Harwich and North Essex

Harwich and North Essex
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Location within the East of England
CountyEssex
Electorate74,838 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsHarwich, Wivenhoe, Manningtree, Brightlingsea
Current constituency
Created2010
Member of ParliamentBernard Jenkin (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromHarwich, North Essex

Harwich and North Essex /ˈhærɪtʃ ... ˈɛsɪks/ is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Bernard Jenkin of the Conservative Party since its creation in 2010.[n 2]

Constituency profile

The Harwich and North Essex constituency is located in Essex and covers the rural areas surrounding the city of Colchester. Its largest town is Harwich which has a population of around 20,000.[2] Other settlements include the Colchester neighbourhoods of The Hythe and Old Heath, the towns of Brightlingsea, West Mersea, Wivenhoe and Manningtree and the villages of West Bergholt and Lawford. The area has a maritime heritage and the constituency's coastal towns have a history of shipbuilding and fishing. Brightlingsea has a connection with the Cinque Ports confederation as a "limb" or subsidiary of the port of Sandwich in Kent.[3] Harwich International Port offers regular ferry services to the Hook of Holland and the town was the home port of the Mayflower, which transported English settlers to Massachusetts in 1620. The constituency contains the main campus of the University of Essex, which lies just outside Wivenhoe. The constituency has average levels of wealth; Harwich has high levels of deprivation whilst the rural areas are generally affluent.[4] House prices are similar to the national average.[5]

In general, residents of Harwich and North Essex are older and have average levels of income and education compared to the rest of the country.[5] A high proportion of residents work in education.[6] White people made up 94% of the population at the 2021 census.[5] At the local council level, most of the constituency is represented by Conservatives, whilst some rural areas elected Liberal Democrats and Harwich elected Labour Party councillors. An estimated 56% of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 52%.[5]

History

The seat was created for the 2010 general election following a review of the Parliamentary representation of Essex by the Boundary Commission for England. It was formed from the majority of the abolished constituency of North Essex, together with the town of Harwich and surrounding areas, previously part of the abolished Harwich constituency, with the remainder of the Harwich seat creating the new seat of Clacton.

Jenkin was previously Member of Parliament for North Essex.

Boundaries

2010–2024: The District of Tendring wards of Alresford, Ardleigh and Little Bromley, Bradfield, Wrabness and Wix, Brightlingsea, Great and Little Oakley, Great Bentley, Harwich and Kingsway, Lawford, Manningtree, Mistley, Little Bentley and Tendring, Ramsey and Parkeston, and Thorrington, Frating, Elmstead and Great Bromley, and the Borough of Colchester wards of Dedham and Langham, East Donyland, Fordham and Stour, Great Tey, Pyefleet, West Bergholt and Eight Ash Green, West Mersea, Wivenhoe Cross, and Wivenhoe Quay.[7]

2024–present: The District of Tendring wards of Alresford & Elmstead, Ardleigh & Little Bromley, Brightlingsea, Dovercourt All Saints, Dovercourt Bay, Dovercourt Tollgate, Dovercourt Vines & Parkeston, Harwich & Kingsway, Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley, and Stour Valley, and the City of Colchester wards of Lexden & Braiswick (part); Mersea & Pyefleet, Old Heath & The Hythe, Rural North, and Wivenhoe.[8]

Minor changes – Old Heath and The Hythe areas to the south east of Colchester city centre added from Colchester, offset by the transfer of some rural areas in the east to Clacton.

Members of Parliament

Harwich and North Essex prior to 2010

Election Member[9] Party
2010 Sir Bernard Jenkin Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Harwich and North Essex[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 16,522 34.4 −24.2
Labour Alex Diner 15,360 32.0 +6.1
Reform UK Mark Cole 9,806 20.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Natalie Sommers 3,561 7.4 −3.3
Green Andrew Canessa 2,794 5.8 +2.2
Majority 1,162 2.4 −30.3
Turnout 48,043 63.0 −9.6
Registered electors 76,579
Conservative hold Swing −15.2

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[11]
Party Vote %
Conservative 31,668 58.6
Labour 14,017 25.9
Liberal Democrats 5,801 10.7
Green 1,924 3.6
Others 674 1.3
Turnout 54,084 72.3
Electorate 74,838
General election 2019: Harwich and North Essex[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 31,830 61.3 +2.8
Labour Stephen Rice 11,648 22.4 −8.0
Liberal Democrats Mike Beckett 5,866 11.3 +5.9
Green Peter Banks 1,945 3.7 +1.7
Independent Richard Browning-Smith 411 0.8 N/A
Independent Tony Francis 263 0.5 N/A
Majority 20,182 38.9 +10.8
Turnout 51,963 70.1 −1.6
Conservative hold Swing +5.4
General election 2017: Harwich and North Essex[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 29,921 58.5 +7.5
Labour Rosalind Scott 15,565 30.4 +10.7
Liberal Democrats Dominic Graham 2,787 5.4 −2.0
UKIP Aaron Hammond 1,685 3.3 −14.2
Green Blake Roberts 1,042 2.0 −2.4
CPA Stephen Todd 141 0.3 N/A
Majority 14,356 28.1 −3.2
Turnout 51,141 71.7 +1.8
Conservative hold Swing −1.6
General election 2015: Harwich and North Essex[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 24,722 51.0 +4.1
Labour Edward Browne 9,548 19.7 −0.2
UKIP Mark Hughes 8,464 17.5 +12.3
Liberal Democrats Dominic Graham 3,576 7.4 −16.2
Green Christopher Flossman 2,122 4.4 +2.5
Majority 15,174 31.3 +8.0
Turnout 48,432 69.9 +0.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2010: Harwich and North Essex[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin* 23,001 46.9 +4.3
Liberal Democrats James Raven 11,554 23.6 +4.3
Labour Darren Barrenger 9,774 19.9 −10.9
UKIP Simon Anselmi 2,572 5.2 +1.5
BNP Stephen Robey 1,065 2.2 N/A
Green Chris Fox 909 1.9 −1.8
Independent Peter Bates 170 0.3 N/A
Majority 11,447 23.3
Turnout 49,000 69.3
Conservative hold Swing ±0.0
* Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 Parliament

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A county 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 every five years.

References

  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021". Census 2021. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  3. ^ "The Cinque Port Liberty of Brightlingsea - Brightlingsea and the Cinque Ports". www.cinqueportliberty.co.uk.
  4. ^ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d "Seat Details - Harwich and North Essex". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  6. ^ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  7. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  8. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 1)
  10. ^ "Harwich and North Essex – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024. 3,561
  11. ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  12. ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF). Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  13. ^ "2017 General Election". UK Parliament. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Harwich & Essex North". BBC News.

51°55′N 1°01′E / 51.92°N 1.02°E / 51.92; 1.02

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