Chichester (UK Parliament constituency)

History

Chichester centres on the small medieval cathedral city by the South Downs National Park and is one of the oldest constituencies in the UK having been created when commoners were first called to the Model Parliament in 1295 as one of the original Parliamentary boroughs returning two members. The seat has sent one member since 1868, by the Reform Act 1867.

In its various forms, Chichester has been a Conservative stronghold since 1924.

Boundaries

1885-1918: The Municipal Borough of Chichester, the Sessional Divisions of Arundel and Chichester, and part of the Sessional Division of Steyning.

1918-1950: The Municipal Boroughs of Arundel and Chichester, the Urban Districts of Bognor and Littlehampton, and the Rural Districts of East Preston, Midhurst, Petworth, Westbourne, and Westhampnett.

1950-1974: The Municipal Borough of Chichester, the Urban District of Bognor Regis, and the Rural District of Chichester.

1974-1983: The Municipal Borough of Chichester, the Rural Districts of Midhurst and Petworth, and part of the Rural District of Chichester.

1983-1997: The District of Chichester.

1997-2010: All the wards of the District of Chichester except the Bury, Plaistow and Wisborough Green wards.

2010-present: The District of Chichester wards of Bosham, Boxgrove, Chichester East, Chichester North, Chichester South, Chichester West, Donnington, Easebourne, East Wittering, Fernhurst, Fishbourne, Funtington, Harting, Lavant, Midhurst, North Mundham, Plaistow, Rogate, Selsey North, Selsey South, Sidlesham, Southbourne, Stedham, Tangmere, West Wittering, and Westbourne.

The constituency is based in the western portion of West Sussex, centred on the city of Chichester and covers the majority of the Chichester district. Other towns in the constituency include Midhurst and Selsey.

Prior to the 1974 redistribution, Chichester was a much more compact constituency, taking in the eastern towns of Arundel and Bognor Regis at various times, but the greater growth in population of other seats nationally, including in Sussex settlements of Crawley, Horsham and Brighton meant that the constituency was expanded to the north to give it equal population.

Constituency profile

This large, predominantly rural constituency runs from the West Sussex border with Surrey, through the South Downs, to the seaside resorts of Selsey and The Witterings. The small cathedral city of Chichester and Georgian market town of Midhurst are the main population centres. There is a cluster of settlements near the Hampshire border with Havant, in the west. There are a few pockets of deprivation on the outskirts of Chichester. The seat has been Conservative since 1924 and their candidate's present 55.3% of the vote is close to the average polled since 1983. The closest election since 1983 has been the 1997 general election, where a Liberal Democrat gained 29% of the vote. In that period the best performance by a Labour candidate was in 2001, with 21.4% of the vote. In terms of the fourth party since 2001, the three general elections to 2010 saw an increase in support for the UK Independence Party to their highest level to date, 6.8%.

MPs 1295–1660

Elections in the 1990s

This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.

Elections in the 1940s

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;

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1914/15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;