# East Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)

East Hertfordshire was a parliamentary constituency in the county of Hertfordshire from 1955 to 1983. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

## History

The constituency was created for the 1955 general election, formed primarily from the majority of the Hertford constituency which was significantly revised. It was abolished for the 1983 general election when it was largely divided between the new constituencies of Broxbourne, and Hertford and Stortford.
Throughout its existence the seat was held for the Conservatives by Sir Derek Walker-Smith.
The writer and TV playwright Dennis Potter was the Labour Party candidate in the constituency at the 1964 general election, but finished second behind the Conservative incumbent. His experience inspired Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton.

## Boundaries and boundary changes
### 1955–1974

* The Urban Districts of Bishop's Stortford, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, Sawbridgeworth, and Ware; and
* The Rural Districts of Braughing and Ware
The bulk of the constituency was formed from the majority of the Hertford constituency which was significantly revised. A part of the Rural District of Braughing was transferred from Hitchin.

### 1974–1983

* The Urban Districts of Bishop's Stortford, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, and Sawbridgeworth; and
* The Rural Districts of Braughing and Ware
The Urban District of Ware was transferred to the new constituency of Hertford and Stevenage.
On abolition, southern parts (consisting the majority of the electorate), largely comprising the former Urban Districts of Cheshunt and Hoddesdon (combined to form the District of Broxbourne under the local government reorganisation of 1974) formed the bulk of the new borough constituency of Broxbourne. With the exception of some rural parts in the north-west of the constituency, which were included in the new constituency of Stevenage, the remainder of the seat (including Bishop's Stortford and Sawbridgeworth) was amalgamated with the Hertford and Ware part of Hertford and Stevenage to form the new Hertford and Stortford constituency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1955 | Sir Derek Walker-Smith | Conservative |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished: see Hertford and Stortford & Broxbourne | constituency abolished: see Hertford and Stortford & Broxbourne |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1955: East Hertfordshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Derek Walker-Smith | 26,936 | 56.88 | |
| | Labour Co-op | William Hilton | 20,418 | 43.12 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,518 | 13.76 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,354 | 79.11 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1959: East Hertfordshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Derek Walker-Smith | 28,201 | 51.39 | |
| | Labour | Syd Bidwell | 18,020 | 32.84 | |
| | Liberal | Kenneth John Whitehead Spargo | 8,656 | 15.77 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,181 | 18.55 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,877 | 82.01 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: East Hertfordshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Derek Walker-Smith | 29,749 | 48.20 |
| | Labour | Dennis Potter | 21,887 | 35.46 |
| | Liberal | Eric W Morgan | 10,088 | 16.34 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,862 | 12.74 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,724 | 81.02 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1966: East Hertfordshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Derek Walker-Smith | 29,618 | 46.62 |
| | Labour | Brian CS Murphy | 24,412 | 38.43 |
| | Liberal | Eric W Morgan | 9,501 | 14.95 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,206 | 8.19 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,531 | 80.09 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: East Hertfordshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Derek Walker-Smith | 37,668 | 54.74 |
| | Labour | Mike Thomas | 23,601 | 34.30 |
| | Liberal | David Walsh | 7,538 | 10.96 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,067 | 20.44 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 68,807 | 73.51 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election February 1974: East Hertfordshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Derek Walker-Smith | 32,032 | 44.96 |
| | Labour | MM Keir | 20,674 | 29.02 |
| | Liberal | PC Clark | 18,546 | 26.03 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,358 | 15.94 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 71,252 | 80.98 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election October 1974: East Hertfordshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Derek Walker-Smith | 29,334 | 44.59 |
| | Labour | MM Keir | 20,999 | 31.92 |
| | Liberal | PC Clark | 15,446 | 23.48 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,335 | 12.67 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,779 | 74.04 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1979: East Hertfordshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Derek Walker-Smith | 41,599 | 55.50 | |
| | Labour Co-op | I. J. Evans | 20,139 | 26.87 | |
| | Liberal | Lesley Abdela | 11,393 | 15.20 | |
| | National Front | J. Smith | 1,819 | 2.43 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,460 | 28.63 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74,950 | 77.81 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |