# Reading West (UK Parliament constituency)

Reading West was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. Its area was transferred to the new constituencies of Earley and Woodley (Whitley ward), Reading Central (Battle, Minster and Southcote wards), and Reading West and Mid Berkshire (all other wards). These constituencies were first contested at the 2024 general election.

## Constituency profile

Since its 1983 creation the constituency was a bellwether paradigm example of a marginal seat. Boundary changes for the 2010 election took in areas of population expansion to the east in new largely private sector housing estates. Unemployment is close to the regional average, which is lower than the national average and the constituency has seen a marked increase in properties and property prices throughout the 2001 to 2011 period which saw town centre regeneration and investment by a Labour Party-controlled council enhanced by Reading railway station hub improvements and enterprise areas equally.

## History

The Reading West parliamentary constituency was first contested in 1983, when it was won by a member of the Conservative Party, Tony Durant, the sitting MP for the abolished Reading North constituency. He held the seat through two subsequent general elections until he retired at the 1997 election.
The constituency was then won by Martin Salter for Labour, as part of the landslide that brought Labour back to power under Tony Blair. Salter held the seat through the 13 years of Labour government until Parliament was dissolved in April 2010, but did not stand in the 2010 general election, when Alok Sharma won the seat for the Conservatives.
Sharma held several posts within government, including serving in the Cabinet as the President for COP26 from January 2021 until October 2022.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

1983–1997
* The Borough of Reading wards of Battle, Katesgrove, Kentwood, Minster, Norcot, Southcote, and Tilehurst; and
* The District of Newbury wards of Calcot, Pangbourne, Purley, Theale, and Tilehurst.
Formed as a county constituency, largely from parts of the abolished constituency of Reading North. Extended westwards to include parts of Newbury.
1997–2010
* The Borough of Reading wards of Battle, Kentwood, Minster, Norcot, Southcote, Tilehurst, and Whitley; and
* The District of Newbury wards of Calcot, Pangbourne, Purley, Theale, and Tilehurst.
The boundary with Reading East was realigned, gaining Whitley ward and losing Katesgrove ward.
2010–2024
* The Borough of Reading wards of Battle, Kentwood, Minster, Norcot, Southcote, Tilehurst, and Whitley; and
* The District of West Berkshire wards of Birch Copse, Calcot, Pangbourne, Purley on Thames, Theale, and Westwood.
Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.
The constituency was bordered by the seats of Newbury, Henley, Reading East, and Wokingham.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | Tony Durant | Conservative |
| 1997 | Martin Salter | Labour |
| 2010 | Alok Sharma | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alok Sharma | 24,393 | 48.4 | –0.5 |
| | Labour Co-op | Rachel Eden | 20,276 | 40.2 | –3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Meri O'Connell | 4,460 | 8.9 | +3.0 |
| | Green | Jamie Whitham | 1,263 | 2.5 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,117 | 8.2 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,392 | 67.9 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.3 | |
General election 2017: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alok Sharma | 25,311 | 48.9 | +1.2 |
| | Labour | Olivia Bailey | 22,435 | 43.3 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Meri O’Connell | 3,041 | 5.9 | +1.0 |
| | Green | Jamie Whitham | 979 | 1.9 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,876 | 5.6 | −8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,766 | 69.5 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –4.1 | |
General election 2015: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alok Sharma | 23,082 | 47.7 | +4.5 |
| | Labour | Victoria Groulef | 16,432 | 34.0 | +3.5 |
| | UKIP | Malik Azam | 4,826 | 10.0 | +6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Meri O'Connell | 2,355 | 4.9 | −15.2 |
| | Green | Miriam Kennet | 1,406 | 2.9 | +1.7 |
| | Independent | Suzie Ferguson | 156 | 0.3 | New |
| | TUSC | Neil Adams | 83 | 0.2 | New |
| | Roman | Philip West | 64 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,650 | 13.7 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,404 | 66.7 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
General election 2010: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alok Sharma | 20,523 | 43.2 | +9.6 |
| | Labour | Naz Sarkar | 14,519 | 30.5 | −14.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daisy Benson | 9,546 | 20.1 | +4.3 |
| | UKIP | Bruce Hay | 1,508 | 3.2 | +0.4 |
| | Common Sense | Howard Thomas | 852 | 1.8 | New |
| | Green | Adrian Windisch | 582 | 1.2 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,004 | 12.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,530 | 65.9 | +6.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +12.1 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Salter | 18,940 | 44.9 | −8.2 |
| | Conservative | Ewan Cameron | 14,258 | 33.8 | +1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Denise Gaines | 6,663 | 15.8 | +3.0 |
| | UKIP | Peter Williams | 1,180 | 2.8 | +0.8 |
| | Green | Adrian Windisch | 921 | 2.2 | New |
| | Veritas | Dave Boyle | 267 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,672 | 11.1 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,229 | 61.0 | +1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.6 | |
General election 2001: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Salter | 22,300 | 53.1 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Reid | 13,451 | 32.0 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Polly Martin | 5,387 | 12.8 | +0.1 |
| | UKIP | David Black | 848 | 2.0 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,849 | 21.1 | +14.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,986 | 59.1 | −11.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.5 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Salter | 21,841 | 45.1 | +17.3 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Bennett | 18,844 | 38.9 | −14.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dee Tomlin | 6,153 | 12.7 | −5.4 |
| | Referendum | Steven G Brown | 976 | 2.0 | New |
| | BNP | Ian Dell | 320 | 0.7 | New |
| | UKIP | David M Black | 255 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,997 | 6.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,389 | 70.1 | −7.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | −15.7 | |
General election 1992: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tony Durant | 28,048 | 52.9 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | PM Ruhemann | 14,750 | 27.8 | +6.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | KH Lock | 9,572 | 18.1 | −4.3 |
| | Green | PJ Unsworth | 613 | 1.2 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,298 | 25.1 | −7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,983 | 78.0 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.5 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tony Durant | 28,122 | 55.3 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal | Keith Lock | 11,369 | 22.4 | −5.5 |
| | Labour | Michael Orton | 10,819 | 21.3 | +0.9 |
| | Green | EP Wilson | 542 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,753 | 32.9 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,852 | 72.2 | −1.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.7 | |
General election 1983: Reading West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tony Durant | 24,948 | 51.4 | |
| | Liberal | James Day | 13,549 | 27.9 | |
| | Labour | Richard Evans | 9,220 | 20.4 | |
| | Independent | E Lilley | 161 | 0.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,399 | 23.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,878 | 73.5 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |