Arundel and South Downs (UK Parliament constituency)

Not to be confused with South Down (UK Parliament constituency) or Electoral district of Southern Downs.

Arundel and South Downs
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Arundel and South Downs in South East England
CountyWest Sussex
Population97,267 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate76,974 (2023)[2]
Major settlementsArundel, Midhurst, Petworth, Pulborough, Steyning and Storrington
Current constituency
Created1997
Member of ParliamentAndrew Griffith (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromArundel and Horsham

Arundel and South Downs (/ˈærʊndəl/) is a constituency[n 1] in West Sussex created in 1997 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Andrew Griffith, a Conservative, since 2019.[n 2]

Constituency profile

This is a mostly rural constituency including the town of Arundel and small towns and villages within the South Downs national park boundaries or encircled by the park, the largest of which are Midhurst, Petworth, Pulborough, Steyning and Storrington. Residents' incomes and house prices are significantly wealthier than the UK averages.[3]

Boundaries

1997–2010: Following their review of parliamentary boundaries in West Sussex which Parliament approved in 1995, the Boundary Commission for England formed new constituencies. As created in 1997, the seat was constituted as follows:

  • The following wards of the District of Arun, namely, Aldingbourne, Angmering, Arundel, Barnham, Findon and Walberton;
  • The Bury ward of the District of Chichester;
  • The following wards of the District of Horsham, namely, Bramber and Upper Beeding, Chanctonbury, Henfield, Pulborough, Steyning, Storrington, Sullington, West Chiltington and West Grinstead; and
  • The Bolney, Clayton, Hurstpierpoint and Keymer wards of the District of Mid Sussex.[4]

In their recommendations, the Boundary Commission for England mooted the name Chanctonbury after uninhabited Chanctonbury Ring, an ancient hill fort at its centre. This name was rejected during the local inquiry process at which the current name was chosen.[5]

Map
Map of boundaries 2010–2024

2010–2024: Following their review of parliamentary boundaries in West Sussex which Parliament approved in 2007, the Boundary Commission for England recommended the constituency be composed of:

2024–present: Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into force for the 2024 general election, the constituency is currently composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The District of Arun wards of: Arundel & Walberton; Barnham; Felpham East (polling district BHOE).
  • The District of Chichester wards of: Easebourne; Fernhurst; Fittleworth; Goodwood (polling districts GWBX, GWEA, GWED, GWSI and GWUP); Harting; Loxwood; Midhurst; Petworth.
  • The District of Horsham wards of: Bramber, Upper Beeding & Woodmancote; Henfield; Pulborough, Coldwaltham & Amberley; Steyning & Ashurst; Storrington & Washington; West Chiltington, Thakeham & Ashington.[6]

The electorate was reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring out the two District of Mid Sussex wards and the Horsham District ward of Cowfold, Shermanbury & West Grinstead to their respectively-named constituencies; the District of Arun ward of Angmering & Findon was transferred to Worthing West. To partly compensate, the constituency was extended further northwards and westwards into the constituency/District of Chichester, gaining the town of Midhurst.

History

Results and EU referendum stance

The constituency has strong conservative tendencies. The 2024 result saw the eight consecutive victory for the Conservative Party; all wards, with the exception of Harting, voted for the Conservative candidate. [7]

Second-place runners-up have been, listed in order, four times a Liberal Democrat, once the UKIP candidate and once the Labour candidate. In line with regional trends, the highest percentage of the vote among these was the Liberal Democrat in 2010, with 27.9% of the vote.

In June 2016, an estimated 50.3% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum chose to remain in the European Union instead of to leave. This was defied in two January 2018 votes in Parliament by its MP, in line with his governing party's promise to adhere to the overall result of that referendum.[8]

The 2015-2017 status was as the 8th safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.

De-selection of incumbent seeking re-election in 2005

The incumbent Howard Flight MP had national media coverage in the run-up to the 2005 general election due to his deselection requested by the party leader for membership of Conservative Way Forward, lobbying for spending cuts to be more severe than set out in the small cuts in the 2005 manifesto. Flight hinted his preferred cuts would be as implemented by a Conservative government in his view. He had represented the constituency since its creation at the 1997 general election. Anne Marie Morris, Laura Sandys and Nick Herbert put themselves forward for nomination as replacement candidates. The chosen candidate, Nick Herbert, won the seat at the election.[9] Morris and Sandys became MPs elsewhere in 2010.

Predecessor seats

The seat and its predecessors have in the 20th century been a Conservative Party stronghold save that the minor contributory Horsham seat to the area's electorate saw victory by 8.6% of the vote over the Labour Party in 1966, followed statistically by a next-most-marginal victory again with the Labour Party as runner-up, in 1950, of 14.4%.

Between 1974 and 1983, much of the South Downs area was part of the Shoreham constituency, with the town of Arundel remaining in the Arundel constituency.

Prior to 1974, the seat was largely part of the Arundel and Shoreham constituency.

Members of Parliament

Arundel and Horsham prior to 1997

Election Member[10] Party
1997 Howard Flight Conservative
2005 Nick Herbert Conservative
2019 Andrew Griffith Conservative

Elections

Arundel and South Downs election results

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Arundel and South Downs[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Griffith[13] 22,001 40.2 Decrease 20.2
Liberal Democrats Richard Allen[14] 9,867 18.0 Decrease 1.0
Labour Chris Philipsborn[15] 9,782 17.9 Increase 2.2
Reform UK David Thomas[16] 7,391 13.5 N/A
Green Steve McAuliff[17] 5,515 10.1 Increase 6.1
SDP Mike Smith[18] 184 0.3 N/A
Majority 12,134 22.2 Decrease 19.3
Turnout 54,740 70.5 Decrease 5.0
Registered electors 77,969
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 9.6

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[19]
Party Vote %
Conservative 35,117 60.4
Liberal Democrats 11,012 19.0
Labour 9,108 15.7
Green 2,312 4.0
Others 556 1.0
Turnout 58,105 75.5
Electorate 76,974
General election 2019: Arundel and South Downs[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Griffith 35,566 57.9 Decrease 4.5
Liberal Democrats Alison Bennett 13,045 21.2 Increase 13.3
Labour Bella Sankey 9,722 15.8 Decrease 6.9
Green Isabel Thurston 2,519 4.1 Decrease 0.1
Independent Robert Wheal 556 0.9 New
Majority 22,521 36.7 Decrease 3.0
Turnout 61,408 75.1 Decrease 0.7
Registered electors 81,726
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 8.9
General election 2017: Arundel and South Downs
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nick Herbert 37,573 62.4 Increase 1.6
Labour Caroline Fife 13,690 22.7 Increase 11.5
Liberal Democrats Shweta Kapadia 4,783 7.9 Increase 0.7
Green Jo Prior 2,542 4.2 Decrease 2.2
UKIP John Wallace 1,668 2.8 Decrease 11.6
Majority 23,883 39.7 Decrease 6.7
Turnout 60,256 75.8 Increase 2.7
Registered electors 79,478
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 5.0
General election 2015: Arundel and South Downs[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nick Herbert 34,331 60.8 Increase 3.0
UKIP Peter Grace 8,154 14.4 Increase 8.7
Labour Christopher Wellbelove 6,324 11.2 Increase 2.6
Liberal Democrats Shweta Kapadia 4,062 7.2 Decrease 20.7
Green Isabel Thurston 3,606 6.4 New
Majority 26,177 46.4 Increase 16.5
Turnout 56,477 73.1 Increase 0.9
Registered electors 77,242
Conservative hold Swing Increase 2.9
General election 2010: Arundel and South Downs[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nick Herbert 32,333 57.8 Increase 8.0
Liberal Democrats Derek Deedman 15,642 27.9 Increase 0.8
Labour Tim Lunnon 4,835 8.6 Decrease 8.5
UKIP Stuart Bower 3,172 5.7 Increase 0.3
Majority 16,691 29.9 Increase 8.2
Turnout 55,982 72.2 Increase 3.7
Registered electors 76,835
Conservative hold Swing Increase 3.6

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Arundel and South Downs[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nick Herbert 24,752 49.8 Decrease 2.4
Liberal Democrats Derek Deedman 13,443 27.1 Increase 4.7
Labour Elizabeth Whitlam 8,482 17.1 Decrease 3.6
UKIP Andrew Moffat 2,700 5.4 Increase 0.7
Protest Vote Party Mark Stack 313 0.6 New
Majority 11,309 22.7 Decrease 6.9
Turnout 49,690 68.5 Increase 3.8
Registered electors 72,535
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 3.5
General election 2001: Arundel and South Downs[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Howard Flight 23,969 52.2 Decrease 0.9
Liberal Democrats Derek R. Deedman 10,265 22.4 Decrease 3.3
Labour Charles S. Taylor 9,488 20.7 Increase 2.4
UKIP Robert Perrin 2,167 4.7 Increase 1.8
Majority 13,704 29.8 Increase 2.4
Turnout 45,889 64.7 Decrease 10.8
Registered electors 70,956
Conservative hold Swing Increase 1.3

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Arundel and South Downs[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Howard Flight 27,251 53.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Goss 13,216 25.7 N/A
Labour Richard Black 9,376 18.3 N/A
UKIP James Herbert 1,494 2.9 N/A
Majority 14,035 27.4 N/A
Turnout 51,337 75.5 N/A
Registered electors 68,010
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

  1. ^ "Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Seat Details - Arundel and South Downs". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995".
  5. ^ Boundary Commission for England, fourth periodic report, 1995
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  7. ^ "Seat Details - Arundel and South Downs". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Lord Herbert of South Downs, former MP".
  9. ^ "BBC NEWS - UK - Politics - Tory shortlist to replace Flight". newsrss.bbc.co.uk. 4 April 2005.
  10. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 3)
  11. ^ https://www.horsham.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/136394/Statement-of-Persons-Nominated,-Notice-of-Poll-and-Situation-of-Polling-Stations-Arundel-and-South-Downs.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  12. ^ "Arundel and South Downs - General election results 2024". BBC News.
  13. ^ "Andrew Griffith on X". Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Mark Pack. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Parliamentary candidate for Arundel & South Downs announced". 13 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Arundel and South Downs Constituency". Reform UK. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Instagram".
  18. ^ "General Election Candidates". Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  20. ^ "General election 2019" (PDF). beta.horsham.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2019.
  21. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

50°55′41″N 0°27′18″W / 50.928°N 0.455°W / 50.928; -0.455