Epsom and Ewell (UK Parliament constituency)
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox UK constituency main Epsom and Ewell is a constituency<ref group="n">A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)</ref> in Surrey represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Helen Maguire, a Liberal Democrat.<ref group="n">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.</ref>
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 took the seat for the Liberal Democrats 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
Template:Maplink 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Following a local government boundary review in Mole Valley<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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<ref>Template:Rayment-hc</ref> | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | Feb 1974 | Peter Rawlinson | Conservative |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 1978 by-election | Sir Archie Hamilton | Conservative |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 2001 | Chris Grayling | Conservative |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 2024 | Helen Maguire | Liberal Democrats |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
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Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Template:Party color cell | Conservative | 30,752 | 53.6 |
| Template:Party color cell | Liberal Democrats | 13,896 | 24.2 |
| Template:Party color cell | Labour | 9,653 | 16.8 |
| Template:Party color cell | Green | 1,896 | 3.3 |
| Template:Party color cell | Others | 1,200 | 2.1 |
| Turnout | 57,397 | 74.7 | |
| Electorate | 76,844 | ||
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Elections in the 2000s
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Elections in the 1990s
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Elections in the 1980s
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Elections in the 1970s
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See also
- List of parliamentary constituencies in Surrey
- List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)
Notes
References
Sources
- Election result, 2015 (BBC)
- Election result, 2010 (BBC)
- Election result, 2005 (BBC)
- Election results, 1997 – 2001 (BBC)
- Election results, 1997 – 2001 (Election Demon)
- Election results, 1983 – 1992 Template:Webarchive (Election Demon)
External links
- Epsom and Ewell UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
- Epsom and Ewell UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Epsom and Ewell UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK
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