Reigate

Constituency profile

Reigate is a constituency in Surrey in South East England. Most of its population live in the connected towns of Reigate and Redhill, which together have around 60,000 residents. Other settlements include the town of Banstead and the villages of Tadworth, Kingswood and Chipstead.

This is a highly-affluent, suburban constituency located just outside Greater London, around 17 miles (27 km) south of the centre of the capital, placing it within the London commuter belt. Traditionally a rural, agricultural area, Reigate and its nearby settlements were mostly developed during the Victorian era after the arrival of road and rail from London. The Surrey Hills, a National Landscape of rolling downland, passes through the constituency between Reigate and Banstead. This gives the area a leafy, suburban character with most residents living in large detached or semi-detached homes; the average house price across the constituency is almost double the nationwide average.

The Reigate constituency has a low proportion of young adults and an above-average population of middle-aged adults and young families. Levels of income and homeownership are high and the child poverty rate is less than half the UK-wide rate. Residents are generally well-educated and a high proportion work in the health and finance sectors. The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is around half the national rate. White people made up 84% of the population at the 2021 census.

At the local council level, Reigate and Redhill are mostly represented by Green Party councillors with some Liberal Democrats, whilst Banstead and its surroundings primarily elected Conservatives with some localists. An estimated 52% of voters in the constituency supported remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the UK-wide figure of 48%.

Boundaries

Historic

1885–1918: The Borough of Reigate, its Sessional Division, and those of Dorking and Godstone except Effingham, Mickleham, Caterham, Warlingham, Chelsham and Farleigh

1918–1950: The Borough of Reigate, the Urban District of Dorking, and the Rural Districts of Dorking and Reigate

1950–1974: The Borough of Reigate, and the Rural District of Godstone

1974: what had been the Rural District was ceded to the East Surrey seat; Banstead U.D. was taken from the Carshalton seat

1974–1983: The Borough of Reigate, and the Urban District of Banstead

1983: The northern heart of what had been Banstead U.D. (four wards) were ceded to the Epsom and Ewell seat

1983–1997: The Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Chipstead Hooley and Woodmansterne, Horley East, Horley West, Kingswood with Burgh Heath, Reigate Central, Reigate East, Reigate North, Reigate North Central, Reigate North East, Reigate South Central, Reigate South East, Reigate South West, Salfords and Sidlow, and Tadworth and Walton

1997–2010: The Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Banstead Village, Chipstead Hooley and Woodmansterne, Kingswood with Burgh Heath, Reigate Central, Reigate East, Reigate North, Reigate North Central, Reigate North East, Reigate South Central, Reigate South East, Reigate South West, Salfords and Sidlow, and Tadworth and Walton

2010–2024: The Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Banstead Village, Chipstead Hooley and Woodmansterne, Earlswood and Whitebushes, Kingswood with Burgh Heath, Meadvale and St John's, Merstham, Preston, Redhill East, Redhill West, Reigate Central, Reigate Hill, Salfords and Sidlow, South Park and Woodhatch, and Tadworth and Walton

Current

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

The Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of: Banstead Village; Chipstead, Kingswood & Woodmansterne; Earlswood & Whitebushes; Lower Kingswood, Tadworth & Walton; Meadvale & St. John's; Nork; Redhill East; Redhill West & Wray Common; Reigate; South Park & Woodhatch; Tattenham Corner & Preston.

The seat gained those parts of Reigate and Banstead Borough previously in the Epsom and Ewell constituency – including the residential areas of Nork and Tattenham Corner, offset by the transfer of the Hooley, Merstham & Netherne ward to East Surrey.

The seat is in Surrey bordering Greater London and is centered on the town of Reigate from which it takes its name. The constituency comprises the bulk of the Reigate and Banstead Borough -excluding the town of Horley which is in the new Dorking and Horley seat, and the community of Merstham, which is now part of East Surrey.

History

This constituency was first created with the first election of Burgesses to Parliament in 1295, electing two members. It continued to elect two members until 1832 when its representation was reduced to one member by the Great Reform Act.

In 1868 the constituency was disenfranchised for corruption, but was revived in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 when the East Surrey constituency was abolished. Since 1918 the seat has been held by a candidate in the Conservative Party with the exception of four months during which the anti-EU MP in 1997 before the election of that year joined the Referendum Party (UK). The Liberal Democrats including their two predecessor parties amassed their largest share of the vote in 2010. The largest opposition party changed from Labour to the Liberal Democrats in 2005 and 2010, then UKIP in 2015 and back to Labour in the 2017 general election.

In 1974, the seat saw major boundary changes which removed some of Eastern Surrey which was in the seat into the radically redesigned East Surrey seat and added the Banstead area to the seat.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1832–1868

Representation reduced to one (1832)

MPs since 1885

Constituency revived (1885)

Elections

Elections in the 1990s

This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation. George Gardiner changed party from the Conservative Party to the Referendum Party following his deselection by the local Conservative association.

Election results 1918–1950

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Unionist: Richard Hamilton Rawson

Liberal:

Election results 1832–1868

Elections in the 1840s

Somers-Cocks succeeded to the peerage, becoming 2nd Earl Somers and causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

Hackblock's death caused a by-election.

Rawlinson was appointed a member of the Council of India, requiring a by-election

Elections in the 1860s

Monson succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Monson and causing a by-election.

Pre–1832 election results

Elections in the 1830s

Joseph Sydney Yorke's death caused a by-election.

Charles Yorke resigned in order to contest a by-election at Cambridgeshire, causing a by-election. He was unsuccessful and stood again for Reigate.