Hemel Hempstead (UK Parliament constituency)

Constituency profile

In its current form (post-2024 boundary changes), the seat covers the new town of Hemel Hempstead which is a significant employment centre, as well as a rural area of the Chilterns to the south-west, including the villages of Bovingdon and Flaunden. Residents are slightly wealthier than the UK average.

History

The constituency was established as a Division of Hertfordshire by the Representation of the People Act 1918, largely created from the northern half of the Watford Division, including Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring. It also included north-western part of the St Albans Division, around Harpenden.

Harpenden was transferred back to St Albans in 1974 and the constituency was temporarily abolished from 1983 to 1997 during which time it was replaced by West Hertfordshire.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1918–1950

• The Municipal Borough of Hemel Hempstead;
• The Urban Districts of Berkhamsted, Harpenden, and Tring;
• The Rural Districts of Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead;
• The Rural District of St Albans parishes of Harpenden Rural, Redbourn, and Wheathampstead; and
• The Rural District of Watford parishes of Abbots Langley and Sarratt.

1950–1974

• The Municipal Borough of Hemel Hempstead
• The Urban Districts of Berkhamsted, Harpenden, and Tring;
• The Rural Districts of Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead; and
• The Rural District of St Albans parishes of Harpenden Rural and Redbourn.

Wheathampstead was transferred back to St Albans. Abbots Langley and Sarratt now included in the new constituency of South West Hertfordshire.

1974–1983

• The Municipal Borough of Hemel Hempstead;
• The Urban Districts of Berkhamsted and Tring; and
• The Rural Districts of Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead.

Harpenden and the part of the parishes of Harpenden Rural and Redbourn were transferred back to St Albans.

The constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election. Berkhamsted and the area to the south of Hemel Hempstead, including Kings Langley, was transferred to South West Hertfordshire.  The remainder, including Hemel Hempstead and Tring, formed the new constituency of West Hertfordshire.

1997–2010

• The District of Dacorum wards of Adeyfield East, Adeyfield West, Ashridge, Bennetts End, Boxmoor, Central, Chaulden, Crabtree, Cupid Green, Flamstead and Markyate, Gadebridge, Grove Hill, Highfield, Kings Langley, Leverstock Green, Nash Mills, South, and Warners End.

Re-established for the 1997 general election from the bulk of the abolished County Constituency of West Hertfordshire (excluding Tring). Kings Langley transferred back from South West Hertfordshire.

2010–2024

• The District of Dacorum wards of Adeyfield East, Adeyfield West, Apsley, Ashridge, Bennetts End, Boxmoor, Chaulden and Shrubhill, Corner Hall, Gadebridge, Grove Hill, Hemel Hempstead Central, Highfield and St Paul's, Kings Langley, Leverstock Green, Nash Mills, Warners End, Watling, and Woodhall.

Minor loss to South West Hertfordshire following revision of local authority wards.

Current

Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The District of Dacorum wards of: Adeyfield East; Adeyfield West; Apsley and Corner Hall; Bennetts End; Bovingdon, Flaunden and Chipperfield; Boxmoor; Chaulden and Warners End; Gadebridge; Grovehill; Hemel Hempstead Town; Highfield; Leverstock Green; Nash Mills; Woodhall Farm.

Moderate changes, with Kings Langley being transferred to South West Hertfordshire, in exchange for the rural Bovingdon, Flaunden and Chipperfield ward. The rural Ashridge and Watling wards to the north were moved to the newly created seat of Harpenden and Berkhamsted.

Members of Parliament

MPs, 1918–1983

Watford and St Albans prior to 1918

MPs, 1997–present

West Hertfordshire prior to 1997

Election results since 1997

Elections in the 2020s

|reg. electors = 71,038

• Jaymey McIvor was originally selected as the Conservative candidate, but was suspended by the party "pending the outcome of an investigation."

Elections in the 2010s

| reg. electors = 73,737

| reg. electors = 75,011

| reg. electors = 74,616

| reg. electors = 72,754

This was the highest swing from Labour to Conservative in the 2010 general election.

Elections in the 2000s

| reg. electors = 73,095

| reg. electors = 72,086

Elections in the 1990s

| reg. electors = 71,468

Election results 1918–1979

Elections in the 1970s

| reg. electors = 91,843

| reg. electors = 83,795

| reg. electors = 82,877

| reg. electors = 99,561

Elections in the 1960s

| reg. electors = 84,310

| reg. electors = 82,087

Elections in the 1950s

| reg. electors = 70,962

| reg. electors = 60,013

| reg. electors = 52,313

| reg. electors = 51,582

Elections in the 1940s

| reg. electors = 62,199 General Election 1939–40: Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

• Conservative: Frances Davidson
• Liberal: Ian Davidson
• Labour: A W Harper

Elections in the 1930s

| reg. electors =

| reg. electors = 46,290

| reg. electors =

Elections in the 1920s

|reg. electors = 38,957

|reg. electors = 28,106

|reg. electors = 26,990

|reg. electors = 26,627

Elections in the 1910s

|reg. electors = 25,752

References

;Specific

;General Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. .

Sources

References

1. "'Hemel Hempstead', Feb 1974 - May 1983". Cognitive Computing Limited.
2. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Hemel+Hempstead
3. Fraser, Hugh. (1918). "The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes". London : Sweet and Maxwell.
4. "Representation of the People Act, 1948".
5. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970".
6. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995".
7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007".
8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
9. {{Rayment-hc. h. 2. (March 2012)
10. (5 July 2024). "Hemel Hempstead - General election results 2024". [[BBC News]].
11. Pope, Alex. (7 June 2024). "Tory candidate suspended prior to election deadline". [[BBC News]].
12. "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". [[UK Parliament]].
13. "Hemel Hempstead Parliamentary constituency". BBC.
14. "Hemel Hempstead Parliamentary Constituency - Election 2017". [[BBC]].
15. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
16. (9 April 2015). "Statement Of Persons Nominated And Notice Of Poll". Acting Returning Officer.
17. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
18. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
19. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
20. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
21. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC.
22. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F. W. S.
23. Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
24. The Liberal Magazine, 1939