Richmond Park (UK Parliament constituency)

Richmond Park is a constituency in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Since 2019, its Member of Parliament (MP) has been Sarah Olney of the Liberal Democrats.

Richmond Park
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Richmond Park in Greater London
County	Greater London
Electorate	75,037 (2023)[1]
Major settlements	Richmond and part of Kingston
Current constituency
Created	1997
Member of Parliament	Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrats)
Seats	One
Created from	Richmond and Barnes and Kingston upon Thames

Previously held by Zac Goldsmith of the Conservative Party from 2010, Goldsmith stood down in 2016 in protest over expansion of Heathrow Airport. Olney won the seat at the resulting by-election, defeating Goldsmith who was then standing as an independent. Goldsmith regained the Conservative nomination and the seat in the 2017 general election, before losing to Olney a second time at the 2019 general election. Olney was re-elected in the 2024 general election with an increased majority.

History

The seat was created in 1997 from Richmond and Barnes, held by Jeremy Hanley of the Conservative Party; and a northern section of Kingston upon Thames, held by his party colleague, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Norman Lamont. Hanley was selected as the Conservative candidate at the first election for the seat, but lost to Jenny Tonge of the Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrats retained the seat until 2010, when it was won by the Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith by over 4,000 votes. Goldsmith, who blended fiscal conservatism with environmental activism, easily secured re-election in 2015, with a majority of over 23,000. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats haemorrhaged support and fell to their lowest level since 1970 (when the Richmond, Surrey constituency was fought, albeit on different boundaries to Richmond Park).

In October 2016, Goldsmith announced his resignation as an MP in protest against the Conservative government's decision to allow a third runway to be built at Heathrow Airport. Goldsmith stood as an independent in the by-election held on 1 December; he was defeated by Sarah Olney, a Liberal Democrat, despite the Conservatives fielding no candidate.^[2] It was the first by-election in the constituency since its creation in 1997.

In April 2017, Goldsmith won the Conservative nomination for the seat and stood in the general election on 8 June, at which Olney sought re-election.^[3] Despite Olney gaining the largest increase in vote share between general elections in the country, and Goldsmith one of the largest falls, he regained the seat for the Conservatives with a majority of just 45 votes.^[4] Goldsmith's six months out was the shortest time a defeated MP had remained so before regaining the same seat. Olney retook the seat in the 2019 general election, with a majority of nearly 8,000.

In December 2023, the Labour Party included the seat in its published list of 211 non-battleground seats, suggesting they did not see it as winnable.^[5] In the 2024 general election, Sarah Olney was re-elected on an increased majority, although her total number of votes was down from 2019 due to decreased turnout.^[6]

Constituency profile

The constituency is an affluent area of south west London, with salaries and proportion of residents holding a degree among the highest in the United Kingdom. The most south westerly stations of the District Line, namely Kew Gardens and Richmond, are located within the constituency.

The nature of Richmond Park is leafy and suburban in nature, centred around the major settlement of Richmond town, Richmond Park itself and more suburban neighbourhoods such as Barnes, Coombe, East Sheen, Ham, Kew, Mortlake, Petersham also forming part.

In the 2016 referendum, the estimated local vote to remain in the European Union was 72%.^[7] In 2022, 4.2% of Richmond Park residents have been grant non domicile status to avoid paying tax in the UK.^[8]

Boundaries

Historic

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

1997–2010: The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames wards of Barnes; East Sheen; Ham and Petersham; Kew; Mortlake; Palewell; Richmond Hill; and Richmond Town, and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames wards of Cambridge; Canbury; Coombe Hill; and Tudor.

2010–2024: The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames wards of Barnes; East Sheen; Ham, Petersham and Richmond Riverside; Kew; Mortlake and Barnes Common; North Richmond; and South Richmond, and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames wards of Canbury; Coombe Hill; Coombe Vale; and Tudor.

As part of its Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the Boundary Commission^{[n 1]} made minor changes to re-align the constituency boundaries with the boundaries of the local government wards. This involved moving the entirety of the Beverley ward into Kingston and Surbiton. It had been split between the two constituencies after ward boundaries were changed in 2002. The public consultation on proposed changes across the boroughs of Kingston and Richmond received 11 submissions, of which ten were in support.^[9][10] The new boundaries came into effect at the 2010 general election.

From Kingston Railway Bridge the limits clockwise were: the middle of the River Thames north-east to Hammersmith Bridge and then southeast within Barnes to Barn Elms; the outer limit of Putney Common; the houses east of Hallam Road and Dyers Lane; Upper Richmond Road westwards; the Beverley Brook south to Richmond Park itself;^{[n 2]} the park walls to Robin Hood Gate on the A3 road; the Beverley Brook south,^{[n 3]} west across Malden Golf Course; Coombe Road; Coombe Vale both in New Malden; the South West Main Line west of New Malden station; the Kingston branch back to the stated start. The seat comprised the old Surrey part of Richmond upon Thames (borough), Coombe, Norbiton, and half of Kingston upon Thames.^[11]

Current

Richmond Park from 2024

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the composition of the constituency from the 2024 United Kingdom general election will be reduced to bring it within the permitted electoral range by transferring the Coombe Vale ward (as it existed at 1 December 2020) to Kingston and Surbiton.^[12]

Following a local government boundary review of Kingston-upon-Thames^[13] which came into effect in May 2022,^[14] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames wards of: Barnes; East Sheen; Ham, Petersham and Richmond Riverside; Kew; Mortlake and Barnes Common; North Richmond; and South Richmond.
• The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames wards of: Canbury Gardens; Coombe Hill; Kingston Gate; and a very small part of Coombe Vale.^[15]

Richmond Park constituency stretches from Barnes in the north to Kingston upon Thames in the south, and includes the whole of East Sheen, Mortlake, Kew, Richmond, Petersham and Ham. The boundaries also include the Royal Park itself.

Members of Parliament

Election	Member	Party
1997	Jenny Tonge		Liberal Democrats
2005	Susan Kramer		Liberal Democrats
2010	Zac Goldsmith		Conservative
2016 by-election	Sarah Olney		Liberal Democrats
2017	Zac Goldsmith		Conservative
2019	Sarah Olney		Liberal Democrats

Elections

Results of all deposit-keeping candidates in their bid to be the MP for Richmond Park (UK House of Commons)

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Richmond Park^[16][17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Olney	28,528	54.6	1.0
	Conservative	Sara Gezdari	11,373	21.8	18.8
	Labour	Laura Coryton	5,048	9.7	4.4
	Green	Chas Warlow	3,416[n 4]	6.5	N/A
	Reform UK	Michael Hearn	3,258	6.2	N/A
	The Mitre TW9	Chris French	349	0.7	N/A
	SDP	Richard Harrison	233	0.5	N/A
Majority			17,155	32.8	20.9
Turnout			52,205	76.7	2.1
Registered electors			68,103
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	10.2

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[18]
Party		Vote	%
	Liberal Democrats	31,695	53.6
	Conservative	23,970	40.6
	Labour	3,109	5.3
	Others	308	0.5
Turnout		59,082	78.7
Electorate		75,037

General election 2019: Richmond Park^[19][20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Olney	34,559	53.1	+8.0
	Conservative	Zac Goldsmith	26,793	41.2	−3.9
	Labour	Sandra Keen	3,407	5.2	−3.9
	Independent	Caroline Shah	247	0.4	N/A
	Independent	John Usher	61	0.1	N/A
Majority			7,766	11.9	N/A
Turnout			65,067	79.0	−0.1
Registered electors			82,699
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.0

General election 2017: Richmond Park^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Zac Goldsmith[22]	28,588	45.1	―13.1
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Olney	28,543	45.1	+25.8
	Labour	Cate Tuitt	5,773	9.1	−3.2
	UKIP	Peter Jewell	426	0.7	N/A
Majority			45	0.0	−38.9
Turnout			63,330	79.1	+2.6
Registered electors			80,025
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	―19.4

2016 Richmond Park by-election^[23][24][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Olney	20,510	49.6	+30.3
	Independent	Zac Goldsmith	18,638	45.1	−13.1*
	Labour	Christian Wolmar	1,515	3.6	−8.7
	Monster Raving Loony	Howling Laud Hope	184	0.4	N/A
	Independent	Fiona Syms	173	0.4	N/A
	CPA	Dominic Stockford	164	0.4	N/A
	One Love	Maharaja Jammu and Kashmir	67	0.1	N/A
	No label	David Powell	32	0.0	N/A
Majority			1,872	4.5	N/A
Turnout			41,283	53.6	―22.9
Registered electors			77,243
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	+21.7[n 5]

*Compared to his vote share as a Conservative candidate at the previous election.

General election 2015: Richmond Park ^[26][27][28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Zac Goldsmith	34,404	58.2	+8.5
	Liberal Democrats	Robin Meltzer	11,389	19.3	−23.5
	Labour	Sachin Patel[29]	7,296	12.3	+7.3
	Green	Andrée Frieze[30]	3,548	6.0	+5.0
	UKIP	Sam Naz[31]	2,464	4.2	+3.1
Majority			23,015	38.9	+32.0
Turnout			59,101	76.5	−0.4
Registered electors			77,303
	Conservative hold		Swing	+16.0

General election 2010: Richmond Park ^[32][33][34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Zac Goldsmith	29,461	49.7	+10.1
	Liberal Democrats	Susan Kramer	25,370	42.8	−3.8
	Labour	Eleanor Tunnicliffe	2,979	5.0	−4.2
	UKIP	Peter Dul	669	1.1	+0.2
	Green	James Page	572	1.0	−1.7
	CPA	Susan May	133	0.2	−0.3
	Independent	Charles Hill	84	0.1	N/A
Majority			4,091	6.9	N/A
Turnout			59,268	76.9	+3.7
Registered electors			77,751
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	−7.0

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Richmond Park^[35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Susan Kramer	24,011	46.7	−1.0
	Conservative	Marco Forgione	20,280	39.5	+1.9
	Labour	James Butler	4,768	9.3	−2.0
	Green	James Page	1,379	2.7	+0.2
	UKIP	Peter Dul	458	0.9	+0.2
	CPA	Peter Flower	288	0.6	N/A
	Independent	Margaret Harrison	83	0.2	N/A
	Rainbow Dream Ticket	Rainbow George Weiss	63	0.1	N/A
	Independent	Richard Meacock	44	0.1	N/A
Majority			3,731	7.2	−2.9
Turnout			51,374	72.8	+4.8
Registered electors			69,992
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	-1.4

General election 2001: Richmond Park^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Jenny Tonge	23,444	47.7	+3.0
	Conservative	Tom Harris	18,480	37.6	―1.9
	Labour	Barry Langford	5,541	11.3	―1.3
	Green	James Page	1,223	2.5	N/A
	UKIP	Peter Howe	348	0.7	N/A
	Independent	Raymond Perrin	115	0.2	N/A
Majority			4,964	10.1	+4.9
Turnout			49,151	67.6	―11.9
Registered electors			72,251
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	+2.4

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Richmond Park^[37][38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Jenny Tonge	25,393	44.7	+7.0
	Conservative	Jeremy Hanley**	22,442	39.5	−12.4
	Labour	Sue Jenkins	7,172	12.6	+3.8
	Referendum	Jake Pugh	1,467	2.6	N/A
	Monster Raving Loony	David Beaupre	204	0.4	N/A
	Natural Law	Bruno D'Arcy	102	0.2	N/A
	Rainbow Dream Ticket	Peter Davies	73	0.1	N/A
Majority			2,951	5.2	N/A
Turnout			56,853	79.0
Registered electors			71,951
	Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

**Served as the MP for the predecessor constituency of Richmond and Barnes, 1983-97.

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in London

Notes

1. For the subregion used see South London
2. Thus east is Roehampton in the London Borough of Wandsworth, part of Putney seat
3. Having included the residential section of the A3 at the Beverley Brook Interchange
4. The Green Party vote was originally declared as 2728 votes due to spreadsheet formula issues
5. Calculated on the basis of the vote share for Zac Goldsmith as a Conservative at the previous election and as an Independent at this election.

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – London". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
2. "Zac Goldsmith quits as MP over 'doomed' Heathrow expansion decision". The Guardian. 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
3. "Zac Goldsmith wins Conservative nomination for Richmond Park". BBC News. 26 April 2017. Archived from the original on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
4. "GE2017 – Constituency results". Britain Elects (Google Docs). Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
5. Belger, Tom (8 December 2023). "Labour selections: Full list of 211 'non-battleground' seats now open to applications". labourlist.org. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
6. "Election results for Richmond Park, 4 July 2024". cabnet.richmond.gov.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
7. "The EU referendum: how did Westminster constituencies vote?". Medium. 28 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
8. "Non-doms: 12% of residents in London's richest parts claimed status in 2018". the Guardian. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
9. Fifth periodical report (PDF) (Report). Vol. 3 Mapping for the London Boroughs and the Metropolitan Counties. Boundary Commission for England. 5 February 2007. ISBN 978-0101703222. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
10. "South London Boroughs – Proposals for Parliamentary Constituencies" (PDF). Boundary Commission for England. 19 April 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2010.
11. For the detailed map see the UK government election map web site Archived 7 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine
12. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 3 London region.
13. LGBCE. "Kingston upon Thames | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
14. "The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (Electoral Changes) Order 2021".
15. "New Seat Details - Richmond Park". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
16. "Statement of Persons Nominated, Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations" (PDF). Richmond Upon Thames London Borough Council. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
17. "Richmond Park General Election result 2024" (PDF). London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
18. "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.
19. "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF).
20. "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
21. "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
22. @fifisyms (20 September 2019). "@RPNKTories Madness. He's going to lose by miles" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
23. Donovan, Tim (7 November 2016). "Tactics reduce candidates for Richmond Park by-election". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
24. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
25. "Election results for Richmond Park, 1 December 2016". 1 December 2016. Archived from the original on 17 November 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
26. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
27. "Election results for Richmond Park UK Parliamentary General Election 2015 – Thursday, 7 May 2015". Cabnet.richmond.gov.uk. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
28. "Richmond Park parliamentary constituency – Election 2015". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
29. "Sachin Patel: Candidate for Richmond Park". Labour Party (UK). Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
30. "London Green Party | 2015 general election". Green Party. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
31. "Richmond Park". UK Polling Report. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
32. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
33. Norton, Gillian (20 April 2010). "Parliamentary Election, Richmond Park Constituency, Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
34. "Election 2010 –Constituency:Richmond Park". Election 2010. BBC News. 6 May 2010. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
35. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
36. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
37. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
38. "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2001 | RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES | Richmond Park". BBC News. Retrieved 26 September 2022.

External links

• Politics Science Resources (Election results from 1922 onwards)
• Electoral Calculus (Election results from 1955 onwards)
• Richmond Park UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Richmond Park UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Richmond Park UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

51.447°N 0.278°W / 51.447; -0.278