New Forest West

New Forest West
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2010
Map of constituency
Boundary of New Forest West in South East England
CountyHampshire
Electorate71,009 (2023) [1]
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created1997
Member of ParliamentDesmond Swayne (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromNew Forest

New Forest West is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Desmond Swayne, a Conservative.[n 2]

Constituency profile

New Forest West is a constituency in Hampshire. Most of its population lives in coastal settlements in the south, and much of the inland area is part of the New Forest National Park. Its largest town is New Milton, which, together with the connected villages of Ashley and Barton on Sea, has a population of around 25,000.[2] Other settlements in the constituency include the towns of Lymington, Ringwood and Fordingbridge and the villages of Milford on Sea, Hordle and Bransgore.

New Milton is a historic market town that grew significantly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries after the construction of a railway station, and is today a popular retirement location. Lymington is a port town with a history of shipbuilding and yachting. Ringwood and Fordingbridge are traditional market towns and, like the rest of the constituency, are generally affluent.[3] House prices across the constituency are higher than the national and South East England averages.[4]

New Forest West has a very large retiree population; around 35% of residents are over the age of 65, nearly double the overall England and Wales percentage.[5] Residents have average levels of education, are more likely to be religious, and have high rates of homeownership compared to the rest of the country.[4] Household income levels are average and the child poverty rate is low.[4][6] A high proportion of residents work in the retail and tourism sectors, and the percentage claiming unemployment benefits is low.[7][6] White people made up 97% of the population at the 2021 census.[8]

At the local council level, most of the constituency is represented by Conservatives with some Green Party and Liberal Democrat councillors elected in the inland areas and some Reform UK representatives elected at the county council. An estimated 57% of voters in New Forest West supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 52%.[4]

Boundaries

1997–2010: The District of New Forest wards of Barton, Bashley, Becton, Bransgore and Sopley, Downlands, Fordingbridge, Forest North West, Forest West, Hordle, Lymington Town, Milford, Milton, Pennington, Ringwood North, Ringwood South, and Sway.

2010–2023: The District of New Forest wards of Barton, Bashley, Becton, Bransgore and Burley, Buckland, Downlands and Forest, Fernhill, Fordingbridge, Forest North West, Hordle, Lymington Town, Milford, Milton, Pennington, Ringwood East and Sopley, Ringwood North, and Ringwood South.

2023–present: Following a review of local authority ward boundaries, which became effective in May 2023,[9][10] the constituency now comprises the following:

  • The District of New Forest wards of: Ashley, Bashley and Fernhill; Ballard; Barton and Becton; Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East; Downlands and Forest North; Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde; Lymington; Milford and Hordle; Milton; Pennington; Ringwood North and Ellingham; and Ringwood South.[11]

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.[12]

History

This constituency was created when the old New Forest constituency was divided for the 1997 general election. Since its creation, election results suggest a Conservative safe seat.

Members of Parliament

New Forest prior to 1997

ElectionMember[13] Party
1997 Sir Desmond Swayne Conservative

Elections

Election results 1950-2024

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: New Forest West[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Desmond Swayne 16,412 35.4 −28.4
Labour Sally Johnston 10,812 23.3 +10.2
Liberal Democrats Jack Davies 8,186 17.7 +2.4
Reform Reginald Chester-Sterne 7,577 16.4 New
Green Anna Collar 2,800 6.0 −1.7
Animal Welfare Gavin Ridley 393 0.8 New
SDP Paul Simon 157 0.3 New
Majority 5,600 12.1 −36.4
Turnout 46,337 67.5 −3.3
Registered electors 68,644
Conservative hold Swing −19.3

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: New Forest West[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Desmond Swayne 32,113 63.8 −3.0
Liberal Democrats Jack Davies 7,710 15.3 +5.7
Labour Jo Graham 6,595 13.1 −6.5
Green Nicholas Bubb 3,888 7.7 +4.8
Majority 24,403 48.5 +1.3
Turnout 50,306 71.3 −1.5
Conservative hold Swing −4.35
General election 2017: New Forest West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Desmond Swayne 33,170 66.8 +6.9
Labour Jo Graham 9,739 19.6 +8.8
Liberal Democrats Terry Scriven 4,781 9.6 +2.7
Green Janet Richards 1,454 2.9 −2.9
Pirate Des Hjerling 483 1.0 New
Majority 23,431 47.2 +3.8
Turnout 49,627 72.8 +3.6
Conservative hold Swing −0.95
General election 2015: New Forest West[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Desmond Swayne 28,420 59.9 +1.1
UKIP Paul Bailey 7,816 16.5 +10.6
Labour Lena Samuels 5,133 10.8 +1.0
Liberal Democrats Imogen Shepherd-DuBey 3,293 6.9 −16.4
Green Janet Richards 2,748 5.8 +3.6
Majority 20,604 43.4 +7.9
Turnout 47,410 69.2 −7.4
Conservative hold Swing −4.75
General election 2010: New Forest West[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Desmond Swayne 27,980 58.8 +2.9
Liberal Democrats Mike Plummer 11,084 23.3 +4.1
Labour Janice Hurne 4,666 9.8 −6.7
UKIP Martin Lyon 2,783 5.9 +1.7
Green Janet Richards 1,059 2.2 −1.8
Majority 16,896 35.5 −1.2
Turnout 47,572 69.6 +3.5
Conservative hold Swing −0.6

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: New Forest West[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Desmond Swayne 26,004 56.4 +0.7
Liberal Democrats Murari Kaushik 8,719 18.9 −6.9
Labour Janice Hurne 7,590 16.5 +1.8
UKIP Brian Lawrence 1,917 4.2 +0.5
Green Janet Richards 1,837 4.0 New
Majority 17,285 37.5 +7.6
Turnout 46,067 66.5 +1.5
Conservative hold Swing +3.8
General election 2001: New Forest West[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Desmond Swayne 24,575 55.7 +5.1
Liberal Democrats Michael Bignell 11,384 25.8 −2.0
Labour Crada N. Onuegbu 6,481 14.7 +0.4
UKIP Michael Clark 1,647 3.7 +0.6
Majority 13,191 29.9 +7.1
Turnout 44,087 65.0 −9.7
Conservative hold Swing +3.6

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: New Forest West[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Desmond Swayne 25,149 50.6
Liberal Democrats Robert C.H. Hale 13,817 27.8
Labour David R. Griffiths 7,092 14.3
Referendum Maureen A. Elliott 2,150 4.3
UKIP Michael Holmes 1,542 3.1
Majority 11,332 22.8
Turnout 49,750 74.7
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  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

  1. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "New Milton". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Seat Details - New Forest West". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Constituency data: Population, by age". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Constituency dashboard". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  9. ↑ LGBCE. "New Forest | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "The New Forest (Electoral Changes) Order 2021".
  11. ↑ "New Seat Details - New Forest West". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  13. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 1)
  14. ↑ New Forest West
  15. ↑ "New Forest West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  16. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

50°48′22″N 1°37′44″W / 50.806°N 1.629°W / 50.806; -1.629

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