Huntingdon is a constituency[n 1] west of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire and including its namesake town of Huntingdon. It has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Ben Obese-Jecty of the Conservative Party.[n 2]
Before 2024, Huntingdon was considered a safe Conservative seat and was the seat of John Major, the Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997.
First established around the time of the Model Parliament in 1295, Huntingdon was the seat of Oliver Cromwell in 1628–1629 and 1640–1642.
Constituency profile
Huntingdon is a rural constituency located in Cambridgeshire, although it was previously within the now-defunct county of Huntingdonshire. Its largest town is Huntingdon, which has a population of around 26,000.[3] Other settlements in the constituency include the towns of Godmanchester and St Ives and the villages of Brampton, Buckden, Sawtry, Warboys and Somersham. The constituency includes a number of current and former Royal Air Force bases; RAF Molesworth, RAF Alconbury and RAF Wyton are still operational. Huntingdon, Godmanchester and St Ives are historic, agricultural market towns. The area is generally wealthy with low levels of deprivation.[4] House prices in the constituency are in line with the national average.[5]
In general, residents have average levels of education and high rates of household income.[5] A high proportion of residents work in the manufacturing and defence industries.[6] White people made up 91% of the population at the 2021 census.[5] At the local council level, the towns are mostly represented by Liberal Democrats and independents whilst the rural areas in the constituency's north and west elected Conservative councillors. An estimated 53% of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, similar to the nationwide figure of 52%.[5]
History
The constituency of Huntingdon has existed in three separate forms: as a parliamentary borough from 1295, represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885; as a division of a parliamentary county from 1885 to 1918; and as a county constituency from 1983 until the present day.
Representatives for the seat, the standard two burgesses per parliamentary borough, were summoned to form the first fully assembled parliament, the Model Parliament in 1295 and at all parliaments assembled from then until 1868, in which year the constituency was reduced to a single-member borough in accordance with the Reform Act 1867. In the mid-17th century, this was Oliver Cromwell's constituency.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the parliamentary borough was abolished altogether and the two-member parliamentary county of Huntingdonshire was replaced by the two-single member seats formally known as the Northern or Ramsey Division and the Southern or Huntingdon Division. It was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918 when it was re-combined with Ramsey and Huntingdonshire was re-established as a single member constituency.
As a result of the Local Government Act 1972, the two counties of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, and Huntingdon and Peterborough were merged to form the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, with effect from 1 April 1974. However, the next redistribution did not come into effect until the 1983 general election, when the Huntingdonshire constituency was abolished once again, with the majority comprising the re-established county constituency of Huntingdon which also included rural areas to the west of Peterborough.
There were significant boundary changes at the 1997 general election, when the neighbouring seat of North West Cambridgeshire was created from areas previously in the seats of Huntingdon and Peterborough.
The former Conservative Prime Minister (1990–1997) John Major represented the seat from its re-creation in 1983 until his retirement in 2001. His majority in 1992 (36,230) was the largest majority for any member of parliament post-1832 until 2017, in which George Howarth won a 42,214 vote majority in Knowsley.
Boundaries and boundary changes
The constituency consists of the towns of Huntingdon, St Ives, Godmanchester and a number of smaller settlements in Western Cambridgeshire.
1832–1885
- The townships of Huntingdon and Godmanchester.[7]
1885–1918
- The Sessional Divisions of Leightonstone and Toseland.[8]
The new county division incorporated the towns of Huntingdon, Godmanchester, and St Neots.
1983–1997
- The District of Huntingdon wards of Brampton, Bury, Earith, Ellington, Elton, Farcet, Fenstanton, Godmanchester, Hemingford Abbots and Hilton, Hemingford Grey, Houghton and Wyton, Huntingdon North, Huntingdon West, Kimbolton, Needingworth, Ramsey, Sawtry, Somersham, Stilton, St Ives North, St Ives South, The Stukeleys, Upwood and The Raveleys, Warboys, and Yaxley; and
- The City of Peterborough wards of Barnack, Glinton, Northborough, Werrington, and Wittering.[9]
- The re-established seat comprised the majority of the abolished Huntingdonshire constituency, including Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Ramsey and St Ives, together with rural areas to the west of Peterborough, including Barnack and Werrington.
1997–2010
- The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Brampton, Buckden, Eaton Ford, Eaton Socon, Ellington, Eynesbury, Fenstanton, Godmanchester, Gransden, Hemingford Abbots and Hilton, Hemingford Grey, Houghton and Wyton, Huntingdon North, Huntingdon West, Kimbolton, Needingworth, Paxton, Priory Park, St Ives North, St Ives South, Staughton, The Offords, and The Stukeleys.[10]
- Gained the parts of the District of Huntingdon, including St Neots, which had previously been part of the abolished South West Cambridgeshire constituency. The City of Peterborough ward of Werrington was transferred to the Peterborough constituency. Remaining Peterborough wards and northern parts of the District of Huntingdon, including Ramsey, were included in the new constituency of North West Cambridgeshire.
2010–2024
- The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Alconbury and The Stukeleys, Brampton, Buckden, Fenstanton, Godmanchester, Gransden and The Offords, Huntingdon East, Huntingdon North, Huntingdon West, Kimbolton and Staughton, Little Paxton, St Ives East, St Ives South, St Ives West, St Neots Eaton Ford, St Neots Eaton Socon, St Neots Eynesbury, St Neots Priory Park, and The Hemingfords.[11]
- Local authority wards revised. Further minor loss to North West Cambridgeshire.
2024–present
Following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following electoral wards:
- The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Alconbury, Brampton, Buckden, Godmanchester & Hemingford Abbots, Great Staughton, Hemingford Grey & Houghton, Holywell-cum-Needingworth, Huntingdon East, Huntingdon North, Kimbolton, St Ives East, St Ives South, St Ives West, Sawtry, Somersham, The Stukeleys, and Warboys.[12]
- The seat was subject to major changes with the town of St Neots being moved to the new constituency of St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, partly offset by the transfer of mainly rural areas to the north from North West Cambridgeshire.
Members of Parliament
MPs c1290–1660
MPs 1660–1868
MPs 1868–1918
MPs since 1983
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
The constituency underwent boundary changes prior to the 1997 election and the changes are not based on the 1992 result.
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1910s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1880s
- Caused by Montagu's succession to the peerage, becoming Earl of Sandwich.
Elections in the 1870s
- Caused by Karslake's resignation.
- Caused by Baring's death.
Elections in the 1860s
Seat reduced to one member
Elections in the 1850s
Elections in the 1840s
- Caused by Pollock's resignation upon his appointment as Chief Justice of the Court of the Exchequer
Elections in the 1830s
Wells and Sweeting were put forward as candidates, and received "a show of hands of ten to one" against Calvert and Stuart, who had received seven and five respectively. However, the mayor declared Stuart and Calvert as having the majority of legal votes and the seat was not put to a poll.[36]
See also
Notes
- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ 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, though this was not the case in its first creation
References
- ^ "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.
- ^ "'Huntingdon', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Huntingdon". City population. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Seat Details - Huntingdon". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "H.M.S.O. Boundary Commission Report 1868, Huntingdon". www.visionofbritain.org.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- ^ "H.M.S.O. Boundary Commission Report 1885, Huntingdonshire". www.visionofbritain.org.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
- ^ "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "History of Parliament". Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "History of Parliament". Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "History of Parliament". Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 4)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844–1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 151–153. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
- ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF). 7 June 2024."DECLARATION OF RESULT OF POLL" (PDF). 4 July 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Lancaster, Joanne (14 November 2019). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll, Election of a Member of Parliament - Huntingdon Constituency" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2022.
- ^ "Candidates standing in the General Election in Cambridgeshire". 12 May 2017.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ a b "UK Election Results: Huntingdon 2015".
- ^ "mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=123". Archived from the original on 21 May 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "Prospective General Election Candidates".
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ http://www.jonathansalt.co.uk Archived 14 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Local Radio station Star 107
- ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ a b "British Parliamentary Election results 1983–97: English Counties". www.election.demon.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e f g h F. W. S. Craig (1989), British Parliamentary Election Results, 1885–1918. Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 299
- ^ "Election of Sir R. Peel for Huntingdon". Edinburgh Evening News. 22 March 1884. p. 4. Retrieved 1 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Huntingdon and Godmanchester Election". Huntingdon, Bedford & Peterborough Gazette. 15 December 1832. p. 1. Retrieved 16 April 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b c Harratt, Simon. "Huntingdon". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
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52°20′N 0°11′W / 52.34°N 0.19°W / 52.34; -0.19