# East Thanet (UK Parliament constituency)

East Thanet is a British parliamentary constituency in the Isle of Thanet in Kent, represented since 2024 by Polly Billington of the Labour Party. The seat previously existed, under the name Thanet East, from 1974 to 1983, returning one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was re-established as East Thanet for the 2024 general election. It is primarily the successor to the former South Thanet parliamentary constituency.

## Boundaries
### 1974–1983 (Thanet East)

The Borough of Ramsgate, and the Urban District of Broadstairs and St Peter's.

### 2024–present (East Thanet)

Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the District of Thanet wards of Beacon Road, Bradstowe, Central Harbour, Cliffsend & Pegwell, Cliftonville East, Cliftonville West, Dane Valley, Eastcliff, Kingsgate, Margate Central, Nethercourt, Newington, Northwood, St Peters, Salmestone, Sir Moses Montefiore, and Viking.
It comprises those parts of the former constituency of South Thanet in the District of Thanet (85.6% of the electorate), together with three wards from North Thanet, including Central Margate.

## Constituency profile

Electoral Calculus categorises the proposed seat as being part of the "Somewheres" demographic, indicating socially conservative, economically soft left views and strong support for Brexit. The High Speed 1 railway service has stimulated some regeneration of Margate and Ramsgate, with many residents moving to the towns from Greater London.

## History

The constituency was created for the February 1974 general election, when the former constituency of Isle of Thanet was split in two, and returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was abolished for the 1983 general election, when Thanet East and the neighbouring Thanet West constituency were replaced by new North Thanet and South Thanet constituencies.
The constituency name was revived at the 2024 general election, where it effectively replaced the South Thanet constituency, with 81.8% of the electorate of the former South Thanet seat becoming part of the new East Thanet, and 85.6% of the new East Thanet seat having previously belonged to the former South Thanet.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1974–1983

Isle of Thanet prior to 1974
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | Feb 1974 | Jonathan Aitken | Conservative |
| | 1983 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

### MPs since 2024

South Thanet prior to 2024
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 2024 | Polly Billington | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: East Thanet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Polly Billington | 17,054 | 39.9 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Helen Harrison | 10,083 | 23.6 | −29.9 |
| | Reform UK | Paul Webb | 8,591 | 20.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Steve Roberts | 4,590 | 10.7 | +7.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jai Singh | 1,365 | 3.2 | −2.0 |
| | Independent | Grahame Birchall | 563 | 1.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Paul Holton | 369 | 0.9 | N/A |
| | Independent | Mo Shafaei | 98 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,971 | 16.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,713 | 57.0 | −7.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,940 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 16.1 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 25,616 | 53.5 |
| | Labour | 18,031 | 37.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2,486 | 5.2 |
| | Green | 1,791 | 3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 47,924 | 64.9 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 73,790 |

## Election results 1974–1983
### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Thanet East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Aitken | 20,367 | 57.17 | +11.1 |
| | Labour | I Kilberry | 10,128 | 28.43 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal | B Hesketh | 4,755 | 13.35 | −5.6 |
| | National Front | B Dobing | 376 | 1.06 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,239 | 28.74 | +15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,625 | 72.72 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Thanet East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Aitken | 15,813 | 46.10 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | S Bartlett | 11,310 | 32.97 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal | C Hogarth | 6,472 | 18.87 | −4.6 |
| | National Front | K Munson | 708 | 2.06 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,503 | 13.13 | −4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,302 | 71.55 | −9.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Thanet East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Aitken | 17,944 | 46.86 | |
| | Labour | Robert Bean | 11,347 | 29.64 | |
| | Liberal | J Cox | 8,997 | 23.50 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,597 | 17.22 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,289 | 80.53 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |