Rochford (UK Parliament constituency)
{{Short description|Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983–1997}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox UK constituency main
| name = Rochford
| type = County
|image = File:Rochford1983Constituency.svg
|caption = Rochford, showing boundaries used from 1983–1997
| year = 1983
| abolished = 1997
| elects_howmany = One
| previous = Chelmsford, Maldon, South East Essex, Southend East
| next = Rayleigh, Rochford and Southend East, Maldon and Chelmsford East
|region = England
|county = Essex
}}
Rochford was a County Constituency in Essex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
History
The seat was created for the 1983 general election from parts of the Maldon, Chelmsford and abolished South East Essex constituencies. It was abolished at the next redistribution which came into effect for the 1997 general election, when it was largely replaced by the new constituency of Rayleigh, with the town of Rochford itself being included in the new constituency of Rochford and Southend East.
It was held by Michael Clark for the Conservatives throughout its existence.
Boundaries
- The District of Rochford; and
- The Borough of Chelmsford wards of Ramsden Heath and Downham, Rettendon and South Hanningfield, Runwell, Woodham Ferrers North, and Woodham Ferrers South.{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1983/417/contents/made/data.htm|title=The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|access-date=2019-09-09}}
The District of Rochford comprised the former Rural District of Rochford, which had been part of the Maldon constituency, and the former Urban District of Rayleigh, which had been part of the abolished South East Essex constituency. The Borough of Chelmsford wards had previously been in the Chelmsford constituency.
On abolition in 1997, the bulk of the constituency formed the new constituency of Rayleigh, with Rochford and Great Wakering being included in the new constituency of Rochford and Southend East.
Members of Parliament
| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2"|Election | Member{{Rayment-hc|r|2|date=March 2012}} | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | 1983 | Michael Clark | Conservative |
| |1997
|colspan="2"| constituency abolished: see Rayleigh, Rochford and Southend East & Maldon and Chelmsford East |
Elections
=Elections in the 1980s=
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 1983: Rochford}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Michael Clark
|votes = 29,495
|percentage = 57.84
|change = −3.28
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Richard Boyd
|votes = 16,393
|percentage = 32.15
|change = +14.11
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Hyman Witzer
|votes = 5,105
|percentage = 10.01
|change = −10.83
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 13,102
|percentage = 25.69
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 50,993
|percentage = 73.49
|change =
}}
{{Election box new seat win|
|winner = Conservative Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 1987: Rochford{{cite web|title='Rochford', June 1983 up to May 1997|url=http://electionweb.co.uk/Bp/P83482.htm|website=ElectionWeb Project|publisher=Cognitive Computing Limited|accessdate=8 March 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308162644/http://electionweb.co.uk/Bp/P83482.htm|archivedate=8 March 2016}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Michael Clark
|votes = 35,872
|percentage = 60.4
|change = +2.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Philip Young
|votes = 16,178
|percentage = 27.3
|change = −4.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = David Weir
|votes = 7,308
|percentage = 12.3
|change = +2.3
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 19,694
|percentage = 33.1
|change = +7.4
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 59,358
|percentage = 78.0
|change = +4.5
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Conservative Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Elections in the 1990s=
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 1992: Rochford{{cite web|
url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm|title=Politics Resources|date=9 April 1992|work=Election 1992|publisher=Politics Resources|accessdate=2010-12-06}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Michael Clark
|votes = 38,967
|percentage = 61.1
|change = +0.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
|candidate = Nicholas Harris
|votes = 12,931
|percentage = 20.3
|change = −7.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Donald Quinn
|votes = 10,537
|percentage = 16.5
|change = +4.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
|candidate = Linda Farmer
|votes = 1,362
|percentage = 2.1
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 26,036
|percentage = 40.8
|change = +7.7
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 63,797
|percentage = 83.0
|change = +5.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Conservative Party (UK)
|swing = +3.8
}}
{{Election box end}}
Notes and references
{{reflist}}
{{coord|51.58|0.71|type:adm2nd_region:GB-ESS|display=title}}
Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Essex (historic)
Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1983
Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1997
{{UK-hist-constituency-stub}}