# Bracknell (UK Parliament constituency)

Bracknell is a constituency in Berkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Peter Swallow, from the Labour Party. It was created for the 1997 general election, largely replacing the abolished county constituency of East Berkshire.

## Constituency profile

The seat covers the entirety of the town of Bracknell, as well as Sandhurst and Crowthorne - albeit the Crowthorne urban area is split with Wokingham. Additionally, it includes Quelm Park, Martins Heron, The Warren, Forest Park, and Whitegrove.

## History

From creation in 1997 until 2010, Bracknell's MP was Andrew MacKay of the Conservative Party, who represented the old seat of East Berkshire from 1983. On 14 May 2009, he resigned from his position as parliamentary aide to David Cameron in the wake of a major scandal over his Parliamentary expenses. MacKay and his wife, fellow Tory MP Julie Kirkbride, had wrongfully claimed over £250,000 from the taxpayer for mortgage payments for second homes, in a case of so-called 'double-dipping'. They also wrongfully claimed for each other's travel costs. At a hastily called meeting with his constituents in Bracknell to explain the "unacceptable" expenses claims, Mr MacKay was jeered and called a "thieving toad". A video of the angry meeting was leaked to the press and, after an urgent phone call from David Cameron the next day, MacKay agreed to stand down at the 2010 general election. The Conservative Party chose Phillip Lee, a general practitioner, as its new candidate in an American-style open primary, involving seven candidates including Rory Stewart and Iain Dale in a contest open to all registered Bracknell voters.

### 2010 election

Lee went on to become the next MP in an election which saw the share of the vote for the Labour Party fall by 11.1%. The Liberal Democrats saw the biggest rise in support of all the parties (+4.5%), overtaking Labour to gain second place behind the Conservative Party. UKIP saw a slight rise in support to 4.4% of the vote. The 2010 election also saw for the first time the Green Party and British National Party vying for the seat.

### 2017 election

Lee held his seat at the 2017 general election. He gained 3.1% of votes, but Labour increased its share by 13.3%. Lee received 32,882 votes, Paul Bidwell (Labour) in second place had 16,866 votes. On 3 September 2019, Lee resigned from the Conservative party to join the Liberal Democrats due to the Conservative party's support for Brexit. At the 2019 General Election he unsuccessfully contested the adjacent Wokingham seat for that party.
2019 election
James Sunderland was elected for the Conservative party with 58.7% of the vote.
2024 election
Sunderland ran for re-election as Conservative MP for the constituency, but was narrowly defeated by Labour's Peter Swallow on a 16% swing. This marked the first time Labour had ever gained the seat and the first time a Conservative would not represent the area since it became covered by a single-member constituency in the late 19th century. Notably, Labour had previously gained control of Bracknell Forest Borough Council for the first time since 1997 in 2023.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

Bracknell is based around the town of Bracknell and the Bracknell Forest authority. It is bordered by the constituencies of Wokingham, Maidenhead, Windsor, Surrey Heath, Aldershot, and North East Hampshire.

### 1997–2010

* The Borough of Bracknell Forest wards of Binfield, Bullbrook, Central Sandhurst, College Town, Crowthorne, Garth, Great Hollands North, Great Hollands South, Hanworth, Harmanswater, Little Sandhurst, Old Bracknell, Owlsmoor, Priestwood, Warfield, and Wildridings; and
* The District of Wokingham wards of Finchampstead North, Finchampstead South, and Wokingham Without.
The Borough of Bracknell Forest wards had formed the majority of the abolished constituency of East Berkshire. The two Finchampstead wards were transferred from Reading East, and the ward of Wokingham Without was transferred from Wokingham.

### 2010–2024

* The Borough of Bracknell Forest wards of Bullbrook, Central Sandhurst, College Town, Crown Wood, Crowthorne, Great Hollands North, Great Hollands South, Hanworth, Harmanswater, Little Sandhurst and Wellington, Old Bracknell, Owlsmoor, Priestwood and Garth, and Wildridings and Central; and
* The District of Wokingham wards of Finchampstead North, Finchampstead South, and Wokingham Without.
Northern areas, including Binfield, were transferred to Windsor.

### 2024–present

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for 2024 general election, the seat lost its District of Wokingham wards to the Wokingham constituency in order to bring its electorate within the permitted range. To partly compensate, the Warfield Harvest Ride ward (as it existed on 1 December 2020) was transferred from Windsor.
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
* The Borough of Bracknell Forest wards and part wards of: Binfield North & Warfield West (small part); Binfield South & Jennett's Park (part); Bullbrook; Crowthorne; Easthampstead & Wildridings; Great Hollands; Hanworth; Harmans Water & Crown Wood; Owlsmoor & College Town; Priestwood & Garth; Sandhurst; Swinley Forest (most); Town Centre & The Parks; Whitegrove (most).

## Members of Parliament

East Berkshire prior to 1997
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1997 | Andrew MacKay | Conservative |
| 2010 | Phillip Lee | Conservative |
| September 2019 | Phillip Lee | Liberal Democrat |
| 2019 | James Sunderland | Conservative |
| 2024 | Peter Swallow | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Bracknell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Swallow | 14,783 | 33.7 | +8.3 |
| | Conservative | James Sunderland | 13,999 | 31.9 | –23.6 |
| | Reform UK | Malcolm Tullett | 7,445 | 17.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katie Mansfield | 4,768 | 10.9 | –3.1 |
| | Green | Emily Torode | 2,166 | 4.9 | +0.9 |
| | Independent | Olivio Barreto | 480 | 1.1 | –0.1 |
| | Heritage | Jason Reardon | 196 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 784 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,837 | 61.4 | –5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,660 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 16.0 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 26,022 | 55.5 |
| | Labour | 11,893 | 25.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 6,555 | 14.0 |
| | Green | 1,865 | 4.0 |
| | Others | 553 | 1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 46,888 | 66.7 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 70,247 |
General election 2019: Bracknell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Sunderland | 31,894 | 58.7 | –0.1 |
| | Labour | Paul Bidwell | 12,065 | 22.2 | –8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kaweh Beheshtizadeh | 7,749 | 14.3 | +6.8 |
| | Green | Derek Florey | 2,089 | 3.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Olivio Barreto | 553 | 1.0 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,829 | 36.5 | +7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,350 | 68.6 | –2.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.9 | |
General election 2017: Bracknell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phillip Lee | 32,882 | 58.8 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | Paul Bidwell | 16,866 | 30.2 | +13.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrick Smith | 4,186 | 7.5 | |
| | UKIP | Len Amos | 1,521 | 2.7 | −13.0 |
| | Independent | Olivio Barreto | 437 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,016 | 28.6 | −10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,892 | 70.6 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −5.1 | |
General election 2015: Bracknell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phillip Lee | 29,606 | 55.8 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | James Walsh | 8,956 | 16.9 | +0.1 |
| | UKIP | Richard Thomas | 8,339 | 15.7 | +11.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrick Smith | 3,983 | 7.5 | −14.8 |
| | Green | Derek Florey | 2,202 | 4.1 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,650 | 38.9 | +8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,086 | 65.3 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 2010: Bracknell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phillip Lee | 27,327 | 52.4 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Raymond Earwicker | 11,623 | 22.3 | +4.5 |
| | Labour | John Piasecki | 8,755 | 16.8 | −11.1 |
| | UKIP | Murray Barter | 2,297 | 4.4 | +0.9 |
| | BNP | Mark Burke | 1,253 | 2.4 | N/A |
| | Green | David Young | 821 | 1.6 | N/A |
| | Scrap Members Allowances | Dan Haycocks | 60 | 0.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,704 | 30.1 | +6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,140 | 67.8 | +5.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.0 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Bracknell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew MacKay | 25,412 | 49.7 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Janet Keene | 13,376 | 26.2 | −6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lee Glendon | 10,128 | 19.8 | +2.7 |
| | UKIP | Vincent Pearson | 1,818 | 3.6 | +1.0 |
| | Independent | Dominica Roberts | 407 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,036 | 23.5 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,141 | 63.4 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 | |
General election 2001: Bracknell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew MacKay | 22,962 | 46.6 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Janet Keene | 16,249 | 33.0 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Raymond Earwicker | 8,428 | 17.1 | +1.7 |
| | UKIP | Lawrence Boxall | 1,266 | 2.6 | +1.6 |
| | ProLife Alliance | Dominica Roberts | 324 | 0.7 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,713 | 13.6 | −4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,229 | 60.7 | −13.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.0 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Bracknell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew MacKay | 27,983 | 47.4 | |
| | Labour | Anne Snelgrove | 17,596 | 29.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Hilliar | 9,122 | 15.4 | |
| | Independent | John Tompkins | 1,909 | 3.2 | |
| | Referendum | Warwick Cairns | 1,636 | 2.8 | |
| | UKIP | Lawrence Boxall | 569 | 1.0 | |
| | ProLife Alliance | Dominica Roberts | 276 | 0.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,387 | 17.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,091 | 74.5 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |