Dover and Deal (UK Parliament constituency)

Dover and Deal is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Mike Tapp representing the Labour Party.^[2]

Dover and Deal
County constituency for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Boundary of Dover and Deal in South East England
County	Kent
Electorate	75,855 (2023)[1]
Major settlements	Dover and Deal
Current constituency
Created	1885 (as Dover)
Member of Parliament	Mike Tapp (Labour)
Seats	One
1369–1885
Seats	Two

It was known as Dover until 1974 and from 1983 until 2024. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat reverted to its current name, to be first contested at the 2024 general election.^[3]

Dover was considered a Cinque Ports constituency from 1386 to 1832.

Constituency profile

The seat includes most of Dover District. It comprises the towns of Deal, Dover, Walmer and surrounding villages in a productive chalkland, long-cultivated area adjoining the Strait of Dover.

Since 1945 Dover has been a Labour/Conservative swing seat. In local elections, most of its rural villages and the two small towns favour the Conservative Party, whereas Dover favours the Labour Party, as well as the former mixed mining and agricultural villages in the local coal belt (East Kent coalfield), such as Aylesham. Labour's vote held on very solidly here in 2005, but the seat went Conservative in the 2010 election on a swing of 10.4% compared with a 4.9% swing nationally.

Electoral Calculus categorises the seat as being part of the “Strong Right” demographic, those who have fiscally conservative views on the economy but are also fairly nationalist and socially conservative, alongside strong support for Brexit. In addition to this, around 55% of Dover and Deal is deprived, in terms of employment, income and education, with 47% of the local population, in particular, being unemployed, according to the site. For general statistics, the average age is 52.4, at least 80% of the local population owns a car, whilst 67% own a home, and the gross household income is £41,120.^[4]

Cinque Port Seat

Dover's representation was originally as a Cinque Port constituency. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports nominated one member as with other Cinque Ports, but this was outlawed by an act of Parliament in 1689.^[5] There was still some residual influence but there was also a local independent element in the borough with two local leading families, the Papillons and Furneses, starting to send MPs. By the mid eighteenth century it had come more under government influence through the influence of the Earl of Hardwicke, although government control was often more fragile than it seemed.^[6]

Dover lost its status as a Cinque Port seat, becoming a borough seat under the Reform Act 1832 (2 & 3 Will. 4. c. 45).

Boundaries

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

1918–1950: The Boroughs of Dover and Deal, the Urban District of Walmer, and the Rural Districts of Dover and Eastry.

1950–1983: The Boroughs of Dover, Deal, and Sandwich, the Rural District of Dover, and the Rural District of Eastry except the parishes included in the Isle of Thanet constituency.

1983–2010: The District of Dover wards of Aylesham, Barton, Buckland, Capel-le-Ferne, Castle, Cornilo, Eastry, Eythorne, Lower Walmer, Lydden and Temple Ewell, Maxton and Elms Vale, Middle Deal, Mill Hill, Mongeham, Noninstone, North Deal, Pineham, Priory, Ringwould, River, St Margaret's-at-Cliffe, St Radigund's, Shepherdswell with Coldred, Tower Hamlets, Town and Pier, and Upper Walmer.

2010–2024: The District of Dover wards of Aylesham, Buckland, Capel-le-Ferne, Castle, Eastry, Eythorne and Shepherdswell, Lydden and Temple Ewell, Maxton, Elms Vale and Priory, Middle Deal and Sholden, Mill Hill, North Deal, Ringwould, River, St Margaret's-at-Cliffe, St Radigund's, Tower Hamlets, Town and Pier, Walmer, and Whitfield.

2024–present: The District of Dover wards of Alkham & Capel-le-Ferne, Aylesham, Eythorne & Shepherdswell, Buckland, Dover Downs & River, Eastry Rural, Guston, Kingsdown & St. Margaret’s-at-Cliffe, Maxton & Elms Vale, Middle Deal, Mill Hill, North Deal, St. Radigunds, Tower Hamlets, Town & Castle, Walmer, and Whitfield.^[7]

Minor changes due to revision of ward boundaries.

Charlie Elphicke scandal

From 2010, the MP was Charlie Elphicke, elected as a member of the Conservative Party. On 3 November 2017, Elphicke was suspended by the Conservative Party after "serious allegations" were made against him, and then sat as an Independent until 12 December 2018 when he had the Conservative Whip restored ahead of a party vote on a no-confidence motion against Theresa May.^[8][9] In July 2019, the whip was withdrawn again after he was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service with three counts of sexual assault against two women.^[10][11][12] Charlie Elphicke stood down as an MP shortly before the 2019 UK General Election, with his wife, Natalie Elphicke standing as the Conservative Party candidate in his place. Natalie Elphicke was elected as the MP for Dover at the 2019 UK General Election, increasing on her husband's majority, but defected to Labour in May 2024.

Members of Parliament

Cinque Port/Parliamentary Borough 1386–1918

MPs 1386–1660

Parliament	First member	Second member
1386	John Gyles	John Halle I[13]
1388 (Feb)	John Gyles	John Halle I[13]
1388 (Sep)	John Gyles	John Monyn[13]
1390 (Jan)	John Gyles	John Monyn[13]
1390 (Nov)
1391	John Gyles	John Strete[13]
1393	John Gyles	John Strete[13]
1394
1395	John Gyles	John Strete[13]
1397 (Jan)	Nicholas Spicer	John Monyn[13]
1397 (Sep)	John Monyn I[13]
1399	John Gyles	John Enebrook[13]
1401
1402	Thomas Gyles	John Strete[13]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406	Thomas Gyles	Henry Merley[13]
1407	John Alkham	Henry Merley[13]
1410	Nicholas Spicer	Peter Rede[13]
1411	Thomas Monyn[13]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	Thomas Monyn	John Garton[13]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov)	Walter Stratton	John Garton[13]
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)	John Braban[13]
1417	John Braban	Thomas atte Crowche[13]
1419	John Braban	Walter Stratton[13]
1420	Thomas Arnold	Thomas atte Crowche[13]
1421 (May)	Thomas Arnold	John Braban[13]
1421 (Dec)	John Braban	Walter Stratton[13]
1439–1444	Sir Thomas Browne
1470	Thomas Smith[14]
1510	John Warren	not known[15]
1512	Nicholas Templeman	John Warren[15]
1515	Nicholas Templeman	John Warren[15]
1523	Thomas Vaughan	Robert Nethersole[15]
1529	Robert Nethersole	John Warren[15]
1536	Robert Nethersole	John Warren[15]
1539	Thomas Vaughan	John Payntor[15]
1542	John Warren	William Granger[15]
1545	Edmund Mody	John Warren[15]
1547	Joseph Beverley	Thomas Warren[15]
1553 (Mar)	Henry Crispe	Thomas Portway[15]
1553 (Oct)	Joseph Beverley	John Webbe[15]
1554 (Apr)	John Webbe	Thomas Colly[15]
1554 (Nov)	William Hannington	John Webbe[15]
1555	Thomas Warren	Sir Edmund Rous[15]
1558	Joseph Beverley	John Cheyne[15]
1559	Thomas Warren	John Robins[16]
1562–3	John Robins	Thomas Warren[16]
1571	Thomas Andrews II	John Pinchon[16]
1572	Thomas Andrews II	Thomas Warren[16]
1584	Richard Barrey	John Moore[16]
1586	Richard Barrey	John Moore[16]
1588	Thomas Fane	Edward Stephens[16]
1593	Thomas Fane	Thomas Elwood[16]
1597	Thomas Fane	William Leonard[16]
1601	George Fane	George Newman[16]
1604	Sir Thomas Waller	George Bing
1614	Sir George Fane	Sir Robert Brett
1621	Sir Henry Mainwaring	Sir Richard Young
1624	Sir Edward Cecil[17]	Sir Richard Young
1625	Sir John Hippisley	William Beecher
1626	Sir John Hippisley	John Pringle
1628	Sir John Hippisley	Edward Nicholas

No parliament called between 1629 and 1640

Parliament	First member	Second member
1640 (Apr)	Sir Edward Boys	Sir Peter Heyman
1640 (Nov)	Sir Edward Boys	Benjamin Weston
1645	John Dixwell	Benjamin Weston
1648	John Dixwell	Benjamin Weston
1653	Dover not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654	William Cullen	one seat only
1656	Thomas Kelsey	one seat only
1658	John Dixwell	Thomas Kelsey
1659	John Dixwell	Benjamin Weston

MPs 1660–1885

Year	First member[18]	First party		Second member[18]	Second party
April 1660	Edward Montagu			Arnold Braemes
August 1660	George Montagu
1661				Sir Francis Vincent, Bt
1670				Edward Montagu
1673				Admiral Sir Edward Spragge[19]
1674				Thomas Papillon
1679	William Stokes
1685	Arthur Herbert			William Chapman
1689	Sir Basil Dixwell, Bt			Thomas Papillon
1690	James Chadwick
1695				Sir Basill Dixwell, Bt
1697	Admiral Matthew Aylmer
January 1701				Sir Charles Hedges
November 1701				Philip Papillon
1710	Sir William Hardres, Bt
1715	Admiral Matthew Aylmer[20]
1720	George Berkeley			Henry Furnese
1734	David Papillon			Thomas Revell
1741	Lord George Sackville
1752				William Cayley
1755				Peter Burrell
1756				Hugh Valence Jones
1759				Sir Edward Simpson[21]
1761	Hon. Sir Joseph Yorke
1765				John Campbell
1766				John Bindley
1768				George Villiers
1770				Sir Thomas Hales, Bt
1773				Thomas Barret
1774	John Henniker			John Trevanion
1784	Robert Preston		Tory[22]	Captain the Hon. James Luttrell		Tory[22]
1789				John Trevanion		Whig[22]
1790	Charles Pybus		Tory[22]
1802	John Spencer Smith		Whig[22]
1806	John Jackson		Whig[22]	Charles Jenkinson		Tory[22]
1818				Edward Bootle-Wilbraham		Tory[22]
1820	Joseph Butterworth		Whig[22]
1826	Charles Poulett Thomson[23]		Whig[22]
1828				William Henry Trant		Tory[22]
1830				Sir John Reid, Bt		Tory[22]
1831				Robert Henry Stanhope		Whig[22]
1832				Sir John Reid, Bt		Tory[22]
1833	John Halcomb		Tory[22]
1834			Conservative[22]			Conservative[22]
1835	John Minet Fector		Conservative[22]
1837	Edward Royd Rice		Whig[24][25][26][27][22]
1847				Sir George Clerk, Bt		Conservative
1852				Henry Cadogan		Conservative
1857	Ralph Bernal Osborne		Radical[28][29][30][31][32]	Sir William Russell, Bt		Whig[33]
1859	Sir Henry Leeke		Conservative	William Nicol		Conservative
1865	Alexander George Dickson		Conservative	Charles Freshfield		Conservative
1868				George Jessel		Liberal
1873				Edward William Barnett		Conservative
1874				Charles Freshfield		Conservative
1885	Representation reduced to one member

MPs 1885–1918

Year	Member[18]	Party
1885	Alexander George Dickson		Conservative
1889	George Wyndham		Conservative
1913	Vere Ponsonby		Conservative
1918	Constituency abolished – name transferred to county constituency

County constituency 1918–present

Year	Member[18]	Party
Dover division of Kent
1918	Vere Ponsonby		Coalition Conservative
1921 by-election	Sir Thomas Polson		Independent Parliamentary Group
1922	John Jacob Astor		Conservative
1945	John Thomas		Labour
1950	John Arbuthnot		Conservative
1964	David Ennals		Labour
1970	Peter Rees		Conservative
Dover and Deal County Constituency
1974	Peter Rees		Conservative
Dover County Constituency
1983	Peter Rees		Conservative
1987	David Shaw		Conservative
1997	Gwyn Prosser		Labour
2010	Charlie Elphicke		Conservative
November 2017[8]			Independent
December 2018			Conservative
July 2019			Independent
2019	Natalie Elphicke		Conservative
2024			Labour
Dover and Deal County Constituency
2024	Mike Tapp		Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Dover and Deal^[34][2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mike Tapp	18,940	39.6	+7.0
	Reform UK	Howard Cox	11,355	23.8	N/A
	Conservative	Stephen James	10,370	21.7	–35.2
	Green	Christine Oliver	3,106	6.5	+3.8
	Liberal Democrats	Penelope James	2,595	5.4	–0.3
	Independent	Geoffrey Lymer	485	1.0	N/A
	Independent	Ash Payne	369	0.8	N/A
	English Democrat	Steve Laws	185	0.4	N/A
	Heritage	Sylvia Petersen	168	0.4	N/A
	Independent	Chris Tough	104	0.2	N/A
	Workers Party	Colin Tasker	98	0.2	N/A
Majority			7,559	15.8	N/A
Turnout			47,749	64.1	–6.9
Registered electors			78,801
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+21.1

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Dover^[35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Natalie Elphicke	28,830	56.9	+4.5
	Labour	Charlotte Cornell	16,552	32.6	−7.4
	Liberal Democrats	Simon Dodd	2,895	5.7	+3.1
	Green	Beccy Sawbridge	1,371	2.7	+0.9
	Independent	Nathan Sutton	916	1.8	N/A
	Women's Equality	Eljai Morais	137	0.3	N/A
Majority			12,278	24.3	+11.9
Turnout			50,701	66.4	−3.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.9

General election 2017: Dover^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charlie Elphicke	27,211	52.4	+9.1
	Labour	Stacey Blair	20,774	40.0	+9.3
	UKIP	Piers Wauchope	1,723	3.3	−17.0
	Liberal Democrats	Simon Dodd	1,336	2.6	−0.5
	Green	Beccy Sawbridge	923	1.8	−0.8
Majority			6,437	12.4	−0.1
Turnout			51,966	69.7	+0.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 2015: Dover^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charlie Elphicke	21,737	43.3	−0.7
	Labour	Clair Hawkins	15,443	30.7	−2.8
	UKIP	David Little	10,177	20.3	+16.8
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Smith	1,572	3.1	−12.7
	Green	Jolyon Trimingham[38]	1,295	2.6	N/A
Majority			6,294	12.5	+2.0
Turnout			50,224	68.9	−1.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.0

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Dover

General election 2010: Dover^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charlie Elphicke	22,174	44.0	+9.1
	Labour	Gwyn Prosser	16,900	33.5	−11.8
	Liberal Democrats	John Brigden	7,962	15.8	0.0
	UKIP	Victor Matcham	1,747	3.5	+0.8
	BNP	Dennis Whiting	1,104	2.2	N/A
	English Democrat	Mike Walters	216	0.4	N/A
	CPA	David Clark	200	0.4	N/A
	Independent	George Lee-Delisle	82	0.2	N/A
Majority			5,274	10.5	N/A
Turnout			50,385	70.1	+2.8
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+10.5

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Dover^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwyn Prosser	21,680	45.3	−3.5
	Conservative	Paul Watkins	16,739	35.0	−2.2
	Liberal Democrats	Antony Hook	7,607	15.9	+4.5
	UKIP	Mike Wiltshire	1,252	2.6	+0.1
	Independent	Victor Matcham	606	1.3	N/A
Majority			4,941	10.3	−1.3
Turnout			47,884	67.6	+2.5
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.6

General election 2001: Dover^[41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwyn Prosser	21,943	48.8	−5.7
	Conservative	Paul Watkins	16,744	37.2	+4.4
	Liberal Democrats	Antony Hook	5,131	11.4	+3.5
	UKIP	Lee Speakman	1,142	2.5	+1.7
Majority			5,199	11.6	−10.1
Turnout			44,960	65.1	−13.8
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Dover^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwyn Prosser	29,535	54.5	+11.9
	Conservative	David Shaw	17,796	32.8	−11.3
	Liberal Democrats	Mark B. Corney	4,302	7.9	−2.9
	Referendum	Susan L. Anderson	2,124	3.9	N/A
	UKIP	C. Hyde	443	0.8	N/A
Majority			11,739	21.7	N/A
Turnout			54,200	78.9	−4.6
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	-11.3

General election 1992: Dover^[43][44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Shaw	25,395	44.1	−1.9
	Labour	Gwyn Prosser	24,562	42.6	+8.5
	Liberal Democrats	M. J. Sole	6,212	10.8	−9.1
	Green	A. C. W. Sullivan	637	1.1	N/A
	Ind. Conservative	P. W. Sherred	407	0.7	N/A
	Ind. Conservative	B. J. Philp	250	0.4	N/A
	Natural Law	C. F. Percy	127	0.2	N/A
Majority			833	1.5	−10.4
Turnout			57,590	83.5	+3.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	−5.2

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Dover^[45]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Shaw	25,343	46.0	−2.3
	Labour	Stephen Love	18,802	34.1	+3.3
	SDP	Geoffrey Nice	10,942	19.9	−0.2
Majority			6,541	11.9	−5.6
Turnout			55,087	79.8	+2.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1983: Dover^[46]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Rees	25,454	48.3
	Labour	Stephen Love	16,234	30.8
	SDP	Geoffrey Nice	10,601	20.1	N/A
	Ecology	M. Potter	404	0.8	N/A
Majority			9,220	17.5
Turnout			52,693	77.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Dover and Deal

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Rees	30,606	50.01
	Labour	Jane Chapman	22,664	37.04
	Liberal	J. Cohen	6,906	11.29
	Silly Party	Jeremy Fox	642	1.05	N/A
	National Front	P. Johnson	378	0.62	N/A
Majority			7,942	12.97
Turnout			61,196	80.65
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Dover and Deal

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Rees	25,647	43.63
	Labour	L. J. A. Bishop	23,353	39.74
	Liberal	R. S. Young	9,767	16.63
Majority			2,294	3.89
Turnout			58,767	78.67
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Dover and Deal

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Rees	27,033	43.11
	Labour	L. J. A. Bishop	22,183	35.37
	Liberal	R. S. Young	12,832	20.46
	Ind. Social Democrat	W. Stone	661	1.05	N/A
Majority			4,850	7.74
Turnout			62,709	84.69
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1970: Dover

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Rees	30,103	51.41
	Labour	David Ennals	28,454	48.59
Majority			1,649	2.82	N/A
Turnout			58,557	80.58
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Dover

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Ennals	27,256	49.31
	Conservative	Tom Stacey	24,040	43.49
	Liberal	Bernard Budd	3,981	7.20
Majority			3,216	5.82
Turnout			55,277	84.18
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1964: Dover

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Ennals	24,115	44.94
	Conservative	John Arbuthnot	23,697	44.17
	Liberal	Bernard Budd	5,843	10.89	N/A
Majority			418	0.77	N/A
Turnout			53,655	82.70
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Dover

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Arbuthnot	27,939	53.08
	Labour	Horace W. Lee	24,698	46.92
Majority			3,241	6.16
Turnout			52,637	82.88
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1955: Dover

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Arbuthnot	27,316	52.92
	Labour	Horace W. Lee	24,298	47.08
Majority			3,018	5.84
Turnout			51,614	81.84
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1951: Dover^[47]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Arbuthnot	28,511	53.29
	Labour Co-op	Will Owen	24,995	46.71
Majority			3,516	6.58
Turnout			53,506	85.74
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1950: Dover^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Arbuthnot	25,640	49.01
	Labour Co-op	Will Owen	23,331	44.59
	Liberal	Basil Goldstone	2,873	5.49	N/A
	Communist	R. Morrison	474	0.91	N/A
Majority			2,309	4.42	N/A
Turnout			52,318	85.77
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Dover

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Thomas	17,373	52.54
	Conservative	John Arbuthnot	15,691	47.46
Majority			1,682	5.08	N/A
Turnout			33,064	73.29
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Dover

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Jacob Astor	25,884	63.96
	Labour	W. H. Bennett	14,588	36.04
Majority			11,296	27.92
Turnout			40,472	69.56
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Dover

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Jacob Astor	29,743	75.25
	Labour	W. Moore	9,781	24.75
	Liberal	Herbert Baxter	Withdrew	N/A	N/A
Majority			19,962	50.50
Turnout			39,524	73.05
	Conservative hold		Swing

• withdrew on 16 October

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Dover ^[49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	John Jacob Astor	20,572	54.7	−18.8
	Labour	Ernest Lionel McKeag	8,864	23.6	−2.9
	Liberal	Herbert Baxter	8,180	21.7	N/A
Majority			11,708	31.1	−15.9
Turnout			37,616	74.4	−0.3
Registered electors			50,586
	Unionist hold		Swing	−8.0

General election 1924: Dover ^[49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	John Jacob Astor	21,186	73.5	N/A
	Labour	A. F. George	7,627	26.5	N/A
Majority			13,559	47.0	N/A
Turnout			28,813	74.7	N/A
Registered electors			38,580
	Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

By-election 1924: Dover ^[49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	John Jacob Astor	Unopposed
	Unionist hold

General election 1923: Dover ^[49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	John Jacob Astor	Unopposed
	Unionist hold

General election 1922: Dover ^[49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	John Jacob Astor	18,151	62.2	−6.5
	Independent Parliamentary Group	Thomas Polson	8,054	27.6	N/A
	Liberal	Leonard Stein	2,985	10.2	−21.1
Majority			10,097	34.6	−0.8
Turnout			29,190	77.6	+31.1
Registered electors			37,610
	Unionist hold		Swing	+7.3

By-election 1921: Dover ^[49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Parliamentary Group	Thomas Polson	13,947	56.3	N/A
	Coalition Unionist	John Jacob Astor	10,817	43.7	−25.0
Majority			3,130	12.6	N/A
Turnout			24,764	71.0	+24.5
Registered electors			34,890
	Ind. Parliamentary Group gain from Unionist		Swing

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Dover ^[49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	Vere Ponsonby	11,249	68.7	N/A
	Liberal	Alexander Livingstone	5,121	31.3	N/A
Majority			6,128	37.4	N/A
Turnout			16,370	46.5	N/A
Registered electors			35,170
	Unionist hold		Swing
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

By-election 1913: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Vere Ponsonby	Unopposed
	Unionist hold

General election December 1910: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Wyndham	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election January 1910: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Wyndham	3,330	67.9	+2.2
	Liberal	A. M. Bradley	1,572	32.1	−2.2
Majority			1,758	35.8	+4.4
Turnout			4,902	78.5	+3.1
Registered electors			6,247
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.2

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Wyndham	3,269	65.7	N/A
	Liberal	R. J. Bryce	1,705	34.3	N/A
Majority			1,564	31.4	N/A
Turnout			4,974	75.4	N/A
Registered electors			6,493
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

By-election 1900: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Wyndham	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election 1900: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Wyndham	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Wyndham	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election 1892: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Wyndham	2,231	69.5	N/A
	Lib-Lab	Eustace G Edwards[51]	978	30.5	N/A
Majority			1,253	39.0	N/A
Turnout			3,209	62.6	N/A
Registered electors			5,156
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alexander George Dickson	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

By-election 1889: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Wyndham	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election 1885: Dover ^[50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alexander George Dickson	2,066	59.3	+6.8
	Liberal	Robert Murray Lawes[52]	1,418	40.7	−6.8
Majority			648	18.6	+17.1
Turnout			3,484	71.3	−5.9
Registered electors			4,885
	Conservative hold		Swing	+6.8

General election 1880: Dover ^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Freshfield	1,734	26.5	−4.8
	Conservative	Alexander George Dickson	1,701	26.0	+0.2
	Liberal	Philip Stanhope[54]	1,607	24.5	+2.5
	Liberal	Charles Clement Walker[55]	1,506	23.0	+2.1
Majority			94	1.5	−2.3
Turnout			3,274 (est)	77.2 (est)	+8.7
Registered electors			4,239
	Conservative hold		Swing	−3.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.0

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Dover ^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Freshfield	1,595	31.3	−0.8
	Conservative	Alexander George Dickson	1,316	25.8	−8.0
	Liberal	Christopher Weguelin[56]	1,118	22.0	−11.2
	Liberal	Frederick Inderwick	1,062	20.9	+20.1
Majority			198	3.8	+3.2
Turnout			2,546 (est)	68.5 (est)	−15.8
Registered electors			3,714
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+5.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	−14.1

By-election 1873: Dover^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward William Barnett	1,415	56.5	−9.4
	Liberal	James Staats Forbes[57]	1,089	43.5	+9.5
Majority			326	13.0	N/A
Turnout			2,504	70.3	−14.0
Registered electors			3,563
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	−9.5

By-election 1871: Dover^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	George Jessel	1,235	51.9	+17.9
	Conservative	Edward William Barnett	1,144	48.1	−17.8
Majority			91	3.8	+2.7
Turnout			2,379	69.1	−15.2
Registered electors			3,443
	Liberal hold		Swing	+17.9

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Dover ^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alexander George Dickson	1,461	33.8	+7.0
	Liberal	George Jessel	1,435	33.2	+9.6
	Conservative	Charles Freshfield	1,387	32.1	+5.7
	Liberal	Israel Abrahams[58]	35	0.8	−22.5
Turnout			2,859 (est)	84.3 (est)	+1.6
Registered electors			3,392
Majority			26	0.6	−2.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+14.8
Majority			48	1.1	N/A
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+2.0

General election 1865: Dover ^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alexander George Dickson	1,026	26.8	−0.8
	Conservative	Charles Freshfield	1,012	26.4	−0.3
	Liberal	William Keppel	903	23.6	+0.2
	Liberal	Thomas Eustace Smith	892	23.3	+1.0
Majority			109	2.8	−0.5
Turnout			1,917 (est)	82.7 (est)	−0.1
Registered electors			2,318
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.5

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Dover ^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry John Leeke	931	27.6	+6.0
	Conservative	William Nicol	902	26.7	+8.9
	Liberal	William Russell	788	23.4	−6.4
	Liberal	Ralph Bernal Osborne	752	22.3	−8.5
Majority			114	3.3	N/A
Turnout			1,687 (est)	82.8 (est)	+3.4
Registered electors			2,038
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+6.7
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+8.2

General election 1857: Dover ^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Radical	Ralph Bernal Osborne	989	30.8	N/A
	Whig	William Russell	958	29.8	−2.5
	Conservative	George Clerk	695	21.6	−6.5
	Conservative	George William Hope[59]	574	17.8	−21.7
Turnout			1,608 (est)	79.4 (est)	−9.6
Registered electors			2,024
Majority			415	13.0	N/A
	Radical gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A
Majority			263	8.2	+4.0
	Whig hold		Swing	+3.8

General election 1852: Dover ^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Cadogan	1,097	39.5	+8.9
	Whig	Edward Royd Rice	898	32.3	−5.3
	Conservative	George Clerk	781	28.1	−3.7
Turnout			1,837 (est)	89.0 (est)	+17.8
Registered electors			2,064
Majority			199	7.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.8
Majority			117	4.2	−1.6
	Whig hold		Swing	−5.3

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: Dover ^[53]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Edward Royd Rice	1,104	37.6	+3.0
	Conservative	George Clerk	932	31.8	−4.2
	Conservative	Henry Thoby Prinsep	897	30.6	+11.3
Majority			172	5.8	−9.5
Turnout			1,467 (est)	71.2 (est)	−18.6
Registered electors			2,060
	Whig hold		Swing	−2.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.9

General election 1841: Dover ^[53][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Reid	1,000	36.0	+1.8
	Whig	Edward Royd Rice	960	34.6	−0.6
	Conservative	John Halcomb	536	19.3	−11.3
	Radical	Alexander Galloway	281	10.1	N/A
Turnout			1,667	89.8	−0.4
Registered electors			2,060
Majority			40	1.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.1
Majority			424	15.3	+14.3
	Whig hold		Swing	+2.1

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: Dover ^[53][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Edward Royd Rice	854	35.2	+4.2
	Conservative	John Reid	829	34.2	+2.3
	Conservative	John Minet Fector	742	30.6	−6.4
Majority			25	1.0	N/A
Turnout			1,512	90.2	+4.1
Registered electors			1,677
	Whig gain from Conservative		Swing	+3.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.1

General election 1835: Dover ^[53][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Minet Fector	908	37.0	+15.0
	Conservative	John Reid	782	31.9	+4.8
	Whig	Edward Royd Rice	761	31.0	−19.9
Majority			21	0.9	−5.3
Turnout			1,347	86.1	+1.5
Registered electors			1,564
	Conservative hold		Swing	+12.5
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+7.4

By-election 1833: Dover ^[53][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	John Halcomb	734	52.5	+3.4
	Whig	Robert Henry Stanhope	665	47.5	−3.4
Majority			69	5.0	N/A
Turnout			1,399	84.7	+0.1
Registered electors			1,651
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+3.4

General election 1832: Dover ^[53][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Charles Poulett Thomson	713	30.0
	Tory	John Reid	644	27.1
	Tory	John Halcomb	523	22.0
	Whig	Robert Henry Stanhope	498	20.9
Turnout			1,396	84.6
Registered electors			1,651
Majority			69	2.9
	Whig hold
Majority			146	6.2
	Tory gain from Whig

General election 1831: Dover^[22][60]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Charles Poulett Thomson	Unopposed
	Whig	Robert Henry Stanhope	Unopposed
Registered electors			c. 2,000
	Whig hold
	Whig gain from Tory

By-election November 1830: Dover^[22][60]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Charles Poulett Thomson	Unopposed
Registered electors			c. 2,000
	Whig hold

General election 1830: Dover^[22][60]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles Poulett Thomson	975	36.2
	Tory	John Reid	974	36.1
	Tory	John Halcomb	748	27.7
Majority			1	0.1
Turnout			1,866	c. 93.3
Registered electors			c. 2,000
	Whig hold		Swing
	Tory hold		Swing

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Kent
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)

Notes

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

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. "Dover and Deal - General Election Results 2024". BBC News. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
3. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South East | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
4. "The Electoral Calculus' profile of Dover and Deal". Electoral Calculus. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
5. Note 2, Page 121,Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
6. Pages 121 to 124,Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
8. Khan, Shehab (3 November 2017). "Charlie Elphicke: Tory MP suspended and reported to police over 'serious' allegations". The Independent. London. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
9. "Anger as accused MPs get whip restored for May vote". BBC News. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
10. "MP charged with three sexual assaults". Crown Prosecution Service. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
11. "Tory MP Charlie Elphicke Charged With Three Counts Of Sexual Assault, Huffington Post". 22 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
12. Francis, Paul (22 July 2019). "Dover MP Charlie Elphicke has party whip withdrawn". Kent Online. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
13. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
14. Wedgwood, Josiah C. (1936). History Of Parliament (1439–1509). p. 779.
15. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
16. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
17. Dictionary of National Biography, later editions, and Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
18. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 3)
19. On petition Spragge's election was declared void
20. Created Baron Aylmer (in the Peerage of Ireland), 1718
21. Knighted 1761
22. Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844–1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 161–163. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
23. Thomson was re-elected in 1832 but had also been elected for Manchester, which he chose to represent, and did not sit again for Dover
24. Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 75.
25. "General Election". Naval & Military Gazette and Weekly Chronicle of the United Service. 29 July 1837. p. 12. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
26. "Dover Election". Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette. 29 July 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
27. "Elections in Kent". Kentish Gazette. 1 August 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
28. "Ralph Bernal". Legacies of British Slave-ownership. University College London. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
29. Malcolmson, A. P. W. (2006). The Pursuit of the Heiress: Aristocratic Marriage in Ireland 1740–1840 (Illustrated ed.). Ulster Historical Foundation. p. 176. ISBN 9781903688656. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
30. "The Brazil Controversy". The Spectator. 18 February 1865. p. 13. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
31. Rubinstein, William D.; Jolles, Michael A.; Rubinstein, Hilary L., eds. (2011). The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 191. ISBN 978-1-4039-3910-4. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
32. Hawkins, Angus (2015). Victorian Political Culture: 'Habits of Heart & Mind'. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-19-872848-1. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
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34. Aziz, Nadeem (7 June 2024). "Election of a Member of Parliament for Dover and Deal" (PDF). Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via Dover District Council.
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47. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
48. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1950.
49. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
50. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
51. Lorraine (8 September 2013). "Ramsay MacDonald – Dover's MP that never was". The Dover Historian. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
52. "The Home Rule Question". Bristol Mercury. 1 January 1886. p. 8. Retrieved 25 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
53. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
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56. "Dover". London Evening Standard. 27 January 1874. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 29 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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Sources

• Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807)
• The Constitutional Year Book for 1913 (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913)
• F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
• F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949 (Glasgow: Political Reference Publications, 1969)

External links

• Dover UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Dover UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Dover and Deal UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

51.18°N 1.31°E / 51.18; 1.31