Wokingham (UK Parliament constituency)

Wokingham is a constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, located in the English county of Berkshire. Between the 1987 general election and the dissolution of parliament in preparation for the 2024 general election, it was represented by John Redwood, a Conservative.

Wokingham
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Wokingham in South East England
CountyBerkshire
Electorate70,235 (2023) [1]
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created1950
Member of ParliamentTBC
SeatsOne
Created from
1885–1918
Type of constituencyCounty constituency
Created fromBerkshire
Replaced by

Constituency profile

The seat covers the prosperous town of Wokingham, the southern suburbs of Reading, and a rural area to the west. Residents are significantly wealthier than the UK average, reflected in high property prices.[2]

History

Originally, Wokingham was part of a larger constituency of Berkshire, which returned two Members of Parliament (MPs), increased to three in the Reform Act of 1832. In the Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885 Berkshire was divided into three county constituencies, Northern (Abingdon), Southern (Newbury), and Eastern (Wokingham), and two borough constituencies, Reading and New Windsor, each returning one member. The constituency was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918 being largely replaced by the newly created Windsor Division, with the town of Wokingham itself being added to the Newbury Division.

The second version of the seat was created for the 1950 general election. From 1983, its borders have gradually been moved westwards as new constituencies were created in the east of the county.

The constituency has been represented since 1987 by the high-profile Conservative John Redwood, having continuously elected Conservative MPs with comfortable majorities throughout its history. However, in 2019, the majority was drastically reduced to 11.9% from 31.5% in 2017 (and 43.2% in 2015) when Redwood was challenged by the Liberal Democrat candidate, Philip Lee, who had been the Conservative MP for the neighbouring constituency of Bracknell.

In December 2023, the Labour Party included the seat in its published list of 211 non-battleground seats, suggesting they did not see it as winnable. On 24 May 2024, two days after announcement of the date of the 2024 UK general election, and just 40 days before the actual date, John Redwood announced he would be not be standing again, saying that he had ‘other things I wish to do’.[3][4]

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918
  • The Sessional Divisions of Maidenhead and Windsor;
  • Part of the Sessional Division of Wokingham; and
  • In the Sessional Division of Reading, the parishes of East Swallowfield and West Swallowfield.[5]

1950–1955
  • The Borough of Wokingham; and
  • The Rural Districts of Easthampstead and Wokingham.[6]

1955–1974
  • The Borough of Wokingham;
  • The Rural Districts of Easthampstead and Wokingham; and
  • The East ward of the County Borough of Reading.[6]

The East ward of Reading was transferred from the abolished constituency of Reading South. From the 1964 general election, the Park ward replaced the East ward following a revision to the local authority wards.[6]

1974–1983
  • The Borough of Wokingham;
  • The Rural District of Easthampstead; and
  • The Rural District of Wokingham parishes of Remenham, Ruscombe, St Nicholas Hurst, Twyford, Wargrave, and Wokingham Without.[7]

The Park ward of the County Borough of Reading was transferred to the re-established constituency of Reading South, along with western parts of the Rural District of Wokingham.

1983–1997
  • The District of Wokingham wards of Bulmershe, California, Charvil, Coronation, Emmbrook, Evendons, Hurst, Little Hungerford, Loddon, Norreys, Redhatch, Remenham and Wargrave, St Sebastian's, Sonning, South Lake, Twyford and Ruscombe, Wescott, Whitegates, and Winnersh.[8]

The seat regained north-western parts of Reading South (abolished once again). Eastern areas, comprising the District of Bracknell (formerly the Rural District of Easthampstead) formed the bulk of the new constituency of East Berkshire.

1997–2010
  • The District of Wokingham wards of Arborfield, Barkham, Emmbrook, Evendons, Little Hungerford, Norreys, Redhatch, Shinfield, Swallowfield, Wescott, and Winnersh; and
  • The District of Newbury wards of Burghfield and Mortimer.[9]

The boundaries moved westwards, gaining parts of Reading East (including Shinfield) and Newbury. The seat lost northern areas to Reading East and the new constituency of Maidenhead, as well as the ward of Wokingham Without in the south to the new constituency of Bracknell.

2010–2024
  • The District of Wokingham wards of Arborfield, Barkham, Emmbrook, Evendons, Hawkedon, Hillside, Maiden Erlegh, Norreys, Shinfield North, Shinfield South, Swallowfield, Wescott, and Winnersh; and
  • The District of West Berkshire wards of Burghfield, Mortimer, and Sulhamstead.[10]

This change saw a further minor gain from Newbury.

The seat is currently centred on the southern part of Wokingham district, including a small part of the east of West Berkshire. It is in the South East region of England.

The neighbouring constituencies (clockwise from north) are: Reading West, Reading East, Maidenhead, Bracknell, North East Hampshire, Basingstoke, North West Hampshire and Newbury.

2024-present

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The Borough of Wokingham wards of: Arborfield; Barkham; Charvil; Emmbrook; Evendons; Finchampstead North; Finchampstead South; Hurst; Norreys; Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe; Swallowfield; Twyford; Wescott; Winnersh; Wokingham Without.[11]

The seat will undergo major changes, with about half the electorate being transferred out - the parts in the District of West Berkshire to the newly named constituency of Reading West and Mid Berkshire; and north-western parts of the District of Wokingham, including Earley and Shinfield, to the newly created constituency of Earley and Woodley. To compensate, the boundaries will be extended southwards to include the Wokingham Without ward and the community of Finchampstead, transferred from Bracknell; and northwards to include the parts of Wokingham Borough currently in Maidenhead, including Twyford.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1918
ElectionMember[12] Party
1885 Sir George Russell, Bt.Conservative
1898 by-election Oliver YoungConservative
1901 by-election Ernest GardnerConservative
1918 Constituency abolished

MPs since 1950
ElectionMember[12] Party
1950 Peter RemnantConservative
1959 Sir William van StraubenzeeConservative
1987 Sir John RedwoodConservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s
General election 2024: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Merv Boniface[13]
Conservative Lucy Demery[14]
Labour Monica Hamidi[15]
Liberal Democrats Clive Jones[16]
Reform UK Colin Wright[17]
Majority
Turnout
Registered electors
Swing

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Wokingham[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 30,734 49.6 −7.0
Liberal Democrats Phillip Lee 23,351 37.7 +21.8
Labour Annette Medhurst 6,450 10.4 −14.7
Green Kizzi Johannessen 1,382 2.2 −0.1
Advance Annabel Mullin 80 0.1 New
Majority 7,383 11.9 −19.6
Turnout 61,997 73.8 −1.6
Conservative hold Swing −14.4
General election 2017: Wokingham[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 33,806 56.6 −1.1
Labour Andy Croy 15,008 25.1 +10.6
Liberal Democrats Clive Jones 9,512 15.9 +2.4
Green Russell Seymour 1,364 2.3 −1.4
Majority 18,798 31.5 −11.7
Turnout 59,690 75.1 +3.2
Conservative hold Swing −5.85
General election 2015: Wokingham[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 32,329 57.7 +5.0
Labour Andy Croy 8,132 14.5 +4.4
Liberal Democrats Clive Jones 7,572 13.5 −14.5
UKIP Philip Cunnington[22] 5,516 9.9 +6.8
Green Adrian Windisch 2,092 3.7 +2.7
Independent Kaz Lokuciewski 358 0.6 New
Majority 24,197 43.2 +19.5
Turnout 55,999 71.9 +0.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.3
General election 2010: Wokingham[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 28,754 52.7 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Prue Bray 15,262 28.0 −4.7
Labour George Davidson 5,516 10.1 −4.9
Independent Mark Ashwell 2,340 4.3 New
UKIP Ann Zebedee 1,664 3.1 +0.9
Green Marjory Bisset 567 1.0 New
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen 329 0.6 −0.6
Independent Robin Smith 96 0.2 New
Majority 13,492 24.7 +9.0
Turnout 54,528 71.5 +4.4
Conservative hold Swing +4.7

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Wokingham[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 22,174 48.1 +2.0
Liberal Democrats Prue Bray 14,934 32.4 0.0
Labour David Black 6,991 15.2 −2.2
UKIP Frank Carstairs 994 2.2 +0.2
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen 569 1.2 −0.8
BNP Richard Colborne 376 0.8 New
Telepathic Partnership Michael Hall 34 0.1 New
Majority 7,240 15.7 +2.0
Turnout 46,072 67.1 +3.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.0
General election 2001: Wokingham[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 20,216 46.1 −4.0
Liberal Democrats Royce Longton 14,222 32.4 +1.0
Labour Matthew Syed 7,633 17.4 +0.6
UKIP Franklin Carstairs 897 2.0 New
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen 880 2.0 +0.2
Majority 5,994 13.7 -5.0
Turnout 43,848 64.1 −11.0
Conservative hold Swing -2.6

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Wokingham[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 25,086 50.1 -11.7
Liberal Democrats Royce Longton 15,721 31.4 +5.7
Labour Patricia Colling 8,424 16.8 +5.5
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen 877 1.8 +1.1
Majority 9,365 18.7 -17.6
Turnout 50,108 75.0 -6.8
Conservative hold Swing -8.7
General election 1992: Wokingham[28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 43,497 61.4 0.0
Liberal Democrats Paul Simon 17,788 25.1 −4.8
Labour Nelson Bland 8,846 12.5 +3.8
Monster Raving Loony Peter "Top Cat Bananaman" Owen 531 0.7 New
Independent Philip Harriss 148 0.2 New
Majority 25,709 36.3 +4.8
Turnout 70,810 81.8 +3.7
Conservative hold Swing +2.4

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Wokingham[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Redwood 39,808 61.4 +1.0
Liberal John Leston 19,421 29.9 −1.7
Labour Peter Morgan 5,622 8.7 +0.7
Majority 20,387 31.5 +2.7
Turnout 64,851 78.1 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.8
General election 1983: Wokingham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 32,925 60.4 +6.0
Liberal John Leston 17,227 31.6 +13.4
Labour Michael Orton 4,362 8.0 -18.2
Majority 15,698 28.8 +0.6
Turnout 54,514 76.0 -2.2
Conservative hold Swing -3.7

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 36,194 54.44 +11.29
Labour AE Furley 17,448 26.24 -3.06
Liberal P Mullarky 12,120 18.23 -9.32
National Front G Sanders 722 1.09 New
Majority 18,746 28.20 +14.35
Turnout 65,762 78.22 +2.62
Conservative hold Swing +7.18
General election October 1974: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 24,009 43.15 -2.01
Labour RW Crew 16,304 29.30 +2.31
Liberal T Blyth 15,329 27.55 -0.30
Majority 7,705 13.85 -3.46
Turnout 55,642 75.60 -7.24
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 27,223 45.16 -9.84
Liberal SMM Cuff 16,791 27.85 +11.67
Labour RW Crew 16,269 26.99 -1.83
Majority 10,432 17.31 -8.87
Turnout 60,283 82.84 +10.63
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 43,183 55.00 +7.11
Labour Christopher AR Helm 22,630 28.82 -5.59
Liberal Denis HV Case 12,704 16.18 -1.51
Majority 20,553 26.18 +12.70
Turnout 78,517 72.21 -7.02
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 34,011 47.89
Labour Raymond Carter 24,437 34.41
Liberal Margaret Wingfield 12,564 17.69
Majority 9,574 13.48
Turnout 71,012 79.23
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 32,777 50.23 -7.30
Labour John Ellis 17,954 27.52 -0.24
Liberal Margaret Wingfield 13,875 21.26
Ind. Conservative Charles Ford 645 0.99 New
Majority 14,823 22.71
Turnout 65,251 79.21
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William van Straubenzee 30,896 57.53 -1.99
Labour Terence Boston 14,905 27.76 -1.94
Liberal Claud William J Rout 7,899 14.71 +3.93
Majority 15,991 29.77
Turnout 53,700 79.98
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Remnant 25,843 59.52
Labour Terence Boston 12,895 29.70 -0.18
Liberal John Patrick McQuade 4,679 10.78 +1.67
Majority 12,948 29.82
Turnout 43,417 76.63
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Remnant 21,652 61.01
Labour Eric A Hubble 10,606 29.88
Liberal John Patrick McQuade 3,233 9.11
Majority 11,046 31.13
Turnout 35,491 78.45
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Wokingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Remnant 20,612 57.7
Labour Eric A Hubble 10,296 28.8
Liberal John Patrick McQuade 4,793 13.4
Majority 10,316 28.9
Turnout 35,701 81.0
Conservative win (new seat)

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1885: Wokingham[32][33][34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Russell 4,710 60.6
Liberal Edwin Lawrence 3,062 39.4
Majority 1,648 21.2
Turnout 7,772 83.9
Registered electors 9,258
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Wokingham[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Russell Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: Wokingham [32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Russell 4,986 64.6 N/A
Liberal Frederick Joseph Patton[35] 2,738 35.4 New
Majority 2,248 29.2 N/A
Turnout 7,724 76.2 N/A
Registered electors 10,142
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: Wokingham [32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Russell Unopposed
Conservative hold
By-election, 30 Mar 1898: Wokingham [32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Young 4,726 56.2 N/A
Liberal George William Palmer 3,690 43.8 New
Majority 1,036 12.4 N/A
Turnout 8,416 75.2 N/A
Registered electors 11,189
Conservative hold Swing N/A
  • Caused by Russell's death.

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Wokingham [32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Young Unopposed
Conservative hold
By-election, 1901: Wokingham [32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ernest Gardner Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1906: Wokingham [32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ernest Gardner 6,075 56.1 N/A
Liberal George Gordon 4,750 43.9 New
Majority 1,325 12.2 N/A
Turnout 10,825 83.1 N/A
Registered electors 13,033
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Wokingham [32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ernest Gardner 8,132 66.5 +10.4
Liberal Holford Knight 4,095 33.5 −10.4
Majority 4,037 33.0 +20.8
Turnout 12,227 85.3 +2.2
Registered electors 14,327
Conservative hold Swing +10.4
General election December 1910: Wokingham [32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ernest Gardner Unopposed
Conservative hold

See also

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 4 June 2024.
  2. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Wokingham
  3. Belger, Tom (8 December 2023). "Labour selections: Full list of 211 'non-battleground' seats now open to applications". labourlist.org. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  4. Penna, Dominic (24 May 2024). "John Redwood to step down as record number of Tory MPs set to quit". The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  5. Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  6. S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  11. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  12. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 5)
  13. https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/person/19401/merv-boniface
  14. "Lucy Demery selected as Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Wokingham". Wokingham Today. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  15. Wokingham Labour [@WokinghamLabour] (23 May 2024). "We are delighted to introduce our Parliamentary candidate @monhamidi…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. "Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Mark Pack. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  17. "Wokingham Constituency". Reform UK. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  18. "Statement of Persons Nominated". Wokingham Borough Council. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  19. "Statement of Persons Nominated". Wokingham Borough Council. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  20. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. "Results from previous elections - Wokingham Borough Council". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  22. "Meet the Wokingham UKIP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate - UK Independence Party". www.wokinghamukip.org.uk.
  23. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  24. "BBC News - Election 2010 - Constituency - Wokingham". bbc.co.uk.
  25. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  30. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  32. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  33. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  34. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  35. "Notices: Parliamentary Election, 1892. Eastern or Wokingham Division of the County of Berks". Reading Mercury. 20 August 1892. Retrieved 20 November 2017.

51.43°N 0.85°W / 51.43; -0.85

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