Braintree is a constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by James Cleverly, a member of the Conservative Party.
Cleverly is a former Chairman of the Conservative Party and currently the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. He was also formerly a minister in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Secretary of State for Education.
The constituency was created for the February 1974 general election.
Constituency profile
The constituency includes the town of Braintree at its southern end, and a large area of rural Essex to the north.
History
The seat was created for the February 1974 general election, largely from the majority of the constituency of Maldon, including the towns of Braintree and Witham. It underwent a major redistribution for the 2010 general election when Witham was formed as a separate constituency. This resulted in making the seat safer for the Conservatives.
The former Leader of the House Tony Newton held the seat for the Conservatives from its creation in 1974 until 1997 when Alan Hurst defeated Newton to gain the seat for Labour. Brooks Newmark defeated Hurst in 2005 to regain the seat for the Conservatives, and held it until he stood down in 2015, being succeeded by James Cleverly, also a Conservative.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1974—1983
The Urban Districts of Braintree and Bocking, and Witham; The Rural District of Braintree; and The Rural District of Chelmsford civil parishes of Boreham, Broomfield, Chignall, Good Easter, Great and Little Leighs, Great Waltham, Little Waltham, Mashbury, Pleshey, Roxwell, Springfield, and Writtle.
Formed largely from the existing constituency of Maldon. The northern part of the Rural District of Chelmsford was transferred from Chelmsford and a small part of the Rural District of Braintree was previously in Saffron Walden.
1983—1997
The District of Braintree wards of Black Notley, Bocking North, Bocking South, Braintree Central, Braintree East, Braintree West, Coggeshall, Cressing, Hatfield Peverel, Kelvedon, Panfield, Rayne, Terling, Three Fields, Witham Central, Witham Chipping Hill, Witham North, Witham Silver End and Rivenhall, Witham South, and Witham West; and The Borough of Chelmsford wards of Broomfield and Chignall, Good Easter Mashbury and Roxwell, Great and Little Leighs and Little Waltham, Great Waltham and Pleshey, and Writtle.
Following changes to the structure of local authorities in 1974, the seat was largely unchanged, with just the Boreham and Springfield ward of Chelmsford Borough being transferred to the Chelmsford constituency.
1997—2010
The District of Braintree wards of Black Notley, Bocking North, Bocking South, Braintree Central, Braintree East, Braintree West, Coggeshall, Cressing, Earls Colne, Gosfield, Hatfield Peveril, Kelvedon, Panfield, Rayne, Terling, Three Fields, Witham Central, Witham Chipping Hill, Witham North, Witham Silver End and Rivenhall, Witham South, and Witham West.
The parts in the Borough of Chelmsford now included in the new constituency of West Chelmsford. Two small wards (Earls Colne and Gosfield) transferred from Saffron Walden.
2010—present
The District of Braintree wards of Bocking Blackwater, Bocking North, Bocking South, Braintree Central, Braintree East, Braintree South, Bumpstead, Cressing and Stisted, Gosfield and Greenstead Green, Great Notley and Braintree West, Halstead St Andrews, Halstead Trinity, Hedingham and Maplestead, Panfield, Rayne, Stour Valley North, Stour Valley South, The Three Colnes, Three Fields, Upper Colne, and Yeldham.
The 2010 redistribution saw a major change, with southern and western areas, including the town of Witham, forming the basis of the new County Constituency of Witham. Extended northwards, gaining the District of Braintree wards previously in Saffron Walden, including the town of Halstead.
Members of Parliament
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
See also
List of parliamentary constituencies in Essex
Notes
References
External links
nomis Constituency Profile for Braintree — presenting data from the ONS annual population survey and other official statistics.