# Aldershot (UK Parliament constituency)

Aldershot (/ˈɔːldərʃɒt/ AWL-dər-shot) is a constituency in Hampshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.
The seat was represented by the Conservative Party from its creation in 1918 to the 2024 general election, when it was won by Alex Baker of the Labour Party.

## Political history

Aldershot elected a Conservative as its MP at every election from its creation in 1918 until the 2024 general election, which was won by Labour.
From 1974 to 2010 (inclusive) Liberal Democrats (or predecessor, Liberals) polled second. From 2015 to 2019 the Labour candidate was runner-up.
The 2015 result saw the seat rank 123rd safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority. In June 2016, 57.9% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum chose to leave the European Union instead of to remain. This was matched in two January 2018 votes in Parliament by its MP.
In the 2017 general election, Leo Docherty won the seat after Sir Gerald Howarth retired. The seat saw a further increase in the Labour vote, achieving its best result since 1970; however this fell back again in 2019. In 2024 Docherty suffered a 23.2% swing against him, one of the highest ever seen at a general election, and Labour's Alex Baker became the first non-Conservative MP to represent the area since 1857.

## Boundaries

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Aldershot, Farnborough, and Fleet, and the Rural District of Hartley Wintney.
1950–1974: The Borough of Aldershot, the Urban Districts of Farnborough and Fleet, and the Rural District of Hartley Wintney. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged.
1974–1983: The Borough of Aldershot, the Urban Districts of Farnborough and Fleet, and in the Rural District of Hartley Wintney the parishes of Crondall, Crookham Village, Hawley, and Yateley.
1983–1997: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Eversley, Frogmore and Darby Green, Hartley Wintney, Hawley, Whitewater, Yateley East, Yateley North, and Yateley West.
1997–2010: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Frogmore and Darby Green, Hawley, Yateley East, Yateley North, and Yateley West.
2010–2024: The Borough of Rushmoor, and the District of Hart wards of Blackwater and Hawley, and Frogmore and Darby Green.
2024–present: Further to the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which became effective for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
* The District of Hart wards of: Blackwater and Hawley; Yateley East.
* The Borough of Rushmoor.
Small expansion in boundaries to take account of changes to the ward structure in the District of Hart.

## Constituency profile

The constituency includes the towns Aldershot and Farnborough in the north-east of Hampshire which have research, development and production sites of information technology and light industrial major commercial businesses such as in aviation at Farnborough Airport, storage and distribution, and military supply businesses. Aldershot is a major training and residential base of the British Army. Adding to steady employment and high income sectors, two 35 minutes to one-hour journey time passenger lines to Central London, serve the south and north of the mixed functionalist urban and leafy, relatively grand suburbia seat.
Aldershot itself has some Labour councillors, along with one strong ward in Farnborough (Cherrywood), but the majority of wards, particularly in the smaller rural towns and villages are safely Conservative, which led to the latter holding the seat with solid or large majorities from its creation 100 years ago up until 2024.

## Members of Parliament

Basingstoke prior to 1918
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | Viscount Wolmer | Conservative |
| 1940 by-election | Oliver Lyttelton | Conservative |
| 1954 by-election | Sir Eric Errington | Conservative |
| 1970 | Sir Julian Critchley | Conservative |
| 1997 | Sir Gerald Howarth | Conservative |
| 2017 | Leo Docherty | Conservative |
| 2024 | Alex Baker | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

2024 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Baker | 19,764 | 40.7 | +18.6 |
| | Conservative | Leo Docherty | 14,081 | 29.0 | −27.8 |
| | Reform UK | Trevor Lloyd-Jones | 8,210 | 16.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Harris | 4,052 | 8.3 | −9.2 |
| | Green | Ed Neville | 2,155 | 4.4 | +0.9 |
| | Hampshire Ind. | Steve James-Bailey | 282 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,683 | 11.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,544 | 61.8 | −5.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,569 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +23.2 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 29,453 | 56.8 |
| | Labour | 11,468 | 22.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 9,068 | 17.5 |
| | Green | 1,839 | 3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 51,828 | 67.5 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 76,765 |
2019 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Leo Docherty | 27,980 | 58.4 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | Howard Kaye | 11,282 | 23.5 | −8.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Hilliar | 6,920 | 14.4 | +7.0 |
| | Green | Donna Wallace | 1,750 | 3.7 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,698 | 34.9 | +11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,932 | 66.0 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,617 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.7 | |
2017 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Leo Docherty | 26,950 | 55.1 | +4.5 |
| | Labour | Gary Puffett | 15,477 | 31.6 | +13.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Hilliar | 3,637 | 7.4 | −1.4 |
| | UKIP | Roy Swales | 1,796 | 3.7 | −14.2 |
| | Green | Donna Wallace | 1,090 | 2.2 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,518 | 23.5 | −8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,995 | 64.2 | +0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,205 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.4 | |
2015 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Howarth | 23,369 | 50.6 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | Gary Puffett | 8,468 | 18.3 | +6.2 |
| | UKIP | Bill Walker | 8,253 | 17.9 | +13.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Hilliar | 4,076 | 8.8 | −25.6 |
| | Green | Carl Hewitt | 2,025 | 4.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,901 | 32.3 | +20.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,191 | 63.8 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,430 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.2 | |
2010 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Howarth | 21,203 | 46.7 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Collett | 15,617 | 34.4 | +5.5 |
| | Labour | Jonathan Slater | 5,489 | 12.1 | −9.6 |
| | UKIP | Robert Snare | 2,041 | 4.5 | +2.1 |
| | English Independence Party | Gary Cowd | 999 | 1.8 | N/A |
| | Christian | Juliana Brimicombe | 231 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,586 | 12.3 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,384 | 63.5 | −0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,465 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.4 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Howarth | 20,572 | 42.7 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Collett | 15,238 | 31.7 | +4.1 |
| | Labour | Howard Linsley | 9,895 | 20.6 | −4.6 |
| | UKIP | Derek Rumsey | 1,182 | 2.5 | +0.7 |
| | English Democrat | Gary Cowd | 701 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Howling Laud Hope | 553 | 1.1 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,334 | 11.0 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,141 | 61.3 | +3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,803 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.8 | |
2001 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Howarth | 19,106 | 42.2 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Collett | 12,512 | 27.6 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | Luke Akehurst | 11,394 | 25.2 | +1.1 |
| | UKIP | Derek Rumsey | 797 | 1.8 | +0.3 |
| | Green | Adam Stacey | 630 | 1.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Arthur Uther Pendragon | 459 | 1.0 | N/A |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Howling Laud Hope | 390 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,594 | 14.6 | +2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,288 | 57.9 | −12.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,255 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.0 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

1997 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Howarth | 23,119 | 42.7 | −14.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Collett | 16,498 | 30.5 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | Terence Bridgeman | 13,057 | 24.1 | +10.8 |
| | UKIP | John Howe | 794 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Arthur Uther Pendragon | 361 | 0.7 | N/A |
| | BNP | Donald Stevens | 322 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,621 | 12.2 | −17.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,151 | 70.8 | −7.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,499 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −8.9 | |
1992 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julian Critchley | 36,974 | 57.5 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Collett | 17,786 | 27.6 | −1.6 |
| | Labour | John Smith | 8,552 | 13.3 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal | David H. Robinson | 1,038 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,188 | 29.8 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,350 | 78.7 | +4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 81,754 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.0 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

1987 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julian Critchley | 35,272 | 59.0 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal | Roger Hargreaves | 17,488 | 29.2 | −4.6 |
| | Labour | Ian Pearson | 7,061 | 11.8 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,784 | 29.8 | +8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,822 | 74.0 | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 80,797 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.1 | |
1983 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julian Critchley | 31,288 | 55.5 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal | Nicholas Westbrook | 19,070 | 33.8 | +12.4 |
| | Labour | Alexander Crawford | 6,070 | 10.8 | −9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,218 | 21.7 | −14.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,425 | 72.7 | −3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 77,593 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −7.2 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

1979 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julian Critchley | 38,014 | 57.5 | +12.4 |
| | Liberal | Nicholas Westbrook | 14,438 | 21.4 | −6.1 |
| | Labour | Dennis Somerville | 13,698 | 20.7 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,576 | 36.1 | +18.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 66,150 | 76.5 | +3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 86,516 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.3 | |
October 1974 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julian Critchley | 26,463 | 45.1 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal | A.M. Burton | 16,104 | 27.5 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | E.P. Sudworth | 14,936 | 25.5 | +1.6 |
| | National Front | T. Greenslade | 1,120 | 1.9 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,359 | 17.6 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,620 | 72.8 | −8.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 80,522 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.9 | |
February 1974 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julian Critchley | 29,401 | 45.4 | −10.2 |
| | Liberal | G. Floyd | 18,743 | 28.9 | +16.3 |
| | Labour | W.L.J.T. Card | 15,492 | 23.9 | −7.9 |
| | National Front | T. Greenslade | 1,148 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,658 | 16.5 | +7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,781 | 81.2 | +10.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 79,761 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −13.3 | |
1970 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julian Critchley | 33,447 | 55.8 | +6.9 |
| | Labour | Roger T. Bogg | 18,916 | 31.6 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal | Philip M. Gibbons | 7,551 | 12.6 | −6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,531 | 24.2 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,909 | 70.9 | −4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 84,511 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.7 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

1966 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eric Errington | 25,672 | 48.9 | −3.1 |
| | Labour | Derrick Harold Silvester | 16,776 | 32.0 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal | Gerald Edward Owen | 10,025 | 19.1 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,896 | 17.0 | −7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,473 | 75.4 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,612 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.7 | |
1964 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eric Errington | 25,797 | 52.0 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth K. Collard | 13,718 | 27.7 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal | Gerald Edward Owen | 10,066 | 20.3 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,079 | 24.3 | −5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,581 | 75.0 | −0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 66,098 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

1959 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eric Errington | 25,161 | 58.4 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Roy E. Brooks | 12,270 | 28.5 | −4.3 |
| | Liberal | Enid Lakeman | 5,679 | 13.2 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,891 | 29.9 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,110 | 75.9 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,820 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
1955 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eric Errington | 22,701 | 56.7 | −3.6 |
| | Labour | Julian D. Richards | 13,129 | 32.8 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal | Enid Lakeman | 4,232 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,572 | 23.9 | +3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,062 | 73.9 | −3.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,209 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −5.3 | |
1954 Aldershot by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eric Errington | 19,108 | 60.1 | −0.2 |
| | Labour | William Cuthbertson | 12,701 | 39.9 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,407 | 20.2 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,809 | 58.7 | −19.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.2 | |
1951 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Oliver Lyttelton | 24,951 | 60.3 | +8.1 |
| | Labour | Robert N. Hales | 16,402 | 39.7 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,549 | 20.6 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,353 | 77.8 | −1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 53,123 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.4 | |
1950 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Oliver Lyttelton | 21,238 | 52.2 | −5.2 |
| | Labour | N.F. Hidden | 15,066 | 37.0 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal | John Henry Gooden | 4,355 | 10.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,172 | 15.2 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,659 | 79.7 | −1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,991 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.8 | |

### Elections in the 1940s

1945 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Oliver Lyttelton | 19,456 | 57.4 | |
| | Common Wealth | Tom Wintringham | 14,435 | 42.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,021 | 14.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,891 | 69.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,987 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1940 Aldershot by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Oliver Lyttelton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1930s

1935 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roundell Palmer | 17,730 | 73.4 | −11.0 |
| | Independent Progressive | Gerald Bailey | 6,421 | 26.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,309 | 46.8 | −22.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,151 | 58.4 | −7.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 41,376 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1931 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roundell Palmer | 22,134 | 84.4 | +25.1 |
| | Labour | Mary Richardson | 4,091 | 15.6 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,043 | 68.8 | +33.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,225 | 65.6 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

1929 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Roundell Palmer | 15,123 | 59.3 | −17.3 |
| | Liberal | Henry Fabian Orpen | 5,984 | 23.5 | N/A |
| | Labour | J.R. McPhie | 4,389 | 17.2 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,139 | 35.8 | −17.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,496 | 68.5 | +0.3 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
1924 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Roundell Palmer | 14,081 | 76.6 | +17.5 |
| | Labour | Hubert Beaumont | 4,313 | 23.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,768 | 53.2 | +35.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,394 | 68.2 | +8.6 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
1923 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Roundell Palmer | 9,131 | 59.1 | −8.3 |
| | Liberal | Alfred Suenson-Taylor | 6,315 | 40.9 | +8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,816 | 18.2 | −16.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,446 | 59.6 | −5.2 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −8.3 | |
1922 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Roundell Palmer | 10,952 | 67.4 | −5.0 |
| | Liberal | Harry Ainger | 5,296 | 32.6 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,656 | 34.8 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,248 | 64.8 | +16.8 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −5.0 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

1918 general election: Aldershot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Roundell Palmer | 8,755 | 72.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Harry Ainger | 3,342 | 27.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,413 | 44.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,097 | 48.0 | N/A |
| | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||