Epsom and Ewell (UK Parliament constituency)

Epsom and Ewell
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Epsom and Ewell in South East England
CountySurrey
Electorate76,844 (2023)[1]
BoroughEpsom and Ewell
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentHelen Maguire (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromEpsom

Epsom and Ewell is a constituency[n 1] in Surrey represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Helen Maguire, a Liberal Democrat.[n 2]

History

The seat has existed since the February 1974 general election, forming the centre of the previous Epsom constituency. Epsom had been held by a Conservative since its creation in the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and the new seat continued to elect Conservative MPs with sizable majorities.

Chris Grayling was first elected in 2001; he went on to serve in the cabinets of the Cameron and May governments from 2010 to 2019. Grayling stood down for the 2024 general election, when Helen Maguire of the Liberal Democrats took the seat for the first time on a swing of 18%.

In Westminster elections, it was, until 2024, one of the strongest Conservative areas in the country. Locally, however, the majority area council (Epsom and Ewell Borough Council) is controlled by the local Residents' Association. Conservatives regularly run the two slightly included neighbouring councils and until recently the party rarely contested the main borough's elections. One ward in Epsom, Court, is quite strongly Labour, and several Residents Association councillors have sided against Conservative-run Reigate and Banstead council which is also electorally diverse.

In 1987, Barbara Follett, later Member of Parliament for Stevenage, unsuccessfully stood for the Labour Party in the constituency.

Boundaries

Historic

Map
Map of boundaries 2010–2024

Before 1997 Epsom and Ewell excluded Ashtead but instead included Banstead from Reigate and Banstead. As the borough of Epsom and Ewell is small and includes relatively sparsely populated areas such as Epsom Downs, the constituency has consistently also included areas of neighbouring Surrey districts.[2]

1974–1983: The Municipal Borough of Epsom and Ewell, and the Urban District of Leatherhead.

1983–1997: The Borough of Epsom and Ewell, and the Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Banstead Village, Nork, Preston, and Tattenhams.

1997–2010: The Borough of Epsom and Ewell, the District of Mole Valley wards of Ashtead Common, Ashtead Park, and Ashtead Village, and the Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Nork, Preston, and Tattenhams.

2010–2024: The Borough of Epsom and Ewell, the District of Mole Valley wards of Ashtead Common, Ashtead Park, and Ashtead Village, and the Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Nork and Tattenhams.

The boundary with Mole Valley moved slightly the uninhabited portions of land by the M25 motorway adjoining Ashtead and Leatherhead, in line with local government wards. The Preston ward of Reigate & Banstead (in Tadworth) was transferred to Reigate.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

  • The Borough of Epsom and Ewell.
  • The District of Mole Valley wards of: Ashtead Common; Ashtead Park; Ashtead Village; Leatherhead North; Leatherhead South.[3]

Following a local government boundary review in Mole Valley[4][5] which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

  • The Borough of Epsom and Ewell.
  • The District of Mole Valley wards of Ashtead Lanes & Common, Ashtead Park, Leatherhead North, and Leatherhead South.[6]

The electorate was reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring the parts in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead to Reigate. To partly compensate, Leatherhead was transferred from the abolished constituency of Mole Valley (its main successor being Dorking and Horley).

Members of Parliament

Election Member[7] Party
Feb 1974 Peter Rawlinson Conservative
1978 by-election Sir Archie Hamilton Conservative
2001 Chris Grayling Conservative
2024 Helen Maguire Liberal Democrats

Elections

Epsom (−1970) and Epsom & Ewell (1974–2024) election results

Elections in the 2020s

2024 general election: Epsom and Ewell[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Helen Maguire 20,674 37.9 +13.7
Conservative Mhairi Fraser 16,988 31.2 −22.4
Labour Mark Todd 8,325 15.3 −1.5
Reform UK Mayuran Senthilnathan 5,795 10.6 N/A
Green Stephen McKenna 1,745 3.2 −0.1
True & Fair Gina Miller 845 1.6 N/A
SDP Damon Young 153 0.3 N/A
Majority 3,686 6.7 N/A
Turnout 54,525 70.3 −4.4
Registered electors 77,530
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +18.1

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[10]
Party Vote %
Conservative 30,752 53.6
Liberal Democrats 13,896 24.2
Labour 9,653 16.8
Green 1,896 3.3
Others 1,200 2.1
Turnout 57,397 74.7
Electorate 76,844
2019 general election: Epsom and Ewell[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 31,819 53.5 −6.1
Liberal Democrats Stephen Gee 13,946 23.5 +11.0
Labour Ed Mayne 10,226 17.2 −7.8
Green Janice Baker 2,047 3.4 +0.5
Independent Clive Woodbridge 1,413 2.4 New
Majority 17,873 30.0 −4.6
Turnout 59,451 73.3 −0.8
Conservative hold Swing −8.5
2017 general election: Epsom and Ewell[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 35,313 59.6 +1.3
Labour Ed Mayne 14,838 25.0 +9.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Gee 7,401 12.5 +3.7
Green Janice Baker 1,714 2.9 −0.8
Majority 20,475 34.6 −8.2
Turnout 59,468 74.1 +1.4
Conservative hold Swing −4.1
2015 general election: Epsom and Ewell[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 33,309 58.3 +2.1
Labour Sheila Carlson 8,866 15.5 +3.6
UKIP Robert Leach 7,117 12.5 +7.9
Liberal Democrats Stephen Gee 5,002 8.8 −18.0
Green Susan McGrath 2,116 3.7 New
Independent Lionel Blackman 612 1.1 New
Independent Gareth Harfoot 121 0.2 New
Majority 24,443 42.8 +13.4
Turnout 57,143 72.7 +2.3
Conservative hold Swing +4.1
2010 general election: Epsom and Ewell[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 30,868 56.2 +1.8
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Lees 14,734 26.8 +5.3
Labour Craig Montgomery 6,538 11.9 −8.1
UKIP Elizabeth Wallace 2,549 4.6 +1.1
Radical Reform Peter Ticher 266 0.5 New
Majority 16,134 29.4 −3.5
Turnout 54,955 70.4 +4.1
Conservative hold Swing −1.8

Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Epsom and Ewell[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 27,146 54.4 +6.3
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Lees 10,699 21.4 −0.7
Labour Charlie Mansell 10,265 20.6 −5.9
UKIP Peter Kefford 1,769 3.5 +0.2
Majority 16,447 33.0 +11.4
Turnout 49,879 66.1 +3.3
Conservative hold Swing +3.5
2001 general election: Epsom and Ewell[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Grayling 22,430 48.1 +2.5
Labour Charlie Mansell 12,350 26.5 +2.2
Liberal Democrats John Vincent 10,316 22.1 −0.7
UKIP Graham Webster-Gardiner 1,547 3.3 +2.3
Majority 10,080 21.6 +0.3
Turnout 46,643 62.8 −11.2
Conservative hold Swing +0.1

Elections in the 1990s

1997 general election: Epsom and Ewell[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archie Hamilton 24,717 45.6 −14.6
Labour Philip Woodford 13,192 24.3 +8.6
Liberal Democrats John Vincent 12,380 22.8 −0.7
Referendum Christopher Macdonald 2,355 4.3 New
UKIP Harold Green 544 1.0 New
Green Hugo Charlton 527 1.0 New
ProLife Alliance Katherine Weeks 466 0.9 New
Majority 11,525 21.3 −15.4
Turnout 54,181 74.0 −6.1
Conservative hold Swing
1992 general election: Epsom and Ewell[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archie Hamilton 32,861 60.2 −2.0
Liberal Democrats Martin P. Emerson 12,840 23.5 +0.3
Labour Richard A. Warren 8,577 15.7 +1.2
Natural Law GD Hatchard 334 0.6 New
Majority 20,021 36.7 −2.3
Turnout 54,612 80.1 +4.7
Conservative hold Swing −1.2

Elections in the 1980s

1987 general election: Epsom and Ewell[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archie Hamilton 33,145 62.2 +1.8
Liberal Margaret Joachim 12,384 23.2 −3.4
Labour Barbara Follett 7,751 14.6 +1.6
Majority 20,761 39.0 +5.2
Turnout 53,280 75.4 +3.4
Conservative hold Swing +2.6
1983 general election: Epsom and Ewell[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archie Hamilton 30,737 60.4
Liberal Michael Anderson 13,542 26.6
Labour William Carpenter 6,587 13.0
Majority 17,195 33.8
Turnout 50,866 72.0 −4.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

1979 general election: Epsom and Ewell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archie Hamilton 39,104 61.91 +7.85
Liberal Michael Anderson 12,746 20.18 −6.45
Labour Chris Smith 11,315 17.91 −1.40
Majority 26,358 41.73 +14.31
Turnout 63,165 76.91 +3.21
Conservative hold Swing
1978 by-election: Epsom and Ewell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archie Hamilton 28,242 63.61 +9.55
Labour Anthony Mooney 7,314 16.47 −2.84
Liberal Michael Alexander John Anderson 5,673 12.78 −13.85
Royalist Jonathan King 2,350 5.29 New
National Front James Sawyer 823 1.85 New
Majority 20,928 47.14 +19.72
Turnout 44,402
Conservative hold Swing
October 1974 general election: Epsom and Ewell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Rawlinson 32,109 54.06
Liberal David Julian Hardy Griffiths 15,819 26.63
Labour Neil Kearney 11,471 19.31
Majority 16,290 27.43
Turnout 59,399 73.70
Conservative hold Swing
February 1974 general election: Epsom and Ewell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Rawlinson 35,823 54.68 −6.73
Liberal David Julian Hardy Griffiths 18,899 28.85 +12.33
Labour Neil Kearney 10,787 16.47 −5.59
Majority 16,924 25.83 −13.52
Turnout 65,509 82.0
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A borough 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. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  2. ^ "South East | BCE Consultation Portal".
  3. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  4. ^ LGBCE. "Mole Valley | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  5. ^ "The Mole Valley (Electoral Changes) Order 2023".
  6. ^ "New Seat Details – Epsom and Ewell". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  8. ^ King, Jacqueline (7 June 2024). "Election of a Member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell Constituency" (PDF). Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via Epsom & Ewell Borough Council.
  9. ^ "Epsom and Ewell - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL – Epsom and Ewell" (PDF). epsom-ewell.gov.uk.
  12. ^ "Epsom & Ewell parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  13. ^ "Epsom & Ewell parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  14. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

51°19′N 0°17′W / 51.32°N 0.28°W / 51.32; -0.28