Thurrock (UK Parliament constituency)

Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox UK constituency main Thurrock is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Jen Craft of the Labour Party.

Constituency profile

This industrial Essex seat, east of London, includes the towns of Grays, Tilbury and Purfleet, and 18 miles of the north bank of the Thames.

Historically known for quarrying and heavy industry, it is now a retail destination thanks to the Lakeside Shopping Centre. Retail and distribution are big employers, while Tilbury Power Station has closed and Coryton oil refinery is being redeveloped as a business park. Tilbury is also London's major port, handling millions of tonnes of cargo a year and is a major cruise ship terminal.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 higher than the national average of 3.8%, at 4.8% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian. The regional average for the Eastern England region was considerably lower, at 3.2% of the population.

History

History of boundaries

The seat was created from South East Essex as a result of the interim redistribution carried out for the 1945 general election. It remained unchanged until the redistribution following the reorganisation of local authorities under the Local Government Act 1972 (not coming into force until the 1983 general election), when it lost northern parts to the new constituency of Billericay. There was a small change for the 2010 general election, when East Tilbury was included in the new constituency of South Basildon and East Thurrock.

History of results

Thurrock was for 38 years from its creation in 1945 a large-majority Labour seat in parliamentary elections. The post-Falklands War election in 1983 gave a majority of less than 4% of the vote to a recently split Labour Party (the breakaway faction, the SDP, came third). A Conservative gained Thurrock in 1987 with a small majority. In 1992, it was regained by a Labour candidate, Andrew MacKinlay. During his tenure as MP, MacKinlay was criticised for his questioning technique used on weapons expert Dr. David Kelly.

In the 2010 general election, a Conservative gained the seat, with Jackie Doyle-Price being elected as the MP on a majority of 92 votes, the third most marginal in that election. The 2015 result gave the seat the 8th most marginal majority of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority. In that 2015 election fewer than 1,000 votes separated the top three parties: Conservative, Labour and UKIP. The seat has had bellwether outcome status since 1997.

In 2017, the seat was number 1 on UKIP's 2017 target list, the party only needing a 0.98% swing to win the seat from third place if the previous result were repeated. The constituency was also at number 7 on Labour's target list, with a 0.54% swing needed for their candidate to win the seat. In the event, the swing to Labour was around 0.2% and Doyle-Price held the seat by a mere 345 votes, making it the 26th-closest nationally (of 650 seats). This was also the third consecutive occasion that Thurrock had been held or won very narrowly. At the 2019 general election, The Conservatives were boosted by the Brexit Party having no candidate in the seat, with Doyle-Price's vote share increased by 19.1%, the largest increase in vote share achieved by any Conservative candidate in the United Kingdom at that election, and her majority rose to 11,482 votes.

At the 2024 general election, the seat was gained by Labour's Jen Craft by a comfortable majority of over 17%, with the incumbent Conservative Doyle-Price placing third behind Reform UK.

Prominent frontbenchers

Dr Oonagh McDonald was Opposition Spokesman on Defence from 1981 to 1983, and then Opposition Spokesman on Treasury and Economic Affairs from 1983 to 1987.

Boundaries and boundary changes

File:Thurrock1945.png

Thurrock in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1945 to 1983

1945–1983

• The Urban District of Thurrock.

The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944 set up Boundaries Commissions to carry out periodic reviews of the distribution of parliamentary constituencies. It also authorised an initial review to subdivide abnormally large constituencies in time for the 1945 election. This was implemented by the Redistribution of Seats Order 1945 under which South East Essex was divided into two constituencies. As a consequence, the new Thurrock Division of Essex was formed, comprising the Urban District of Thurrock (created largely from amalgamating the Urban Districts of Grays Thurrock and Tilbury and the Rural District of Orsett).

1983–2010

• The Borough of Thurrock wards of Aveley, Belhus, Chadwell St Mary, East Tilbury, Grays Thurrock North, Grays Thurrock Town, Little Thurrock, Ockendon, Stifford, Tilbury, and West Thurrock.

Northern areas transferred to the re-established constituency of Billericay.

2010–2024

• The Borough of Thurrock wards of Aveley and Uplands, Belhus, Chadwell St Mary, Chafford and North Stifford, Grays Riverside, Grays Thurrock, Little Thurrock Blackshots, Little Thurrock Rectory, Ockendon, South Chafford, Stifford Clays, Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park, Tilbury St Chads, West Thurrock, and South Stifford.

Following a redistribution of local authority wards, East Tilbury was transferred to the new constituency of South Basildon and East Thurrock.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was reduced to meet the electorate size requirements, with the transfer to South Basildon and East Thurrock of the Chadwell St Mary ward.

Members of Parliament

South East Essex prior to 1945

Election		Member	Party
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1945	Leslie Solley	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1949		Labour Independent Group
rowspan="1" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1950	Hugh Delargy	Labour
rowspan="1" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1976 by-election	Oonagh McDonald	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1987	Tim Janman	Conservative
rowspan="1" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1992	Andrew MacKinlay	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	2010	Jackie Doyle-Price	Conservative
rowspan="1" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	2024	Jen Craft	Labour

Elections

File:Thur Election Results.png

Election results 1945-2024

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jen Craft	Template:Replace	42.7
		Sophie Preston-Hall	9,576	25.5
		Jackie Doyle-Price	8,009	21.3
		Eugene McCarthy	1,632	4.4
		Michael Bukola	1,157	3.1
		Yousaff Khan	691	1.8
	Independent	Raj Nimal	443	1.2
Majority			6,474	17.2
Turnout			37,558	51.2
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jackie Doyle-Price	Template:Replace	58.6
		John Kent	16,313	34.4
		Stewart Stone	1,510	3.2
		James Woollard	1,042	2.2
		Ben Harvey	807	1.7
Majority			11,482	24.2
Turnout			47,467	59.6
Registered electors			79,655
	hold		Swing	+11.8

General election 2017: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jackie Doyle-Price	Template:Replace	39.5
		John Kent	19,535	38.8
		Tim Aker	10,112	20.1
		Kevin McNamara	798	1.6
Majority			345	0.7
Turnout			50,325	64.4
	hold		Swing	−0.2

General election 2015: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jackie Doyle-Price	Template:Replace	33.7
		Polly Billington	16,156	32.6
		Tim Aker	15,718	31.7
		Rhodri Jamieson-Ball	644	1.3
		Jamie Barnes	244	0.5
		Daniel Munyambu	79	0.2
		Aba Kristilolu	31	0.1
Majority			536	1.1
Turnout			49,564	63.9
	hold		Swing	+0.4

General election 2010: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jackie Doyle-Price	Template:Replace	36.8
		Carl Morris	16,777	36.6
		Carys Davis	4,901	10.7
		Emma Colgate	3,618	7.9
		Clive Broad	3,390	7.4
		Arinola Araba	267	0.6
Majority			92	0.2
Turnout			45,822	59.1
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+6.6

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Andrew MacKinlay	Template:Replace	47.2
		Garry Hague	14,261	32.6
		Earnshaw Palmer	4,770	10.9
		Nick Geri	2,526	5.8
		Carol Jackson	1,499	3.4
Majority			6,375	14.6
Turnout			43,692	54.9
	hold		Swing	−6.1

General election 2001: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Andrew MacKinlay	Template:Replace	56.5
		Mike Penning	11,124	29.8
		John Lathan	3,846	10.3
		Christopher Sheppard	1,271	3.4
Majority			9,997	26.7
Turnout			37,362	49.0
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Andrew MacKinlay	Template:Replace	63.3
		Andrew Rosindell	12,640	26.8
		Joe White	3,843	8.1
		Peter Compobassi	833	1.8
Majority			17,256	36.5
Turnout			47,212	65.6
	hold		Swing	+17.2

General election 1992: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Andrew MacKinlay	Template:Replace	45.9
		Tim Janman	23,619	43.7
		Alan J. Banton	5,145	9.5
	Pensioners' Party	Charles Rogers	391	0.7
		Peter Compobassi	117	0.2
Majority			1,172	2.2
Turnout			54,063	78.1
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+1.8

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Tim Janman	Template:Replace	42.5
		Oonagh McDonald	19,837	41.0
		Donald Benson	7,970	16.5
Majority			690	1.5
Turnout			48,334	71.5
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

General election 1983: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Oonagh McDonald	Template:Replace	39.2
		Julie Tallon	15,878	35.4
		Donald Benson	9,761	21.7
		M Bibby	1,200	2.7
		R Sinclair	252	0.6
		J Paul	199	0.4
Majority			1,722	3.8
Turnout			44,891	67.7
	hold		Swing	-3.2

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Oonagh McDonald	Template:Replace	48.55
		Tony Baldry	27,030	39.24
		M Crowson	6,445	9.36
		E Burdett	1,358	1.97
		B Chattaway	365	0.53
		M Daly	242	0.35
Majority			6,419	9.31
Turnout			68,884	75.11
	hold		Swing

1976 by-election: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Oonagh McDonald	Template:Replace	45.27
		Percy Lomax	17,352	35.39
		Anthony Charlton	5,977	12.19
		John Roberts	3,255	6.64
		Frank Hansford-Miller	187	0.38
	World Grid Sunshine Room Party	Peter Bishop	72	0.15
Majority			4,839	9.88
Turnout			49,034
	hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	55.57
		P Lomax	14,986	24.44
		A Charlton	12,255	19.99
Majority			19,080	31.13
Turnout			61,307	68.54
	hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	52.15
		Graham Bright	17,699	25.48
		Kaye Fleetwood	15,534	22.37
Majority			18,518	26.67
Turnout			69,450	78.41
	hold		Swing

General election 1970: Thurrock Electorate 84,337

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	55.75
		Graham Bright	19,486	35.18
		Kaye Fleetwood	5,024	9.07
Majority			11,388	20.57
Turnout			55,384	65.67
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Thurrock Electorate 72,502

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	60.67
		Cedric J Hodgson	14,094	26.72
		James C Moran	6,648	12.61
Majority			17,904	33.95
Turnout			52,740	72.74
	hold		Swing

General election 1964: Thurrock Electorate 71,519

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	57.22
		Robert McCrindle	14,615	27.53
		A Noel H Blackburn	8,094	15.25
Majority			15,757	29.69
Turnout			53,081	74.22
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Thurrock Electorate 67,054

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	61.52
		William E McNamara	20,188	38.48
Majority			12,082	23.04
Turnout			52,458	78.23
	hold		Swing

General election 1955: Thurrock Electorate 63,030

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	66.16
		Gerald A Petty	16,046	33.84
Majority			15,329	32.32
Turnout			47,421	75.24
	hold		Swing

General election 1951: Thurrock Electorate 53,157

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	65.55
		Godfrey Lagden	15,166	34.45
Majority			13,685	31.10
Turnout			44,017	82.81
	hold		Swing

General election 1950: Thurrock Electorate 50,962

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Hugh Delargy	Template:Replace	52.68
		Airey Neave	13,306	30.62
		Leslie Solley	4,250	9.78
		William Harold Henry Siddons	3,010	6.93
Majority			9,587	22.06
Turnout			43,459	85.28
	hold		Swing

Election in the 1940s

Template:Election box majority no change

General election 1945: Thurrock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Leslie Solley		70.0
		Thomas Adam		30.0
Turnout			33,080	76.9
	win (new seat)

See also

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

External links

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