Aldershot (constituency)

The constituency is located in the north-east of Hampshire and includes the towns of Aldershot and Farnborough, the smaller town of Blackwater and the centre and east of Yateley.

The area is strongly associated with the British Armed Forces; Farnborough Airport was formerly used by the Royal Air Force and now primarily serves business aviation, and Aldershot is home to Aldershot Garrison, a military town with a population of over 10,000. The area is more affluent than the national average, with 2021 Census data showing 51.1% of households in Rushmoor district (which contains Aldershot and Farnborough) having no indicators of deprivation^[3] compared to 48.3% across England and Wales.^[4] Hart district, which includes Blackwater and Yateley, was named the UK's most desirable place to live by Halifax in 2011.^[5]

The constituency's population is 79% white^[6] but contains a relatively high proportion of Nepalese Buddhists, who make up 4.7% of Rushmoor district's population. This is the highest percentage of any local authority in England and Wales.^[7]

Aldershot elected a Conservative as its MP at every election from its creation in 1918 until the 2024 general election, which was won by Labour.

From 1974 to 2010 (inclusive) Liberal Democrats (or predecessor, Liberals) polled second. From 2015 to 2019 the Labour candidate was runner-up.

The 2015 result saw the seat rank 123rd safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.^[8] In June 2016, 57.9% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum chose to leave the European Union instead of to remain. This was matched in two January 2018 votes in Parliament by its MP.^[9]

In the 2017 general election, Leo Docherty won the seat after Sir Gerald Howarth retired. The seat saw a further increase in the Labour vote, achieving its best result since 1970; however this fell back again in 2019. In 2024 Docherty suffered a 23.2% swing against him, one of the highest ever seen at a general election, and Labour's Alex Baker became the first non-Conservative MP to represent the area since 1857.

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Aldershot, Farnborough, and Fleet, and the Rural District of Hartley Wintney.

1950–1974: The Borough of Aldershot, the Urban Districts of Farnborough and Fleet, and the Rural District of Hartley Wintney. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged.

1974–1983: The Borough of Aldershot, the Urban Districts of Farnborough and Fleet, and in the Rural District of Hartley Wintney the parishes of Crondall, Crookham Village, Hawley, and Yateley.

1983–1997: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Eversley, Frogmore and Darby Green, Hartley Wintney, Hawley, Whitewater, Yateley East, Yateley North, and Yateley West.

1997–2010: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Frogmore and Darby Green, Hawley, Yateley East, Yateley North, and Yateley West.

2010–2024: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Blackwater and Hawley, and Frogmore and Darby Green.^{[n 3]}

2024–present: Further to the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which became effective for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The District of Hart wards of: Blackwater and Hawley; Yateley East.
• The Borough of Rushmoor.^[10]

Small expansion in boundaries to take account of changes to the ward structure in the District of Hart.

Basingstoke prior to 1918

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