Arundel and South Downs (UK Parliament constituency)

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Arundel and South Downs (/ˈærʊndəl/) is a constituency[n 1] in West Sussex created in 1997 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Andrew Griffith, a Conservative, since 2019.[n 2]

Arundel and South Downs
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Arundel and South Downs in South East England
CountyWest Sussex
Population97,267 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate76,974 (2023)[2]
Major settlementsArundel, Hassocks, Petworth, Pulborough and Steyning
Current constituency
Created1997
Member of ParliamentAndrew Griffith (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromArundel and Horsham

Constituency profile

This is a mostly rural constituency including the town of Arundel and villages within the South Downs national park boundaries or encircled by the park; the largest of which are Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint, Petworth, Pulborough, Steyning and Storrington. Residents' incomes and house prices are significantly wealthier than the UK averages.[3]

Boundaries

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

2010-2024:Following their review of parliamentary boundaries in West Sussex which Parliament approved in 2007, the Boundary Commission for England formed new constituencies. As created in 2010, the seat was constituted as follows:

In their recommendations, the Boundary Commission for England mooted the name Chanctonbury after uninhabited Chanctonbury Ring, an ancient hill fort at its centre. This name was rejected during the local inquiry process at which the current name was chosen.[4]

2024-present:Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency was composed of the following wards (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The District of Arun wards of: Arundel & Walberton; Barnham; Felpham East (polling district BHOE).
  • The District of Chichester wards of: Easebourne; Fernhurst; Fittleworth; Goodwood (polling districts GWBX, GWEA, GWED, GWSI and GWUP); Harting; Loxwood; Midhurst; Petworth.
  • The District of Horsham wards of: Bramber, Upper Beeding & Woodmancote; Henfield; Pulborough, Coldwaltham & Amberley; Steyning & Ashurst; Storrington & Washington; West Chiltington, Thakeham & Ashington.[5]

The electorate was reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring out the two District of Mid Sussex wards and the Horsham District ward of Cowfold, Shermanbury & West Grinstead to their respectively-named constituencies; the District of Arun ward of Angmering & Findon were transferred to Worthing West. To partly compensate, the constituency will be extended further northwards and westwards into the constituency/District of Chichester, gaining the town of Midhurst.

History

Results and EU referendum stance

The 2017 result saw the sixth Conservative win.

Second-place runners-up have been, listed in order, four times a Liberal Democrat, once the UKIP candidate and once the Labour candidate. In line with regional trends, the highest percentage of the vote among these was the Liberal Democrat in 2010, with 27.9% of the vote.

In June 2016, an estimated 50.3% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum chose to remain in the European Union instead of to leave. This was defied in two January 2018 votes in Parliament by its MP, in line with his governing party's promise to adhere to the overall result of that referendum.[6]

The 2015-2017 status was as the 8th safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.[7]

De-selection of incumbent seeking re-election in 2005

The incumbent Howard Flight MP had national media coverage in the run-up to the 2005 general election due to his deselection requested by the party leader for membership of Conservative Way Forward, lobbying for spending cuts to be more severe than set out in the small cuts in the 2005 manifesto. Flight hinted his preferred cuts would be as implemented by a Conservative government in his view. He had represented the constituency since its creation at the 1997 general election. Anne Marie Morris, Laura Sandys and Nick Herbert put themselves forward for nomination as replacement candidates. The chosen candidate, Nick Herbert, won the seat at the election.[8] Morris and Sandys became MPs elsewhere in 2010.

Predecessor seats

The seat and its predecessors have in the 20th century been a Conservative Party stronghold save that the minor contributory Horsham seat to the area's electorate saw victory by 8.6% of the vote over the Labour Party in 1966, followed statistically by a next-most-marginal victory again with the Labour Party as runner-up, in 1950, of 14.4%.

Between 1974 and 1983, much of the South Downs area was part of the Shoreham constituency, with the town of Arundel remaining in the Arundel constituency.

Prior to 1974, the seat was largely part of the Arundel and Shoreham constituency.

Members of Parliament

Arundel and Horsham prior to 1997

ElectionMember[9]Party
1997Howard FlightConservative
2005Nick HerbertConservative
2019Andrew GriffithConservative

Elections

Arundel and South Downs election results

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Arundel and South Downs[10][11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeAndrew Griffith[12] 22,001 40.2 17.7
Liberal DemocratsRichard Allen[13]9,86718.0 3.2
LabourChris Philipsborn[14]9,78217.9 2.1
Reform UKDavid Thomas[15]7,39113.5New
GreenSteve McAuliff[16]5,51510.1 6.0
SDPMike Smith[17]1840.3New
Majority12,13422.2 14.5
Turnout54,74070.5 4.6
Registered electors77,969
Conservative holdSwing 7.3


Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Arundel and South Downs[18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeAndrew Griffith 35,566 57.9 4.5
Liberal DemocratsAlison Bennett13,04521.2 13.3
LabourBella Sankey9,72215.8 6.9
GreenIsabel Thurston2,5194.1 0.1
IndependentRobert Wheal5560.9New
Majority22,52136.7 3.0
Turnout61,40875.1 0.7
Registered electors81,726
Conservative holdSwing 8.9
General election 2017: Arundel and South Downs
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeNick Herbert 37,573 62.4 1.6
LabourCaroline Fife13,69022.7 11.5
Liberal DemocratsShweta Kapadia4,7837.9 0.7
GreenJo Prior2,5424.2 2.2
UKIPJohn Wallace1,6682.8 11.6
Majority23,88339.7 6.7
Turnout60,25675.8 2.7
Registered electors79,478
Conservative holdSwing 5.0
General election 2015: Arundel and South Downs[19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeNick Herbert 34,331 60.8 3.0
UKIPPeter Grace8,15414.4 8.7
LabourChristopher Wellbelove6,32411.2 2.6
Liberal DemocratsShweta Kapadia4,0627.2 20.7
GreenIsabel Thurston3,6066.4New
Majority26,17746.4 16.5
Turnout56,47773.1 0.9
Registered electors77,242
Conservative holdSwing 2.9
General election 2010: Arundel and South Downs[20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeNick Herbert 32,333 57.8 8.0
Liberal DemocratsDerek Deedman15,64227.9 0.8
LabourTim Lunnon4,8358.6 8.5
UKIPStuart Bower3,1725.7 0.3
Majority16,69129.9 8.2
Turnout55,98272.2 3.7
Registered electors76,835
Conservative holdSwing 3.6

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Arundel and South Downs[21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeNick Herbert 24,752 49.8 2.4
Liberal DemocratsDerek Deedman13,44327.1 4.7
LabourElizabeth Whitlam8,48217.1 3.6
UKIPAndrew Moffat2,7005.4 0.7
Protest Vote PartyMark Stack3130.6New
Majority11,30922.7 6.9
Turnout49,69068.5 3.8
Registered electors72,535
Conservative holdSwing 3.5
General election 2001: Arundel and South Downs[22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeHoward Flight 23,969 52.2 0.9
Liberal DemocratsDerek R. Deedman10,26522.4 3.3
LabourCharles S. Taylor9,48820.7 2.4
UKIPRobert Perrin2,1674.7 1.8
Majority13,70429.8 2.4
Turnout45,88964.7 10.8
Registered electors70,956
Conservative holdSwing 1.3

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Arundel and South Downs[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeHoward Flight 27,251 53.1 N/A
Liberal DemocratsJohn Goss13,21625.7N/A
LabourRichard Black9,37618.3N/A
UKIPJames Herbert1,4942.9
Majority14,03527.4
Turnout51,33775.5
Registered electors68,010
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

References

Sources

50°55′41″N 0°27′18″W / 50.928°N 0.455°W / 50.928; -0.455