New Forest West (UK Parliament constituency)

New Forest West is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Desmond Swayne, a Conservative.^{[n 2]}

New Forest West
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2010
Boundary of New Forest West in South East England
County	Hampshire
Electorate	71,009 (2023) [1]
Major settlements	Fordingbridge Ringwood New Milton Lymington
Current constituency
Created	1997
Member of Parliament	Desmond Swayne (Conservative)
Seats	One
Created from	New Forest

Constituency profile

This constituency covers the part of the New Forest which is not covered by New Forest East, and southern coastal settlements just outside its boundaries. The largest settlements are Fordingbridge and Ringwood which are inland and coastal New Milton and Lymington.

For all areas the relevant local authority has a higher than average proportion of retired people, and a lower than national average extent of social housing and rented housing.^[2] Housing types include far above average detached and semi-detached properties.^[2] Coast and forest are contained in this area.^[3]

Boundaries

1997–2010: The District of New Forest wards of Barton, Bashley, Becton, Bransgore and Sopley, Downlands, Fordingbridge, Forest North West, Forest West, Hordle, Lymington Town, Milford, Milton, Pennington, Ringwood North, Ringwood South, and Sway.

2010–2023: The District of New Forest wards of Barton, Bashley, Becton, Bransgore and Burley, Buckland, Downlands and Forest, Fernhill, Fordingbridge, Forest North West, Hordle, Lymington Town, Milford, Milton, Pennington, Ringwood East and Sopley, Ringwood North, and Ringwood South.

2023–present: Following a review of local authority ward boundaries, which became effective in May 2023,^[4][5] the constituency now comprises the following:

• The District of New Forest wards of: Ashley, Bashley and Fernhill; Ballard; Barton and Becton; Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East; Downlands and Forest North; Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde; Lymington; Milford and Hordle; Milton; Pennington; Ringwood North and Ellingham; and Ringwood South.^[6]

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.^[7]

History

This constituency was created when the old New Forest constituency was divided for the 1997 general election. Since its creation, election results suggest a Conservative safe seat.

Members of Parliament

New Forest prior to 1997

Election		Member[8]	Party
	1997	Sir Desmond Swayne	Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: New Forest West^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Desmond Swayne	16,412	35.4	−28.4
	Labour	Sally Johnston	10,812	23.3	+10.2
	Liberal Democrats	Jack Davies	8,186	17.7	+2.4
	Reform UK	Reginald Chester-Sterne	7,577	16.4	New
	Green	Anna Collar	2,800	6.0	−1.7
	Animal Welfare	Gavin Ridley	393	0.8	New
	SDP	Paul Simon	157	0.3	New
Majority			5,600	12.1	−36.4
Turnout			46,337	67.5	−3.3
Registered electors			68,644
	Conservative hold		Swing	−19.3

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: New Forest West^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Desmond Swayne	32,113	63.8	−3.0
	Liberal Democrats	Jack Davies	7,710	15.3	+5.7
	Labour	Jo Graham	6,595	13.1	−6.5
	Green	Nicholas Bubb	3,888	7.7	+4.8
Majority			24,403	48.5	+1.3
Turnout			50,306	71.3	−1.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	−4.35

General election 2017: New Forest West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Desmond Swayne	33,170	66.8	+6.9
	Labour	Jo Graham	9,739	19.6	+8.8
	Liberal Democrats	Terry Scriven	4,781	9.6	+2.7
	Green	Janet Richards	1,454	2.9	−2.9
	Pirate	Des Hjerling	483	1.0	New
Majority			23,431	47.2	+3.8
Turnout			49,627	72.8	+3.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.95

General election 2015: New Forest West^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Desmond Swayne	28,420	59.9	+1.1
	UKIP	Paul Bailey	7,816	16.5	+10.6
	Labour	Lena Samuels	5,133	10.8	+1.0
	Liberal Democrats	Imogen Shepherd-DuBey	3,293	6.9	−16.4
	Green	Janet Richards	2,748	5.8	+3.6
Majority			20,604	43.4	+7.9
Turnout			47,410	69.2	−7.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	−4.75

General election 2010: New Forest West^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Desmond Swayne	27,980	58.8	+2.9
	Liberal Democrats	Mike Plummer	11,084	23.3	+4.1
	Labour	Janice Hurne	4,666	9.8	−6.7
	UKIP	Martin Lyon	2,783	5.9	+1.7
	Green	Janet Richards	1,059	2.2	−1.8
Majority			16,896	35.5	−1.2
Turnout			47,572	69.6	+3.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.6

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: New Forest West^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Desmond Swayne	26,004	56.4	+0.7
	Liberal Democrats	Murari Kaushik	8,719	18.9	−6.9
	Labour	Janice Hurne	7,590	16.5	+1.8
	UKIP	Brian Lawrence	1,917	4.2	+0.5
	Green	Janet Richards	1,837	4.0	New
Majority			17,285	37.5	+7.6
Turnout			46,067	66.5	+1.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.8

General election 2001: New Forest West^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Desmond Swayne	24,575	55.7	+5.1
	Liberal Democrats	Michael Bignell	11,384	25.8	−2.0
	Labour	Crada N. Onuegbu	6,481	14.7	+0.4
	UKIP	Michael Clark	1,647	3.7	+0.6
Majority			13,191	29.9	+7.1
Turnout			44,087	65.0	−9.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.6

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: New Forest West^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Desmond Swayne	25,149	50.6
	Liberal Democrats	Robert C.H. Hale	13,817	27.8
	Labour	David R. Griffiths	7,092	14.3
	Referendum	Maureen A. Elliott	2,150	4.3
	UKIP	Michael Holmes	1,542	3.1
Majority			11,332	22.8
Turnout			49,750	74.7
	Conservative win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Hampshire
• 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)
2. 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.