# Cheltenham (UK Parliament constituency)

Cheltenham (/ˈtʃɛltənəm/) is a constituency in Gloucestershire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1832. As with all constituencies, it elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years. Since 2024, its MP has been Max Wilkinson of the Liberal Democrats.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

The constituency is based on the town of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, covering a different, slightly smaller area than the borough of the same name. It is bordered by the Tewkesbury and North Cotswolds seats.
1885–1918: The existing parliamentary borough, and so much of the parish of Charlton Kings as lay to the north of the railway from Cheltenham to Banbury.
1918–1950: The Municipal Borough of Cheltenham and the Urban District of Charlton Kings.
1950–1983: As 1918 but with redrawn boundaries.
1983–1997: The Borough of Cheltenham, and the Borough of Tewkesbury wards of Leckhampton with Up Hatherley, Prestbury St Mary's, and Prestbury St Nicolas.
    Leckhampton, Up Hatherley and Prestbury were added to the seat from the Cirencester and Tewkesbury constituency; they had previously been in the abolished Cheltenham Rural District.
1997–2010: The Borough of Cheltenham wards of All Saints, Charlton Kings, College, Hatherley and The Reddings, Hesters Way, Lansdown, Park, Pittville, St Mark's, St Paul's, and St Peter's.
    Leckhampton, Up Hatherley and Prestbury were transferred to the new Tewkesbury constituency; they had been incorporated into the redrawn Borough of Cheltenham in 1991.
2010–2024: The Borough of Cheltenham wards of All Saints, Battledown, Benhall and The Reddings$^1$, Charlton Kings, Charlton Park, College, Hesters Way, Lansdown, Leckhampton, Oakley, Park, Pittville, St Mark's, St Paul's, St Peter's, Springbank, Up Hatherley, and Warden Hill.
    Leckhampton and Up Hatherley were transferred back from the Tewkesbury constituency.
2024–present: As above minus Springbank ward.
$^1$ Renamed Benhall, The Reddings & Fiddler's Green by a local government boundary review which became effective in May 2024.
    Reduced to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the Springbank ward to the Tewkesbury constituency.

## Constituency profile

Famous for its racecourse which hosts the annual Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, with a long-established girls' school and right at the edge of the Cotswold Hills, Cheltenham has a large tourism sector. GE Aviation is a large employer and GCHQ, the government communications centre, is here, so numbers of highly skilled workers and professionals (47.5% in the year ended September 2014) are well above the national average (44.6%). One of the West of England's most upmarket towns, the few neighbourhoods of medium levels in the Index of Multiple Deprivation are almost wholly in Hester's Way ward which has the most social housing. About 10% of the electorate are students at the University of Gloucestershire just outside the compact town centre.

## History

Cheltenham borough constituency was created in the Great Reform Act 1832 and has returned ten Liberals (or Liberal Democrats) and ten Conservatives to Parliament since that time, along with one independent.
A Conservative served the constituency from 1950 until 1992. The Conservatives' campaign in the 1992 general election following the Poll Tax riots saw a local party member make racist remarks about their own candidate, John Taylor, who was of Afro-Caribbean descent. Taylor lost the election to Nigel Jones of the Liberal Democrats.
In 2000, Jones was nearly murdered in a horrific incident at one of his MP's surgeries; a man attacked him and an assistant with a samurai sword. His colleague Andrew Pennington was killed in the attack. Jones was made a life peer in 2005.
The Liberal Democrats held Cheltenham in the 2005 election when Martin Horwood won the election, and again in 2010, but lost when Conservative Alex Chalk retook the seat in 2015. Chalk held on to the seat in 2017 and 2019, albeit with small majorities, but lost to Max Wilkinson when the Liberal Democrats regained the seat at the 2024 general election.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| 1832 | Hon. Craven Berkeley | Whig | Son of the 5th Earl of Berkeley |
| 1847 | Sir Willoughby Jones | Conservative | Unseated on petition |
| 1848, June by-election | Hon. Craven Berkeley | Whig | Unseated on petition |
| 1848, September by-election | Grenville Berkeley | Whig |
| 1852 | Hon. Craven Berkeley | Whig | Died 1855 |
| 1855 by-election | Grenville Berkeley | Whig |
| 1856 by-election | Francis Berkeley | Whig | Later 2nd Baron FitzHardinge |
| 1859 | Francis Berkeley | Liberal | Later 2nd Baron FitzHardinge |
| 1865 | Charles Schreiber | Conservative | |
| 1868 | Henry Samuelson | Liberal |
| 1874 | James Agg-Gardner | Conservative |
| 1880 | Charles de Ferrieres | Liberal |
| 1885 | James Agg-Gardner | Conservative |
| 1895 | Francis Shirley Russell | Conservative |
| 1900 | James Agg-Gardner | Conservative |
| 1906 | John Sears | Liberal |
| 1910, January | Vere Ponsonby | Conservative | Later 9th Earl of Bessborough |
| 1910, December | Richard Mathias | Liberal | Unseated on petition |
| 1911 by-election | Sir James Agg-Gardner | Conservative | Knighted in 1916 |
| 1928 by-election | Sir Walter Preston | Conservative |
| 1937 by-election | Daniel Lipson | Independent Conservative |
| 1945 | Daniel Lipson | Independent |
| 1950 | W. W. Hicks Beach | Conservative |
| 1964 | Sir Douglas Dodds-Parker | Conservative |
| Oct 1974 | Charles Irving | Conservative |
| 1992 | Nigel Jones | Liberal Democrats | Later a life peer as Baron Jones of Cheltenham |
| 2005 | Martin Horwood | Liberal Democrats |
| 2015 | Alex Chalk | Conservative |
| 2024 | Max Wilkinson | Liberal Democrats |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Max Wilkinson | 25,076 | 50.6 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | Alex Chalk | 17,866 | 36.1 | –12.4 |
| | Green | Daniel Wilson | 3,160 | 6.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Lara Chaplin | 2,665 | 5.4 | +0.6 |
| | Independent | Daud McDonald | 775 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,210 | 14.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,542 | 65.1 | –10.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,143 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 8.5 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 27,563 | 48.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 26,142 | 46.0 |
| | Labour | 2,733 | 4.8 |
| | Others | 445 | 0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 56,883 | 75.5 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 75,292 |
In 2019, Cheltenham was one of five English constituencies, the others being Esher and Walton, Westmorland and Lonsdale, Winchester and East Devon, where Labour failed to obtain over 5% of the vote and lost their deposit.
General election 2019: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alex Chalk | 28,486 | 48.0 | +1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Max Wilkinson | 27,505 | 46.3 | +4.1 |
| | Labour | George Penny | 2,921 | 4.9 | –4.6 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | George Ridgeon | 445 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 981 | 1.7 | –2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,357 | 73.2 | +0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 81,043 | | +2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –1.3 | |
General election 2017: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alex Chalk | 26,615 | 46.7 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Horwood | 24,046 | 42.2 | +8.2 |
| | Labour | Keith White | 5,408 | 9.5 | +2.2 |
| | Green | Adam Van Coevorden | 943 | 1.7 | –3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,569 | 4.5 | –7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,012 | 72.3 | +2.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,878 | | +2.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –3.8 | |
General election 2015: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alex Chalk | 24,790 | 46.1 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Horwood | 18,274 | 34.0 | –16.5 |
| | Labour | Paul Gilbert | 3,902 | 7.3 | +2.2 |
| | UKIP | Christina Simmonds | 3,808 | 7.1 | +4.8 |
| | Green | Adam Van Coevorden | 2,689 | 5.0 | N/A |
| | Independent | Richard Lupson-Darnell | 272 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,516 | 12.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,735 | 69.5 | +2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 77,287 | | –2.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +10.7 | |
General election 2010: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Horwood | 26,659 | 50.5 | +11.1 |
| | Conservative | Mark Coote | 21,739 | 41.2 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | James Green | 2,703 | 5.1 | –6.7 |
| | UKIP | Peter Bowman | 1,192 | 2.3 | +1.0 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Kenneth Hanks | 493 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,920 | 9.3 | +8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,786 | 67.0 | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,998 | | +3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +4.3 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Horwood | 18,122 | 41.5 | –6.2 |
| | Conservative | Vanessa Gearson | 15,819 | 36.3 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | Chris Evans | 4,988 | 11.4 | –0.6 |
| | Independent | Robert Hodges | 2,651 | 6.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Keith Bessant | 908 | 2.1 | +0.3 |
| | UKIP | Niall Warry | 608 | 1.4 | +0.2 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Kenneth Hanks | 525 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,303 | 5.2 | −7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,621 | 61.0 | –0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,541 | | +5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | –3.6 | |
General election 2001: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Jones | 19,970 | 47.7 | –1.8 |
| | Conservative | Rob Garnham | 14,715 | 35.2 | –1.0 |
| | Labour | Andrew Erlam | 5,041 | 12.0 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Keith Bessant | 735 | 1.8 | N/A |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Kenneth Hanks | 513 | 1.2 | +0.4 |
| | UKIP | James Carver | 482 | 1.2 | +0.6 |
| | ProLife Alliance | Anthony Gates | 272 | 0.7 | +0.2 |
| | Independent | Roger Everest | 107 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,255 | 12.5 | –0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,835 | 61.9 | –12.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,563 | | –0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | –0.3 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Jones | 24,877 | 49.5 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | William Todman | 18,232 | 36.2 | –7.9 |
| | Labour | Barry Leach | 5,100 | 10.1 | +3.4 |
| | Referendum | Alison Powell | 1,065 | 2.1 | N/A |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Kenneth Hanks | 375 | 0.8 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Gordon Cook | 302 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | ProLife Alliance | Anne Harriss | 245 | 0.5 | N/A |
| | Natural Law | Sally Brighouse | 107 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,645 | 13.3 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,303 | 74.0 | –7.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,950 | | –1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +4.9 | |
General election 1992: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Jones | 30,351 | 47.3 | +5.0 |
| | Conservative | John Taylor | 28,683 | 44.7 | –5.5 |
| | Labour | Pamela Tatlow | 4,077 | 6.4 | –1.1 |
| | Independent | Mervyn Rendell | 665 | 1.0 | N/A |
| | Natural Law | Henry Brighouse | 169 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Mark Bruce-Smith | 162 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,668 | 2.6 | –5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,107 | 80.3 | +1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 79,808 | | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.2 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Irving | 31,371 | 50.2 | –0.4 |
| | Liberal | Richard Holme | 26,475 | 42.3 | +1.3 |
| | Labour | Michael Luker | 4,701 | 7.5 | –0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,896 | 7.9 | –1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,547 | 78.9 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 79,234 | | +4.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –0.9 | |
General election 1983: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Irving | 29,187 | 50.6 | –1.1 |
| | Liberal | Richard Holme | 23,669 | 41.0 | +11.4 |
| | Labour | Judith James | 4,390 | 7.6 | –10.5 |
| | Ecology | David Swindley | 479 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,518 | 9.6 | –12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,724 | 75.9 | –2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,068 | | +2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –6.3 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Irving | 25,618 | 51.0 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | Nigel Jones | 15,080 | 30.0 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | Michael Reilley | 9,185 | 18.3 | −7.5 |
| | National Front | Raymond Jacklin | 342 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,538 | 21.0 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,225 | 77.6 | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 64,726 | | +3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.5 | |
General election October 1974: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Irving | 21,691 | 46.1 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal | Frederick Carson Rodger | 13,237 | 28.1 | −3.2 |
| | Labour | Fred Inglis | 12,134 | 25.8 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,454 | 18.0 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,062 | 75.0 | −6.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 62,727 | | +1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.1 | |
General election February 1974: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Dodds-Parker | 21,723 | 43.0 | −7.2 |
| | Liberal | Frederick Carson Rodger | 15,811 | 31.3 | +12.8 |
| | Labour | Hugh Gray | 12,971 | 25.7 | −5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,912 | 11.7 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,505 | 81.3 | +5.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 62,098 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −10.0 | |
General election 1970: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Dodds-Parker | 22,823 | 50.2 | −3.2 |
| | Labour | Leslie George Godwin | 14,213 | 31.3 | −15.3 |
| | Liberal | A George Aldridge | 8,431 | 18.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,610 | 18.9 | +12.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,467 | 75.6 | −1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 60,141 | | +9.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.0 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Dodds-Parker | 22,683 | 53.4 | +6.2 |
| | Labour | W. John Wilson | 19,768 | 46.6 | +11.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,915 | 6.8 | −5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,451 | 77.2 | −0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,964 | | +1.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.8 | |
General election 1964: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Dodds-Parker | 19,797 | 47.2 | −3.8 |
| | Labour | Hugh Gray | 14,557 | 34.7 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal | James Anthony Lemkin | 7,568 | 18.1 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,240 | 12.5 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,922 | 77.5 | −4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,120 | | +2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.5 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. W. Hicks Beach | 21,997 | 51.0 | −8.3 |
| | Labour | Kamalakant G. Pendse | 12,725 | 29.5 | −11.2 |
| | Liberal | George Watson | 8,428 | 19.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,272 | 21.5 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,150 | 81.5 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 52,946 | | +2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
General election 1955: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. W. Hicks Beach | 24,259 | 59.3 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | James Finnigan | 16,638 | 40.7 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,621 | 18.6 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,897 | 79.4 | −3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 51,491 | | +3.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
General election 1951: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. W. Hicks Beach | 23,674 | 57.1 | +13.7 |
| | Labour | James Finnigan | 17,777 | 42.9 | +11.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,897 | 14.2 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,451 | 83.2 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,844 | | +2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 | |
General election 1950: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. W. Hicks Beach | 18,009 | 43.4 | |
| | Labour | A. G. James | 13,027 | 31.4 | |
| | Ind. Conservative | Daniel Lipson | 10,449 | 25.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,982 | 12.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,485 | 85.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,786 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Ind. Conservative | Conservative gain from Ind. Conservative | Conservative gain from Ind. Conservative | Conservative gain from Ind. Conservative | Conservative gain from Ind. Conservative |

### Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ind. Conservative | Daniel Lipson | 16,081 | 43.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | Phyllis Maude Warner | 11,095 | 29.9 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | W. W. Hicks Beach | 9,972 | 26.8 | −45.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,986 | 13.4 | −27.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,148 | 75.4 | +5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,282 | | +29.9 |
| | Ind. Conservative hold | Ind. Conservative hold | Swing | +7.6 | |
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;
* Independent Conservative: Daniel Lipson
* Conservative: C L Hargreaves
* Labour: John Baird

### Elections in the 1930s

1937 Cheltenham by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ind. Conservative | Daniel Lipson | 10,533 | 40.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | R. T. Harper | 10,194 | 38.8 | −31.7 |
| | Labour | Cyril C Poole | 5,570 | 21.2 | −8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 339 | 1.3 | −39.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,297 | 69.3 | −1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,947 | | +1.4 |
| | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative |
General election 1935: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Walter Preston | 18,574 | 70.5 | −10.6 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Pakenham | 7,784 | 29.5 | +10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,790 | 41.0 | −21.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,358 | 70.4 | −4.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,428 | | +1.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −10.6 | |
General election 1931: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Walter Preston | 22,524 | 81.1 | +27.9 |
| | Labour | John Ramage | 5,263 | 18.9 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,261 | 62.2 | +38.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,787 | 75.2 | −4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,974 | | +2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +13.0 | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Walter Preston | 15,279 | 53.2 | –3.4 |
| | Liberal | Frank Raffety | 8,533 | 29.7 | –13.7 |
| | Labour | William Ramsey Piggott | 4,920 | 17.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,746 | 23.5 | +10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,732 | 79.8 | –2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,993 | | +37.0 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +2.8 | |
1928 Cheltenham by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Walter Preston | 10,438 | 49.5 | −7.1 |
| | Liberal | John Brunner | 6,678 | 31.7 | −11.7 |
| | Labour | Florence Widdowson | 3,962 | 18.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,760 | 17.8 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,078 | 80.3 | −2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 26,265 | | +3.2 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
General election 1924: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James Agg-Gardner | 11,909 | 56.6 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal | Stanley Holmes | 9,146 | 43.4 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,763 | 13.2 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,055 | 82.7 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 25,454 | | +2.8 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
General election 1923: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James Agg-Gardner | 10,514 | 53.4 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal | Cuthbert Plaistowe | 9,170 | 46.6 | +4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,344 | 6.8 | −9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,684 | 79.5 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,768 | | +3.2 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −4.6 | |
General election 1922: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James Agg-Gardner | 11,383 | 58.0 | −2.3 |
| | Liberal | Cuthbert Plaistowe | 8,237 | 42.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,146 | 16.0 | −4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,620 | 81.8 | +13.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,997 | | +3.4 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −2.3 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James Agg-Gardner | 9,602 | 60.3 | |
| | Independent Liberal | Richard Davies | 6,317 | 39.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,285 | 20.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,919 | 68.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,217 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
General Election 1914–15:
A general election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the autumn of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election.
* Unionist Party: James Agg-Gardner
* Liberal Party: Rhys Williams
Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place.
1911 Cheltenham by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 4,043 | 50.0 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal | Lewis Mathias | 4,039 | 50.0 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4 | 0.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,082 | 92.8 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,712 | | +4.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +0.6 | |
General election December 1910: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Mathias | 3,846 | 50.6 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Vere Ponsonby | 3,753 | 49.4 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,599 | 91.0 | −2.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,353 | | 0.0 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.5 | |
General election January 1910: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Vere Ponsonby | 3,988 | 50.9 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal | Richard Mathias | 3,850 | 49.1 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 138 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,838 | 93.8 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,353 | | +2.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.6 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sears | 3,910 | 52.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 3,509 | 47.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 401 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,419 | 91.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,114 | | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |
General election 1900: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Russell | 3,409 | 53.5 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal | Wilfrid T Blaydes | 2,940 | 46.1 | +1.5 |
| | Independent Labour | Alton William Hillen | 23 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 469 | 7.4 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,372 | 88.9 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,169 | | +7.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.7 | |
General election 1892: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 3,241 | 55.4 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal | Frank Debenham | 2,610 | 44.6 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 631 | 10.8 | −8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,851 | 88.1 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,642 | | +2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.1 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 3,323 | 59.5 | +3.0 |
| | Liberal | Russell Hugh Worthington Biggs | 2,260 | 40.5 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,063 | 19.0 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,583 | 86.4 | −9.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,464 | | +3.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
General election 1885: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 3,504 | 56.5 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal | R. C. Lehmann | 2,700 | 43.5 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 804 | 13.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,204 | 96.0 | +4.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,464 | | +28.8 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.7 | |
General election 1880: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles de Ferrieres | 2,318 | 50.2 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 2,297 | 49.8 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,615 | 91.9 | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,018 | | +13.1 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.7 | |

### Election in the 1870s

General election 1874: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 2,121 | 53.5 | +6.5 |
| | Liberal | Henry Samuelson | 1,842 | 46.5 | −6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 279 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,963 | 89.3 | +1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,438 | | +25.5 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.5 | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Samuelson | 1,646 | 53.0 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 1,458 | 47.0 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 188 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,104 | 87.8 | +6.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,536 | | +26.6 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.6 | |
General election 1865: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Schreiber | 1,157 | 50.6 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal | Francis Berkeley | 1,129 | 49.4 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,286 | 81.8 | −2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,793 | | +28.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +0.9 | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Berkeley | 922 | 50.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Charles Schreiber | 910 | 49.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,832 | 84.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,171 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1857: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Francis Berkeley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,170 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
By-election, 8 May 1856: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Francis Berkeley | 841 | 56.2 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | Edmund Gilling Hallewell | 655 | 43.8 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 186 | 12.4 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,496 | 68.9 | −8.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,170 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +2.7 | |
* Caused by Berkeley's appointment as a Commissioner of Customs.
By-election, 14 July 1855: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Grenville Berkeley | 760 | 81.0 | +27.5 |
| | Conservative | William Ridler | 178 | 19.0 | −27.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 582 | 62.0 | +55.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 938 | 43.7 | −34.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,147 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +27.5 | |
* Caused by Berkeley's death.
General election 1852: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Craven Berkeley | 999 | 53.5 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative | Willoughby Jones | 869 | 46.5 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,868 | 77.8 | −4.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,400 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.3 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

By-election, 4 September 1848: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Grenville Berkeley | 986 | 54.1 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | Bickham Escott | 835 | 45.9 | −7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 151 | 8.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,821 | 77.7 | −4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,345 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.9 | |
* Election declared void on petition due to "acts of corruption"
By-election, 29 June 1848: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Craven Berkeley | 1,024 | 54.7 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 848 | 45.3 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 176 | 9.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,872 | 79.8 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,345 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +7.5 | |
* Election declared void on petition due to bribery
General election 1847: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Willoughby Jones | 1,015 | 52.7 | +6.7 |
| | Whig | Craven Berkeley | 907 | 47.1 | −6.6 |
| | Conservative | Edmund Carrington Smith | 4 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 108 | 5.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,926 | 82.1 | +11.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,345 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +6.7 | |
General election 1841: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Craven Berkeley | 764 | 53.7 | −14.3 |
| | Conservative | James Agg-Gardner | 655 | 46.0 | +14.0 |
| | Radical | Thomas Perronet Thompson | 4 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 109 | 7.7 | −28.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,423 | 71.0 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,003 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −14.2 | |

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Craven Berkeley | 632 | 68.0 | −26.3 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Peel | 298 | 32.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 334 | 36.0 | −52.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 930 | 70.2 | +24.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,324 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Craven Berkeley | 411 | 94.3 | N/A |
| | Radical | William Penn Gaskell | 25 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 386 | 88.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 436 | 45.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 960 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1832: Cheltenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Craven Berkeley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 919 | | |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |