Aldershot has elected a Conservative as its MP since its creation in 1918.
From 1974, to 2010 (inclusive) Liberal Democrats (or predecessor, Liberals) polled second. In 2015 and 2017 the Labour candidate was runner-up.
The 2015 result saw the seat rank 123rd safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.[3] In June 2016, 57.9% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum chose to leave the European Union instead of to remain. This was matched in two January 2018 votes in Parliament by its MP.[4]
In the 2017 general election, Leo Docherty won the seat after Howarth stood down (retired). The seat saw a further increase in the Labour vote, like much of the South East amid its national rise to 40% of the vote, the highest since 2001 when the party was in government.
Boundaries[edit]
Boundary map
1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Aldershot, Farnborough, and Fleet, and the Rural District of Hartley Wintney.
1950–1974: The Borough of Aldershot, the Urban Districts of Farnborough and Fleet, and the Rural District of Hartley Wintney. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged.
1974–1983: The Borough of Aldershot, the Urban Districts of Farnborough and Fleet, and in the Rural District of Hartley Wintney the parishes of Crondall, Crookham Village, Hawley, and Yateley.
1983–1997: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Eversley, Frogmore and Darby Green, Hartley Wintney, Hawley, Whitewater, Yateley East, Yateley North, and Yateley West.
1997–2010: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Frogmore and Darby Green, Hawley, Yateley East, Yateley North, and Yateley West.
2010–present: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Blackwater and Hawley, and Frogmore and Darby Green.[n 3]
Constituency profile[edit]
The constituency includes the towns Aldershot and Farnborough in the north-east of Hampshire which have research, development and production sites of information technology and light industrial major commercial businesses such as in aviation at Farnborough Airport, storage and distribution, and military supply businesses. Aldershot is a major training and residential base of the British Army. Adding to steady employment and high income sectors, two 35 minutes to one-hour journey time passenger lines to Central London, serve the south and north of the mixed functionalist urban and leafy, relatively grand suburbia seat.[n 4]
Aldershot itself has some Labour councillors, along with one strong ward in Farnborough (Cherrywood), but the majority of wards, particularly in the smaller rural towns and villages are safely Conservative, the latter holding the seat with solid or large majorities from its creation 100 years ago.
Members of Parliament[edit]
Parliament
Years
Member[5]
Party
Constituency created from Basingstoke
31st
1918–1922
Roundell Palmer, 3rd Earl of Selborne
Conservative Party
32nd
1922–1923
33rd
1923–1924
34th
1924–1929
35th
1929–1931
36th
1931–1935
37th
1935–1940
1940 by-election–1945
Oliver Lyttelton
38th
1945–1950
39th
1950–1951
40th
1951–1954
1954 by-election–1955
Eric Errington
41st
1955–1959
42nd
1959–1964
43rd
1964–1966
44th
1966–1970
45th
1970–Feb 1974
Julian Critchley
46th
Feb 1974–Oct 1974
47th
Oct 1974–1979
48th
1979–1983
49th
1983–1987
50th
1987–1992
51st
1992–1997
52nd
1997–2001
Gerald Howarth
53rd
2001–2005
54th
2005–2010
55th
2010–2015
56th
2015–2017
57th
2017–2019
Leo Docherty
58th
2019–present
Elections[edit]
Aldershot election results
Elections in the 1910s[edit]
1918 general election: Aldershot[6]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
C
Unionist
Roundell Palmer
8,755
72.4
Liberal
Harry Ainger
3,342
27.6
Majority
5,413
44.8
Turnout
12,097
48.0
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
Elections in the 1920s[edit]
1922 general election: Aldershot[6]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Unionist
Roundell Palmer
10,952
67.4
−5.0
Liberal
Harry Ainger
5,296
32.6
+5.0
Majority
5,656
34.8
−10.0
Turnout
16,248
64.8
+16.8
Unionist hold
Swing
−5.0
1923 general election: Aldershot [7]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Unionist
Roundell Palmer
9,131
59.1
−8.3
Liberal
Alfred Suenson-Taylor
6,315
40.9
+8.3
Majority
2,816
18.2
−16.6
Turnout
15,446
59.6
−5.2
Unionist hold
Swing
−8.3
1924 general election: Aldershot[6]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Unionist
Roundell Palmer
14,081
76.6
+17.5
Labour
Hubert Beaumont
4,313
23.4
New
Majority
9,768
53.2
+35.0
Turnout
18,394
68.2
+8.6
Unionist hold
Swing
N/A
1929 general election: Aldershot [6]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Unionist
Roundell Palmer
15,123
59.3
−17.3
Liberal
Henry Fabian Orpen
5,984
23.5
New
Labour
J.R. McPhie
4,389
17.2
−6.2
Majority
9,139
35.8
17.4
Turnout
25,496
68.5
+0.3
Unionist hold
Swing
N/A
Elections in the 1930s[edit]
1931 general election: Aldershot
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Roundell Palmer
22,134
84.4
+25.1
Labour
Mary Richardson
4,091
15.6
-1.6
Majority
18,043
68.8
+33.0
Turnout
26,225
65.6
-2.9
Conservative hold
Swing
1935 general election: Aldershot
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Roundell Palmer
17,730
73.4
−11.0
Independent Progressive
Gerald Bailey
6,421
26.6
New
Majority
11,309
46.8
−22.0
Turnout
24,151
58.4
−7.2
Conservative hold
Swing
N/A
1945 general election: Aldershot[8]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Oliver Lyttelton
19,456
57.41
Common Wealth
Tom Wintringham
14,435
42.59
New
Majority
5,021
14.82
Turnout
33,891
69.18
Conservative hold
Swing
N/A
1940 Aldershot by-election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Oliver Lyttelton
Unopposed
Conservative hold
Elections in the 1950s[edit]
1950 general election: Aldershot[9]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Oliver Lyttelton
21,238
52.2
−5.21
Labour
NF Hidden
15,066
37.0
+2.7
Liberal
John Henry Gooden
4,355
10.7
N/A
Majority
6,172
15.2
+0.38
Turnout
40,659
79.7
−1.9
Conservative hold
Swing
+3.75
1951 general election: Aldershot[10]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Oliver Lyttelton
24,951
60.3
+8.1
Labour
Robert N Hales
16,402
39.7
+2.7
Majority
8,549
20.7
+5.5
Turnout
41,353
77.8
−1.9
Conservative hold
Swing
+5.4
1954 Aldershot by-election[11]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Eric Errington
19,108
60.1
−0.2
Labour
William Cuthbertson
12,701
39.9
+0.2
Majority
6,407
20.1
−0.4
Turnout
31,809
58.7
−19.1
Conservative hold
Swing
−0.2
1955 general election: Aldershot[12]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Eric Errington
22,701
56.7
−3.6
Labour
Julian D Richards
13,129
32.8
−6.9
Liberal
Enid Lakeman
4,232
10.6
New
Majority
9,572
23.9
+3.8
Turnout
40,062
73.9
−3.8
Conservative hold
Swing
−5.25
1959 general election: Aldershot[13]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Eric Errington
25,161
58.4
+!.7
Labour
Roy E Brooks
12,270
28.5
−4.3
Liberal
Enid Lakeman
5,679
13.2
+2.6
Majority
12,891
29.9
+6.0
Turnout
43,110
75.9
+2.0
Conservative hold
Swing
+3.0
Elections in the 1960s[edit]
1964 general election: Aldershot[14]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Eric Errington
25,797
52.03
−6.37
Labour
Elizabeth K Collard
13,718
27.67
−0.87
Liberal
Gerald Edward Owen
10,066
20.30
+7.1
Majority
12,079
24.36
−5.54
Turnout
49,581
75.01
−0.89
Conservative hold
Swing
+3.62
1966 general election: Aldershot[15]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Eric Errington
25,672
48.9
−4.1
Labour
Derrick Harold Silvester
16,776
32.0
+4.3
Liberal
Gerald Edward Owen
10,025
19.1
−1.2
Majority
8,896
17.0
−7.4
Turnout
52,473
75.38
+0.4
Conservative hold
Swing
+4.2
Elections in the 1970s[edit]
1970 general election: Aldershot[16]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Julian Critchley
33,447
55.8
+6.9
Labour
Roger T. Bogg
18,916
31.6
−0.4
Liberal
Philip M. Gibbons
7,551
12.6
−6.5
Majority
14,531
24.25
+7.2
Turnout
59,909
70.89
−4.5
Conservative hold
Swing
+3.7
February 1974 general election: Aldershot[17]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Julian Critchley
29,401
45.4
−10.2
Liberal
G. Floyd
18,743
28.9
+16.3
Labour
W.L.J.T. Card
15,492
23.9
−7.9
National Front
T. Greenslade
1,148
1.77
New
Majority
10,658
16.5
+7.8
Turnout
64,781
81.2
+10.3
Conservative hold
Swing
−13.3
October 1974 general election: Aldershot[18]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Julian Critchley
26,463
45.1
−0.3
Liberal
A. Burton
16,104
27.5
−1.4
Labour
E.P. Sudworth
14,936
25.5
+1.6
National Front
A. Greenslade
1,120
1.9
+0.1
Majority
10,359
17.6
+1.1
Turnout
58,620
72.8
−8.4
Conservative hold
Swing
−0.9
1979 general election: Aldershot[19]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Julian Critchley
38,014
57.5
+12.4
Liberal
N. Westbrook
14,438
21.4
−6.1
Labour
D. Somerville
13,698
20.7
−4.8
Majority
23,576
36.1
+18.5
Turnout
66,150
76.5
+3.7
Conservative hold
Swing
+9.3
Elections in the 1980s[edit]
1983 general election: Aldershot[20][21]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Julian Critchley
31,288
55.5
−2.0
Liberal
N. Westbrook
19,070
33.8
+12.4
Labour
A. Crawford
6,070
10.8
−9.9
Majority
12,218
21.7
−14.4
Turnout
56,425
72.72
−3.8
Conservative hold
Swing
−7.2
1987 general election: Aldershot[22][23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Julian Critchley
35,272
59.0
+3.5
Liberal
Roger Hargreaves
17,488
29.2
−4.6
Labour
Ian Pearson
7,061
11.8
+1.0
Majority
17,784
29.8
+8.1
Turnout
59,822
74.0
+1.28
Conservative hold
Swing
+4.1
Elections in the 1990s[edit]
1992 general election: Aldershot[24][25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Julian Critchley
36,974
57.5
−1.5
Liberal Democrats
Adrian Collett
17,786
27.6
−1.6
Labour
John Smith
8,552
13.3
+1.5
Liberal
David H. Robinson
1,038
1.6
New
Majority
19,188
29.8
0.0
Turnout
64,350
78.7
+4.7
Conservative hold
Swing
0.0
1997 general election: Aldershot[26][27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Gerald Howarth
23,119
42.7
−14.8
Liberal Democrats
Adrian Collett
16,498
30.5
+2.9
Labour
Terence Bridgeman
13,057
24.1
+10.8
UKIP
John Howe
794
1.5
New
Independent
Arthur Uther Pendragon
361
0.7
New
BNP
Donald Stevens
322
0.6
New
Majority
6,621
12.2
-17.6
Turnout
54,153
70.8
-7.9
Conservative hold
Swing
−8.9
Elections in the 2000s[edit]
2001 general election: Aldershot[28]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Gerald Howarth
19,106
42.2
−0.5
Liberal Democrats
Adrian Collett
12,512
27.6
−2.9
Labour
Luke Akehurst
11,394
25.2
+1.1
UKIP
Derek Rumsey
797
1.8
+0.3
Green
Adam Stacey
630
1.4
New
Independent
Arthur Uther Pendragon
459
1.0
New
Monster Raving Loony
Howling Laud Hope
390
0.9
New
Majority
6,594
14.6
+2.4
Turnout
45,288
57.9
−12.9
Conservative hold
Swing
0.0
2005 general election: Aldershot[29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Gerald Howarth
20,572
42.7
+0.5
Liberal Democrats
Adrian Collett
15,238
31.7
+4.1
Labour
Howard Linsley
9,895
20.6
−4.6
UKIP
Derek Rumsey
1,182
2.5
+0.7
English Democrat
Gary Cowd
701
1.5
New
Monster Raving Loony
Howling Laud Hope
553
1.1
+0.2
Majority
5,334
11.0
−3.6
Turnout
48,141
61.3
+3.4
Conservative hold
Swing
−1.8
Elections in the 2010s[edit]
2010 general election: Aldershot[30]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Gerald Howarth
21,203
46.7
+2.7
Liberal Democrats
Adrian Collett
15,617
34.4
+5.5
Labour
Jonathan Slater
5,489
12.1
−9.6
UKIP
Robert Snare
2,041
4.5
+2.1
English Independence Party
Gary Cowd
999
1.8
New
Christian
Juliana Brimicombe
231
0.5
New
Majority
5,586
12.3
+1.2
Turnout
45,384
63.5
−0.1
Conservative hold
Swing
−1.4
2015 general election: Aldershot[31]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Gerald Howarth
23,369
50.6
+3.9
Labour
Gary Puffett
8,468
18.3
+6.2
UKIP
Bill Walker
8,253
17.9
+13.4
Liberal Democrats
Alan Hilliar
4,076
8.8
−25.6
Green
Carl Hewitt
2,025
4.4
New
Majority
14,901
32.3
+20.0
Turnout
46,191
63.8
+0.3
Conservative hold
Swing
−1.2
2017 general election: Aldershot[32]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Leo Docherty[33]
26,950
55.1
+4.5
Labour
Gary Puffett[34]
15,477
31.6
+13.3
Liberal Democrats
Alan Hilliar[35]
3,637
7.4
−1.4
UKIP
Roy Swales[36]
1,796
3.7
−14.2
Green
Donna Wallace
1,090
2.2
−2.2
Majority
11,518
23.5
−8.8
Turnout
48,995
64.2
+0.4
Conservative hold
Swing
-4.4
2019 general election: Aldershot[37]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Leo Docherty
27,980
58.4
+3.3
Labour
Howard Kaye
11,282
23.5
−8.1
Liberal Democrats
Alan Hilliar
6,920
14.4
+7.0
Green
Donna Wallace
1,750
3.7
+1.5
Majority
16,698
34.9
+11.4
Turnout
47,932
66.0
+1.8
Registered electors
72,617
Conservative hold
Swing
+5.7
See also[edit]
List of Parliamentary constituencies in Hampshire
Notes and references[edit]
Notes
^A borough 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.
^Wards were in the interim period reformed as their primary purpose is that of local government, see wards of the United Kingdom
^See Alton Line and South West Main Line, railways.
References
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^List of Conservative MPs elected in 2015 by % majority UK Political.info. Retrieved 2017-01-29
^"Leo Docherty MP, Aldershot". TheyWorkForYou.
^Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 1)
^ a b c dBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
^F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
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