Oxford West and Abingdon (UK Parliament constituency)

Oxford West and Abingdon is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Layla Moran, a Liberal Democrat.^{[n 2]}

Oxford West and Abingdon
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Oxford West and Abingdon in Oxfordshire
Location of Oxfordshire within England
County	Oxfordshire
Electorate	76,953 (December 2019)^[1]
Major settlements	Abingdon, Kidlington, Oxford (5 wards), Radley
Current constituency
Created	1983
Member of Parliament	Layla Moran (Liberal Democrats)
Seats	One
Created from	Oxford, Abingdon

Constituency profile

The constituency includes the town of Abingdon, the village of Kidlington, and the western and northern parts of the city of Oxford, and some of the colleges of the University of Oxford. At the end of 2010, unemployment was the fifth lowest of the 84 South East constituencies, at 1.2% compared to a mean of 2.45%.^[2] The area has rapid transit connections to London, Reading and the commercial heart of Oxford, has large business and research parks and a choice of two major railway stations, Oxford and Didcot Parkway.

History

Creation

The seat was created in 1983 as part of the reconfiguration of those in the county to avoid malapportionment, abolishing Oxford as a seat. It merged about half the city with the eastern portion of the former Abingdon seat.

MPs

Conservative John Patten (MP for Oxford in the 1979–1983 Parliament), held the seat from its creation until he retired in 1997. The seat was gained by Liberal Democrat, Evan Harris, who held the seat for thirteen years until the 2010 general election, when the Conservative Nicola Blackwood retook the seat in one of the most marginal results of that election. Blackwood held the seat until the 2017 general election, when she was defeated by Liberal Democrat Layla Moran in another marginal result. Moran retained the seat at the 2019 general election with a much increased majority of 15.2%.

Contests

The seat has been contested nine times, each of them general elections. At each contest, the Labour party candidate has polled third, with the peak share of votes to date being 20.2% in 1997. The strongest victory, in share of the vote, was that of Harris of the Liberal Democrats in 2001, a 17.8% majority (in a seven-way contest).

The Green Party and its predecessor, the Ecology Party, stood in the first eight contests, in each losing the deposit paid.

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.^[3]

Boundaries and boundary changes

1983–1997

• The District of Vale of White Horse wards of Abbey, Caldecott, Cumnor, Fitzharris, Hinksey, Kennington, Northcourt, Ock, Radley, St Helen Without, and Sunningwell and Wootton; and
• The City of Oxford wards of Central, Cherwell, North, South, West, and Wolvercote.^[4]

The majority of the new constituency, comprising the town of Abingdon-on-Thames and areas to the west of Oxford, was previously part of the abolished constituency of Abingdon in Berkshire. The City of Oxford wards had previously been in the abolished constituency of Oxford.

1997–2010

• The District of Vale of White Horse wards of Abbey, Caldecott, Cumnor, Fitzharris, Hinksey, Kennington, Northcourt, Ock, Radley, St Helen Without, and Sunningwell and Wootton;
• The City of Oxford wards of Central, Cherwell, North, West, and Wolvercote; and
• The District of Cherwell wards of Gosford, North West Kidlington, and South East Kidlington.^[5]

Kidlington was transferred from Witney. The South ward of the City of Oxford was transferred to Oxford East.

 

Map of current boundaries

2010-present

• The District of Vale of White Horse wards of Abingdon Abbey and Barton, Abingdon Caldecott, Abingdon Dunmore, Abingdon Fitzharris, Abingdon Northcourt, Abingdon Ock Meadow, Abingdon Peachcroft, Appleton and Cumnor, Kennington and South Hinksey, North Hinksey and Wytham, Radley, and Sunningwell and Wootton;
• The City of Oxford wards of Jericho and Osney, North, St Margaret's, Summertown, and Wolvercote; and
• The District of Cherwell wards of Kidlington North, Kidlington South, and Yarnton, Gosford and Water Eaton.^[6]

Further loss to Oxford East, including the city centre, following revision of City of Oxford wards; marginal realignment of boundary with Wantage; Yarnton transferred from Witney.

Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The following wards of the City of Oxford wards of: Carfax & Jericho; Cutteslowe & Sunnymead; Holywell; Osney & St. Thomas; Summertown; Walton Manor; Wolvercote.
• The District of Vale of White Horse wards of: Abingdon Abbey Northcourt; Abingdon Caldecott; Abingdon Dunmore; Abingdon Fitzharris; Abingdon Peachcroft; Botley & Sunningwell; Cumnor; Kennington & Radley; Marcham; Wootton.^[7]

The electorate will be reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring Kidlington to the newly created constituency of Bicester and Woodstock. To partly compensate, Oxford city centre and University colleges will be moved back in from Oxford East. In addition, the village of Marcham will be transferred from Wantage.

Members of Parliament

Election	Member^[8]^[9]	Party
1983	John Patten		Conservative
1997	Evan Harris		Liberal Democrats
2010	Nicola Blackwood		Conservative
2017	Layla Moran		Liberal Democrats

Elections

•  
  Election results for Oxford West and Abingdon

Elections in the 2020s

Next general election: Oxford West and Abingdon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Cheryl Briggs^[10]
	Reform UK	James Gunn^[11]
	Liberal Democrats	Layla Moran^[12]
	Conservative	Vinay Raniga^[13]
Majority
Turnout

Elections in the 2010s

See also: Liberal Democrat–Green Party alliance

General election 2019: Oxford West and Abingdon^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Layla Moran	31,340	53.3	9.6
	Conservative	James Fredrickson	22,397	38.1	4.3
	Labour	Rosie Sourbut	4,258	7.2	5.4
	Brexit Party	Allison Wild	829	1.4	New
Majority			8,943	15.2	13.9
Turnout			58,824	76.4	3.2
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	6.9

General election 2017: Oxford West and Abingdon^[15][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Layla Moran	26,256	43.7	14.8
	Conservative	Nicola Blackwood	25,440	42.4	3.3
	Labour	Marie Tidball	7,573	12.6	0.1
	UKIP	Alan Harris	751	1.3	5.6
Majority			816	1.3	N/A
Turnout			60,020	79.6	4.4
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	9.1

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Oxford West and Abingdon

General election 2015: Oxford West and Abingdon^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nicola Blackwood	26,153	45.7	3.4
	Liberal Democrats	Layla Moran	16,571	28.9	13.1
	Labour	Sally Copley	7,274	12.7	2.1
	UKIP	Alan Harris	3,963	6.9	4.2
	Green	Larry Sanders	2,497	4.4	2.3
	NHA	Helen Salisbury	723	1.3	New
	Socialist (GB)	Mike Foster	66	0.1	New
Majority			9,582	16.7	16.4
Turnout			57,247	75.2	5.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	8.2

 

A pre-election husting at the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency during the 2010 campaign. From left to right: Richard Stevens, Evan Harris (standing, incumbent), Tim Gardam (chair, Principal of St Anne's College), Chris Goodall, Nicola Blackwood.

General election 2010: Oxford West and Abingdon^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nicola Blackwood	23,906	42.3	9.6
	Liberal Democrats	Evan Harris	23,730	42.0	4.1
	Labour	Richard Stevens	5,999	10.6	5.2
	UKIP	Paul Williams	1,518	2.7	1.2
	Green	Chris Goodall	1,184	2.1	1.7
	Animal Protection	Keith Mann	143	0.3	New
Majority			176	0.3	N/A
Turnout			56,480	70.2	3.0
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	6.9

Elections in the 2000s

 

A pre-election husting at the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency during the 2005 campaign.

General election 2005: Oxford West and Abingdon^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Evan Harris	24,336	46.3	−1.5
	Conservative	Amanda McLean	16,653	31.7	+1.7
	Labour	Antonia Bance	8,725	16.6	−1.1
	Green	Tom Lines	2,091	4.0	+1.2
	UKIP	Marcus Watney	795	1.5	+0.6
Majority			7,683	14.6	-3.2
Turnout			52,600	65.6	+1.1
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	−1.6

General election 2001: Oxford West and Abingdon^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Evan Harris	24,670	47.8	+4.9
	Conservative	Ed Matts	15,485	30.0	−2.7
	Labour	Gillian Kirk	9,114	17.7	−2.5
	Green	Mike Woodin	1,423	2.8	+1.7
	UKIP	Marcus Watney	451	0.9	+0.5
	Independent	Sigrid Shreeve	332	0.6	New
	Extinction Club	Robert Twigger	93	0.2	New
Majority			9,185	17.8	+7.6
Turnout			51,568	64.5	−13.5
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	+3.8

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Oxford West and Abingdon^[21][22][23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Evan Harris	26,268	42.9	+7.1
	Conservative	Laurence Harris	19,983	32.7	−13.6
	Labour	Susan Brown	12,361	20.2	+4.1
	Referendum	Gillian Eustace	1,258	2.1	New
	Green	Mike Woodin	691	1.1	−0.1
	UKIP	Rodney Buckton	258	0.4	New
	ProLife Alliance	Linda Hodge	238	0.4	New
	Natural Law	Anne Wilson	91	0.1	0.0
	Local Government	John Rose	48	0.1	New
Majority			6,285	10.2	+3.8
Turnout			61,196	78.0	+1.3
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	+10.4

General election 1992: Oxford West and Abingdon^[24][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Patten	25,163	45.4	−1.0
	Liberal Democrats	William Goodhart	21,624	39.0	+1.6
	Labour	Bruce Kent	7,652	13.8	−1.1
	Green	Mike Woodin	660	1.2	−0.1
	Liberal	Roger Jenking	194	0.3	New
	Anti-Federalist League	Susan Nelson	98	0.2	New
	Natural Law	Geoffrey Wells	75	0.1	New
Majority			3,539	6.4	-2.6
Turnout			55,466	76.7	−1.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.3

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Oxford West and Abingdon^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Patten	25,171	46.4	−1.3
	SDP	Chris Huhne	20,293	37.4	+4.1
	Labour	John Power	8,108	14.9	−2.0
	Green	Donald Smith	695	1.3	+0.2
Majority			4,878	9.0	-5.4
Turnout			54,267	78.4	+4.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.7

General election 1983: Oxford West and Abingdon^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Patten	23,778	47.7
	SDP	Evan Luard	16,627	33.3
	Labour	Julian Jacottet	8,440	16.9
	Ecology	Suzette Starmer	544	1.1
	Monster Raving Loony	Robert Jones	267	0.5
	Independent	Christopher Smith	95	0.2
	Independent	Peter Doubleday	86	0.2
	Independent	Ruth Pinder	26	0.1
Majority			7,151	14.4
Turnout			49,863	74.0
	Conservative win (new seat)

Neighbouring constituencies

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Oxfordshire
• Opinion polling for the next United Kingdom general election in individual constituencies
• Banbury
• Henley
• Oxford East
• Wantage
• Witney

Notes

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

References

1. "Oxford West & Abingdon - Election 2019". BBC News. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
2. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
3. Belger, Tom (8 December 2023). "Labour selections: Full list of 211 'non-battleground' seats now open to applications". labourlist.org. from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
4. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
5. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
6. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
9. "Oxford West & Abingdon parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC News. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
10. "Looking forward to 2024". Oxfordshire Green Party. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
11. "Oxford West and Abingdon Constituency". Reform UK. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
12. "Layla Moran MP - Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats". Liberal Democrats (UK). Retrieved 15 February 2024.
13. "Conservative parliamentary candidate announced for Oxford". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
14. "Oxford West & Abingdon Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
15. "GENERAL ELECTION: List of Oxfordshire parliamentary candidates published". The Oxford Times.
16. "South Live: Thursday 11 May". BBC News.
17. . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
18. . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
19. . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
20. . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
21. . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
22. C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.451 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
23. The 1997 election result is calculated relative to the notional, not the actual, 1992 result.
24. . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. . Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
26. . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
27. . Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

• Election result 2015
• Election result, 2015 (BBC)
• Election result, 2010 (BBC)
• Election result, 2005 (BBC)
• Election results, 1997–2001 (BBC)
• Election results, 1997–2001 (Election Demon)
• Election results, 1983–1997 (Election Demon)

51°45′N 1°18′W / 51.75°N 1.30°W / 51.75; -1.30