Harwich and North Essex (UK Parliament constituency)

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]}

Harwich and North Essex
County constituency for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Location within the East of England
County	Essex
Electorate	74,838 (2023)[1]
Major settlements	Harwich, Wivenhoe, Manningtree, Brightlingsea
Current constituency
Created	2010
Member of Parliament	Bernard Jenkin (Conservative)
Seats	One
Created from	Harwich, North Essex

Constituency profile

The constituency maintains a strong maritime connection, containing the eponymous port and town of Harwich which offers regular ferry services to the Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland). Deprivation in terms of low income and unemployment exists in the Dovercourt, Parkeston and station neighbourhoods of Harwich itself and south of Brightlingsea whereas the other villages and towns (down to localised Output Areas of a few hundred homes) fall above the national average on the same measures.^[2]

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

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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[5]	Party
	2010	Sir Bernard Jenkin	Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Harwich and North Essex^[6]

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 general election notional result[7]
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^[8]

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	New
	Independent	Tony Francis	263	0.5	New
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

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bernard Jenkin[9]	29,921	58.5	+7.5
	Labour	Rosalind Scott[10]	15,565	30.4	+10.7
	Liberal Democrats	Dominic Graham[11]	2,787	5.4	−2.0
	UKIP	Aaron Hammond[10]	1,685	3.3	−14.2
	Green	Blake Roberts[10][12]	1,042	2.0	−2.4
	CPA	Stephen Todd[13]	141	0.3	New
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[15]	9,548	19.7	−0.2
	UKIP	Mark Hughes[15]	8,464	17.5	+12.3
	Liberal Democrats	Dominic Graham[15]	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^[16][17]

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	New
	Green	Chris Fox	909	1.9	−1.8
	Independent	Peter Bates	170	0.3	New
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

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

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. "Local statistics – Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
4. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
5. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 1)
6. "Harwich and North Essex – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024. 3,561
7. "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.
8. "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF). Retrieved 21 August 2023.
9. "BERNARD JENKIN CANDIDATE FOR HARWICH & NORTH ESSEX". bernardjenkin.com. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
10. "Green Party announces candidates for Colchester and Harwich and North Essex constituencies". Harwich and Manningtree Standard. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
11. "Liberal Democrat candidate for Harwich and North Essex confirmed as Dominic Graham". Harwich and Manningtree Standard. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
12. ""Last night we selected our two candidates for the General Election. Mark Goacher will be standing in the Colchester constituency and Blake Roberts in Harwich and North Essex!"". Colchester & District Green Party Facebook page. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
13. "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Colchester Borough Council. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
14. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
15. "UKIP chooses candidate for Harwich seat". Harwich and Manningtree Standard. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
16. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
17. "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Harwich & Essex North". BBC News.

External links

• Harwich and North Essex UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Harwich and North Essex UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

51.92°N 1.02°E / 51.92; 1.02