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Wokingham
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Wokingham in South East England
County	Berkshire
Electorate	70,235 (2023)
Major settlements	Wokingham Winnersh Twyford
Current constituency
Created	1950
Member of Parliament	Clive Jones (Liberal Democrats)
Seats	One
Created from	Newbury Windsor
1885–1918
Type of constituency	County constituency
Created from	Berkshire
Replaced by	Newbury Windsor

Wokingham is a constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, located in the English county of Berkshire. From its creation in 1950 until 2024, it was represented solely by Conservatives, most notably, John Redwood, who held his position from 1987 until 2024 when he stepped down following the dissolution of parliament.

Since 4 July 2024, Wokingham has been represented by Clive Jones, a Liberal Democrat.

Constituency profile

The seat covers the prosperous town of Wokingham, the southern suburbs of Reading, and a rural area to the west. Residents are significantly wealthier than the UK average, reflected in high property prices. In 2019 the area was ranked as the least deprived constituency in the UK.

History

Originally, Wokingham was part of a larger constituency of Berkshire, which returned two Members of Parliament (MPs), increased to three in the Reform Act of 1832. In the Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885 Berkshire was divided into three county constituencies, Northern (Abingdon), Southern (Newbury), and Eastern (Wokingham), and two borough constituencies, Reading and New Windsor, each returning one member. The constituency was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918 being largely replaced by the newly created Windsor Division, with the town of Wokingham itself being added to the Newbury Division.

The second version of the seat was created for the 1950 general election. From 1983, its borders have gradually been moved westwards as new constituencies were created in the east of the county.

The constituency has been represented since 1987 by the high-profile Conservative John Redwood, having continuously elected Conservative MPs with comfortable majorities throughout its history. However, in 2019, the majority was drastically reduced to 11.9% from 31.5% in 2017 (and 43.2% in 2015) when Redwood was challenged by the Liberal Democrat candidate, Philip Lee, who had been the Conservative MP for the neighbouring constituency of Bracknell.

In December 2023, the Labour Party included the seat in its published list of 211 non-battleground seats, suggesting they did not see it as winnable. On 24 May 2024, two days after announcement of the date of the 2024 UK general election, and just 40 days before the actual date, John Redwood announced he would not be standing again, saying that he had ‘other things I wish to do’. The 2024 election result saw Clive Jones of the Liberal Democrats take the seat - the first non-Conservative to do so in the seat's history.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

• The Sessional Divisions of Maidenhead and Windsor;
• Part of the Sessional Division of Wokingham; and
• In the Sessional Division of Reading, the parishes of East Swallowfield and West Swallowfield.

1950–1955

• The Borough of Wokingham; and
• The Rural Districts of Easthampstead and Wokingham.

1955–1974

• The Borough of Wokingham;
• The Rural Districts of Easthampstead and Wokingham; and
• The East ward of the County Borough of Reading.

The East ward of Reading was transferred from the abolished constituency of Reading South. From the 1964 general election, the Park ward replaced the East ward following a revision to the local authority wards.

1974–1983

• The Borough of Wokingham;
• The Rural District of Easthampstead; and
• The Rural District of Wokingham parishes of Remenham, Ruscombe, St Nicholas Hurst, Twyford, Wargrave, and Wokingham Without.

The Park ward of the County Borough of Reading was transferred to the re-established constituency of Reading South, along with western parts of the Rural District of Wokingham.

1983–1997

• The District of Wokingham wards of Bulmershe, California, Charvil, Coronation, Emmbrook, Evendons, Hurst, Little Hungerford, Loddon, Norreys, Redhatch, Remenham and Wargrave, St Sebastian's, Sonning, South Lake, Twyford and Ruscombe, Wescott, Whitegates, and Winnersh.

The seat regained north-western parts of Reading South (abolished once again). Eastern areas, comprising the District of Bracknell (formerly the Rural District of Easthampstead) formed the bulk of the new constituency of East Berkshire.

1997–2010

• The District of Wokingham wards of Arborfield, Barkham, Emmbrook, Evendons, Little Hungerford, Norreys, Redhatch, Shinfield, Swallowfield, Wescott, and Winnersh; and
• The District of Newbury wards of Burghfield and Mortimer.

The boundaries moved westwards, gaining parts of Reading East (including Shinfield) and Newbury. The seat lost northern areas to Reading East and the new constituency of Maidenhead, as well as the ward of Wokingham Without in the south to the new constituency of Bracknell.

2010–2024

• The District of Wokingham wards of Arborfield, Barkham, Emmbrook, Evendons, Hawkedon, Hillside, Maiden Erlegh, Norreys, Shinfield North, Shinfield South, Swallowfield, Wescott, and Winnersh; and
• The District of West Berkshire wards of Burghfield, Mortimer, and Sulhamstead.

This change saw a further minor gain from Newbury.

2024–present

Under the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following, as they existed on 1 December 2020:

• The Borough of Wokingham wards of: Arborfield; Barkham; Charvil; Emmbrook; Evendons; Finchampstead North; Finchampstead South; Hurst; Norreys; Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe; Swallowfield; Twyford; Wescott; Winnersh; Wokingham Without.

The seat underwent major changes, with about half the electorate being transferred out - the parts in the District of West Berkshire to the newly named constituency of Reading West and Mid Berkshire; and western parts of the District of Wokingham, including Earley and Shinfield, to the newly created constituency of Earley and Woodley. To compensate, the boundaries were extended southwards to include the Wokingham Without ward and the community of Finchampstead, transferred from Bracknell; and northwards to include the parts of Wokingham Borough previously in Maidenhead, including Twyford.

Following a local government boundary review in Wokingham which came into effect in May 2024, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The Borough of Wokingham wards or part wards of: Barkham & Arborfield; Emmbrook; Evendons; Finchampstead; Norreys; Spencers Wood & Swallowfield (part); Thames (except Sonning parish); Twyford, Ruscombe & Hurst; Wescott; Winnersh; Wokingham Without.

The seat currently comprises a majority of Wokingham district in Berkshire, centred around the town of Wokingham itself. It is in the South East region of England.

The neighbouring constituencies (clockwise from north) are: Wycombe, Maidenhead, Bracknell, North East Hampshire, Reading West and Mid Berkshire, Earley and Woodley, and Henley and Thame.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1918

MPs since 1950

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

• Caused by Russell's death.

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

See also

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

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
2. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Wokingham
3. House of Commons Library https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7327/
4. Belger, Tom (8 December 2023). "Labour selections: Full list of 211 'non-battleground' seats now open to applications". labourlist.org. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
5. Penna, Dominic (24 May 2024). "John Redwood to step down as record number of Tory MPs set to quit". The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
6. Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
7. ^ S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
11. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
12. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
13. LGBCE. "Wokingham | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
14. "Seat Details - Wokingham". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
15. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 5)
16. "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.
17. "Statement of Persons Nominated". Wokingham Borough Council. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
18. "Statement of Persons Nominated". Wokingham Borough Council. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
19. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
20. "Results from previous elections - Wokingham Borough Council". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
21. "Meet the Wokingham UKIP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate - UK Independence Party". www.wokinghamukip.org.uk.
22. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
23. "BBC News - Election 2010 - Constituency - Wokingham". bbc.co.uk.
24. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
26. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
27. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
28. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
29. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
30. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
31. ^ Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
32. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
33. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
34. "Notices: Parliamentary Election, 1892. Eastern or Wokingham Division of the County of Berks". Reading Mercury. 20 August 1892. Retrieved 20 November 2017.

External links

• Wokingham UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Wokingham UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Wokingham UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

51°26′N 0°51′W / 51.43°N 0.85°W / 51.43; -0.85

• Parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire
• Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1885
• Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1918
• Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1950
• Borough of Wokingham