East Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)

The constituency was created for the 1955 general election, formed primarily from the majority of the Hertford constituency which was significantly revised. It was abolished for the 1983 general election when it was largely divided between the new constituencies of Broxbourne, and Hertford and Stortford.

Throughout its existence the seat was held for the Conservatives by Sir Derek Walker-Smith.

The writer and TV playwright Dennis Potter was the Labour Party candidate in the constituency at the 1964 general election, but finished second behind the Conservative incumbent. His experience inspired Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton.

• The Urban Districts of Bishop's Stortford, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, Sawbridgeworth, and Ware; and
• The Rural Districts of Braughing and Ware{{Cite book |last=S. |first=Craig, Fred W. |title=Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972; |date=1972 |publisher=Political Reference Publications |isbn=0900178094 |location=Chichester |oclc=539011}}

The bulk of the constituency was formed from the majority of the Hertford constituency which was significantly revised. A part of the Rural District of Braughing was transferred from Hitchin.

• The Urban Districts of Bishop's Stortford, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, and Sawbridgeworth; and
• The Rural Districts of Braughing and Ware

The Urban District of Ware was transferred to the new constituency of Hertford and Stevenage.

On abolition, southern parts (consisting the majority of the electorate), largely comprising the former Urban Districts of Cheshunt and Hoddesdon (combined to form the District of Broxbourne under the local government reorganisation of 1974) formed the bulk of the new borough constituency of Broxbourne. With the exception of some rural parts in the north-west of the constituency, which were included in the new constituency of Stevenage, the remainder of the seat (including Bishop's Stortford and Sawbridgeworth) was amalgamated with the Hertford and Ware part of Hertford and Stevenage to form the new Hertford and Stortford constituency.

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1955: East Hertfordshire{{Cite book|title=The Times' Guide to the House of Commons|year=1955}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Derek Walker-Smith

|votes = 26,936

|percentage = 56.88

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Co-operative

|candidate = William Hilton

|votes = 20,418

|percentage = 43.12

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 6,518

|percentage = 13.76

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 47,354

|percentage = 79.11

|change =

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner= Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1959: East Hertfordshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Derek Walker-Smith

|votes = 28,201

|percentage = 51.39

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Syd Bidwell

|votes = 18,020

|percentage = 32.84

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Kenneth John Whitehead Spargo

|votes = 8,656

|percentage = 15.77

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 10,181

|percentage = 18.55

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 54,877

|percentage = 82.01

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1964: East Hertfordshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Derek Walker-Smith

|votes = 29,749

|percentage = 48.20

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Dennis Potter

|votes = 21,887

|percentage = 35.46

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Eric W Morgan

|votes = 10,088

|percentage = 16.34

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 7,862

|percentage = 12.74

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 61,724

|percentage = 81.02

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1966: East Hertfordshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Derek Walker-Smith

|votes = 29,618

|percentage = 46.62

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Brian CS Murphy

|votes = 24,412

|percentage = 38.43

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Eric W Morgan

|votes = 9,501

|percentage = 14.95

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 5,206

|percentage = 8.19

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 63,531

|percentage = 80.09

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1970: East Hertfordshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Derek Walker-Smith

|votes = 37,668

|percentage = 54.74

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Mike Thomas

|votes = 23,601

|percentage = 34.30

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = David Walsh

|votes = 7,538

|percentage = 10.96

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 14,067

|percentage = 20.44

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 68,807

|percentage = 73.51

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election February 1974: East Hertfordshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Derek Walker-Smith

|votes = 32,032

|percentage = 44.96

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = MM Keir

|votes = 20,674

|percentage = 29.02

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = PC Clark

|votes = 18,546

|percentage = 26.03

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 11,358

|percentage = 15.94

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 71,252

|percentage = 80.98

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election October 1974: East Hertfordshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Derek Walker-Smith

|votes = 29,334

|percentage = 44.59

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = MM Keir

|votes = 20,999

|percentage = 31.92

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = PC Clark

|votes = 15,446

|percentage = 23.48

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 8,335

|percentage = 12.67

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 65,779

|percentage = 74.04

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1979: East Hertfordshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Derek Walker-Smith

|votes = 41,599

|percentage = 55.50

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Co-operative

|candidate = I. J. Evans

|votes = 20,139

|percentage = 26.87

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Lesley Abdela

|votes = 11,393

|percentage = 15.20

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = National Front (UK)

|candidate = J. Smith

|votes = 1,819

|percentage = 2.43

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 21,460

|percentage = 28.63

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 74,950

|percentage = 77.81

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Reflist}}

• Robert Waller, The Almanac of British Politics (1st edition, London: Croom Helm, 1983)
• Frederic A Youngs, jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979)
• {{Rayment-hc|h|3|date=March 2012}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hertfordshire East}}

East Hertfordshire

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1955

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1983