Wycombe (UK Parliament constituency)

Wycombe (/ˈwɪkəm/) is a constituency in Buckinghamshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Labour's Emma Reynolds.

Wycombe
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Wycombe in South East England
County	Buckinghamshire
Electorate	71,769 (2023)[1]
Major settlements	High Wycombe, Loudwater
Current constituency
Created	1885
Member of Parliament	Emma Reynolds (Labour)
Seats	One
1295–1885
Seats	Two until 1868, then one
Type of constituency	County constituency

Constituency profile

The constituency shares similar borders with Wycombe local government district, although it covers a slightly smaller area. The main town within the constituency, High Wycombe, contains many working and middle class voters and a sizeable ethnic minority population that totals around one quarter of the town's population, with some census output areas of town home to over 50% ethnic minorities, and a number of wards harbouring a considerable Labour vote. The surrounding villages, which account for just under half of the electorate, are some of the most wealthy areas in the country, with extremely low unemployment, high incomes and favour the Conservatives. Workless claimants totalled 3.0% of the population in November 2012, lower than the national average of 3.8%.^[2]

History

The Parliamentary Borough of Chipping Wycombe had continuously returned two MPs to the House of Commons of England since the Model Parliament of 1295 until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801. This was reduced to one MP by the Representation of the People Act 1867 and the Borough was abolished altogether by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It was transformed into a large county division, formally named the Southern or Wycombe Division of Buckinghamshire. It was one of three divisions formed from the undivided three-member Parliamentary County of Buckinghamshire, the other two being the Mid or Aylesbury Division and the Northern or Buckingham Division. As well as the abolished Borough, it absorbed the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Great Marlow and included the towns of Beaconsfield and Slough.

Since 1885, the seat has been held by the Conservative Party except for brief intervals for the Liberals (1906–1910 and 1923–1924) and Labour (1945–1951).

The seat bucked the trend in 2019 with a swing of 2.3% to the Labour Party in spite of their heavy general election defeat, and was looked on as a key blue wall marginal constituency in the 2024 general election, which Labour won for the first time since 1951.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

• The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe;
• The Sessional Divisions of Burnham and Stoke; and
• Parts of the first and second Sessional Divisions of Desborough.^[3]

1918–1945

• The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe;
• The Urban Districts of Eton, Marlow, and Slough;
• The Rural Districts of Eton and Hambleden; and
• Part of the Rural District of Wycombe.^[4]

Beaconsfield was transferred to Aylesbury. Gained Eton which had been part of the abolished Parliamentary Borough of New Windsor in Berkshire.

1945–1950

The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944 set up Boundaries Commissions to carry out periodic reviews of the distribution of parliamentary constituencies. It also authorised an initial review to subdivide abnormally large constituencies in time for the 1945 election.^[5] This was implemented by the Redistribution of Seats Order 1945 under which Buckinghamshire was allocated an additional seat. As a consequence, the new constituency of Eton and Slough was formed from the Wycombe constituency, comprising the Municipal Borough of Slough and the Urban and Rural Districts of Eton. In compensation, the parts of the (revised) Rural District of Wycombe in the Aylesbury Division, including Hughenden and Princes Risborough, were transferred to Wycombe.

The revised composition of the constituency, after taking account of changes to local authorities, was:

• The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe;
• The Urban District of Marlow; and
• The Rural District of Wycombe.^[4]

1950–1974

• The Municipal Borough of High Wycombe;
• The Urban District of Marlow; and
• The Rural District of Wycombe.^[4]

No changes to boundaries.

1974–1983

• The Municipal Borough of High Wycombe;
• The Urban District of Marlow; and
• The Rural District of Wycombe parishes of Chepping Wycombe, Fawley, Fingest and Lane End, Great Marlow, Hambleden, Hughenden, Little Marlow, Medmenham, Turville, and West Wycombe Rural.^[6]

Northern parts of the Rural District of Wycombe, including Princes Risborough, but excluding Hughenden, were transferred back to Aylesbury.  Wooburn was included in the new constituency of Beaconsfield.

1983–1997

• The District of Wycombe wards of Booker and Castlefield, Bowerdean and Daws Hill, Cressex and Frogmoor, Downley, Great Marlow, Green Hill and Totteridge, Hambleden Valley, Hughenden Valley, Keep Hill and Hicks Farm, Kingshill, Lane End and Piddington, Little Marlow, Marlow Bottom, Marlow North, Marlow South, Marsh and Micklefield, Oakridge and Tinkers Wood, and West Wycombe and Sands.^[7]

Areas to the east of High Wycombe (former parish of Chepping Wycombe) transferred to Beaconsfield. Hazlemere transferred to Chesham and Amersham.

1997–2010

• The District of Wycombe wards of Booker and Castlefield, Bowerdean and Daws Hill, Cressex and Frogmoor, Downley, Great Marlow, Green Hill and Totteridge, Hambleden Valley, Hughenden Valley, Keep Hill and Hicks Farm, Kingshill, Lane End and Piddington, Marlow Bottom, Marlow North, Marlow South, Marsh and Micklefield, Oakridge and Tinkers Wood, and West Wycombe and Sands.^[8]

Minor changes.

Map of 2010–2024 boundaries

2010–2024

• The District of Wycombe wards of Abbey, Booker and Cressex, Bowerdean, Chiltern Rise, Disraeli, Downley and Plomer Hill, Greater Marlow, Hambleden Valley, Hazlemere North, Hazlemere South, Micklefield, Oakridge and Castlefield, Ryemead, Sands, Terriers and Amersham Hill, Totteridge, and Tylers Green and Loudwater.^[9]

Hazlemere transferred back from Chesham and Amersham.  Marlow transferred to Beaconsfield and Hughenden to Aylesbury.

In April 2020, the District of Wycombe, together with those of Aylesbury, Chiltern and South Bucks were merged into the new unitary authority of Buckinghamshire Council. Accordingly, the current contents of the constituency are:

• The Buckinghamshire Council wards of Abbey, Booker, Cressex & Castlefield, Chiltern Villages, Downley, Hazlemere, Ryemead & Micklefield, Terriers & Amersham Hill, Totteridge & Bowerdean, Tylers Green & Loudwater, and West Wycombe (part).

2024–present

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The District of Buckinghamshire wards of: Abbey; Booker, Cressex and Castlefield; Chiltern Villages; Downley; Ryemead and Micklefield; Terriers and Amersham Hill; Totteridge and Bowerdean; Tylers Green and Loudwater; West Wycombe.^[10]

The electorate was reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring Hazlemere back to Chesham and Amersham once again.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1640

• Constituency created (1295)

Year	First member	Second member
1295	Stephen Ayott	Thomas le Tayleur
1298	Adam de Guldeford	Roger Allitarius
1300	John le Pistor
1306	Peter le Cotiler	John le Bake
1307		Andrew Batyn
1307		Roger de Sandwell
1308		Edmond de Haveringdoun
1312	Thomas Gerveys	Matthew le Fuller
1312	Robert Paer	William le Cassiere
1318	Robert Smith	William le Fote
1322	Richard le Haslere	Bennet le Cassiere
1325	John le Tayleur	John de Sandwell
1326	Roger Sandwell	Matthew le Fuller
1327	Richard atte Walle	John atte Donne
1328	John atte Donne	Henry de Mussenden
1330	John le Harriere	Richard Perre
1332	Matthew le Fuller	Richard Tottering
1333	Jordan de Wycombe	Richard Bennet
1335	John Ayot	Richard Perkyn
1336	John le Harriere	Thomas Gerveys
1336	John Ayot	Richard Abyndon
1337	John le Clerk	John Pool
1338	Stephen Ayot	John le Taverner
1338	Thomas Gerveys	Jordan de Preston
1341	Robert Stenstoole	Robert Harleyford
1346	Ralph Barber
1347	John Martyn	Robert Cattingham
1348	Walter atte Leech	William Cassiere
1355	Thomas Gerveys	Ralph Harleyford
1357		Robert Harleyford
1357		John Mepertshale
1360		Robert le Weeler
1360		Richard Spigurnell
1362		William Frere
1365	Thomas Cornwaile	Richard Barbour
1368		William atte Dene
1369	Thomas Gerveys
1371	No other?
1372	John Bledlowe
1373	Thomas Ballard
1377	Richard Sandwell
1378	Richard Jordaine
1379	Richard Sandwell
1381	Thomas Ravell	Walter Frere
1382	William Kele	William atte Dene
1383	Stephen Watford	John Petymin
1384	William atte Dene	Richard Kele
1385	Stephen Watford
1386	Walter Frere	Richard Holiman
1388	Stephen Watford	William atte Dene
1391	William Depham
1392		Walter Waltham
1394	Walter atte Dene	William Depham
1396	Richard Sandwell	Walter Waltham
1399	John Cotyngham	William Clerk
1401	Nicholas Sperling	John Sandwell
1406	John Cotyngham	William Marchaunt[11]
1413	Henry Sperling	Roger More
1414	William Hall	John Coventre II
1415	William Clerk	Andrew Sperling
1417	Roger More
1419	William Merchant	John Cotyngham
1420	Roger More	Thomas Merston
1421	John Horewode	Thomas Pusey
1421	Roger More	Richard Merston
1422	Nicholas Stepton	John Coventry
1423	Roger More
1424	William Whaplode	John Cotyngham
1425	Thomas Muston	William Stocton
1427	John Coventry	John Justice
1429	John Wellesbourn	John Bishop
1430	Roger More	William Fowler
1432	John Martyn	John Blackpoll
1434	John Durein	John Cotyngham
1436	John Hill	Bartholomew Halling
1441	John Radeshill	John Martyn
1446	John Wellesbourn
1448		John Haynes
1449	William Stocton	Nicholas Fayrewell
1450		Thomas More
1452	William Collard	David Thomasyn
1461	Thomas Mansell	Thomas Catsbury
1469	Thomas Fowler	Thomas Fayrewell
1478	Thomas Gate	Thomas Wellesbourn
1529	William Windsor
1542	John Gates	William Dormer
1547	Thomas Fisher	Armigyll Wade
Mar 1553	Henry Peckham	John Cheyne
Oct 1553		Robert Drury
Apr 1554		Thomas Pymme alias Fryer
Nov 1554	John Cheyne	William Drury
1555	Henry Peckham	Robert Drury
1558	Thomas Pymme	Robert Woodleafe
1558	Paul Wentworth	Roland Bracebridge
1562	Thomas Fermore alias Draper	Thomas Keele
1570	John Russell	Robert Christmas
1571	Thomas Nale	Rowland Goules
1584	John Morley	George Cawfield
1585	Thomas Ridley	George Fleetwood
1589	Owen Oglethorp	Francis Goodwin
1592	Thomas Tasburgh	Thomas Fortescue
1596	William Fortescue	John Tasburgh
1601	Richard Blount	Henry Fleetwood
1604	Sir John Townsend
1614	William Borlase	Sir Henry Neville
1621	Richard Lovelace	Arthur Goodwin
1624	Henry Coke
1625		Thomas Lane
1626		Edmund Waller
1628	Sir William Borlase	Thomas Lane
1629–1640	No Parliament summoned

MPs 1640–1868

Year			First member[12]	First party	Second member[12]	Second party
		April 1640	Sir Edmund Verney	Royalist	Thomas Lane	Parliamentarian
		November 1640
		October 1642	Verney killed in battle – seat left vacant
		1645	Richard Browne
		December 1648	Browne and Lane excluded in Pride's Purge – seats vacant
		1653	Wycombe was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament
		1654	Thomas Scot		Wycombe had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
		1656	Tobias Bridge
		January 1659			Thomas Scot
		May 1659	Not represented in the restored Rump
		April 1660	Edmund Petty		Richard Browne
		1661	Sir Edmund Pye		Sir John Borlase
		February 1673			Sir John Borlase
		November 1673	Robert Sawyer
		1679	Thomas Lewes
		1685	Sir Dennis Hampson		Edward Baldwin
		1689	Thomas Lewes		William Jephson
		1691			Charles Godfrey
		1696	Fleetwood Dormer
		1698	John Archdale[13]
		1699	Thomas Archdale
		1701	Fleetwood Dormer
		1710	Sir Thomas Lee
		1713			Sir John Wittewrong
		February 1722			John Neale
		March 1722	Charles Egerton		The Earl of Shelburne
		February 1726	Charles Colyear[14]
		March 1726	Harry Waller
		1727			William Lee
		1730			Sir Charles Vernon
		1734			Edmund Waller[15]
		1734			Sir Charles Vernon
		1741			Edmund Waller
		1747	Edmund Waller Junior
		1754	The Earl of Shelburne		John Waller	Opposition Whig
		1757			Edmund Waller Junior
		1760	Viscount FitzMaurice	Whig
		March 1761			Robert Waller
		December 1761	Isaac Barré	Whig
		1774	Hon. Thomas FitzMaurice
		1780	Viscount Mahon	Whig
		1786	Earl Wycombe
		1790			Rear-Admiral Sir John Jervis[16]	Whig
		1794			Sir Francis Baring
		1796			Sir John Dashwood-King	Non Partisan[17]
		1802	Sir Francis Baring
		1806	Sir Thomas Baring	Whig[18]
		1831			Hon. Robert Smith	Whig[18]
		1832	Hon. Charles Grey	Whig[18]
		1837	Sir George Dashwood	Whig[19][18]
		1838			George Robert Smith	Whig[18]
		1841			Ralph Bernal	Radical[20][21][22][23][24]
		1847			Martin Tucker Smith	Whig
		1859		Liberal		Liberal
		1862	John Remington Mills	Liberal
		1865			Hon. Charles Carrington	Liberal

MPs 1868–present

• Reduced to one member (1868)

Year		Member[12]	Party
	1868	Hon. William Carrington	Liberal
	1883	Gerard Smith	Liberal
	1885	Richard Curzon	Conservative
	1900	William Grenfell	Conservative
	1906	Arnold Herbert	Liberal
	January 1910	Sir Charles Cripps	Conservative
	1914	William Baring du Pré	Conservative
	1923	Vera Woodhouse	Liberal
	1924	Sir Alfred Knox	Unionist
	1945	John Haire	Labour
	1951	William Astor	Conservative
	1952	Sir John Hall	Conservative
	1978	Sir Ray Whitney	Conservative
	2001	Paul Goodman	Conservative
	2010	Steve Baker	Conservative
	2024	Emma Reynolds	Labour

Elections

Graph of election results in Wycombe since 1997 (minor parties that never got 2% of the vote or did not run consistently are omitted)

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Wycombe^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Emma Reynolds	16,035	35.9	−4.0
	Conservative	Steve Baker	11,444	25.6	−17.5
	Reform UK	Richard Phoenix	4,769	10.7	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Toni Brodelle	4,236	9.5	−1.8
	Workers Party	Khalil Ahmed	3,344	7.5	N/A
	Green	Catherine Bunting	2,193	4.9	+2.3
	Independent	Ajaz Rehman	1,913	4.3	N/A
	Climate	Ed Gemmell	489	1.1	N/A
	Independent	Mark Smallwood	214	0.5	N/A
Majority			4,591	10.3	N/A
Turnout			44,637	60.5	−4.8
Registered electors			73,846
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.8

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[26]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	20,213	43.1
	Labour	18,719	39.9
	Liberal Democrats	5,310	11.3
	Others	1,441	3.1
	Green	1,209	2.6
Turnout		46,892	65.3
Electorate		71,769

General election 2019: Wycombe^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Baker	24,766	45.2	−4.8
	Labour	Khalil Ahmed	20,552	37.5	−0.2
	Liberal Democrats	Toni Brodelle	6,543	11.9	+4.1
	Green	Peter Sims	1,454	2.7	+0.5
	Wycombe Independents	Julia Wassell	926	1.7	New
	UKIP	Vijay Srao	324	0.6	−1.7
	Independent	Edmund Gemmell	191	0.3	New
Majority			4,214	7.7	−4.6
Turnout			54,756	70.1	+0.7
Registered electors
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.3

General election 2017: Wycombe^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Baker	26,766	50.0	−1.4
	Labour	Rafiq Raja	20,188	37.7	+15.2
	Liberal Democrats	Steve Guy	4,147	7.8	−1.0
	UKIP	Richard Phoenix	1,210	2.3	−7.8
	Green	Peter Sims	1,182	2.2	−3.8
Majority			6,578	12.3	−16.6
Turnout			53,493	69.4	+2.0
Registered electors
	Conservative hold		Swing	−8.3

General election 2015: Wycombe^[29][30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Baker	26,444	51.4	+2.8
	Labour	David Williams	11,588	22.5	+5.2
	UKIP	David Meacock	5,198	10.1	+5.7
	Liberal Democrats	Steve Guy	4,546	8.8	−20.0
	Green	Jem Bailey	3,086	6.0	New
	Independent	David Fitton	577	1.1	+0.7
Majority			14,856	28.9	+9.1
Turnout			51,439	67.4[31]	+1.2
Registered electors			76,371
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 2010: Wycombe^[32][33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Baker	23,423	48.6	+0.4
	Liberal Democrats	Steve Guy	13,863	28.8	+12.0
	Labour	Andrew Lomas	8,326	17.3	–13.4
	UKIP	John Wiseman	2,123	4.4
	Independent	Mudassar Khokar	228	0.5
	Independent	David Fitton	188	0.4
Majority			9,560	19.9	+2.4
Turnout			48,151	66.2	+1.7
Registered electors			74,502
	Conservative hold		Swing	–5.8

Elections in the 2000s

2005 notional result
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	21,374	48.2
	Labour	13,625	30.7
	Liberal Democrats	7,463	16.8
	Others	1,885	4.3
Turnout		44,347	62.9
Electorate		70,461

General election 2005: Wycombe^[34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Paul Goodman	20,331	45.8	+3.4
	Labour	Julia Wassell	13,280	29.9	−5.4
	Liberal Democrats	James Oates	8,780	19.8	+2.8
	UKIP	Robert Davis	1,735	3.9	+1.5
	Independent	David Fitton	301	0.7	+0.2
Majority			7,051	15.9	+8.8
Turnout			44,427	62.2	+1.7
Registered electors			71,464
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.4

General election 2001: Wycombe^[35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Paul Goodman	19,064	42.4	+2.5
	Labour	Chauhdry Shafique	15,896	35.3	−0.1
	Liberal Democrats	Dee Tomlin	7,658	17.0	−1.5
	UKIP	Christopher Cooke	1,059	2.4	New
	Green	John Laker	1,057	2.4	+1.0
	Independent	David Fitton	240	0.5	New
Majority			3,168	7.1	+2.6
Turnout			44,974	60.5	−10.6
Registered electors			74,647
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Wycombe^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Whitney	20,890	39.9	−13.2
	Labour	Chris Bryant	18,520	35.4	+14.0
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Bensilum	9,678	18.5	−4.5
	Referendum	Alan Fulford	2,394	4.6	New
	Green	John Laker	716	1.4	+0.2
	Natural Law	Mark Heath	121	0.2	New
Majority			2,370	4.5	−25.7
Turnout			52,319	71.1	−6.4
Registered electors			73,589
	Conservative hold		Swing	–13.6

1992 notional result
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	30,040	53.3
	Liberal Democrats	12,982	23.0
	Labour	12,096	21.4
	Others	1,295	2.3
Turnout		56,413	77.5
Electorate		72,794

General election 1992: Wycombe^[37][38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Whitney	30,081	53.1	−0.7
	Liberal Democrats	Tim Andrews	13,005	23.0	−4.5
	Labour	John Huddart	12,222	22.6	+2.9
	Green	John Laker	686	1.2	New
	SDP	Alan Page	449	0.8	New
	Natural Law	T. Anton	168	0.3	New
Majority			17,076	30.1	+3.8
Turnout			56,611	78.0	+5.2
Registered electors			72,564
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.9

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Wycombe^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Whitney	28,209	53.9	−0.4
	SDP	Tom Hayhoe	14,390	27.5	−0.5
	Labour	John Huddart	9,773	18.7	+1.5
Majority			13,819	26.4	+0.1
Turnout			56,611	72.8	+1.2
Registered electors			71,918
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.1

General election 1983: Wycombe^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Whitney	27,221	54.2	–3.1
	SDP	Alan Page	14,024	27.9	+13.5
	Labour	Colin Bastin	8,636	17.2	–9.8
	Multiracial Political Party	M. Amin	327	0.6	New
Majority			13,197	26.3	–4.0
Turnout			50,208	71.7
Registered electors			70,065
	Conservative hold		Swing	–8.3

Elections in the 1970s

1979 notional result[41]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	29,787	57.3
	Labour	14,045	27.0
	Liberal	7,504	14.4
	Others	650	1.3
Turnout		51,986
Electorate

General election 1979: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Whitney	38,171	57.3	+11.0
	Labour	Trevor Fowler	18,000	27.0	−3.8
	Liberal	A. Lawson	9,615	14.4	−4.9
	National Front	Sylvia Jones	833	1.3	−2.2
Majority			20,171	30.3	+14.8
Turnout			66,619	77.6	+5.3
Registered electors			85,843
	Conservative hold		Swing	+7.4

1978 Wycombe by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Whitney	29,677	60.0	+13.6
	Labour	Trevor Fowler	14,109	28.5	−2.3
	Liberal	Harry Warschauer	3,665	7.41	−11.9
	National Front	Sylvia Jones	2,040	4.1	+0.6
Majority			15,568	31.45	+16.0
Turnout			49,491
Registered electors
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hall	27,131	46.3	+0.1
	Labour	W. F. Back	18,052	30.8	+1.3
	Liberal	M. T. James	11,333	19.4	–4.9
	National Front	D. H. Smith	2,049	3.5	New
Majority			9,079	15.5	–1.3
Turnout			58,565	74.3	–7.4
Registered electors			78,832
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.6

General election February 1974: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hall	29,521	46.2	–9.7
	Labour	W. F. Back	18,822	29.5	–3.0
	Liberal	M. T. James	15,512	24.3	+12.7
Majority			10,699	16.8	–6.7
Turnout			63,855	81.7	+5.5
Registered electors			78,203
	Conservative hold		Swing	–3.3

1970 notional result[42]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	32,622	55.9
	Labour	18,967	32.5
	Liberal	6,741	11.6
Turnout		58,330	76.2
Electorate		76,564

General election 1970: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hall	40,151	55.93
	Labour	Bryan S. Jones	23,341	32.51
	Liberal	Ernest Henry Palfrey	8,297	11.56
Majority			16,810	23.42
Turnout			71,789	74.83
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hall	31,577	49.25
	Labour	Joseph Holland	24,498	38.21
	Liberal	Morris Janis	8,037	12.54
Majority			7,079	11.04
Turnout			64,112	77.19
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1964: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hall	30,877	50.01
	Labour	Michael Barnes	21,534	34.88
	Liberal	Arthur Donald Dennis	9,330	15.11
Majority			9,343	15.13
Turnout			61,741	81.34
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hall	30,774	53.29
	Labour	Wilfred Fordham	19,904	34.47
	Liberal	Arthur Donald Dennis	7,068	12.24	New
Majority			10,870	18.82
Turnout			57,746	84.67
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1955: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hall	29,845	57.67
	Labour	Ray Fletcher	21,905	42.33
Majority			7,940	15.34
Turnout			51,750	82.02
	Conservative hold		Swing

1952 Wycombe by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hall	26,750	52.04	+0.37
	Labour	John Haire	24,650	47.96	−0.37
Majority			2,100	4.08	+0.74
Turnout			51,400
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1951: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Astor	27,084	51.67
	Labour	John Haire	25,331	48.33
Majority			1,753	3.34	N/A
Turnout			52,415	86.21
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

General election 1950: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Haire	21,491	42.09
	Conservative	William Astor	21,015	41.16
	Liberal	Brian Armstrong Law	8,354	16.36
	Communist	E. Leigh	199	0.39	New
Majority			476	0.93
Turnout			51,059	85.83
	Labour hold		Swing

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Haire	20,482	45.17
	Conservative	Roger Peake	17,946	39.58
	Liberal	Cecil Chadwick	6,916	15.25	New
Majority			2,536	5.59	N/A
Turnout			45,344	72.10
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

A general election was expected 1939–40 and by 1939 the following had been adopted as candidates;

• Conservative: Alfred Knox
• Labour: Ernest Whitfield
• Liberal: Vaughan Watkins

In 1938, the local Labour and Liberal parties had set up a formal organisation, 'The South Bucks Unity Committee' in support of a Popular Front and may well have agreed to support a joint candidate against the sitting Conservative.^[43]

Election in the 1930s

General election 1935: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alfred Knox	34,747	64.87
	Labour	Ernest Whitfield	18,817	35.13
Majority			15,930	29.74
Turnout			53,564	61.41
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Wycombe

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alfred Knox	41,208	79.20
	Labour	Leslie Haden-Guest	10,821	20.80
Majority			30,387	58.40
Turnout			52,029	67.47
	Conservative hold		Swing

Election in the 1920s

General election 1929: Wycombe ^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Alfred Knox	23,231	47.4	−7.4
	Liberal	Leonard John Humphrey	16,929	34.5	+1.5
	Labour	R. Townsend	8,899	18.1	+5.9
Majority			6,302	12.9	−8.9
Turnout			49,059	71.1	−6.9
	Unionist hold		Swing	−4.5

General election 1924: Wycombe ^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Alfred Knox	20,820	54.8	+13.1
	Liberal	Vera Woodhouse	12,526	33.0	−11.9
	Labour	George Young	4,626	12.2	+0.8
Majority			8,294	21.8	N/A
Turnout			37,972	78.0	+9.8
	Unionist gain from Liberal		Swing

General election 1923: Wycombe ^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Vera Woodhouse	14,910	46.9	+11.1
	Unionist	William Baring du Pré	13,228	41.7	−8.4
	Labour	George Young	3,611	11.4	−2.7
Majority			1,682	5.2	N/A
Turnout			31,749	68.2	−1.0
	Liberal gain from Unionist		Swing	+9.8

Vera Terrington

General election 1922: Wycombe ^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Unionist	William Baring du Pré	15,627	50.1
	Liberal	Vera Woodhouse	11,154	35.8
	Labour	Samuel Stennett	4,403	14.1
Majority			4,473	14.3
Turnout			31,184	69.2
	Unionist hold

Elections 1868–1918

Elections in the 1910s

General election 14 December 1918: Wycombe ^[45]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	William Baring du Pré	Unopposed
	Unionist hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

1914 Wycombe by-election^[46]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Unionist	William Baring du Pré	9,044	57.4
	Liberal	Tonman Mosley	6,713	42.6
Majority			2,331	14.8
Turnout			15,757	86.3
Registered electors			18,268
	Unionist hold

General election December 1910: Wycombe ^[46][47]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Cripps	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election January 1910: Wycombe ^[46][47]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Cripps	8,690	58.6	+13.5
	Liberal	Arnold Herbert	6,134	41.4	−13.5
Majority			2,556	17.2	N/A
Turnout			14,824	90.6	+7.8
Registered electors			16,366
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+13.5

Elections in the 1900s

Herbert

General election 1906: Wycombe ^[46][48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Arnold Herbert	6,839	54.9	+17.9
	Conservative	Alfred Cripps	5,626	45.1	−17.9
Majority			1,213	9.8	N/A
Turnout			12,465	82.8	+8.6
Registered electors			15,050
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+17.9

General election 1900: Wycombe ^[46][48][49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	William Grenfell	6,111	63.0
	Liberal	J. Thomas	3,582	37.0
Majority			2,529	26.0
Turnout			9,693	74.2
Registered electors			13,064
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

By-election 21 February 1896: Wycombe ^[46][48][49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Curzon	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

• Caused by Curzon's appointment as Treasurer of the Household.

General election 1895: Wycombe ^[46][48][49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Curzon	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Hawkins

General election 1892: Wycombe ^[46][48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Curzon	5,030	55.8	−0.8
	Liberal	Anthony Hope	3,988	44.2	+0.8
Majority			1,042	11.6	−1.6
Turnout			9,018	78.1	+5.7
Registered electors			11,546
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.8

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Wycombe ^[46][48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Curzon	4,620	56.6	+2.0
	Liberal	Alfred Gilbey (British soldier)	3,537	43.4	−2.0
Majority			1,083	13.2	+4.0
Turnout			9,331	72.4	−10.4
Registered electors			11,269
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.0

General election 1885: Wycombe ^[46][48][50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Richard Curzon	5,092	54.6
	Liberal	Rupert Carington	4,239	45.4
Majority			853	9.2
Turnout			9,331	82.8
Registered electors			11,269
	Conservative gain from Liberal

By-election 12 March 1883: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	Gerard Smith	1,105	66.5
	Conservative	James Simpson Carson[52]	557	33.5
Majority			548	33.0
Turnout			1,662	80.6
Registered electors			2,062
	Liberal hold

By-election 26 May 1880: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Carington	Unopposed
Registered electors			1,865
	Liberal hold

• Caused by Carington's appointment as a Groom in Waiting.

General election 1880: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Carington	Unopposed
Registered electors			1,865
	Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Carrington	953	68.7	+10.3
	Lib-Lab	Henry Broadhurst	415	29.9	N/A
	Liberal-Conservative	Frederick Charsley[53]	19	1.4	New
Majority			538	38.8	+22.0
Turnout			1,387	86.7	−3.1
Registered electors			1,599
	Liberal hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	William Carrington	701	58.4
	Liberal	John Remington Mills	500	41.6
Majority			201	16.8
Turnout			1,201	89.8
Registered electors			1,338
	Liberal hold

Elections 1832–1868

Elections in the 1860s

By-election 11 April 1868: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Carrington	Unopposed
	Liberal hold

• Caused by Carrington's succession to the peerage, becoming Lord Carrington.

General election 1865: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Charles Carrington	Unopposed
	Liberal	John Remington Mills	Unopposed
Registered electors			551
	Liberal hold
	Liberal hold

By-election 18 March 1862: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	John Remington Mills	220	58.2
	Conservative	Donald Cameron[54]	158	41.8
Majority			62	16.4
Turnout			378	89.4
Registered electors			423
	Liberal hold

• Caused by Dashwood's death.

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	George Dashwood	Unopposed
	Liberal	Martin Tucker Smith	Unopposed
Registered electors			392
	Liberal hold
	Liberal hold

General election 1857: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	George Dashwood	Unopposed
	Whig	Martin Tucker Smith	Unopposed
Registered electors			390
	Whig hold
	Whig hold

General election 1852: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	George Dashwood	262	44.7
	Whig	Martin Tucker Smith	208	35.5
	Whig	William Simpson[55][56]	116	19.8
Majority			92	15.7
Turnout			293 (est)	84.7 (est)
Registered electors			346
	Whig hold
	Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: Wycombe ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	George Dashwood	Unopposed
	Whig	Martin Tucker Smith	Unopposed
Registered electors			335
	Whig hold
	Whig gain from Radical

General election 1841: Wycombe ^[51][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	George Dashwood	189	33.5
	Radical	Ralph Bernal	159	28.2
	Conservative	James William Freshfield	130	23.0
	Conservative	Robert Alexander	86	15.2
Majority			29	5.2
Turnout			288	74.2
Registered electors			388
	Whig hold
	Radical gain from Whig

Elections in the 1830s

By-election, 23 October 1838: Wycombe ^[18][51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	George Robert Smith	Unopposed
	Whig hold

• Caused by Smith's succession to the peerage, becoming 2nd Baron Carrington

General election 1837: Wycombe ^[18][51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Robert Smith	Unopposed
	Whig	George Dashwood	Unopposed
Registered electors			387
	Whig hold
	Whig hold

General election 1835: Wycombe ^[18][51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Robert Smith	289	51.2	+10.3
	Whig	Charles Grey	147	26.1	−5.9
	Radical	Benjamin Disraeli	128	22.7	−4.5
Majority			19	3.4	−1.4
Turnout			c. 282	c. 91.3	c. +2.7
Registered electors			309
	Whig hold		Swing	+6.3
	Whig hold		Swing	−1.8

General election 1832: Wycombe ^[18][51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Robert Smith	179	40.9
	Whig	Charles Grey	140	32.0
	Radical	Benjamin Disraeli	119	27.2
Majority			21	4.8
Turnout			264	88.6
Registered electors			298
	Whig hold
	Whig hold

By-election, 26 June 1832: Wycombe ^[18][57]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Charles Grey	23	65.7
	Radical	Benjamin Disraeli	12	34.3
Majority			11	31.4
Turnout			35	33.7
Registered electors			104
	Whig hold

• Caused by Baring's resignation

General election 1831: Wycombe ^[18][57]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Thomas Baring	Unopposed
	Whig	Robert Smith	Unopposed
Registered electors			104
	Whig hold
	Whig gain from Nonpartisan

General election 1830: Wycombe ^[18][57]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Thomas Baring	Unopposed
	Non Partisan	John Dashwood-King	Unopposed
	Whig hold
	Non Partisan hold

See also

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

Notes