Wycombe (/ˈwɪkəm/) is a constituency[n 1] in Buckinghamshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Steve Baker, a Conservative.[n 2]
Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1868 onwards
The constituency shares similar borders with Wycombe local government district, although it covers a slightly smaller area. The main town within the constituency, High Wycombe contains many working/middle class voters and a sizeable ethnic minority population that totals around one quarter of the town's population, with some census output areas of town home to over 50% ethnic minorities, and a number of wards harbouring a considerable Labour vote. The surrounding villages, which account for just under half of the electorate, are some of the most wealthy areas in the country, with extremely low unemployment, high incomes and favour the Conservatives. Workless claimants totalled 3.0% of the population in November 2012, lower than the national average of 3.8%.[2]
The seat bucked the trend in 2019 with a swing of 2.3% to the Labour Party in spite of their heavy general election defeat, and is now looked on as a key Blue Wall marginal constituency in the next general election.
History
The Parliamentary Borough of Chipping Wycombe had continuously returned two MPs to the House of Commons since the Model Parliament of 1295. This was reduced to 1 MP by the Representation of the People Act 1867 and the Borough was abolished altogether by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It was transformed into a large county division, formally named the Southern or Wycombe Division of Buckinghamshire. It was one of three divisions formed from the undivided three-member Parliamentary County of Buckinghamshire, the other two being the Mid or Aylesbury Division and the Northern or Buckingham Division. As well as the abolished Borough, it absorbed the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Great Marlow and included the towns of Beaconsfield and Slough.
Boundaries and boundary changes
Map of current boundaries
1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe, the Sessional Divisions of Burnham and Stoke, and parts of the first and second Sessional Divisions of Desborough.[3]
1918–1945: The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe, the Urban Districts of Eton, Marlow, and Slough, the Rural Districts of Eton and Hambleden, and part of the Rural District of Wycombe.[4]
Beaconsfield was transferred to Aylesbury. Gained Eton which had been part of the abolished Parliamentary Borough of New Windsor in Berkshire.
1945–1950: The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe, the Urban District of Marlow, and the Rural District of Wycombe.[4]
The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944 set up Boundaries Commissions to carry out periodic reviews of the distribution of parliamentary constituencies. It also authorised an initial review to subdivide abnormally large constituencies in time for the 1945 election.[5] This was implemented by the Redistribution of Seats Order 1945 under which Buckinghamshire was allocated an additional seat. As a consequence, the new County Constituency of Eton and Slough was formed from the Wycombe constituency, comprising the Municipal Borough of Slough and the Urban and Rural Districts of Eton. In compensation, the parts of the (revised) Rural District of Wycombe in the Aylesbury Division, including Hughenden and Princes Risborough, were transferred to Wycombe.
1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of High Wycombe, the Urban District of Marlow, and the Rural District of Wycombe.[4]
No changes to boundaries.
1974–1983: The Municipal Borough of High Wycombe, the Urban District of Marlow, and in the Rural District of Wycombe the parishes of Chepping Wycombe, Fawley, Fingest and Lane End, Great Marlow, Hambleden, Hughenden, Little Marlow, Medmenham, Turville, and West Wycombe Rural.[6]
Northern parts of the Rural District of Wycombe, including Princes Risborough, but excluding Hughenden, transferred back to Aylesbury. Wooburn included in the new County Constituency of Beaconsfield.
1983–1997: The District of Wycombe wards of Booker and Castlefield, Bowerdean and Daws Hill, Cressex and Frogmoor, Downley, Great Marlow, Green Hill and Totteridge, Hambleden Valley, Hughenden Valley, Keep Hill and Hicks Farm, Kingshill, Lane End and Piddington, Little Marlow, Marlow Bottom, Marlow North, Marlow South, Marsh and Micklefield, Oakridge and Tinkers Wood, and West Wycombe and Sands.[7]
Areas to the east of High Wycombe (former parish of Chepping Wycombe) transferred to Beaconsfield. Hazlemere transferred to Chesham and Amersham.
1997–2010: The District of Wycombe wards of Booker and Castlefield, Bowerdean and Daws Hill, Cressex and Frogmoor, Downley, Great Marlow, Green Hill and Totteridge, Hambleden Valley, Hughenden Valley, Keep Hill and Hicks Farm, Kingshill, Lane End and Piddington, Marlow Bottom, Marlow North, Marlow South, Marsh and Micklefield, Oakridge and Tinkers Wood, and West Wycombe and Sands.[8]
Minor changes.
2010–present: The District of Wycombe wards of Abbey, Booker and Cressex, Bowerdean, Chiltern Rise, Disraeli, Downley and Plomer Hill, Greater Marlow, Hambleden Valley, Hazlemere North, Hazlemere South, Micklefield, Oakridge and Castlefield, Ryemead, Sands, Terriers and Amersham Hill, Totteridge, and Tylers Green and Loudwater.[9]
Hazlemere transferred back from Chesham and Amersham. Marlow transferred to Beaconsfield and Hughenden to Aylesbury.
This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 2005 and 2010 general elections and thus calculation of change in vote share is not meaningful.
This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1979 and 1983 general elections and thus calculation of change in vote share is not meaningful.
Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Ray Whitney
38,171
57.30
+10.97
Labour
Trevor Fowler
18,000
27.02
−3.80
Liberal
A. Lawson
9,615
14.43
−4.92
National Front
Sylvia Jones
833
1.25
−2.25
Majority
20,171
30.28
+14.78
Turnout
66,619
77.61
+5.32
Conservative hold
Swing
1978 Wycombe by-election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Ray Whitney
29,677
59.96
+13.63
Labour
Trevor Fowler
14,109
28.51
−2.31
Liberal
Harry Warschauer
3,665
7.41
−11.94
National Front
Sylvia Jones
2,040
4.12
+0.62
Majority
15,568
31.45
+15.96
Turnout
49,491
Conservative hold
Swing
General election October 1974: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
John Hall
27,131
46.33
Labour
W. F. Back
18,052
30.82
Liberal
M. T. James
11,333
19.35
National Front
D. H. Smith
2,049
3.50
New
Majority
9,079
15.49
Turnout
58,565
74.29
Conservative hold
Swing
-0.6
General election February 1974: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Conservative
John Hall
29,521
46.23
Labour
W. F. Back
18,822
29.48
Liberal
M. T. James
15,512
24.29
Majority
10,699
16.75
Turnout
63,855
81.65
Conservative hold
This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1970 and February 1974 general elections and thus calculation of change in vote share is not meaningful.
General election 1970: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
John Hall
40,151
55.93
Labour
Bryan S. Jones
23,341
32.51
Liberal
Ernest Henry Palfrey
8,297
11.56
Majority
16,810
23.42
Turnout
71,789
74.83
Conservative hold
Swing
Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
John Hall
31,577
49.25
Labour
Joseph Holland
24,498
38.21
Liberal
Morris Janis
8,037
12.54
Majority
7,079
11.04
Turnout
64,112
77.19
Conservative hold
Swing
General election 1964: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
John Hall
30,877
50.01
Labour
Michael Barnes
21,534
34.88
Liberal
Arthur Donald Dennis
9,330
15.11
Majority
9,343
15.13
Turnout
61,741
81.34
Conservative hold
Swing
Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
John Hall
30,774
53.29
Labour
Wilfred Fordham
19,904
34.47
Liberal
Arthur Donald Dennis
7,068
12.24
New
Majority
10,870
18.82
Turnout
57,746
84.67
Conservative hold
Swing
General election 1955: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
John Hall
29,845
57.67
Labour
Ray Fletcher
21,905
42.33
Majority
7,940
15.34
Turnout
51,750
82.02
Conservative hold
Swing
1952 Wycombe by-election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
John Hall
26,750
52.04
+0.37
Labour
John Haire
24,650
47.96
−0.37
Majority
2,100
4.08
+0.74
Turnout
51,400
Conservative hold
Swing
General election 1951: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
William Astor
27,084
51.67
Labour
John Haire
25,331
48.33
Majority
1,753
3.34
N/A
Turnout
52,415
86.21
Conservative gain from Labour
Swing
General election 1950: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
John Haire
21,491
42.09
Conservative
William Astor
21,015
41.16
Liberal
Brian Armstrong Law
8,354
16.36
Communist
E. Leigh
199
0.39
New
Majority
476
0.93
Turnout
51,059
85.83
Labour hold
Swing
Election in the 1940s
General election 1945: Wycombe
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
John Haire
20,482
45.17
Conservative
Roger Peake
17,946
39.58
Liberal
Cecil Chadwick
6,916
15.25
New
Majority
2,536
5.59
N/A
Turnout
45,344
72.10
Labour gain from Conservative
Swing
A general election was expected 1939–40 and by 1939 the following had been adopted as candidates;
Conservative: Alfred Knox
Labour: Ernest Whitfield
Liberal: Vaughan Watkins
In 1938, the local Labour and Liberal parties had set up a formal organisation, 'The South Bucks Unity Committee' in support of a Popular Front and may well have agreed to support a joint candidate against the sitting Conservative.[37]
List of parliamentary constituencies in Buckinghamshire
Notes
A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer).
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.
Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN0900178094. OCLC539011.
Archdale, a Quaker, never took his seat as he was not prepared to take the prescribed oath.
On petition, Colyear's election was declared void and a by-election was called. He was re-elected at the by-election but once more voted by the committee not to have been duly returned, and his opponent, Waller, was seated instead.
Waller was also elected for Marlow, which he chose to represent, and did not for Wycombe in this Parliament.
Stooks Smith, Henry (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, FWS (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nded.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp.22–23. ISBN0-900178-13-2.
British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F. W. S.
Craig, F. W. S. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 London: Macmillan.
Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p.226. ISBN9781349022984.
Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916.
The Liberal Year Book, 1907.
Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901.
Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886.
Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885(e-book) (1sted.). London: Macmillan Press. pp.344–345. ISBN978-1-349-02349-3. {{cite book}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
"Wycombe Election". Bolton Evening News. 7 March 1883. p.3. Retrieved 15 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
"The General Election". Bucks Herald. 7 February 1874. pp.6–8. Retrieved 23 January 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
"Wycombe Election". Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, Glamorgan, Monmouth, and Brecon Gazette. 15 March 1862. p.6. Retrieved 24 March 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
"The Elections". London Evening Standard. 2 July 1852. pp.3–4. Retrieved 28 July 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
The Spectator, Volume 18. F. C. Westley. 1845. p.1006. Retrieved 28 July 2018– via Google Books.
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