Hitchin (UK Parliament constituency)

Hitchin
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Hitchin in the East of England
CountyHertfordshire
Electorate72,112 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsHitchin, Shefford, Stotfold, Arlesey
Current constituency
Created2024
Member of ParliamentAlistair Strathern (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromHitchin and Harpenden, Mid Bedfordshire (part)
1885–1983
SeatsOne
Created fromHertfordshire
Replaced byNorth Hertfordshire, Stevenage[2]
During its existence contributed to new seat(s) ofHertford and Stevenage

Hitchin is a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.

Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was re-established for the 2024 general election,[3] since when it has been held by Alistair Strathern of the Labour Party.

Constituency profile

The Hitchin constituency is located mostly in Hertfordshire and partly in Bedfordshire. It is centred around its largest town, Hitchin, which has a population of around 35,000.[4] Other settlements in the constituency include the Stevenage suburb of Great Ashby, the small towns of Shefford, Stotfold and Arlesey and the villages of Langford and Clifton. The constituency also contains communities based around the military sites of MOD Chicksands and RAF Henlow. Hitchin is traditionally an agricultural market town and is connected to London and Cambridge by rail. The constituency is affluent with low levels of deprivation.[5] House prices are higher than the national average.[6]

Residents of the constituency have high levels of education and income.[6] A high proportion of residents work in the construction and defence industries.[7] White people made up 88% of the population at the 2021 census.[6] At the local council level, Hitchin is represented by Labour Party and Liberal Democrat councillors, whilst the rest of the constituency elected mostly Conservative councillors. An estimated 53% of voters in the constituency supported remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 48%.[6]

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

  • The Sessional Divisions of Aldbury (except the parishes of Great Hadham and Little Hadham), Buntingford, Hitchin, Odsey, Stevenage, and Welwyn; and
  • The parish of Braughing.[8]

The constituency was established by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (which followed on from the Third Reform Act) as one of four Divisions of the abolished three-member Parliamentary County of Hertfordshire, and was formally named as the Northern or Hitchin Division of Hertfordshire. It included the towns/villages of Hitchin, Stevenage, Welwyn, Baldock and Royston.

1918–1945

  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Royston, and Stevenage;
  • The Rural Districts of Ashwell, Buntingford, Hitchin, and Welwyn; and
  • The Rural District of Hertford parishes of Aston, Bennington, Datchworth, Sacombe, Walkern, and Watton-at-Stone.[9]

Minor changes only to reflect local authority boundaries.

1945–1950

  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, and Stevenage;
  • The Rural Districts of Hitchin, and Welwyn; and
  • Parts of the Rural Districts of Braughing and Hertford.[10]

The constituency had included a part of the Urban District of Welwyn Garden City, which had been formed as a separate local authority in 1927, and this was now transferred to St Albans.  Other nominal changes as a result of the reorganisation of local authorities.

1950–1955

  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, and Stevenage;
  • The Rural District of Hitchin;
  • The Rural District of Braughing parishes of Anstey, Ardeley, Aspenden, Broadfield, Buckland, Buntingford, Cottered, Hormead, Meesden, Throcking, Westmilll, and Wyddiall; and
  • The Rural District of Hertford parishes of Aston, Bennington, Datchworth, Sacombe, Walkern, and Watton-at-Stone.[11]

The Rural District of Welwyn was transferred to St Albans.

1955–1974

  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, and Stevenage; and
  • The Rural District of Hitchin.[10]

The part of the Rural District of Braughing was transferred to the new constituency of East Hertfordshire, and the part of the Rural District of Hertford was transferred to Hertford.

1974–1983

  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, and Royston; and
  • The Rural District of Hitchin.[10][12]

The Urban District of Stevenage formed the majority of the new County Constituency of Hertford and Stevenage.

The constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election and was replaced by the new constituency of North Hertfordshire, with the exception of a small part in the south-east which was included in the new constituency of Stevenage (Codicote and Knebworth).

Current

Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the re-established constituency was defined as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

Following local government boundary reviews in Central Bedfordshire[14] and North Hertfordshire[15] which came into effect in May 2023 and May 2024 respectively, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

  • The District of Central Bedfordshire wards or part wards of: Arlesey & Fairfield; Clifton, Henlow & Langfield; Meppershall & Shillington (Meppershall parish); Shefford; Stotfold.
  • The District of North Hertfordshire wards or part wards of: Cadwell; Codicote & Kimpton (Kimpton parish); Graveley, St Ippolyts & Wymondley; Great Ashby; Hitchin Bearton; Hitchin Highbury; Hitchin Oughton; Hitchin Priory; Hitchin Walsworth; Hitchwood; Offa.[16]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885-1983

North Hertfordshire and Stevenage prior to 1885

Election Member Party
1885 Baron Robert Dimsdale a Conservative
1892 George Hudson Conservative
1906 Julius Bertram Liberal
January 1910 Alfred Hillier Conservative
1911 by-election Lord Robert Cecil b Conservative
1918 Coalition Conservative
1922 Conservative
1923 Guy Kindersley Conservative
1931 Viscount Knebworth Conservative
1933 by-election Arnold Wilson Conservative
1941 by-election Seymour Berry Conservative
1945 Philip Asterley Jones Labour
1950 Nigel Fisher Conservative
1955 Martin Maddan Conservative
1964 Shirley Williams Labour
February 1974 Ian Stewart Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Notes:-

  • a Dimsdale was a Baron of the Russian Empire.
  • b Cecil associated himself with the non-coalition wing of the Conservative Party, at some point in the 1918-1922 Parliament.

MPs since 2024

Hitchin & Harpenden prior to 2024

Election Member Party
2024 Alistair Strathern Labour

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Hitchin[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alistair Strathern[a] 23,067 44.8 +17.7
Conservative Bim Afolami[b] 14,958 28.5 –18.5
Reform UK Charles Bunker 6,760 12.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Chris Lucas 4,913 9.4 –14.3
Green Will Lavin 2,631 5.0 +3.5
CPA Sid Cordle 181 0.3 –0.2
Majority 8,109 15.4 N/A
Turnout 52,696 69.4 –5.6
Registered electors 75,877
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 18.1

Elections in the 2010s

The Hitchin parliamentary constituency did not exist when the 2019 general election was held. The following is a projection of what the result of the 2019 general election might have looked like in the Hitchin parliamentary constituency if it had existed.

2019 notional result[19]
Party Vote %
Conservative 25,419 47.0
Labour 14,155 26.2
Liberal Democrats 12,798 23.7
Others 871 1.6
Green 818 1.5
Turnout 54,061 75.0
Electorate 72,112

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Stewart 33,169 52.5 +8.0
Labour Denis O'Flynn 19,940 31.6 –7.5
Liberal Eric Dix 8,224 13.0 –3.3
Ecology Brian Goodale 911 1.4 New
National Front Victor Logan 881 1.4 New
Majority 13,229 21.0 +15.5
Turnout 63,125 82.2 +2.6
Registered electors 76,807
Conservative hold Swing +7.7
General election October 1974: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Stewart 25,842 44.6 +0.5
Labour Ann Mallalieu 22,656 39.1 +1.5
Liberal Eric Dix 9,454 16.3 –1.2
Majority 3,186 5.5 –1.0
Turnout 57,952 79.6 –6.0
Registered electors 72,815
Conservative hold Swing –0.5
General election February 1974: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Stewart 27,222 44.1 –8.2
Labour Ann Mallalieu 23,204 37.6 –2.7
Liberal D Beavan 10,824 17.5 +10.2
Independent P Bianchi 467 0.8 New
Majority 4,018 6.5 –5.5
Turnout 61,717 85.6 +8.9
Registered electors 72,126
Conservative hold Swing –2.8
1970 notional result[20]
Party Vote %
Conservative 27,800 52.4
Labour 21,400 40.3
Liberal 3,900 7.3
Turnout 53,100 76.6
Electorate 69,283
General election 1970: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shirley Williams 40,932 48.53
Conservative Richard Luce 37,258 44.18
Liberal Thomas Willis 6,148 7.29 New
Majority 3,674 4.35
Turnout 84,338 76.88
Registered electors 109,704
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shirley Williams 42,233 56.52
Conservative John Stokes 32,483 43.48
Majority 9,750 13.04
Turnout 74,716 65.54
Registered electors 90,840
Labour hold Swing
General election 1964: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shirley Williams 34,034 45.84
Conservative Martin Maddan 30,649 41.28
Liberal Elma Dangerfield 9,564 12.88
Majority 3,385 4.56 N/A
Turnout 74,247 84.54
Registered electors 87,825
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Maddan 30,193 46.82
Labour Peter Benenson 25,818 40.03
Liberal Robert Glenton 8,481 13.15 New
Majority 4,375 6.79
Turnout 64,492 85.43
Registered electors 75,493
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Maddan 26,371 50.93
Labour Peter Benenson 25,406 49.07
Majority 965 1.86
Turnout 51,777 83.17
Registered electors 62,258
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Fisher 27,719 52.64
Labour Peter Benenson 24,941 47.36
Majority 2,778 5.28
Turnout 52,660 84.98
Registered electors 61,966
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Fisher 23,580 45.11
Labour Philip Jones 21,829 41.76
Liberal Frank Haigh 6,863 13.13
Majority 1,751 3.35 N/A
Turnout 52,272 85.78
Registered electors 60,936
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Hitchin [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Jones 20,779 42.64
Conservative Seymour Berry 20,433 41.93
Liberal Thomas Darling 7,515 15.42 New
Majority 346 0.71 N/A
Turnout 48,727 72.44
Registered electors 67,266
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Hitchin by-election, 1941[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Seymour Berry Unopposed N/A N/A
Registered electors
Conservative hold

General Election 1939–40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Hitchin [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arnold Wilson 21,452 63.34
Labour George Lindgren 12,417 36.66
Majority 9,035 26.68
Turnout 33,869 66.44
Registered electors 50,975
Conservative hold Swing
Hitchin by-election, 1933
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arnold Wilson 14,569 58.4 −17.3
Labour William Bennett 10,362 41.6 +17.3
Majority 4,207 16.8 −34.6
Turnout 24,931 51.3 −19.8
Registered electors 48,580
Conservative hold Swing -17.3
General election 1931: Hitchin [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Antony Bulwer-Lytton 25,841 75.7 +30.9
Labour Dermot Freyer 8,312 24.3 −2.6
Majority 17,529 51.4 +34.9
Turnout 34,153 71.1 −2.3
Registered electors 48,003
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Hitchin[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Guy Kindersley 14,786 44.8 −14.4
Liberal Enid Lapthorn 9,325 28.3 +11.9
Labour Richard Gifford 8,880 26.9 +2.5
Majority 5,461 16.5 −18.3
Turnout 32,991 73.4 +3.9
Registered electors 44,967
Unionist hold Swing −9.2
General election 1924: Hitchin[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Guy Kindersley 14,019 59.2 +9.5
Labour Julian Athelstan Tayler 5,773 24.4 −1.9
Liberal Dugald Macfadyen 3,881 16.4 −7.6
Majority 8,246 34.8 +11.4
Turnout 23,673 69.5 +1.8
Registered electors 34,060
Unionist hold Swing +5.7
General election 1923: Hitchin [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Guy Kindersley 11,157 49.7 −12.3
Labour Skene Mackay 5,913 26.3 −11.7
Liberal Dugald Macfadyen 5,390 24.0 New
Majority 5,244 23.4 −0.6
Turnout 22,460 67.7 +1.5
Registered electors 33,197
Unionist hold Swing −0.3
General election 1922: Hitchin[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert Cecil 13,124 62.0 +1.4
Labour Skene Mackay 8,049 38.0 +3.1
Majority 5,075 24.0 −1.7
Turnout 21,173 66.2 +7.8
Registered electors 32,005
Unionist hold Swing −0.9

Elections in the 1910s

General election 14 December 1918: Hitchin [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Robert Cecil 9,828 60.6 +3.6
Labour Robert Green 5,661 34.9 New
NFDDSS George Humm 722 4.5 New
Majority 4,167 25.7 +11.7
Turnout 16,211 54.4 −29.9
Registered electors 29,820
Unionist hold Swing
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Hitchin by-election, 1911[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Cecil 5,542 58.6 +1.6
Liberal Thomas Tylston Greg 3,909 41.4 −1.6
Majority 1,633 17.2 +3.2
Turnout 9,451 84.8 +0.5
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing +1.6
General election December 1910: Hitchin [24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred Hillier 5,233 57.0 −2.8
Liberal Thomas Tylston Greg 3,942 43.0 +2.8
Majority 1,291 14.0 −5.6
Turnout 9,175 84.3 −4.2
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing −2.8
General election January 1910: Hitchin [24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred Hillier 5,761 59.8 +10.3
Liberal Julius Bertram 3,877 40.2 −10.3
Majority 1,884 19.6 N/A
Turnout 9,638 88.5 +4.6
Registered electors
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.3

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Hitchin [24][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Julius Bertram 4,157 50.5 New
Conservative J J W Miller 4,081 49.5 N/A
Majority 76 1.0 N/A
Turnout 8,238 83.9 N/A
Registered electors 9,820
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General election 1900: Hitchin [24][26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson Unopposed
Registered electors
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Hitchin [24][26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson Unopposed
Registered electors
Conservative hold
General election 1892: Hitchin [24][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson 4,187 60.5 N/A
Liberal John Wattridge 2,728 39.5 New
Majority 1,459 21.0 N/A
Turnout 6,915 77.0 N/A
Registered electors 8,982
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Hitchin [24][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Dimsdale Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1885: Hitchin [24][26][28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Robert Dimsdale 4,419 60.6
Liberal Henry Fordham 2,869 39.4
Majority 1,550 21.2
Turnout 7,288 81.0
Registered electors 8,996
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Served as MP for Mid Bedfordshire from 2023 to 2024
  2. ^ Served as MP for Hitchin and Harpenden from 2017 to 2024

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. ^ "'Hitchin', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  3. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – Eastern | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021". Census 2021. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "Seat Details - Hitchin". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  7. ^ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  8. ^ Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  9. ^ Fraser, Hugh (1918). The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes. University of California Libraries. London : Sweet and Maxwell.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  10. ^ a b c Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885–1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
  11. ^ "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  12. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Hertford and Stevenage and Hitchin) Order 1971. SI 1971/2110". Statutory Instruments 1971. Part III Section 2. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1972. pp. 6223–6225.
  13. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  14. ^ LGBCE. "Central Bedfordshire | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  15. ^ LGBCE. "North Hertfordshire | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  16. ^ "Seat Details - Hitchin". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  17. ^ Stimpson, Melanie (5 July 2024), "Declaration of Result of Poll, Election of a Member of Parliament for Hitchin Constituency on Thursday 4 July 2024" (PDF), North Hertfordshire District Council
  18. ^ "Election results 2024", North Hertfordshire District Council, 5 July 2024
  19. ^ "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.
  20. ^ Michael Stead. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  22. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
  23. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1918-1949 (Craig)
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  25. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916.
  26. ^ a b c d e f The Liberal Year Book, 1907.
  27. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901.
  28. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886

51°57′N 0°17′W / 51.95°N 0.28°W / 51.95; -0.28

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