# Witney (UK Parliament constituency)

Witney is a county constituency in Oxfordshire represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election, and was created for the 1983 general election.
Historically a safe Conservative Party seat for the most part of its existence, it has been represented since 2024 by Charles Maynard of the Liberal Democrats. From 2001 to 2016, the constituency was represented by David Cameron, who was the prime minister from 2010 until his resignation in 2016, and the Leader of the Conservative Party (2005–2016).

## History

In the late 19th century, the Bampton East petty sessional division, with Witney at its heart, formed one part of the Woodstock constituency.
Until 1974, much of the seat remained as part of the Woodstock and latterly Banbury constituency. From 1974 to 1983, the area was included in the Mid Oxfordshire seat along with parts of Bullingdon and Ploughley. Since 1983, Witney has been a full parliamentary seat in its own right and comprises the whole of the District of West Oxfordshire with surrounding villages attached until 1997.
Carterton is the second-largest populated town with 14,000 and is situated alongside RAF Brize Norton which is vital to the local economy, being one of the largest and busiest Royal Air Force stations in the country.
The constituency's first MP was Douglas Hurd, who served as a cabinet minister under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and retired in 1997. Hurd was succeeded by Shaun Woodward at the 1997 general election. However, Woodward defected to the Labour Party in 1999, and Witney unexpectedly had a Labour MP. Woodward chose not to stand in Witney as a Labour candidate at the next general election and moved to the Labour safe seat of St Helens South instead, following the practice of Alan Howarth in 1997.
At the 2001 general election, David Cameron was elected as MP for Witney. Cameron was re-elected to a fourth term as MP for the constituency at the 2015 general election with a majority of 25,155, the highest in his political career; on that occasion, his Conservative Party won a surprise overall majority in the House of Commons, taking 330 seats to the opposition Labour Party's 232. However, on 24 June 2016, Cameron announced that he would resign as prime minister by that October due to the outcome of the EU Referendum the previous day, in which 51.9% of those who voted supported leaving the EU. Accordingly, Cameron stepped down as premier that July, on the election of Theresa May as Conservative Party leader and prime minister. On 12 September 2016, it was announced that Cameron would resign as MP for Witney. This triggered a by-election, which was won by Robert Courts, also a Conservative, albeit with a significantly reduced majority. His vote share subsequently rose to 55% at both the 2017 and 2019 general elections.
Before the 2019 general election, the Liberal Democrats and Green Party agreed not to run against each other as part of a "Unite to Remain" alliance. This led to Andrew Prosser, who had been selected as the Green Party's prospective candidate standing down.
At the 2024 general election, Courts was defeated by the Liberal Democrat candidate, Charles Maynard, on a notional swing of over 20%.

## Boundaries and boundary changes
### 1983–1997

* The District of West Oxfordshire wards of Ascott and Shipton, Aston Bampton and Standlake, Bampton, Bladon and Cassington, Brize Norton and Curbridge, Burford, Carterton North, Carterton South, Chadlington, Charlbury, Chipping Norton, Clanfield and Shilton, Combe and Stonesfield, Ducklington, Enstone, Eynsham, Filkins and Langford, Finstock and Leafield, Freeland and Hanborough, Hailey, Kingham, Milton-under-Wychwood, Minster Lovell, North Leigh, Rollright, Stanton Harcourt, Witney East, Witney North, Witney South, Witney West, and Woodstock; and
* The District of Cherwell wards of Gosford, North West Kidlington, South East Kidlington, and Yarnton.
The new constituency was largely formed from the majority of the abolished constituency of Mid-Oxon, including the settlements of Witney, Carterton, Woodstock and Kidlington. Chipping Norton and surrounding rural areas were transferred from the Banbury constituency.

### 1997–2010

* The District of West Oxfordshire; and
* The District of Cherwell ward of Yarnton.
The remaining two wards of the District of West Oxfordshire (Bartons, and Tackley and Wooton) were transferred from Banbury. Kidlington transferred to Oxford West and Abingdon.

### 2010–2024

* The District of West Oxfordshire.
Under the Fifth periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the District of Cherwell ward of Yarnton was transferred to Oxford West and Abingdon.

### 2024–present

Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
* The District of Vale of White Horse wards of: Faringdon; Kingston Bagpuize; Thames; Watchfield & Shrivenham.
* The District of West Oxfordshire wards of: Alvescot and Filkins; Ascott and Shipton; Bampton and Clanfield; Brize Norton and Shilton; Burford; Carterton North East; Carterton North West; Carterton South; Ducklington; Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield; Milton-under-Wychwood; Standlake, Aston and Stanton Harcourt; Witney Central; Witney East; Witney North; Witney South; Witney West.
Major changes, with Chipping Norton and Charlbury transferred to Banbury, and Woodstock and surrounding areas included in the newly created constituency of Bicester and Woodstock. Partly offset by the transfer in of parts of the District of Vale of White Horse previously in the Wantage constituency, including the town of Faringdon.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | Douglas Hurd | Conservative |
| 1997 | Shaun Woodward | Conservative |
| 1999 | Shaun Woodward | Labour |
| 2001 | David Cameron | Conservative |
| 2016 by-election | Robert Courts | Conservative |
| 2024 | Charles Maynard | Liberal Democrats |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charles Maynard | 20,832 | 41.2 | +15.2 |
| | Conservative | Robert Courts | 16,493 | 32.6 | −25.5 |
| | Reform UK | Richard Langridge | 6,307 | 12.5 | +12.5 |
| | Labour | Antonio Weiss | 4,773 | 9.4 | −6.0 |
| | Green | Andrew Prosser | 1,661 | 3.3 | New |
| | Independent | Barry Ingleton | 350 | 0.7 | New |
| | Heritage | David Cox | 168 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,339 | 8.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,584 | 67.1 | −2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,448 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +20.4 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 28,355 | 58.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 12,681 | 26.0 |
| | Labour | 7,520 | 15.4 |
| | Others | 274 | 0.6 |
| | Brexit Party | 9 | <0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 48,839 | 69.7 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 70,042 |
General election 2019: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Courts | 33,856 | 55.2 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charlotte Hoagland | 18,679 | 30.5 | +10.1 |
| | Labour Co-op | Rosa Bolger | 8,770 | 14.3 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,177 | 24.7 | −10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,305 | 73.1 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −5.2 | |
General election 2017: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Courts | 33,839 | 55.5 | −4.7 |
| | Labour | Laetisia Carter | 12,598 | 20.7 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Leffman | 12,457 | 20.4 | +13.6 |
| | Green | Claire Lasko | 1,053 | 1.7 | −3.4 |
| | UKIP | Alan Craig | 980 | 1.6 | −7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,241 | 34.8 | −8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,927 | 73.6 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.1 | |
By-election 2016: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Courts | 17,313 | 45.0 | −15.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Leffman | 11,611 | 30.2 | +23.4 |
| | Labour | Duncan Enright | 5,765 | 15.0 | −2.2 |
| | Green | Larry Sanders | 1,363 | 3.5 | −1.6 |
| | UKIP | Dickie Bird | 1,354 | 3.5 | −5.7 |
| | NHA | Helen Salisbury | 433 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| | Independent | Daniel Skidmore | 151 | 0.4 | New |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Mad Hatter | 129 | 0.3 | New |
| | Independent | Nicholas Ward | 93 | 0.2 | New |
| | Bus-Pass Elvis | David Bishop | 61 | 0.2 | New |
| | Eccentric Party | Lord Toby Jug | 59 | 0.2 | New |
| | English Democrat | Winston McKenzie | 52 | 0.1 | New |
| | One Love | Emilia Arno | 44 | 0.1 | New |
| | Independent | Adam Knight | 27 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,702 | 14.8 | −28.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,455 | 46.8 | −26.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −19.3 | |
General election 2015: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Cameron | 35,201 | 60.2 | +1.4 |
| | Labour | Duncan Enright | 10,046 | 17.2 | +4.2 |
| | UKIP | Simon Strutt | 5,352 | 9.2 | +5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Graham | 3,953 | 6.8 | −12.6 |
| | Green | Stuart MacDonald | 2,970 | 5.1 | +1.0 |
| | NHA | Clive Peedell | 616 | 1.1 | New |
| | Wessex Regionalist | Colin Bex | 110 | 0.2 | +0.1 |
| | Independent | Christopher Tompson | 94 | 0.2 | New |
| | Reduce VAT in Sport | Vivien Saunders | 56 | 0.1 | New |
| | Give Me Back Elmo | Bobby Smith | 37 | 0.1 | New |
| | Land Party | Deek Jackson | 35 | 0.1 | New |
| | Independent | Nathan Handley | 12 | 0.02 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25,155 | 43.0 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,482 | 73.3 | 0.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.4 | |
General election 2010: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Cameron | 33,973 | 58.8 | +9.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dawn Barnes | 11,233 | 19.4 | −3.1 |
| | Labour | Joe Goldberg | 7,511 | 13.0 | −9.4 |
| | Green | Stuart MacDonald | 2,385 | 4.1 | +1.0 |
| | UKIP | Nikolai Tolstoy | 2,001 | 3.5 | +0.9 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Howling Laud Hope | 234 | 0.3 | New |
| | Independent | Paul Wesson | 166 | 0.3 | New |
| | Independent | Johnnie Cook | 151 | 0.3 | New |
| | Wessex Regionalist | Colin Bex | 62 | 0.1 | New |
| | Independent | Aaron Barschak | 53 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,740 | 39.4 | +12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,769 | 73.3 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.3 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Cameron | 26,571 | 49.3 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Leffman | 12,415 | 23.0 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | Tony Gray | 11,845 | 22.0 | −6.8 |
| | Green | Richard Dossett-Davies | 1,682 | 3.2 | +1.0 |
| | UKIP | Paul Wesson | 1,356 | 2.5 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,156 | 26.3 | +10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,869 | 69.0 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
General election 2001: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Cameron | 22,153 | 45.0 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | Michael Bartlet | 14,180 | 28.8 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gareth Epps | 10,000 | 20.3 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Mark Stevenson | 1,100 | 2.2 | +1.1 |
| | Independent | Barry Beadle | 1,003 | 2.0 | New |
| | UKIP | Kenneth Dukes | 767 | 1.6 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,973 | 16.2 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,203 | 65.9 | −10.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Shaun Woodward | 24,282 | 43.0 | −14.8 |
| | Labour | Alexander Hollingsworth | 17,254 | 30.6 | +12.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Angela Lawrence | 11,202 | 19.9 | −2.7 |
| | Referendum | Geoffrey Brown | 2,262 | 4.0 | New |
| | UKIP | Michael Montgomery | 765 | 1.4 | New |
| | Green | Sue Chapple-Perrie | 636 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,028 | 12.4 | −27.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,401 | 76.7 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −13.7 | |
General election 1992: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Hurd | 36,256 | 56.4 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | James Plaskitt | 13,688 | 21.3 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Blair | 13,393 | 20.8 | −5.0 |
| | Green | Charlotte Beckford | 716 | 1.1 | New |
| | Natural Law | Sally Catling | 134 | 0.2 | New |
| | Ind. Conservative | Marilyn Brown | 119 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,568 | 35.1 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,306 | 81.9 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.8 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Hurd | 33,458 | 57.5 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | Muriel Burton | 14,994 | 25.8 | −5.0 |
| | Labour | Christine Collette | 9,733 | 16.7 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,464 | 31.7 | +7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,185 | 77.3 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 | |
General election 1983: Witney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Hurd | 28,695 | 55.4 | |
| | Liberal | Philip Baston | 15,983 | 30.8 | |
| | Labour | Carole Douse | 7,145 | 13.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,712 | 24.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,823 | 74.7 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |