Witney (UK Parliament constituency)

History

In the late 19th century, the Bampton East petty sessional division, with Witney at its heart, formed one part of the Woodstock constituency.

Until 1974, much of the seat remained as part of the Woodstock and latterly Banbury constituency. From 1974 to 1983, the area was included in the Mid Oxfordshire seat along with parts of Bullingdon and Ploughley. Since 1983, Witney has been a full parliamentary seat in its own right and comprises the whole of the District of West Oxfordshire with surrounding villages attached until 1997.

Carterton is the second-largest populated town with 14,000 and is situated alongside RAF Brize Norton which is vital to the local economy, being one of the largest and busiest Royal Air Force stations in the country.

The constituency's first MP was Douglas Hurd, who served as a cabinet minister under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and retired in 1997. Hurd was succeeded by Shaun Woodward at the 1997 general election. However, Woodward defected to the Labour Party in 1999, and Witney unexpectedly had a Labour MP. Woodward chose not to stand in Witney as a Labour candidate at the next general election and moved to the Labour safe seat of St Helens South instead, following the practice of Alan Howarth in 1997.

At the 2001 general election, David Cameron was elected as MP for Witney. Cameron was re-elected to a fourth term as MP for the constituency at the 2015 general election with a majority of 25,155, the highest in his political career; on that occasion, his Conservative Party won a surprise overall majority in the House of Commons, taking 330 seats to the opposition Labour Party's 232. However, on 24 June 2016, Cameron announced that he would resign as prime minister by that October due to the outcome of the EU Referendum the previous day, in which 51.9% of those who voted supported leaving the EU. Accordingly, Cameron stepped down as premier that July, on the election of Theresa May as Conservative Party leader and prime minister. On 12 September 2016, it was announced that Cameron would resign as MP for Witney. This triggered a by-election, which was won by Robert Courts, also a Conservative, albeit with a significantly reduced majority. His vote share subsequently rose to 55% at both the 2017 and 2019 general elections.

Before the 2019 general election, the Liberal Democrats and Green Party agreed not to run against each other as part of a "Unite to Remain" alliance. This led to Andrew Prosser, who had been selected as the Green Party's prospective candidate standing down.

At the 2024 general election, Courts was defeated by the Liberal Democrat candidate, Charles Maynard, on a notional swing of over 20%.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1983–1997

• The District of West Oxfordshire wards of Ascott and Shipton, Aston Bampton and Standlake, Bampton, Bladon and Cassington, Brize Norton and Curbridge, Burford, Carterton North, Carterton South, Chadlington, Charlbury, Chipping Norton, Clanfield and Shilton, Combe and Stonesfield, Ducklington, Enstone, Eynsham, Filkins and Langford, Finstock and Leafield, Freeland and Hanborough, Hailey, Kingham, Milton-under-Wychwood, Minster Lovell, North Leigh, Rollright, Stanton Harcourt, Witney East, Witney North, Witney South, Witney West, and Woodstock; and
• The District of Cherwell wards of Gosford, North West Kidlington, South East Kidlington, and Yarnton.

The new constituency was largely formed from the majority of the abolished constituency of Mid-Oxon, including the settlements of Witney, Carterton, Woodstock and Kidlington. Chipping Norton and surrounding rural areas were transferred from the Banbury constituency.

1997–2010

• The District of West Oxfordshire; and
• The District of Cherwell ward of Yarnton.

The remaining two wards of the District of West Oxfordshire (Bartons, and Tackley and Wooton) were transferred from Banbury. Kidlington transferred to Oxford West and Abingdon.

2010–2024

• The District of West Oxfordshire.

Under the Fifth periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the District of Cherwell ward of Yarnton was transferred to Oxford West and Abingdon.

2024–present

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

• The District of Vale of White Horse wards of: Faringdon; Kingston Bagpuize; Thames; Watchfield & Shrivenham.
• The District of West Oxfordshire wards of: Alvescot and Filkins; Ascott and Shipton; Bampton and Clanfield; Brize Norton and Shilton; Burford; Carterton North East; Carterton North West; Carterton South; Ducklington; Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield; Milton-under-Wychwood; Standlake, Aston and Stanton Harcourt; Witney Central; Witney East; Witney North; Witney South; Witney West.

Major changes, with Chipping Norton and Charlbury transferred to Banbury, and Woodstock and surrounding areas included in the newly created constituency of Bicester and Woodstock. Partly offset by the transfer in of parts of the District of Vale of White Horse previously in the Wantage constituency, including the town of Faringdon.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

|reg. electors = 75,448

Elections in the 2010s

:

Elections in the 2000s

: :

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

References

References

1. "'Witney', June 1983 up to May 1997". Cognitive Computing Limited.
2. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England.
3. (6 May 2010). "David Cameron". Witney Conservatives.
4. link. (19 February 2014 Vision of Britain)
5. link. (6 October 2014 Vision of Britain)
6. (18 December 1999). "Anger as Tory defects to Labour". BBC News.
7. (12 September 2016). "David Cameron resigns as an MP".
8. "General election: Is your seat part of anti-Brexit parties' electoral pact?".
9. "Prospective General Election Candidates". Green Party.
10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983".
11. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995".
12. {{usurped
13. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
14. {{Rayment-hc. w. 5. (March 2012)
15. Hughes, Giles. (7 June 2024). "Election of a Member of Parliament for Witney Constituency".
16. "Witney – General election results 2024". BBC News.
17. "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". [[UK Parliament]].
18. "Witney Parliamentary constituency". BBC.
19. (22 April 2017). "Parties race against time to choose candidates". BBC News.
20. percentage change compared to previous General Election in 2015
21. (20 October 2016). "AS IT HAPPENED: Conservative Robert Courts elected as Witney's new MP".
22. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
23. "Election of a Member of Parliament for the Witney Constituency".
24. "Witney parliamentary constituency – Election 2017".
25. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
26. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
27. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
28. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
29. (1 May 1997). "Politics Resources". Politics Resources.
30. C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.178 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
31. The 1997 election result is calculated relative to the notional, not the actual, 1992 result.
32. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
33. (9 April 1992). "Politics Resources". Politics Resources.
34. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
35. "UK General Election results June 1987". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources.
36. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].
37. "UK General Election results June 1983". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources.