Weald of Kent (constituency)
UK Parliament constituency (since 2024)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Weald of Kent is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament.[2] Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, it was first contested at the 2024 general election. The current MP is Katie Lam.
| Weald of Kent | |
|---|---|
| County constituency for the House of Commons | |
 Boundaries since 2024 | |
Boundary of Weald of Kent in South East England | |
| County | Kent |
| Electorate | 70,110 (2023)[1] |
| Major settlements | Tenterden, Cranbrook, Coxheath, Staplehurst |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 2024 |
| Member of Parliament | Katie Lam (Conservative) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | |
Constituency profile
This is one of the most rural seats in the South East, unlike its neighbours which each include at least one large town. House prices and incomes are significantly above UK averages. Electoral Calculus characterises the proposed seat as "Strong Right", with right-wing economic and social views, high home ownership levels and strong support for Brexit.[3]
Boundaries
Under the 2023 review, the constituency was defined as comprising the following, as they existed on 1 December 2020:
- The Borough of Ashford wards of: Biddenden, Charing, Downs North [Chilham], Downs West [Challock], Isle of Oxney, Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield, Rolvenden & Tenterden West, Tenterden North, Tenterden South, Tenterden St Michael's, Weald Central [Bethersden], Weald North [Smarden], and Weald South [Hamstreet & Woodchurch];
- The Borough of Maidstone wards of: Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton, Coxheath and Hunton, Headcorn & Sutton Valence, Loose, Marden and Yalding, Staplehurst, and Sutton Valence and Langley;
- The Borough of Tunbridge Wells wards of: Benenden and Cranbrook, and Frittenden and Sissinghurst.[4]
Following local government boundary reviews in Maidstone[5] and Tunbridge Wells[6] which came into effect in May 2024, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
- The Borough of Ashford wards of: Biddenden; Charing; Downs North; Downs West; Isle of Oxney; Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield; Rolvenden & Tenterden West; Tenterden North; Tenterden South; Tenterden St Michael's; Weald Central; Weald North; Weald South.
- The Borough of Maidstone wards or part wards of: Boughton Monchelsea & Chart Sutton (most); Coxheath & Farleigh; Headcorn & Sutton Valence; Leeds & Langley (Langley parish); Loose & Linton (part); Marden & Yalding; Staplehurst.
- The Borough of Tunbridge Wells ward of Cranbrook, Sissinghurst and Frittenden; and the Berenden parish of the Hawkhurst, Sandhurst and Berenden ward.[7]
The seat is a mostly rural area in the centre of Kent, including Tenterden, Coxheath, Staplehurst, Headcorn and Cranbrook. The seat was previously part of the Ashford, Maidstone and the Weald, and Faversham and Mid Kent constituencies.
Members of Parliament
Ashford and Maidstone and the Weald prior to 2024
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Katie Lam | Conservative | |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Katie Lam | 20,202 | 39.8 | −32.2 | |
| Labour | Lenny Rolles | 11,780 | 23.2 | +9.1 | |
| Reform | Daniel Kersten | 10,208 | 20.1 | N/A | |
| Green | Kate Walder | 4,547 | 9.0 | +5.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | John Howson | 3,975 | 7.8 | −2.3 | |
| Majority | 8,422 | 16.6 | −41.3 | ||
| Turnout | 50,712 | 66.7 | −4.1 | ||
| Registered electors | 75,988 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −20.7 | |||
Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result[9] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 35,730 | 72.0 | |
| Labour | 6,979 | 14.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 5,018 | 10.1 | |
| Green | 1,925 | 3.9 | |
| Turnout | 49,652 | 70.8 | |
| Electorate | 70,110 | ||