Henley (UK Parliament constituency)

Henley (UK Parliament constituency) is a county constituency in Oxfordshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Created in 1918, it has historically been a safe seat for the Conservative Party, with notable MPs including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The constituency covers the market towns of Henley-on-Thames and Thame, along with surrounding rural areas in southern Oxfordshire.

History

The constituency was established by the Representation of the People Act 1918, which implemented major boundary reforms following World War I. It was formed from parts of the former Mid Oxfordshire and Wycombe divisions. For most of its existence, it has been a reliably Conservative seat, with the party's hold only being seriously challenged in the 1997 general election by the Liberal Democrats. The seat gained significant national prominence when Boris Johnson, then a high-profile journalist and Mayor of London, was selected as the Conservative candidate and won the 2001 election. He served as the MP until 2008, when he resigned to focus on his role as Mayor of London, triggering a by-election won by John Howell. The constituency has also been represented by other notable figures, including Michael Heseltine, who served as a cabinet minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major.

Boundaries

The constituency is located in the southern part of Oxfordshire. As defined by the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it comprises the district of South Oxfordshire wards of Benson, Chinnor, Cholsey, Crowmarsh, Didcot North, Didcot South, Didcot West, Forest Hill, Garsington, Great Milton, Henley-on-Thames, Kidmore End, Lewknor, Sandford, Shiplake, Sonning Common, Thame, Watlington, and Wheatley. Key population centres include the towns of Henley-on-Thames, Thame, and Didcot, along with villages such as Watlington, Chinnor, and Sonning Common. The boundary review prior to the 2010 general election saw the seat expand to include more of the Vale of White Horse area, slightly altering its demographic and geographic profile. The constituency is bordered by Wantage, Oxford West and Abingdon, Oxford East, and Wycombe.

Members of Parliament

The following individuals have been elected as the MP for the constituency since its creation. * 1918–1923: Philip Morrell (Liberal) * 1923–1945: Robert Henderson (Conservative) * 1945–1951: Gerald Palmer (Conservative) * 1951–1959: John Hay (Conservative) * 1959–1966: John Astor (Conservative) * 1966–1974: John Heseltine (Conservative) * 1974–2001: Michael Heseltine (Conservative) * 2001–2008: Boris Johnson (Conservative) * 2008–present: John Howell (Conservative)

Elections

Elections in the constituency have been dominated by the Conservative Party. The 1997 election saw a strong challenge from the Liberal Democrats candidate Stephen Kearney, who reduced the Conservative majority significantly in the national swing to Tony Blair's Labour Party. The 2001 election was notable for the election of Boris Johnson with a large majority. The subsequent 2005 election and 2010 election saw comfortable Conservative holds. The 2008 by-election, caused by Johnson's resignation, was won by John Howell for the Conservatives, though with a reduced majority and a strong showing from the Liberal Democrats led by Stephen Kearney. In the 2015, 2017, and 2019 general elections, the seat remained safely Conservative, with challenges from the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party.

See also

* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Oxfordshire * Henley-on-Thames * South Oxfordshire * 2008 Henley by-election

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Oxfordshire Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1918