Crawley (UK Parliament constituency)

Crawley
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 1997
Boundary of Crawley in South East England
CountyWest Sussex
Electorate74,446 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsCrawley
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentPeter Lamb (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromHorsham and Crawley and Mid Sussex[2]

Crawley is a constituency[n 1] in West Sussex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Peter Lamb of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Constituency profile

The Crawley constituency is located in West Sussex. It covers the large town of Crawley and is coterminous with its borough. Traditionally a rural market town, Crawley grew rapidly after World War II when it was designated as a new town to accommodate the London overspill. The constituency includes Gatwick Airport, the country's second-busiest airport and a significant local employer.[3] Deprivation in the town is above average,[4] particularly in the neighbourhoods of Broadfield and Bewbush, whilst the village of Worth is in the 10% least-deprived areas of England.[5]

On average, residents of Crawley are young and have low levels of education and professional employment compared to nationwide figures.[4] In the 2021 census, 73% of residents were White. Asians formed the largest ethnic minority group at 15%, concentrated in the Langley Green area where they made up around a third of the population.[6] At the local council level, most of the town is represented by Labour Party councillors whilst the wealthier areas in the south-east of the town elected Conservatives. An estimated 58% of voters in Crawley favoured leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, a higher percentage than the country as a whole (52%).[4]

Boundaries

1983–1997: The Borough of Crawley, and the District of Mid Sussex wards of Balcombe, Copthorne and Worth, Crawley Down, Slaugham, and Turners Hill.

1997–present: The Borough of Crawley.

The Boundary Commission analysed population increase and recommended that changes to the constituency be made for the 2010 general election so the seat is now coterminous with the borough.

The 2023 review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged.[7]

History

Contents and context

Before the 1983 general election, Crawley had been part of the Horsham & Crawley, Horsham, and Horsham & Worthing constituencies at times. Due to the growth of Crawley, which was a small town, into a substantial new town in the 1960s and 70s, the Boundary Commission took the decision to separate it from Horsham in 1983 and create a new seat.

Political history

The constituency of Crawley is a bellwether seat, having elected an MP from the Party which won each general election since its creation in 1983. Its first MP was Conservative Nicholas Soames, a grandson of former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill. Having been re-elected in 1987 and 1992, he stood down for the 1997 election and was selected for and won the neighbouring seat of Mid Sussex, which he continued to represent until his retirement in 2019.

The seat was subsequently won by Laura Moffatt of the Labour Party with 'safe' majorities in 1997 and 2001. Labour retained the seat with the most marginal result in 2005 with a margin of only 37 votes.

In the 2010 election Conservative, Henry Smith, won the seat having twice failed, by 5,928 votes. He gained a not unprecedented (averaged two-party) swing of 6.3%.[8] Smith's later majorities have been 6,526 in 2015; and 2,459 in 2017, elections where the Liberal Democrats, Scepanovic, along with the 2017 candidate for East Worthing and Shoreham in West Sussex lost their deposits by failing to attract 5% of the vote. In 2019, the Liberal Democrat Candidate, Khalil Yousuf increased the Liberal Democrat vote share by 1.7% against the last election, keeping their deposit.[9]

Smith won again in 2019 with an increased majority over Labour candidate Peter Lamb. In 2024, Smith stood down and Lamb captured the seat after the Conservative vote more than halved.

Members of Parliament

Horsham & Crawley and Mid Sussex prior to 1983

Election Member[10] Party
1983 Nicholas Soames Conservative
1997 Laura Moffatt Labour
2010 Henry Smith Conservative
2024 Peter Lamb Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Crawley[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Lamb 17,453 38.2 +0.8
Conservative Zack Ali 12,218 26.8 −27.4
Reform UK Tim Charters 8,447 18.5 N/A
Green Iain Dickson 2,621 5.7 +2.8
Workers Party Linda Bamieh 2,407 5.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Lee Gibbs 2,205 4.8 −0.7
TUSC Robin Burnham 153 0.3 N/A
Heritage Dan Weir 138 0.3 N/A
Majority 5,235 11.5 −5.3
Turnout 45,642 59.6 −7.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +14.1

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Crawley[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Smith 27,040 54.2 +3.6
Labour Peter Lamb 18,680 37.4 −8.3
Liberal Democrats Khalil Yousuf 2,728 5.5 +1.8
Green Iain Dickson 1,451 2.9 New
Majority 8,360 16.8 +11.9
Turnout 49,899 67.2 −1.3
Conservative hold Swing +5.9

The Brexit Party announced Wayne Bayley as their candidate, but he was withdrawn as part of the UK-wide Brexit Party decision not to oppose sitting Conservative candidates.[13]

General election 2017: Crawley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Smith[14] 25,426 50.6 +3.6
Labour Tim Lunnon 22,969 45.7 +12.1
Liberal Democrats Marko Scepanovic 1,878 3.7 +0.9
Majority 2,457 4.9 −8.5
Turnout 50,273 68.5 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing -4.25

The Green Party announced Richard Kail as their candidate, but he did not stand. UKIP also decided not to stand a candidate for the first time since 1997.

General election 2015: Crawley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Smith[14] 22,829 47.0 +2.2
Labour Chris Oxlade [14] 16,303 33.6 +1.3
UKIP Christopher Brown[16] 6,979 14.4 +11.5
Liberal Democrats Sarah Osborne[17] 1,339 2.8 −11.6
Green Guy Hudson[18] 1,100 2.3 +1.0
Majority 6,526 13.4 +0.9
Turnout 48,550 65.7 +0.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.5

The Christian Peoples Alliance announced Katherine Mills as candidate,[19] but she did not stand.

General election 2010: Crawley[20][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Smith 21,264 44.8 +5.8
Labour Chris Oxlade 15,336 32.3 −6.8
Liberal Democrats John Vincent 6,844 14.4 −1.1
BNP Richard Trower 1,672 3.5 +0.5
UKIP Chris French 1,382 2.9 +0.7
Green Phil Smith 598 1.3 New
Justice Party Arshad Khan 265 0.6 +0.1
Independent Andrew Hubner 143 0.3 New
Majority 5,928 12.5 N/A
Turnout 47,504 65.3 +6.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +6.3

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Crawley[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Laura Moffatt 16,411 39.1 −10.2
Conservative Henry Smith 16,374 39.0 +6.8
Liberal Democrats Rupert Sheard 6,503 15.5 +2.8
BNP Richard Trower 1,277 3.0 New
UKIP Ronald Walters 935 2.2 −0.7
Democratic Socialist Alliance – People Before Profit Robin Burnham 263 0.6 New
Justice Party Arshad Khan 210 0.5 −0.2
Majority 37 0.1 −17.0
Turnout 41,973 58.4 +3.2
Labour hold Swing −8.5
General election 2001: Crawley[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Laura Moffatt 19,488 49.3 −5.8
Conservative Henry Smith 12,718 32.2 +0.4
Liberal Democrats Linda Seekings 5,009 12.7 +4.5
UKIP Brian Galloway 1,137 2.9 +2.3
Monster Raving Loony Claire Staniford 383 1.0 New
Justice Party Arshad Khan 271 0.7 +0.2
Socialist Labour Karl Stewart 260 0.7 New
Socialist Alliance Muriel Hirsch 251 0.6 New
Majority 6,770 17.1 −6.2
Turnout 39,517 55.2 −17.7
Labour hold Swing −3.1

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Crawley[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Laura Moffatt 27,750 55.1 +14.7
Conservative Josephine Crabb 16,043 31.8 −12.1
Liberal Democrats Harold De Souza 4,141 8.2 −6.3
Referendum Ronald Walters 1,931 3.8 New
UKIP Eric Saunders 322 0.6 New
Justice Party Arshad Khan 230 0.5 New
Majority 11,707 23.3 N/A
Turnout 50,417 72.9 −6.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.4

This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general
elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.

General election 1992: Crawley[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 30,204 48.8 −0.7
Labour Laura Moffatt 22,439 36.2 +7.2
Liberal Democrats Gordon Seekings 8,558 13.8 −7.7
Green Mark Wilson 766 1.2 New
Majority 7,765 12.6 −7.9
Turnout 61,967 79.2 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing −4.0

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Crawley[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 29,259 49.5 +1.4
Labour Paul Leo 17,121 29.0 +2.8
SDP David Simmons 12,674 21.5 −4.2
Majority 12,138 20.5 −1.4
Turnout 59,054 77.1 +0.7
Conservative hold Swing −0.7
General election 1983: Crawley[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 25,963 48.1
Labour Leslie Allen 14,149 26.2
SDP Tom Forrester 13,900 25.7
Majority 11,814 21.9
Turnout 54,012 76.4
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ 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.

References

  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  2. ^ "'Crawley', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Vinci Airports – Traffic 2024" (Press release). 16 January 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Seat Details - Crawley". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  5. ^ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  6. ^ "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  7. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  8. ^ a b "BBC News – Election 2010 – Constituency – Crawley". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Crawley parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News". Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  10. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 6)
  11. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Crawley Borough Council. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Crawley Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  13. ^ "General election 2019: Brexit Party candidate Wayne Bayley's 'attack' on Nigel Farage exposed as a fraud". 12 November 2019.
  14. ^ a b c "CRAWLEY 2015". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Website". Chris Brown. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  17. ^ "Crawley Liberal Democrats have announced that Sarah Osborne will be their 2015 Parliamentary Candidate". crawley-libdems.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  18. ^ "Meet the candidates". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  19. ^ "CPA Candidates for the General Election". Christian Peoples Alliance. Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  26. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

51°07′48″N 0°10′59″W / 51.13°N 0.183°W / 51.13; -0.183

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