# Hemel Hempstead (UK Parliament constituency)

Hemel Hempstead is a constituency in Hertfordshire represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system. Since 2024, it has been represented by David Taylor of the Labour Party.

## Constituency profile

In its current form (post-2024 boundary changes), the seat covers the new town of Hemel Hempstead which is a significant employment centre, as well as a rural area of the Chilterns to the south-west, including the villages of Bovingdon and Flaunden. Residents are slightly wealthier than the UK average.

## History

The constituency was established as a Division of Hertfordshire by the Representation of the People Act 1918, largely created from the northern half of the Watford Division, including Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring. It also included north-western part of the St Albans Division, around Harpenden.
Harpenden was transferred back to St Albans in 1974 and the constituency was temporarily abolished from 1983 to 1997 during which time it was replaced by West Hertfordshire.

## Boundaries and boundary changes
### 1918–1950

* The Municipal Borough of Hemel Hempstead;
* The Urban Districts of Berkhamsted, Harpenden, and Tring;
* The Rural Districts of Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead;
* The Rural District of St Albans parishes of Harpenden Rural, Redbourn, and Wheathampstead; and
* The Rural District of Watford parishes of Abbots Langley and Sarratt.

### 1950–1974

* The Municipal Borough of Hemel Hempstead
* The Urban Districts of Berkhamsted, Harpenden, and Tring;
* The Rural Districts of Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead; and
* The Rural District of St Albans parishes of Harpenden Rural and Redbourn.
Wheathampstead was transferred back to St Albans. Abbots Langley and Sarratt now included in the new constituency of South West Hertfordshire.

### 1974–1983

* The Municipal Borough of Hemel Hempstead;
* The Urban Districts of Berkhamsted and Tring; and
* The Rural Districts of Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead.
Harpenden and the part of the parishes of Harpenden Rural and Redbourn were transferred back to St Albans.
The constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election. Berkhamsted and the area to the south of Hemel Hempstead, including Kings Langley, was transferred to South West Hertfordshire. The remainder, including Hemel Hempstead and Tring, formed the new constituency of West Hertfordshire.

### 1997–2010

* The District of Dacorum wards of Adeyfield East, Adeyfield West, Ashridge, Bennetts End, Boxmoor, Central, Chaulden, Crabtree, Cupid Green, Flamstead and Markyate, Gadebridge, Grove Hill, Highfield, Kings Langley, Leverstock Green, Nash Mills, South, and Warners End.
Re-established for the 1997 general election from the bulk of the abolished County Constituency of West Hertfordshire (excluding Tring). Kings Langley transferred back from South West Hertfordshire.

### 2010–2024

* The District of Dacorum wards of Adeyfield East, Adeyfield West, Apsley, Ashridge, Bennetts End, Boxmoor, Chaulden and Shrubhill, Corner Hall, Gadebridge, Grove Hill, Hemel Hempstead Central, Highfield and St Paul's, Kings Langley, Leverstock Green, Nash Mills, Warners End, Watling, and Woodhall.
Minor loss to South West Hertfordshire following revision of local authority wards.

### Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
* The District of Dacorum wards of: Adeyfield East; Adeyfield West; Apsley and Corner Hall; Bennetts End; Bovingdon, Flaunden and Chipperfield; Boxmoor; Chaulden and Warners End; Gadebridge; Grovehill; Hemel Hempstead Town; Highfield; Leverstock Green; Nash Mills; Woodhall Farm.
Moderate changes, with Kings Langley being transferred to South West Hertfordshire, in exchange for the rural Bovingdon, Flaunden and Chipperfield ward. The rural Ashridge and Watling wards to the north were moved to the newly created seat of Harpenden and Berkhamsted.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs, 1918–1983

Watford and St Albans prior to 1918
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | Gustavus Talbot | Coalition Conservative |
| 1920 | JCC Davidson | Coalition Conservative |
| 1923 | John Freeman Dunn | Liberal |
| 1924 | JCC Davidson | Conservative |
| 1937 by-election | Viscountess Davidson | Conservative |
| 1959 | James Allason | Conservative |
| October 1974 | Robin Corbett | Labour |
| 1979 | Nicholas Lyell | Conservative |

### MPs, 1997–present

West Hertfordshire prior to 1997
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1997 | Tony McWalter | Labour Co-operative |
| 2005 | Sir Mike Penning | Conservative |
| 2024 | David Taylor | Labour |

## Election results since 1997
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Taylor | 16,844 | 38.2 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Williams | 11,987 | 27.2 | −27.8 |
| | Reform UK | Noel Willcox | 7,689 | 17.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sammy Barry-Mears | 5,096 | 11.6 | +0.2 |
| | Green | Sherief Hassan | 2,492 | 5.6 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,857 | 11.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,108 | 62.1 | –7.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,038 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 18.9 | |
* Jaymey McIvor was originally selected as the Conservative candidate, but was suspended by the party "pending the outcome of an investigation."

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 26,963 | 55.0 |
| | Labour | 13,802 | 28.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 5,569 | 11.4 |
| | Green | 1,432 | 2.9 |
| | Others | 1,299 | 2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 49,065 | 69.6 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 70,496 |
General election 2019: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Penning | 28,968 | 56.5 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | Nabila Ahmed | 14,405 | 28.1 | −8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sammy Barry | 6,317 | 12.3 | +6.1 |
| | Green | Sherief Hassan | 1,581 | 3.1 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,563 | 28.4 | +10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,271 | 69.5 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.2 | |
General election 2017: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Penning | 28,735 | 55.0 | +2.1 |
| | Labour | Mandi Tattershall | 19,290 | 36.9 | +13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sally Symington | 3,233 | 6.2 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Sherief Hassan | 1,024 | 2.0 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,445 | 18.1 | −11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,282 | 69.7 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −5.5 | |
General election 2015: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Penning | 26,245 | 52.9 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | Tony Breslin | 11,825 | 23.8 | +3.0 |
| | UKIP | Howard Koch | 7,249 | 14.6 | +12.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rabi Martins | 2,402 | 4.8 | −18.1 |
| | Green | Alan Borgars | 1,660 | 3.3 | New |
| | Independent | Brian Hall | 252 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,420 | 29.1 | +2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,633 | 66.5 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 2010: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Penning | 24,721 | 50.0 | +9.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Grayson | 11,315 | 22.9 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | Ayfer Orhan | 10,295 | 20.8 | −18.9 |
| | BNP | Janet Price | 1,615 | 3.3 | New |
| | UKIP | David Alexander | 1,254 | 2.5 | −0.7 |
| | Independent | Mick Young | 271 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,406 | 27.1 | +26.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,471 | 68.0 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +14.4 | |
This was the highest swing from Labour to Conservative in the 2010 general election.

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Penning | 19,000 | 40.3 | +1.8 |
| | Labour Co-op | Tony McWalter | 18,501 | 39.3 | −7.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Grayson | 8,089 | 17.2 | +4.4 |
| | UKIP | Barry Newton | 1,518 | 3.2 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 499 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,108 | 64.4 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour Co-op | Conservative gain from Labour Co-op | Swing | +4.6 | |
General election 2001: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Tony McWalter | 21,389 | 46.6 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | Paul Ivey | 17,647 | 38.5 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Stuart | 5,877 | 12.8 | +0.5 |
| | UKIP | Barry Newton | 970 | 2.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,742 | 8.1 | +1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,883 | 62.3 | −14.3 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +0.8 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour Co-op | Tony McWalter | 25,175 | 45.7 |
| | Conservative | Robert Jones | 21,539 | 39.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Lindsley | 6,789 | 12.3 |
| | Referendum | Peter Such | 1,327 | 2.4 |
| | Natural Law | Diana M. Harding | 262 | 0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,636 | 6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,092 | 76.6 |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Swing | |

## Election results 1918–1979
### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Lyell | 37,953 | 48.73 | |
| | Labour | Robin Corbett | 32,964 | 42.33 | |
| | Liberal | David John Howard Penwarden | 6,314 | 8.11 | |
| | National Front | T Walters | 649 | 0.83 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,989 | 6.40 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77,880 | 84.80 | +3.10 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robin Corbett | 29,223 | 42.69 | |
| | Conservative | James Allason | 28,738 | 41.98 | |
| | Liberal | CAM Baron | 10,497 | 15.33 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 485 | 0.71 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 68,458 | 81.70 | −3.53 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | James Allason | 27,572 | 39.03 |
| | Labour | Robin Corbett | 27,385 | 38.77 |
| | Liberal | CAM Baron | 15,682 | 22.20 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 187 | 0.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70,639 | 85.23 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1970: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Allason | 40,417 | 51.98 | |
| | Labour | Peter A. Fletcher | 28,067 | 36.10 | |
| | Liberal | A. John Wilson | 9,274 | 11.93 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,350 | 15.88 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77,758 | 78.10 | −6.61 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Allason | 31,742 | 44.45 | |
| | Labour | Robin Corbett | 29,704 | 41.59 | |
| | Liberal | A. John Whiteside | 9,970 | 13.96 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,038 | 2.86 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 71,416 | 84.71 | +0.19 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | James Allason | 31,119 | 44.85 |
| | Labour | Gilbert D. Hitchcock | 26,273 | 37.87 |
| | Liberal | A. John Whiteside | 11,986 | 17.28 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,846 | 6.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 69,378 | 84.52 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | James Allason | 30,189 | 49.90 |
| | Labour | Bernard Floud | 21,954 | 36.29 |
| | Liberal | Margaret Neilson | 8,358 | 13.81 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,235 | 13.61 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70,501 | 85.26 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1955: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frances Davidson | 25,648 | 51.02 | |
| | Labour | Norman MacKenzie | 19,512 | 38.81 | |
| | Liberal | Edwin Saich | 5,111 | 10.17 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,136 | 12.21 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,271 | 83.77 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Frances Davidson | 25,620 | 58.44 |
| | Labour | Norman MacKenzie | 18,220 | 41.56 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,400 | 16.88 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,840 | 83.80 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1950: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Frances Davidson | 22,022 | 50.18 |
| | Labour | Reg Moss | 15,165 | 34.56 |
| | Liberal | Peter Arthur Stevens | 6,696 | 15.26 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,857 | 15.62 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,883 | 85.07 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frances Davidson | 19,536 | 44.2 | −13.5 |
| | Labour | DW Mobbs | 14,426 | 32.6 | +18.6 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Alfred Trotter | 10,219 | 23.1 | −5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,110 | 11.6 | −17.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,181 | 71.0 | +16.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -16.0 | |
General Election 1939–40: Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Frances Davidson
* Liberal: Ian Davidson
* Labour: A W Harper

### Elections in the 1930s

1937 Hemel Hempstead by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frances Davidson | 14,992 | 57.7 | −4.8 |
| | Liberal | Margery Corbett Ashby | 7,347 | 28.3 | +6.3 |
| | Labour | Charles William James | 3,651 | 14.0 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,645 | 29.4 | −11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,990 | 55.0 | −14.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.6 | |
General election 1935: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. C. C. Davidson | 20,074 | 62.5 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal | Margery Corbett Ashby | 7,078 | 22.0 | −2.6 |
| | Labour | Charles William James | 4,951 | 15.4 | +7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,996 | 40.5 | −1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,103 | 69.3 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
General election 1931: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. C. C. Davidson | 21,946 | 67.2 | +17.4 |
| | Liberal | Charles Thomas Le Quesne | 8,021 | 24.6 | −13.7 |
| | Labour | Albert E.R. Millar | 2,677 | 8.2 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,925 | 42.6 | +31.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,644 | 77.2 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | J. C. C. Davidson | 15,145 | 49.8 | −7.8 |
| | Liberal | Charles Thomas Le Quesne | 11,631 | 38.3 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Albert E.R. Millar | 3,624 | 11.9 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,514 | 11.5 | −10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,400 | 78.0 | −2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 38,957 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −5.3 | |
General election 1924: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | J. C. C. Davidson | 12,985 | 57.6 | +27.6 |
| | Liberal | John Freeman Dunn | 7,994 | 35.5 | −14.5 |
| | Labour | Amy Sayle | 1,553 | 6.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,991 | 22.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,532 | 80.2 | +14.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 28,106 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +21.1 | |
General election 1923: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Freeman Dunn | 8,892 | 50.0 | New |
| | Unionist | J. C. C. Davidson | 8,875 | 50.0 | −17.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 0.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,767 | 65.8 | −0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 26,990 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1922: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | J. C. C. Davidson | 11,847 | 67.4 | −10.2 |
| | Labour | John Harper Clynes | 5,726 | 32.6 | +10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,121 | 34.8 | −20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,573 | 66.0 | +15.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 26,627 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −10.2 | |
1920 Hemel Hempstead by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | J. C. C. Davidson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Hemel Hempstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Gustavus Arthur Talbot | 10,070 | 77.6 | |
| | Labour | Jesse Hawkes | 2,913 | 22.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,157 | 55.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,983 | 50.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 25,752 | | |
| | 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. ||||||