Hitchin and Harpenden (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Hitchin and Harpenden is a county constituency 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 of election.
and Harpenden
themselves, the constituency also includes Wheathampstead
and a number of villages.
the Boundary Commission for England recommended that the constituency contain electoral wards in North Hertfordshire
, and St Albans
, as detailed below.
was included in the North Hertfordshire
constituency and Harpenden
in the St Albans
constituency, while the village of Wheathampstead
was part of the Welwyn Hatfield
constituency.
The seat's first, and so far only, MP is the former Cabinet minister Peter Lilley of the Conservative Party, who had previously represented St Albans from 1983.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It elects one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Boundaries
As well as the towns of HitchinHitchin
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
and Harpenden
Harpenden
Harpenden is a town in Hertfordshire, England.The town's total population is just under 30,000.-Geography and administration:There are two civil parishes: Harpenden and Harpenden Rural....
themselves, the constituency also includes Wheathampstead
Wheathampstead
Wheathampstead is a village and civil parish in the City and District of St Albans, in Hertfordshire, England. It is north of St Albans and in the Hitchin and Harpenden parliamentary constituency....
and a number of villages.
Boundary review
The constituency was created for the first time for the 1997 General Election. Following their review of parliamentary representation in HertfordshireHertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
the Boundary Commission for England recommended that the constituency contain electoral wards in North Hertfordshire
North Hertfordshire
North Hertfordshire is a local government district in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Letchworth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the amalgamation of the urban districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, and Royston and the Hitchin Rural District.From eastward clockwise,...
, and St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, as detailed below.
- From North Hertfordshire: Cadwell, Chesfield (previously known as Graveley and WymondleyWymondleyWymondley is a civil parish in Hertfordshire, England.Wymondley forms part of the district of North Hertfordshire, formerly it was in the now-defunct Hitchin Rural District. Its principal settlements are Little Wymondley and the smaller Great Wymondley, it also includes Todd's Green and Titmore...
), Hitchin Bearton, Hitchin Highbury, Hitchin OughtonHitchin OughtonHitchin Oughton is one of the five electoral wards in Hitchin, England. It contains the Westmill estate and is named after the River Oughton. It invariably returns a Labour councillor....
, Hitchin Priory, Hitchin Walsworth, KimptonKimpton, HertfordshireKimpton is a village, situated between the Mimram and Lea Valleys, about six miles south of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England. It is approximately four miles from Harpenden and Luton....
, and Hitchwood, Hoo, Offa and the new development of Great Ashby. - From St Albans: Harpenden East, Harpenden North, Harpenden South, Harpenden West, RedbournRedbournRedbourn is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, lying on Watling Street, 3 miles from Harpenden, 4 miles from St Albans and 5 miles from Hemel Hempstead. It has a population of around 6,000.-History:...
, SandridgeSandridgeSandridge is a small village and civil parish between St Albans and Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom.-Early history:...
and WheathampsteadWheathampsteadWheathampstead is a village and civil parish in the City and District of St Albans, in Hertfordshire, England. It is north of St Albans and in the Hitchin and Harpenden parliamentary constituency....
.
History
The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of several former Hertfordshire seats. Prior to 1997 HitchinHitchin
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
was included in the North Hertfordshire
North Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Hertfordshire was a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first-past-the-post system....
constituency and Harpenden
Harpenden
Harpenden is a town in Hertfordshire, England.The town's total population is just under 30,000.-Geography and administration:There are two civil parishes: Harpenden and Harpenden Rural....
in the St Albans
St Albans (UK Parliament constituency)
St Albans is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Established in 1885, it is a county constituency in Hertfordshire, and elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.From 1554 to 1852 there was a...
constituency, while the village of Wheathampstead
Wheathampstead
Wheathampstead is a village and civil parish in the City and District of St Albans, in Hertfordshire, England. It is north of St Albans and in the Hitchin and Harpenden parliamentary constituency....
was part of the Welwyn Hatfield
Welwyn Hatfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Welwyn Hatfield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1974 as 'Welwyn and Hatfield'.- Boundaries :...
constituency.
The seat's first, and so far only, MP is the former Cabinet minister Peter Lilley of the Conservative Party, who had previously represented St Albans from 1983.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997 The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general... |
Peter Lilley Peter Lilley Peter Bruce Lilley MP is a British Conservative Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament MP since 1983. He currently represents the constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden and, prior to boundary changes, represented St Albans... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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