Chesham and Amersham (UK Parliament constituency)

Chesham and Amersham (/ˈtʃɛʃəm ... ˈæmərʃəm/) is a parliamentary constituency in Buckinghamshire, South East England, represented in the House of Commons by Sarah Green, a Liberal Democrat elected at a 2021 by-election.

Chesham and Amersham
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire
Outline map
Location of Buckinghamshire within England
CountyBuckinghamshire
Population92,635 (2011 UK Census)[1]
Electorate71,259 (2018)[2]
Major settlementsChesham and Amersham
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentSarah Green (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromSouth Buckinghamshire and Aylesbury

Profile

The local authority is in Buckinghamshire Council and the seat coincides with the abolished Chiltern District. It includes the towns of Chesham and Amersham and outlying villages within the Metropolitan Green Belt. The area is connected with Central London by the Metropolitan Line of the London Underground, as well as the London to Aylesbury Line and the Chiltern Main Line, both operated by Chiltern Railways. The constituency is also close to the M40 and M25 motorways. It is home to many affluent professionals. The two main towns are the only part of the London Underground network amid an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (viz Chiltern Hills).[3]

History

Creation

The seat was created for the general election in February 1974. It comprised the southern part of the former Rural District of Amersham, including Amersham and the Chalfonts, previously part of the abolished constituency of South Buckinghamshire; and Chesham and the northern part of the former Rural District of Amersham, transferred from Aylesbury.

Political history

Until the 2021 by-election was won by the Liberal Democrats candidate, the previous general election results in the seat since its creation had seen a Conservative winning margin of between 10,416 (Feb 1974) and 23,920 (2015) votes, in each case an absolute majority of the votes cast. In each of the general elections except two the Liberals, or subsequently Liberal Democrats, had come second, with results as high as 31.15 per cent of the votes cast. Labour came second only once, in 2017, when it achieved its best ever result of 20.6 per cent. UKIP came second in 2015, Labour in 2017 and the Liberal Democrats in 2019.

In June 2016, an estimated 55 per cent of adults voting in the EU referendum in the constituency voted to remain in the European Union, compared with 48% in the UK as a whole. The estimated turnout of 83.6 per cent was the highest in any constituency in the UK, the only higher turnout in the referendum being in Gibraltar.[4] In the 2019 EU Parliament elections more than 50 per cent voted for parties supporting continued UK membership of the EU, although the turnout was only 42.8 per cent. The pro-EU Liberal Democrats were the most popular party with 31.9 per cent, with the pro-Leave Brexit Party in second place on 30 per cent.[5] Despite the seat's support for remaining in the EU, its pro-Brexit MP, Dame Cheryl Gillan, was re-elected in both generals elections held after the 2016 referendum (in the case of 2017 with her highest vote share since her first election in 1992), albeit with slightly reduced majorities.

Dame Cheryl Gillan MP died in office on 4 April 2021, and the seat was gained by the Liberal Democrats’ pro-EU Sarah Green in the subsequent by-election on 17 June 2021 with a majority of 8,028 votes.[6] The Liberal Democrat win in the 2021 Chesham and Amersham by-election was seen as an upset in a historically safe Conservative seat,[6] and party leader Sir Ed Davey tweeted that the result had "sent a shockwave through British politics".[7] It was the first in a series of likewise safe Conservative seats that were lost to the Liberal Democrats through by-elections in that Parliament.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1974–1983

  • The Urban District of Chesham; and
  • The Rural District of Amersham.[8]

1983–1997

  • The District of Chiltern wards of Amersham Common, Amersham-on-the-Hill, Amersham Town, Asheridge Vale, Ashley Green and Latimer, Austenwood, Chalfont Common, Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter Central, Chartridge, Chenies, Chesham Bois and Weedon Hill, Cholesbury and The Lee, Coleshill and Penn Street, Gold Hill, Hilltop, Holmer Green, Little Chalfont, Little Missenden, Lowndes, Newtown, Penn, Pond Park, St Mary's, Seer Green and Jordans, Townsend, and Waterside; and
  • The District of Wycombe wards of Hazlemere North and Hazlemere South.[9]

Hazlemere was transferred from Wycombe. Great Missenden was transferred to Aylesbury.

1997–2010

  • All the wards of the District of Chiltern except the wards of Ballinger and South Heath, Great Missenden, and Prestwood and Heath End; and
  • The District of Wycombe wards of Hazlemere Central, Hazlemere East and Hazlemere West.[10]

Minor changes.

2010–present

  • The whole of the District of Chiltern, comprising the wards of Amersham Common, Amersham-on-the-Hill, Amersham Town, Asheridge Vale and Lowndes, Ashley Green, Latimer and Chenies, Austenwood, Ballinger, South Heath and Chartridge, Central, Chalfont Common, Chalfont St Giles, Chesham Bois and Weedon Hill, Cholesbury, The Lee and Bellingdon, Gold Hill, Great Missenden, Hilltop and Townsend, Holmer Green, Little Chalfont, Little Missenden, Newtown, Penn and Coleshill, Prestwood and Heath End, Ridgeway, St Mary's and Waterside, Seer Green, and Vale.[11]

Great Missenden transferred back from Aylesbury and Hazlemere returned to Wycombe.

In April 2020, the District of Chiltern, together with those of Aylesbury, South Bucks and Wycombe were merged into the new unitary authority of Buckinghamshire Council. Accordingly, the current contents of the constituency are:

  • The Buckinghamshire Council wards of Amersham & Chesham Bois, Chalfont St. Giles, Chalfont St. Peter, Chesham, Chess Valley, Chiltern Ridges, Great Missenden, Little Chalfont & Amersham Common, and Penn Wood & Old Amersham.

Members of Parliament

The present Member of Parliament for Chesham and Amersham is the Liberal Democrat Sarah Green MP who was elected at the 2021 by-election. Previous MPs were the Conservative Cheryl Gillan, who held the position from 1992 until her death in 2021.[12] and Ian Gilmour.

ElectionMember[13][14] Party
1974 Ian Gilmour Conservative
1992 Dame Cheryl Gillan Conservative
2021 by-election Sarah Green Liberal Democrats

Elections
Results over time

Elections in the 2020s

Cheryl Gillan died on 4 April 2021,[12] triggering a by-election held on 17 June 2021.[15]

2021 by-election: Chesham and Amersham[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sarah Green 21,517 56.7 +30.4
Conservative Peter Fleet 13,489 35.5 –19.9
Green Carolyne Culver 1,480 3.9 –1.6
Labour Natasa Pantelic 622 1.6 –11.2
Reform UK Alex Wilson 414 1.1 N/A
Breakthrough Party Carla Gregory 197 0.5 N/A
Freedom Alliance Adrian Oliver 134 0.4 N/A
Rejoin EU Brendan Donnelly 101 0.3 N/A
Majority 8,028 21.2 N/A
Registered electors 72,828
Turnout 37,954 52.1 –24.7
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +25.2

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Chesham and Amersham[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 30,850 55.4 -5.3
Liberal Democrats Dan Gallagher 14,627 26.3 +13.3
Labour Matt Turmaine 7,166 12.9 -7.7
Green Alan Booth 3,042 5.5 +2.5
Majority 16,223 29.1 -11.0
Turnout 55,685 76.8 -0.3
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2017: Chesham and Amersham[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 33,514 60.7 +1.6
Labour Nina Dluzewska 11,374 20.6 +7.9
Liberal Democrats Peter Jones 7,179 13.0 +4.0
Green Alan Booth 1,660 3.0 - 2.5
UKIP David Meacock 1,525 2.8 -10.9
Majority 22,140 40.1 -5.3
Turnout 55,252 77.1 +4.4
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 2015: Chesham and Amersham[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 31,138 59.1 -1.3
UKIP Alan Stevens 7,218 13.7 +9.6
Labour Ben Davies 6,712 12.7 +7.1
Liberal Democrats Kirsten Johnson 4,761 9.0 -19.5
Green Gill Walker 2,902 5.5 +4.0
Majority 23,920 45.4 +13.5
Turnout 52,731 72.7 -1.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2010: Chesham and Amersham[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 31,658 60.4 +6.8
Liberal Democrats Tim Starkey 14,948 28.5 +2.3
Labour Anthony Gajadharsingh 2,942 5.6 -8.0
UKIP Alan Stevens 2,129 4.1 +0.9
Green Nick Wilkins 767 1.5 -2.0
Majority 16,710 31.9 +2.6
Turnout 52,444 74.6 +6.6
Conservative hold Swing +2.2

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Chesham and Amersham[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 25,619 54.4 +3.9
Liberal Democrats John Ford 11,821 25.1 +0.8
Labour Rupa Huq 6,610 14.0 -4.8
Green Nick Wilkins 1,656 3.5 +1.0
UKIP David Samuel-Camps 1,391 3.0 0.0
Majority 13,798 29.3 +3.1
Turnout 47,097 68.0 +3.3
Conservative hold Swing +1.5
General election 2001: Chesham and Amersham[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 22,867 50.5 +0.1
Liberal Democrats John Ford 10,985 24.3 +0.5
Labour Kenneth Hulme 8,497 18.8 -0.8
UKIP Ian Harvey 1,367 3.0 +1.8
Green Nick Wilkins 1,114 2.5 N/A
ProLife Alliance Gillian Duval 453 1.0 N/A
Majority 11,882 26.2 -0.4
Turnout 45,283 64.7 -9.8
Conservative hold Swing -0.1

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Chesham and Amersham[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 26,298 50.4 -12.9
Liberal Democrats Michael Brand 12,439 23.8 -0.7
Labour Paul Farrelly 10,240 19.6 +9.2
Referendum Paul Andrews 2,528 4.8 N/A
UKIP C Shilson 618 1.2 N/A
Natural Law Hugh Godfrey 74 0.1 -0.3
Majority 13,859 26.6 -12.2
Turnout 52,197 74.5 -7.4
Conservative hold Swing -6.1
General election 1992: Chesham and Amersham[25][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Gillan 36,273 63.3 +1.1
Liberal Democrats Andrew Ketteringham 14,053 24.5 -2.6
Labour Candy Atherton 5,931 10.4 +1.1
Green CL Strickland 753 1.3 -0.1
Natural Law MTL Griffith-Jones 255 0.4 N/A
Majority 22,220 38.8 +3.7
Turnout 57,265 81.9 +4.5
Conservative hold Swing +1.9

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Chesham and Amersham[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 34,504 62.2 +1.1
Liberal Andrew Ketteringham 15,064 27.1 -4.0
Labour Paul Goulding 5,170 9.3 +1.5
Green Ann Darnbrough 760 1.4 N/A
Majority 19,440 35.1 +5.3
Turnout 55,498 77.4 +1.4
Conservative hold Swing +2.6
General election 1983: Chesham and Amersham[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 32,435 61.0 -0.4
Liberal R Bradnock 16,556 31.2 +8.2
Labour C Duncan 4,150 7.8 -6.5
Majority 15,879 29.8 -8.5
Turnout 53,141 75.94 -3.8
Conservative hold Swing -3.9

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Chesham and Amersham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 32,924 61.4 +9.8
Liberal R Bradnock 12,328 23.0 -5.5
Labour Elizabeth Barratt 7,645 14.3 -6.6
National Front S Clinch 697 1.3 N/A
Majority 20,596 38.4 +16.3
Turnout 53,594 79.7 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing +7.6
General election October 1974: Chesham and Amersham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gilmour 25,078 50.6 -0.1
Liberal DA Stoddart 14,091 28.5 -2.7
Labour JR Poston 10,325 20.9 +1.3
Majority 10,987 22.1 +2.6
Turnout 49,494 78.1 -4.9
Conservative hold Swing -1.3
General election February 1974: Chesham and Amersham
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Ian Gilmour 27,035 50.7
Liberal D A Stoddart 16,619 31.2
Labour BM Warshaw 9,700 18.2
Majority 10,416 19.5
Turnout 53,354 85.0
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

References
  1. "Chesham and Amersham: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  2. "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  3. Young, Richard (5 May 2015). "The Chilterns' landscape landmark". Great British Life. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  4. "EU Referendum Results and Turnout". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  5. "European Union Parliamentary Election Result". Chiltern District Council. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  6. "Chesham and Amersham by-election won by Lib Dems". BBC News. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  7. Davey, Ed [@edwardjdavey] (18 June 2021). "Ed Davey MP @EdwardJDavey Congratulations to @SarahGreenLD who has just sent a shockwave through British politics. If @libdems can beat the Tories here, we can beat them anywhere. The blue wall can be smashed by @libdems" (Tweet). Retrieved 18 June 2021 – via Twitter.
  8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  11. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  12. "Tory MP Dame Cheryl Gillan dies after long illness". BBC News. 5 April 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  13. "Carshalton and Wallington 1983-". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  14. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
  15. "Election timetable and notices". Buckinghamshire Council. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  16. "Election results for Chesham & Amersham, 17 June 2021 - Modern Council". 17 June 2021.
  17. "Chesham & Amersham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  18. "Chesham & Amersham parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  19. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. "Chesham & Amersham Constituency - Chiltern District Council". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  21. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  22. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  27. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

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