# Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)

Colchester is a constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Pam Cox, of the Labour party.
The seat was previously held by Conservative MP Will Quince who announced in June 2023 that he would not be standing for re-election.

## Constituency profile

Once the basis for one or two semi-rural seats, the modern-day Colchester constituency is a compact, urban core, containing the city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods.
The present Colchester constituency most closely resembles the old seat of Colchester North, which was held by the Conservative Bernard Jenkin from 1992 to 1997.
The seat has one of Britain's largest residential military populations.

## History

The Parliamentary Borough of Colchester had sent two members to the Parliament of England since the Model Parliament of 1295 until 1707, then to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. In 1885, it was one of 36 English boroughs and three Irish boroughs to have its representation reduced to one under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the Parliamentary Borough was abolished and replaced with a Division of the County of Essex (later a County Constituency).
The revised constituency remained virtually unchanged until it was briefly abolished for the 1983 general election following the Third Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies, but re-established for the 1997 general election as a Borough Constituency by the Fourth Review.
In 1997, the vote was split three ways with the Liberal Democrat candidate Bob Russell winning with a small majority. Russell increased his votes and percentage share in next three elections. In the 2010 election this was the only non-Conservative seat in Essex. Russell was defeated in the 2015 general election by Conservative Will Quince, by an 11.5% majority. In the 2017 election Quince was re-elected by a slightly decreased margin by percentage (10.6%), with Labour moving into 2nd place after a substantial increase in their vote. In the 2019 election, Quince increased his majority to 9,423 or 17.6% in percentage terms. The seat lost the ward of Old Heath and The Hythe in the 2023 Boundary Commission review but despite this, Colchester was won by Labour for the first time since 1945 in the 2024 United Kingdom general election with Pam Cox as the new MP. The Liberal Democrats came fourth, narrowly behind Reform UK.

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

* The Borough of Colchester; and
* The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree except the detached part of the parish of Inworth which was wholly surrounded by the parishes of Great Braxted and Kelvedon.
The area comprising the Rural District of Lexden and Winstree had largely been part of the Harwich Division.

### 1950–1983

* The Borough of Colchester;
* The Urban District of West Mersea; and
* The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree.
No changes (the Urban District of West Mersea had been formed as a separate local authority in 1926).
For the 1983 general election, the constituency was abolished, with the northern parts (comprising the majority) forming the bulk of the new constituency of North Colchester. Southern areas were included in the new constituency of South Colchester and Maldon.

### 1997–2010

* The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Harbour, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, St Mary's, Shrub End, and Stanway.
Re-established as a Borough Constituency from parts of the abolished constituencies of South Colchester and Maldon (Berechurch, Harbour, New Town, Prettygate and Shrub End wards) and North Colchester (remaining wards).

### 2010–2024

* The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Christ Church, Harbour, Highwoods, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, and Shrub End.
Local authority wards redistributed. Minor reduction in electorate, with Stanway ward being included in the new constituency of Witham.

### 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 City of Colchester wards of: Castle; Greenstead; Highwoods; Lexden & Braiswick (polling districts AQ, AS and AT); Mile End; New Town & Christ Church; Prettygate; St. Anne’s & St. John’s; Shrub End.
The revised contents closely correspond to the previous boundaries, with the exception of the Old Heath and The Hythe areas to the south east of the city centre, which are now included in Harwich and North Essex.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1295–1640

| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1312 | Joseph Elianore |
| 1386 | Thomas Francis | Ralph Algar |
| 1388 (Feb) | Thomas Francis | Simon Fordham |
| 1388 (Sep) | Ralph Algar | Simon Fordham |
| 1390 (Jan) | Thomas Francis | Simon Fordham |
| 1390 (Nov) | |
| 1391 | Thomas Francis | John Christian |
| 1393 | William Mate | John Christian |
| 1394 | |
| 1395 | Thomas Francis | John Christian |
| 1397 (Jan) | Henry Boss | John Seaburgh |
| 1397 (Sep) | |
| 1399 | Thomas Francis | Thomas Godstone |
| 1401 | |
| 1402 | Henry Boss | Thomas Godstone |
| 1404 (Jan) | |
| 1404 (Oct) | |
| 1406 | Henry Boss | William Mate |
| 1407 | Thomas Godstone | William Mate |
| 1410 | |
| 1411 | Thomas Godstone | John Pod |
| 1413 (Feb) | |
| 1413 (May) | Thomas Godstone | Thomas Francis |
| 1414 (Apr) | |
| 1414 (Nov) | Thomas Godstone | Simon Mate |
| 1415 | |
| 1416 (Mar) | John Ford | John Sumpter |
| 1416 (Oct) | |
| 1417 | Thomas Godstone | John Ford |
| 1419 | Thomas Godstone | John Sumpter |
| 1420 | Thomas Godstone | John Kimberley |
| 1421 (May) | Thomas Godstone | John Kimberley |
| 1421 (Dec) | Thomas Godstone | William Nottingham |
| 1485 | Thomas Christmas | John Vertue |
| 1510 | No names known |
| 1512 | ?John Clere | ?John Makin |
| 1515 | ?John Clere | ?John Makin |
| 1523 | Thomas Audley | Ambrose Lowth |
| 1529 | Sir John Raynsford | Richard Rich |
| 1536 | ? |
| 1539 | ? |
| 1542 | ? |
| 1545 | John Lucas | Benjamin Clere |
| 1547 | John Ryther | John Lucas |
| 1553 (Mar) | Sir Francis Jobson | ?John Lucas |
| 1553 (Oct) | John Lucas | John Best |
| 1554 (Apr) | Sir Francis Jobson | William Cardinall |
| 1554 (Nov) | George Sayer | Robert Browne |
| 1555 | Sir Francis Jobson | John Hering |
| 1558 | George Christmas | Thomas Lucas |
| 1559 | Sir Francis Jobson | William Cardinall |
| 1562/3 | Sir Francis Jobson | William Cardinall |
| 1571 | Henry Golding | Francis Harvey |
| 1572 | Robert Christmas | Henry Golding, died and repl, 1576 by Nicholas Clere, who alao died and was repl. 1579 by Robert Middleton |
| 1584 | James Morice | Francis Harvey |
| 1586 | James Morice | Francis Harvey |
| 1588 | James Morice | Arthur Throckmorton |
| 1593 | James Morice | Martin Bessell |
| 1597 | Richard Symnell | Robert Barker |
| 1601 | Robert Barker | Richard Symnell |
| 1604–1611 | Robert Barker | Edward Alford |
| 1614 | Robert Barker | Edward Alford |
| 1621–1622 | Edward Alford | William Towse |
| 1624 | Edward Alford | William Towse |
| 1625 | Sir Robert Quarles | William Towse |
| 1626 | Edward Alford | William Towse |
| 1628 | Sir Thomas Cheek | Edward Alford repl. on petition by Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet |
| 1639–1640 | No Parliaments summoned | No Parliaments summoned |

### MPs 1640–1885

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | (Sir) Harbottle Grimston | Parliamentarian | | Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet | |
| November 1640 | | (Sir) Harbottle Grimston | Parliamentarian | | Sir Thomas Barrington | Parliamentarian |
| September 1644 | | (Sir) Harbottle Grimston | Parliamentarian | Barrington died September 1644 - seat vacant | Barrington died September 1644 - seat vacant | Barrington died September 1644 - seat vacant |
| 1645 | | (Sir) Harbottle Grimston | Parliamentarian | | John Sayer | |
| December 1648 | Grimston excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Grimston excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Grimston excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Sayer not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge | Sayer not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge | Sayer not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge |
| 1653 | Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament |
| 1654 | | Colonel John Barkstead | | | John Maidstone | |
| 1656 | | Henry Lawrence | | | John Maidstone | |
| January 1659 | | Abraham Johnson | | | John Shaw | |
| May 1659 | | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump |
| April 1660 | | Sir Harbottle Grimston | | | John Shaw | |
| 1679 | | Sir Harbottle Grimston | | | Sir Walter Clarges, Bt | |
| 1681 | | Sir Harbottle Grimston | | | Samuel Reynolds | |
| 1685 | | Sir Walter Clarges | | | Nathaniel Lawrence | |
| 1689 | | Samuel Reynolds | | | Isaac Rebow | |
| 1690 | | Samuel Reynolds | | | Edward Cary | |
| 1692 | | Samuel Reynolds | | | Sir Isaac Rebow | |
| 1694 | | Sir Thomas Cooke | | | Sir Isaac Rebow | |
| 1695 | | Sir John Morden, Bt | | | Sir Isaac Rebow | |
| 1698 | | Sir Thomas Cooke | | | Sir Isaac Rebow | |
| May 1705 | | Edward Bullock | | | Sir Isaac Rebow | |
| December 1705 | | Sir Thomas Webster, Bt | | | Sir Isaac Rebow | |
| 1711 | | William Gore | | | Sir Isaac Rebow | |
| 1713 | | Sir Thomas Webster, Bt | | | Sir Isaac Rebow | |
| 1714 | | William Gore | | | Nicholas Corsellis | |
| 1715 | | Richard Du Cane | Whig | | Sir Isaac Rebow | Whig |
| 1722 | | Sir Thomas Webster | Whig | | Matthew Martin | Whig |
| 1727 | | Stamp Brooksbank | Whig | | Samuel Tufnell | Whig |
| 1734 | | Isaac Lemyng Rebow | Whig | | Matthew Martin | Whig |
| 1735 | | Jacob Houblon | Tory | | Matthew Martin | Whig |
| 1741 | | John Olmius | Whig | | Matthew Martin | Whig |
| 1742 | | Samuel Savill | | | Charles Gray | Tory |
| 1747 | | Richard Savage Nassau | | | Charles Gray | Tory |
| 1754 | | John Olmius | Whig | | Charles Gray | Tory |
| 1755 | | John Olmius | Whig | | Isaac Martin Rebow | Whig |
| 1761 | | Charles Gray | Tory | | Isaac Martin Rebow | Whig |
| 1780 | | Sir Robert Smyth, Bt | Radical Whig | | Isaac Martin Rebow | Whig |
| 1781 | | Sir Robert Smyth, Bt | Radical Whig | | Christopher Potter | |
| 1782 | | Sir Robert Smyth, Bt | Radical Whig | | Sir Edmund Affleck, Bt | |
| April 1784 | | Christopher Potter | | | Sir Edmund Affleck, Bt | |
| July 1784 | | Sir Robert Smyth, Bt | Radical | | Sir Edmund Affleck, Bt | |
| 1788 | | Sir Robert Smyth, Bt | Radical | | George Tierney | Radical |
| 1790 | | Robert Thornton | Tory | | George Jackson | Tory |
| 1796 | | Robert Thornton | Tory | | The Lord Muncaster | Tory |
| 1802 | | Robert Thornton | Tory | | John Denison | Tory |
| 1806 | | Robert Thornton | Tory | | William Tufnell | Whig |
| 1807 | | Robert Thornton | Tory | | Richard Hart Davis | Tory |
| 1812 | | Robert Thornton | Tory | | Hart Davis | Tory |
| 1817 | | Sir William Burroughs, Bt | Tory | | Hart Davis | Tory |
| February 1818 | | Sir William Burroughs, Bt | Tory | | James Beckford Wildman | Tory |
| June 1818 | | Daniel Whittle Harvey | Radical | | James Beckford Wildman | Tory |
| 1820 | | Henry Baring | Tory | | James Beckford Wildman | Tory |
| 1826 | | Daniel Whittle Harvey | Radical | | Sir George Smyth, Bt | Tory |
| 1829 | | Daniel Whittle Harvey | Radical | | Richard Sanderson | Tory |
| 1830 | | Daniel Whittle Harvey | Radical | | Andrew Spottiswoode | Tory |
| 1831 | | Daniel Whittle Harvey | Radical | | William Mayhew | Whig |
| 1832 | | Daniel Whittle Harvey | Radical | | Richard Sanderson | Tory |
| 1834 | | Daniel Whittle Harvey | Radical | | Richard Sanderson | Conservative |
| 1835 | | Sir George Smyth, Bt | Conservative | | Richard Sanderson | Conservative |
| 1847 | | Sir George Smyth, Bt | Conservative | | Joseph Hardcastle | Whig |
| 1850 | | Lord John Manners | Conservative | | Joseph Hardcastle | Whig |
| 1852 | | Lord John Manners | Conservative | | William Warwick Hawkins | Conservative |
| February 1857 | | John Gurdon Rebow | Radical | | William Warwick Hawkins | Conservative |
| March 1857 | | John Gurdon Rebow | Radical | | Taverner John Miller | Conservative |
| 1859 | | Philip Oxenden Papillon | Conservative | | Taverner John Miller | Conservative |
| 1865 | | John Gurdon Rebow | Liberal | | Taverner John Miller | Conservative |
| 1867 | | John Gurdon Rebow | Liberal | | Edward Karslake | Conservative |
| 1868 | | John Gurdon Rebow | Liberal | | William Brewer | Liberal |
| 1870 | | Alexander Learmonth | Conservative | | William Brewer | Liberal |
| 1874 | | Alexander Learmonth | Conservative | | Herbert Mackworth-Praed | Conservative |
| 1880 | | Richard Causton | Liberal | | William Willis | Liberal |
| 1885 | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member |