Wikipedia

Rayleigh and Wickford (UK Parliament constituency)

Rayleigh and Wickford is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its 2010 creation by Mark Francois, a Conservative.[n 2]

Rayleigh and Wickford
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Rayleigh and Wickford in the East of England
CountyEssex
Electorate76,422 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsHawkwell, Hockley, Rayleigh and Wickford
Current constituency
Created2010
Member of ParliamentMark Francois (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromRayleigh, Billericay

Constituency profile

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This small-town studded portion of rural Essex reaches out almost as far as the North Sea beside Rochford and has income levels on average slightly above the national average, low unemployment,[2] and little social housing.[3][4]

History

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The seat was created for the 2010 general election following a review of the Parliamentary representation of Essex by the Boundary Commission for England. It was formed from the majority of the abolished constituency of Rayleigh, together with the town of Wickford, previously in the abolished constituency of Billericay.

Francois was previously Member of Parliament for Rayleigh.

Boundaries

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2010–2024

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  • The Borough of Basildon wards of Wickford Castledon, Wickford North, and Wickford Park
  • The District of Rochford wards of Ashingdon and Canewdon, Downhall and Rawreth, Grange, Hawkwell North, Hawkwell South, Hawkwell West, Hockley Central, Hockley North, Hockley West, Hullbridge, Lodge, Rayleigh Central, Sweyne Park, Trinity, Wheatley and Whitehouse[5]
 
Map of boundaries 2010–2024

Current

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Further to the 2023 Periodic 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 Borough of Basildon wards of: Wickford Castledon; Wickford North; Wickford Park.
  • The District of Rochford wards of: Downhall & Rawreth; Hawkwell East; Hawkwell West; Hockley; Hockley & Ashingdon; Hullbridge; Lodge; Sweyne Park & Grange; Trinity; Wheatley.[6]

Minor loss of sparsely populated area in the east of the constituency to the newly named Southend East and Rochford seat.

Members of Parliament

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Rayleigh and Billericay prior to 2010

Election Member[7] Party
2010 Mark Francois Conservative

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Rayleigh and Wickford[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Francois 17,756 37.0 −35.9
Reform UK Grant Randall[9] 12,135 25.3 N/A
Labour James Hedges[10] 11,823 24.6 +8.9
Liberal Democrats Stewart Mott 4,068 8.5 +0.8
Green Christopher Taylor[11] 2,196 4.6 +0.9
Majority 5,621 11.7 –45.6
Turnout 47,978 62.7 –6.6
Registered electors 76,576
Conservative hold Swing –30.6

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[12]
Party Vote %
Conservative 38,652 72.9
Labour 8,304 15.7
Liberal Democrats 4,081 7.7
Green 1,960 3.7
Turnout 52,997 69.3
Electorate 76,422
General election 2019: Rayleigh and Wickford[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Francois 39,864 72.6 +5.9
Labour David Flack 8,864 16.1 −8.2
Liberal Democrats Ron Tindall 4,171 7.6 +4.8
Green Paul Thorogood 2,002 3.6 +1.7
Majority 31,000 56.5 +14.1
Turnout 54,901 69.5 −0.9
Conservative hold Swing +7.0
General election 2017: Rayleigh and Wickford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Francois 36,914 66.7 +12.0
Labour Mark Daniels 13,464 24.3 +11.7
UKIP Peter Smith 2,326 4.2 −18.1
Liberal Democrats Ron Tindall 1,557 2.8 −0.2
Green Paul Hill 1,062 1.9 −1.0
Majority 23,450 42.4 +10.0
Turnout 55,323 70.4 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.2
General election 2015: Rayleigh and Wickford[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Francois 29,088 54.7 −3.1
UKIP John Hayter[15] 11,858 22.3 +18.1
Labour David Hough 6,705 12.6 −1.9
Independent Linda Kendall[16] 2,418 4.5 New
Liberal Democrats Mike Pitt[17] 1,622 3.0 −12.1
Green Sarah Yapp[18] 1,529 2.9 New
Majority 17,230 32.4 −10.3
Turnout 53,220 68.3 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing −10.6
General election 2010: Rayleigh and Wickford[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Francois* 30,257 57.8 +3.9
Liberal Democrats Susan Gaszczak 7,919 15.1 −0.3
Labour Michael Le Surf 7,577 14.5 −12.0
English Democrat John Hayter 2,219 4.2 New
UKIP Tino Callaghan 2,211 4.2 +0.1
BNP Tony Evennett 2,160 4.1 New
Majority 22,338 42.7 +15.3
Turnout 50,132 65.9
Conservative hold Swing +8.0
* Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 Parliament

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county 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

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  2. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  3. ^ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
  4. ^ "2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
  8. ^ Rayleigh and Wickford
  9. ^ "Find My PPC (Eastern England)" (PDF). Reform UK. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  10. ^ "James Hedges has been selected as Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Rayleigh and Wickford". Labour Party (UK). Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Our Candidates". Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "Rayleigh & Wickford Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Campaign". UKIP Rayleigh and Wickford. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  16. ^ Nizinskyj, Paul (10 March 2015). "Campaigner Linda wants to be an MP". Echo. Southend.
  17. ^ "Candidates (PPCs) for Rayleigh and Wickford". Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  18. ^ "Candidates". Eastern Green Party. Archived from the original on 11 March 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. ^ "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Rayleigh & Wickford". news.bbc.co.uk.
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51°36′N 0°37′E / 51.6°N 0.61°E / 51.6; 0.61

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