Chatham and Aylesford (UK Parliament constituency)

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox UK constituency main Chatham and Aylesford is a constituency^{[n 1]} in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Tris Osborne of the Labour Party.^{[n 2]}

Constituency profile

Most of the population lives in two distinct areas divided by the North Downs. These are Chatham and its suburbs of Luton and Walderslade, within the Medway Towns conurbation; and a patchwork of smaller settlements in the Medway Gap further west.

This is one of the less affluent seats in the otherwise wealthy South East, as shown by lower rates of formal qualifications and cheaper house prices.^[1]

Political history

Local voters returned the Labour candidate in the first three elections to 2005 then the Conservative candidate in the four general elections up to and including 2019, then reverted to Labour in 2024, reflecting the winner of the national general election in each case.

The greatest third party share of vote was 24.5% for Reform UK in 2024, followed by 19.9% for the UK Independence Party candidate in 2015. A Liberal Democrat came third in the first four elections reaching a vote share of 15% in 1997.

In June 2016, an estimated 63.9% 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.^[2]

Boundaries

1997–2010: The City of Rochester-upon-Medway wards of Holcombe, Horsted, Lordswood, Luton, Walderslade, Wayfield, and Weedswood, and the Borough of Tonbridge and Malling wards of Aylesford, Blue Bell Hill, Burham, Eccles and Wouldham, Ditton, Larkfield North, Larkfield South, Snodland East, and Snodland West.

2010–2024: The Borough of Medway wards of Chatham Central, Lordswood and Capstone, Luton and Wayfield, Princes Park, and Walderslade, and the Borough of Tonbridge and Malling wards of Aylesford, Blue Bell Hill and Walderslade, Burham, Eccles and Wouldham, Ditton, Larkfield North, Larkfield South, Snodland East, and Snodland West.

2024–present: Further to the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as composing of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

The Borough of Medway wards of: Chatham Central; Lordswood and Capstone; Luton and Wayfield; Princes Park; Rochester South and Horsted; Walderslade.
The Borough of Tonbridge and Malling wards of: Aylesford North and Walderslade; Burham and Wouldham; Larkfield North; Larkfield South; Snodland East and Ham Hill; Snodland West and Holborough Lakes.^[3]

The Medway ward of Rochester South and Horsted was transferred in from Rochester and Strood, offset by the loss of the Tonbridge and Malling wards of Aylesford South and Ditton to the new constituency of Maidstone and Malling.

Following local government boundary reviews in Medway, and Tonbridge and Malling which came into effect in May 2023,^[4]^[5] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

The Borough of Medway wards of: Chatham Central & Brompton (majority); Fort Horsted; Fort Pitt (most); Lordswood & Walderslade; Luton; Princes Park; Rochester East & Warren Wood (small part); Wayfield & Weeds Wood; and a very small part of Hempstead & Wigmore.
The Borough of Tonbridge and Malling wards of: Aylesford North & North Downs (most); Larkfield; Snodland East and Ham Hill; Snodland West and Holborough Lakes; Walderslade.^[6]

Members of Parliament

Mid Kent and Tonbridge & Malling prior to 1997

Election		Member^[7]^[8]	Party
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	1997	Jonathan Shaw	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	2010	Tracey Crouch	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	2024	Tris Osborne	Labour