852. 2.
- News: Imperial Parliament. Leeds Times. 26 February 1853. 8. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
