Created 1983 Number of members One | Electorate 77,001 (December 2010) Number of members One | |
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Member of parliament | ||
Horsham is /ˈhɔːrʃəm/ a constituency centred on the historic satellite town to London, its rural district and part of another rural district in West Sussex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament between 1997 and 2015 by Francis Maude, and since 2015 by Jeremy Quin, both of the Conservative Party.
Contents
Boundaries and profile
1885-1918: The Sessional Divisions of Horsham, Midhurst, and Petworth, and the civil parish of Crawley.
1945-1950: The Urban Districts of Horsham, Shoreham-by-Sea, and Southwick, and the Rural Districts of Chanctonbury and Horsham.
1950-1974: The Urban District of Horsham, and the Rural Districts of Horsham, Midhurst, and Petworth.
1983-1997: The District of Horsham.
1997-2010: The District of Horsham wards of Billingshurst, Broadbridge Heath, Cowfold, Denne, Forest, Holbrook, Itchingfield and Shipley, Nuthurst, Riverside, Roffey North, Rudgwick, Rusper, Slinfold, Southwater, Trafalgar, and Warnham, the District of Mid Sussex wards of Balcombe, Copthorne and Worth, Crawley Down, Slaugham, and Turners Hill, and the District of Chichester wards of Plaistow and Wisborough Green.
2010-present: The District of Horsham wards of Billingshurst and Shipley, Broadbridge Heath, Denne, Forest, Holbrook East, Holbrook West, Horsham Park, Itchingfield, Slinfold and Warnham, Nuthurst, Roffey North, Roffey South, Rudgwick, Rusper and Colgate, Southwater, and Trafalgar, and the District of Mid Sussex wards of Ardingly and Balcombe, Copthorne and Worth, and Crawley Down and Turners Hill.
The constituency is located in a northern part of West Sussex, bordering the constituencies of Arundel and South Downs, Mid Sussex. It is centred slightly east of the town of Horsham and is rectangular with the exception of a noticeable gap formed by the smaller constituency of Crawley.
The constituency (including its brief larger versions under other names) has been represented by members of the Conservative Party since 1880, making it the longest held Conservative seat and not normally with marginal majorities making it a safe seat, though just outside the top twenty Conservative seats sorted by majority.
History
Horsham has existed as a constituency for three distinct periods. It first sent members to Parliament in 1295. However, the constituency was abolished in 1918 to make way for Horsham and Worthing. In 1945 the constituency was recreated, until 1974 when Horsham and Crawley was created. In 1983 the constituency of Horsham was again created and has existed since.
MPs 1660–1832
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.