Ashford (UK Parliament constituency)

Ashford is a constituency in Kent created in 1885 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Sojan Joseph of the Labour Party.

Constituency profile

The constituency includes all of the large town of Ashford, which is seeing significant housing expansion and has a manufacturing and services employment base; and surrounding rural areas to the east, including the village of Wye. The seat previously included the town of Tenterden but, due to population growth in Ashford itself, the 2023 boundary review proposed that Tenterden be removed from the Ashford constituency and included in the new constituency of Weald of Kent.

Residents' health and wealth are in line with UK averages.

Boundaries

Template:Maplink1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Tenterden, the Sessional Divisions of Ashford and Cranbrook, the corporate towns of Lydd and New Romney, and part of the Liberty of Romney Marsh.

1918–1950: The Municipal Boroughs of Lydd, New Romney, and Tenterden, the Urban District of Ashford, and the Rural Districts of Cranbrook, East Ashford, Romney Marsh, Tenterden, and West Ashford.

1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of Tenterden, the Urban District of Ashford, and the Rural Districts of Cranbrook, East Ashford, Tenterden, and West Ashford.

1974–1983: The Municipal Borough of Tenterden, the Urban District of Ashford, and the Rural Districts of East Ashford, Tenterden, and West Ashford. Cranbrook Rural District was transferred to the new Royal Tunbridge Wells constituency.

1983–2010: The Borough of Ashford. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged from 1974.

2010–2024: The Borough of Ashford wards of Aylesford Green, Beaver, Biddenden, Bockhanger, Boughton Aluph and Eastwell, Bybrook, Charing, Downs North, Downs West, Godinton, Great Chart with Singleton North, Highfield, Isle of Oxney, Kennington, Little Burton Farm, Norman, North Willesborough, Park Farm North, Park Farm South, Rolvenden and Tenterden West, St Michael's, Singleton South, South Willesborough, Stanhope, Stour, Tenterden North, Tenterden South, Victoria, Washford, Weald Central, Weald East, Weald North, Weald South, and Wye.

2024–present: Following the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The Borough of Ashford wards of: Aylesford & East Stour; Beaver; Bircholt; Bockhanger; Bybrook; Conningbrook & Little Burton Farm; Furley; Goat Lees; Godinton; Highfield; Kennington; Mersham, Sevington South with Finberry; Norman; Park Farm North; Park Farm South; Repton; Roman; Singleton East; Singleton West; Stanhope; Victoria; Washford; Willesborough; Wye with Hinxhill.
• The District of Folkestone and Hythe wards of: North Downs East; North Downs West.

The bulk of the geographic area of the constituency, including the town of Tenterden, and comprising approximately 35% of the current electorate, was moved to the newly created constituency of Weald of Kent. To partly compensate, the two North Downs wards were transferred from Folkestone and Hythe.

Political history

Created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Ashford has been won by a Conservative at every election except that of 1929 when it was won by a Liberal, after that party's turn towards the left marked by the People's Budget in 1911, who won with a majority of less than 1% of the vote.

The most marginal victory since 1929 occurred in 1997 when its voters returned a Conservative who won by a 9.7% majority. The 2015 result made the seat the 106th safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.

In June 2016, an estimated 60% 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.

The Conservatives lost the seat at the 2024 general election to Sojan Joseph of the Labour Party, the first time in the seat's history that it was won by Labour.

Members of Parliament

West Kent prior to 1885

Election		Member	Party
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color"|	1885	William Pomfret	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color"|	1892	Laurence Hardy
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1918	Samuel Strang Steel	Coalition Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1929	Rev Roderick Kedward	Liberal
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1931	Michael Knatchbull	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1933 by-election	Patrick Spens
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1943 by-election	Edward Percy Smith
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1950	Bill Deedes
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	October 1974	Keith Speed
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1997	Damian Green
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	2024	Sojan Joseph	Labour

Elections

File:Ashford Results 1900-2019.png

Elections in the 2020s

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2024 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Damian Green	13,483	28.7
		Tristram Kennedy Harper	10,141	21.6
		Mandy Rossi	4,355	9.3
		Adam Rowledge	2,445	5.2
	Consensus	James Ransley	1,289	2.7
Majority			1,779	3.8
Turnout			46,975	61.6
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:If empty" |	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+19.6

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result
Party		Vote	%
Template:Party color cell	Conservative	28,759	59.2
Template:Party color cell	Labour	11,548	23.8
Template:Party color cell	Liberal Democrats	5,176	10.7
Template:Party color cell	Green	2,234	4.6
Template:Party color cell	Others	862	1.8
Turnout		48,579	66.1
Electorate		73,546

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2019 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Dara Farrell	13,241	22.0
		Adrian Gee-Turner	6,048	10.1
		Mandy Rossi	2,638	4.4
		Susannah De Sanvil	862	1.4
Majority			24,029	40.1
Turnout			60,059	67.1
	hold		Swing	+5.4

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2017 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Sally Gathern	17,840	29.8
		Adrian Gee-Turner	3,101	5.2
		Gerald O'Brien	2,218	3.7
		Mandy Rossi	1,402	2.3
Majority			17,478	29.2
Turnout			59,879	68.5
	hold		Swing	−2.5

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2015 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Gerald O'Brien	10,798	18.8
		Brendan Chilton	10,580	18.4
		Debbie Enever	3,433	6.0
		Mandy Rossi	2,467	4.3
Majority			19,296	33.7
Turnout			57,372	67.3
	hold		Swing	−8.0

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2010 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Chris Took	12,581	22.8
		Chris Clark	9,204	16.7
		Jeffrey Elenor	2,508	4.5
		Steven Campkin	1,014	1.8
Majority			17,297	31.3
Turnout			55,185	67.9
	hold		Swing	+2.3

Elections in the 2000s

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2005 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Valerie Whitaker	13,353	25.8
		Chris Took	8,308	16.1
		Richard Boden	1,753	3.4
		Bernard Stroud	1,620	3.1
Majority			13,298	25.8
Turnout			51,685	65.0
	hold		Swing	+5.2

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2001 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Adams	15,380	32.1
		Keith Fitchett	7,236	15.1
		Richard Boden	1,353	2.8
		David Waller	1,229	2.6
Majority			7,359	15.3
Turnout			47,937	62.5
	hold		Swing	+3.2

Elections in the 1990s

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1997 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Ennals	17,554	31.7
		John Williams	10,901	19.7
		Christopher Cruden	3,201	5.8
		Richard Boden	660	1.2
		Stephen Tyrell	89	0.2
Majority			5,345	9.7
Turnout			55,294	74.2
	hold		Swing	−12.5

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1992 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Christine Headley	13,672	24.1
		Doreen Cameron	11,365	20.0
		Charles Porter	773	1.4
Majority			17,359	30.5
Turnout			56,841	79.2
	hold		Swing	+0.7

Elections in the 1980s

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1987 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Neil Macmillan	14,490	27.3
		Michael Wiggins	7,775	14.7
		Charles Porter	778	1.5
Majority			15,488	29.2
Turnout			53,021	75.7
	hold		Swing

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1983 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jo Hawkes	13,319	27.8
		Paul Lewis	6,167	12.9
		Charles Porter	569	1.2
	National Labour	J.W. King	456	0.9
		R.E. Lockwood	195	0.4
Majority			13,911	29.0
Turnout			47,936	73.2
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

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1979 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		A.A. Gilbert	12,586	26.7
		Alison Wainman	7,631	16.2
		K.R. McKilliam	678	1.4
Majority			13,638	29.0
Turnout			47,119	76.7
	hold		Swing

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October 1974 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		M.B. Jackson	13,269	30.5
		Clive G. Dennis	10,983	25.2
Majority			6,025	13.8
Turnout			43,546	74.5
	hold		Swing

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February 1974 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Clive G. Dennis	13,314	28.2
		M.B. Jackson	12,077	25.6
Majority			8,459	18.0
Turnout			47,164	81.5
	hold		Swing

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1970 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John M. Bowyer	14,037	28.9
		Frederick Charles Truman	7,902	16.3
Majority			12,612	26.0
Turnout			48,588	72.5
	hold		Swing	+3.5

Elections in the 1960s

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1966 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Charles A. Thomas	13,249	31.0
		J. Gavin W. Peck	8,121	19.0
Majority			8,113	19.0
Turnout			42,732	75.4
	hold		Swing

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1964 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Charles A. Thomas	11,989	28.2
		J. Gavin W. Peck	9,531	22.4
Majority			9,037	21.2
Turnout			42,546	77.5
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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1959 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Reginald Ward	14,983	37.1
Majority			10,400	25.8
Turnout			40,366	77.5
	hold		Swing

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1955 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Neville Sandelson	15,685	39.5
Majority			8,307	20.9
Turnout			39,677	78.1
	hold		Swing

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1951 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Neville Sandelson	16,645	40.9
Majority			7,448	18.3
Turnout			40,738	81.9
	hold		Swing

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1950 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Neville Sandelson	14,948	36.6
		H. Shirley	4,828	11.8
Majority			6,147	15.0
Turnout			40,871	84.1
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

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1945 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Horace Waterton Lee	12,575	34.8
		Harold Vezey Strong	4,804	13.3
Majority			6,225	17.2
Turnout			36,179	71.3
	hold		Swing

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1943 Ashford by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Catherine E. Williamson	4,192	30.3
Majority			5,456	39.4
Turnout			13,840	27.7
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1930s

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14 November 1935 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Borlase Matthews	8,338	23.2
		W.J. Beck	6,333	17.6
Majority			12,985	36.0
Turnout			35,994	73.6
	hold		Swing

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1933 Ashford by-election:

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Roderick Kedward	11,423	33.9
		W.J. Beck	6,178	18.4
Majority			4,628	13.8
Turnout			33,652	70.9
	hold		Swing

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27 October 1931 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Roderick Kedward	14,681	41.3
Majority			6,210	17.4
Turnout			35,572	75.9
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:If empty" |	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

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30 May 1929 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Samuel Strang Steel	14,579	42.6
		Mont Follick	3,885	11.4
Majority			1,174	3.4
Turnout			34,217	75.3
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:If empty" |	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+21.0

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29 October 1924 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Leonard John Humphrey	5,487	21.8
		Basil Noble	4,473	17.8
Majority			9,672	38.6
Turnout			25,119	70.4
	hold		Swing	+9.2

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6 December 1923 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Basil Noble	7,709	37.9
Majority			4,935	24.2
Turnout			20,353	57.8
	hold		Swing	+7.0

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15 November 1922 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Basil Noble	6,977	30.9
Majority			8,661	38.2
Turnout			22,615	64.2
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1910s

Template:Election box winning candidate with party link coalition 1918Template:Election box registered electorsTemplate:Election box end 1918General 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;

• Unionist: Lawrence Hardy
• Liberal: Arthur Frederick William Johnson

14 December 1918 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Democrat	William H. Deedes	2,408	19.0
Majority			7,850	62.0
Turnout			12,666	39.2
	hold		Swing	N/A

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December 1910 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold

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January 1910 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Reginald John Farrer	4,422	35.7
Majority			3,544	28.6
Turnout			12,418	87.2
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1900s

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1906 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Percy Harris	5,614	48.4
Majority			380	3.2
Turnout			11,608	83.7
	hold		Swing

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1900 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Protestant	Benjamin Nicholson	2,343	28.4
Majority			3,555	43.2
Turnout			8,241	64.8
	hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1890s

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1895 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold

File:Laurence Hardy.jpg

Hardy

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1892 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John U Bugler	4,281	43.7
Majority			1,231	12.6
Turnout			9,793	68.4
	hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1880s

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1886 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold

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1885 general election: Ashford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		George Crispe Whiteley	4,895	44.8
Majority			1,125	10.4
Turnout			10,915	81.5

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Kent
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)

Sources

• British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)

External links

• Ashford UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Ashford UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Ashford UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK