Mid Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 52°01′37″N 0°22′59″W / 52.027°N 0.383°W / 52.027; -0.383

Mid Bedfordshire is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005 by Nadine Dorries, of the Conservative Party.^{[n 2]} Apart from four early years, the constituency has returned a Conservative since its creation in 1918.

Mid Bedfordshire
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Mid Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire
Location of Bedfordshire within England
County	Bedfordshire
Electorate	84,212 (2018)^[1]
Major settlements	Ampthill, Flitwick
Current constituency
Created	1918
Member of Parliament	Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Seats	One
Created from	Luton and Biggleswade

Constituency profile

This seat comprises small towns and rural areas, with the M1 motorway, Midland Main Line, A1 road (Great Britain), East Coast Main Line and other A roads providing the major north–south commuter links. There are several logistics sites including Amazon at Marston Gate. Residents are wealthier than the UK average and health is around the UK average.^[2]

History

Mid Bedfordshire was created under the Representation of the People Act 1918.

It has elected Conservative MPs since 1931. It was held from 1983 to 1997 by the Attorney General (for the English, Welsh and Northern Irish aspects of the legal system and as advisor to HM Government) Sir Nicholas Lyell, who then transferred to the newly created seat of North East Bedfordshire; his old seat was won by Jonathan Sayeed, a former MP in Bristol. Sayeed was forced to retire in 2005 due to ill health, following a row over allegations he had profited from his private educational tours of Parliament and a resulting deselection attempt by the constituency party. Nadine Dorries has held the seat since, but the Conservative whip was withdrawn from her in 2012 and returned six months later, after she had appeared on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.^[3] For the 2005 and 2010 elections the most successful opposition party candidate was a Liberal Democrat. However following their nationwide retreat in 2015, Labour once more occupies this position.

Boundaries and boundary changes

 

Map of current boundaries

1918–1950: The constituency was created as a Division of Bedfordshire by the Representation of the People Act 1918, comprising the Urban Districts of Ampthill, Biggleswade, and Leighton Buzzard, and the Rural Districts of Ampthill, Biggleswade, and Eaton Bray.^[4]

Ampthill and Biggleswade had been part of the abolished Biggleswade Division, and Leighton Buzzard was transferred from the Luton Division.

1950–1974: The Urban Districts of Ampthill, Biggleswade, and Sandy¹, the Rural Districts of Ampthill and Biggleswade, and part of the Rural District of Bedford.^[4]

¹Created as an Urban District from the Rural District of Biggleswade in 1927.^[5]

Gained southern and eastern rural areas of the County Constituency of Bedford. Leighton Buzzard and surrounding rural areas (equivalent to the abolished Rural District of Eaton Bray, which had been absorbed by the Rural District of Luton) transferred to the new County Constituency of South Bedfordshire.

1974–1983: As above, apart from changes to the Rural District of Bedford.^[4]

The village of Eaton Socon had been absorbed by the Urban District of St Neots in Huntingdonshire and was transferred to the County Constituency thereof.

1983–1997: The District of Mid Bedfordshire wards of Ampthill, Arlesey, Biggleswade Ivel, Biggleswade Stratton, Blunham, Campton and Meppershall, Clifton and Henlow, Clophill, Haynes and Houghton Conquest, Langford, Maulden, Northill, Old Warden and Southill, Potton, Sandy All Saints, Sandy St Swithun's, Shefford, Shillington and Stondon, Stotfold, Wensley, and Wrest, and the Borough of North Bedfordshire wards of Eastcotts, Great Barford, Kempston East, Kempston Rural, Kempston West, Wilshamstead, and Wootton.^[6]

Kempston transferred from the abolished County Constituency of Bedford. Parts included in the new County Constituencies of North Bedfordshire (far north-eastern area), South West Bedfordshire (south-western parts) and North Luton (including Flitwick).

1997–2010: The Borough of Bedford wards of Kempston Rural, Wilshamstead, and Wootton; the District of Mid Bedfordshire wards of Ampthill, Aspley Guise, Campton and Meppershall, Cranfield, Clifton and Henlow, Clophill, Flitton and Pulloxhill, Flitwick East, Flitwick West, Harlington, Haynes and Houghton Conquest, Marston, Maulden, Shefford, Shillington and Stondon, Westoning, Woburn, and Wrest; and the District of South Bedfordshire wards of Barton-le-Clay, Streatley, and Toddington.^[7]

Wholesale changes, with eastern parts, comprising about half of the electorate, including Biggleswade and Sandy, being transferred to the new County Constituency of North East Bedfordshire. Kempston was transferred back to the re-established Borough Constituency of Bedford. Regained parts of the District of Mid Bedfordshire previously transferred to South West Bedfordshire and North Luton (including Flitwick), together with the parts of the District of South Bedfordshire previously in North Luton.

2010–present: The Borough of Bedford wards of Turvey, Wilshamstead, and Wootton; the District of Mid Bedfordshire wards of Ampthill, Aspley Guise, Clifton and Meppershall, Cranfield, Flitton, Greenfield and Pulloxhill, Flitwick East, Flitwick West, Harlington, Houghton, Haynes, Southill and Old Warden, Marston, Maulden and Clophill, Shefford, Campton and Gravenhurst, Shillington, Stondon and Henlow Camp, Silsoe, Westoning and Tingrith, and Woburn; and the District of South Bedfordshire wards of Barton-le-Clay, Streatley, and Toddington.^[8]

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

Members of Parliament

Election		Member^[9]	Party
	1918	Max Townley	Conservative
	1922	Frederick Linfield	Liberal
	1924	William Warner	Conservative
	1929	Milner Gray	Liberal
	1931	Alan Lennox-Boyd	Conservative
	1960 by-election	Stephen Hastings	Conservative
	1983	Sir Nicholas Lyell	Conservative
	1997	Jonathan Sayeed	Conservative
	2005	Nadine Dorries	Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Mid Bedfordshire^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nadine Dorries	38,692	59.8	-1.8
	Labour	Rhiannon Meades	14,028	21.7	-6.7
	Liberal Democrats	Rachel McGann	8,171	12.6	+6.6
	Green	Gareth Ellis	2,478	3.8	+1.0
	Independent	Alan Victor	812	1.3	New
	Monster Raving Loony	Ann Kelly	536	0.8	-0.3
Majority			24,664	38.1	+4.9
Turnout			64,717	73.7	-3.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.4

General election 2017: Mid Bedfordshire^{[11][12][13][14][15]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nadine Dorries	38,936	61.6	+5.5
	Labour	Rhiannon Meades	17,953	28.4	+12.5
	Liberal Democrats	Lisa French	3,798	6.0	-1.2
	Green	Gareth Ellis	1,794	2.8	-1.4
	Monster Raving Loony	Ann Kelly	667	1.1	+0.6
Majority			20,983	33.2	-7.0
Turnout			63,148	76.7	+5.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	-3.5

General election 2015: Mid Bedfordshire^{[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nadine Dorries	32,544	56.1	+3.6
	Labour	Charlynne Pullen	9,217	15.9	+1.1
	UKIP	Nigel Wickens	8,966	15.4	+10.3
	Liberal Democrats	Linda Jack	4,193	7.2	-17.7
	Green	Gareth Ellis	2,462	4.2	+2.8
	Independent	Tim Ireland	384	0.7	New
	Monster Raving Loony	Ann Kelly	294	0.5	New
Majority			23,327	40.2	+12.6
Turnout			58,060	71.6	-0.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.3

In June 2015 the independent candidate, Tim Ireland, lodged an unsuccessful election petition accusing Nadine Dorries of breaches of section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 by making false statements about his character.^[24][25] The petition was dismissed by the courts on 30 July 2015.^[26]

General election 2010: Mid Bedfordshire^[27][28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nadine Dorries	28,815	52.5	+5.9
	Liberal Democrats	Linda Jack	13,663	24.9	+1.4
	Labour	David Reeves	8,108	14.8	-7.7
	UKIP	Bill Hall	2,826	5.1	+2.4
	Green	Malcolm Bailey	773	1.4	-1.2
	English Democrat	John Cooper	712	1.3	New
Majority			15,152	27.6	+5.1
Turnout			54,897	72.2	+3.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.3

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Mid Bedfordshire^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nadine Dorries	23,345	46.3	−1.1
	Liberal Democrats	Mark Chapman	11,990	23.8	+4.1
	Labour	Martin Lindsay	11,351	22.5	−7.6
	UKIP	Richard Joselyn	1,372	2.7	0.0
	Green	Ben Foley	1,292	2.6	New
	Veritas	Howard Martin	769	1.5	New
	Independent	Saqhib Ali	301	0.6	New
Majority			11,355	22.5	+5.2
Turnout			50,420	68.3	+2.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.6

General election 2001: Mid Bedfordshire^[30][31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jonathan Sayeed	22,109	47.4	+1.4
	Labour	James Valentine	14,043	30.1	−2.4
	Liberal Democrats	Graham Mabbutt	9,205	19.7	+2.9
	UKIP	Chris Laurence	1,281	2.7	New
Majority			8,066	17.3	+3.3
Turnout			46,638	65.9	−13.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.9

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Mid Bedfordshire^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jonathan Sayeed	24,176	46.0	−16.4
	Labour	Neil Mallett	17,086	32.5	+12.7
	Liberal Democrats	Tim J. Hill	8,823	16.8	+1.0
	Referendum	Shirley C. Marler	2,257	4.3	New
	Natural Law	Marek J. Lorys	174	0.3	New
Majority			7,090	14.0	-22.4
Turnout			52,534	78.9	-5.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	-14.6^[33]

General election 1992: Mid Bedfordshire^[34][35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nicholas Lyell	40,230	58.2	-0.8
	Labour	Richard A. Clayton	15,092	21.8	+3.7
	Liberal Democrats	Nikolas Hills	11,957	17.3	-5.6
	Liberal	Phil Cottier	1,582	2.3	New
	Natural Law	Marek J. Lorys	279	0.4	New
Majority			25,138	36.4	+0.4
Turnout			69,140	84.4	+5.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	-2.3

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Mid Bedfordshire^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nicholas Lyell	37,411	58.98
	SDP	Nikolas Hills	14,560	22.95
	Labour	John Heywood	11,463	18.07
Majority			22,851	36.03
Turnout			63,434	78.63
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1983: Mid Bedfordshire^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nicholas Lyell	33,042	56.85
	Liberal	M. Howes	15,661	26.94
	Labour	J. Tizard	9,420	16.21
Majority			17,381	29.91
Turnout			58,123	76.93
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stephen Hastings	37,724	56.87
	Labour	F.G. Peacock	17,140	25.84
	Liberal	C.A.P. Smout	11,467	17.29
Majority			20,584	31.03
Turnout			66,331	81.32
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stephen Hastings	26,885	45.70
	Labour	J.E. Crow	17,559	29.85
	Liberal	P.W. Meyer	14,388	24.46
Majority			9,326	15.85
Turnout			58,832	78.26
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stephen Hastings	28,973	45.28
	Labour	David F. Harrowell	17,862	27.92
	Liberal	P.W. Meyer	17,151	26.80
Majority			11,111	17.36
Turnout			63,986	85.87
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1970: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stephen Hastings	29,670	52.51
	Labour	David F Harrowell	19,035	33.69
	Liberal	John P. Christian	7,799	13.80
Majority			10,635	18.82
Turnout			56,504	77.28
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stephen Hastings	23,477	46.02
	Labour	C. Trevor Bell	20,369	39.98
	Liberal	Paul L. Rose	7,138	14.01
Majority			3,078	6.04
Turnout			50,984	82.29
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1964: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stephen Hastings	22,414	46.03
	Labour	C. Trevor Bell	17,096	35.11
	Liberal	Wilfred G. Matthews	9,184	18.86
Majority			5,318	10.92
Turnout			48,694	83.04
	Conservative hold		Swing

1960 Mid Bedfordshire by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stephen Hastings	17,503	45.38	-1.41
	Labour	Bryan Magee	11,281	29.25	-6.17
	Liberal	Wilfred G. Matthews	9,550	24.76	+6.97
	New Conservative	C. F. H. Gilliard	235	0.61	New
Majority			6,222	16.13	+4.76
Turnout			38,569	71.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alan Lennox-Boyd	21,301	46.79
	Labour	Bryan Magee	16,127	35.42
	Liberal	Wilfred G. Matthews	8,099	17.79	N/A
Majority			5,174	11.37
Turnout			45,527	84.48
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1955: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alan Lennox-Boyd	23,012	54.71
	Labour	Thomas Skeffington-Lodge	19,048	45.29
Majority			3,964	9.42
Turnout			42,060	81.36
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1951: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alan Lennox-Boyd	19,681	45.39
	Labour	T.L. 'Addy' Taylor	17,818	41.09
	Liberal	Donald Tweddle	5,863	13.52
Majority			1,863	4.30
Turnout			43,362	85.34
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1950: Mid Bedfordshire

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alan Lennox-Boyd	17,671	41.39
	Labour	W. Howell	15,512	36.33
	Liberal	Ewart Kenneth Martell	9,511	22.28
Majority			2,159	5.06
Turnout			42,694	86.22
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Bedfordshire Mid

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alan Lennox-Boyd	13,954	37.0	-13.3
	Labour	W Howell	12,073	32.1	+18.9
	Liberal	Ewart Kenneth Martell	11,641	30.9	-5.5
Majority			1,881	5.0	-8.9
Turnout			37,668	73.19	-3.10
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1939–40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

• Conservative: Alan Lennox-Boyd
• Labour: George Matthews
• Liberal: Dr Leonard T M Gray

Election in the 1930s

General election 1935: Bedfordshire Mid

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alan Lennox-Boyd	16,054	50.3	+2.9
	Liberal	Milner Gray	11,623	36.4	-6.4
	Labour	Thomas Henry Knight	4,224	13.2	+3.4
Majority			4,431	13.89	+9.26
Turnout			31,901	76.29	-2.85
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Bedfordshire Mid

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alan Lennox-Boyd	15,213	47.4	+6.7
	Liberal	Milner Gray	13,726	42.8	-4.1
	Labour	Henry William Fenner	3,156	9.8	-2.6
Majority			1,487	4.63	N/A
Turnout			32,095	79.14
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Election in the 1920s

General election 30 May 1929: Bedfordshire Mid

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Milner Gray	14,595	46.9	-1.1
	Unionist	William Warner	12,682	40.7	-11.3
	Labour	Henry William Fenner	3,853	12.4	New
Majority			1,913	6.2	N/A
Turnout			8,829
	Liberal gain from Unionist		Swing	+5.1

General election 29 October 1924: Bedfordshire Mid

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	William Warner	12,317	52.0	+10.1
	Liberal	Frederick Linfield	11,356	48.0	-3.0
Majority			961	4.0	N/A
Turnout			23,673	76.5	+3.9
	Unionist gain from Liberal		Swing

General election 6 December 1923: Bedfordshire Mid ^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Frederick Linfield	11,310	51.0	-5.5
	Unionist	William Warner	9,287	41.9	-1.6
	Labour	Robert Leonard Wigzell	1,567	7.1	New
Majority			2,023	9.1	-3.9
Turnout			22,164	72.6	+2.5
	Liberal hold		Swing

General election 15 November 1922: Bedfordshire Mid ^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Frederick Linfield	11,874	56.5	+11.7
	Unionist	Max Townley	9,137	43.5	-11.7
Majority			2,737	13.0	N/A
Turnout			21,011	70.1	+15.3
	Liberal gain from Unionist		Swing	+11.7

Election in the 1910s

General election 14 December 1918: Bedfordshire Mid ^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	Max Townley	9,073	55.2
	Liberal	Arthur Black	7,352	44.8
Majority			1,721	10.4
Turnout			16,425	54.8
	Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Bedfordshire

Notes

1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

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3. Nadine Dorries suspended as Tory MP in I'm a Celebrity row, 6 November 2012
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39. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig