Castle Point (UK Parliament constituency)

Castle Point
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Castle Point in the East of England
CountyEssex
Population88,011 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate70,923 (2023)[2]
Major settlementsCanvey Island, South Benfleet, Hadleigh
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentDame Rebecca Harris (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromSouth East Essex

Castle Point is a constituency[n 1] in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Dame Rebecca Harris, a Conservative.[n 2]

Constituency profile

The seat is located in Essex and is mostly coterminous with the Castle Point local authority area, which takes its name from Hadleigh Castle and Canvey Point. The constituency's largest town is Canvey Island with a population of around 38,000.[3] It also includes the towns of South Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh. Canvey Island was a popular seaside resort but, like many coastal towns in England, has experienced economic decline in recent decades.[4] The town is an important centre for the petrochemical industry.[5][6] Canvey Island has high levels of deprivation whilst the mainland areas are generally affluent.[7]

Compared to national averages, residents of Castle Point are older, have similar levels of income and professional employment and high levels of homeownership.[8] The constituency has one of the lowest proportions of university graduates of any constituency in the country.[9] White people make up 95% of the population.[8] At the local council level, there is wide support for independent politicians; the Castle Point Borough Council is entirely made up of councillors from two independent groupings (PIP and CIIP). Voters in the constituency overwhelmingly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum. An estimated 73% voted in favour of Brexit, making Castle Point one of the top five most Brexit-supporting constituencies out of 650 nationwide.[8]

History

This seat was created for the 1983 general election from the former seat of South East Essex. It comprised the district of Castle Point which was formed from the former Urban Districts of Canvey Island and Benfleet and includes Canvey Island, Hadleigh, South Benfleet, and Thundersley.

In all but one election, it has been won by a Conservative candidate, passing to Labour once, in the 1997 election. The former MP defeated in 1997, Bob Spink, regained the seat in 2001. He was re-elected in 2005 but subsequently resigned from the Conservative Party on 22 April 2008. Spink briefly joined UKIP,[10] but resigned the whip shortly afterwards and sat as an Independent MP.[11] In the 2010 election, Spink lost in Castle Point to the Conservative candidate, Rebecca Harris.

At the 2017 election Castle Point had the largest Conservative majority, at 42.2%, of any constituency to have elected a Labour MP in the 1997–2010 government. This was increased even further, to 60.1%, at the 2019 election. In 2024, the Conservative vote was more than halved with Reform UK taking over 30%, reducing the majority to just 8%.

Boundaries

1983–2024

Since its creation in 1983 until the 2024 general election, the Castle Point constituency was contiguous with the boundaries of the district council of the same name. The seat is one of only a very few that were unchanged by the boundary reviews which came into effect in 1997 and 2010, having seen population growth in line with the average seat (which is slightly larger), including development in the designated development plans of the Thames Gateway.

Current

Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was expanded slightly to meet the electorate size requirements, with the transfer in from South Basildon and East Thurrock of polling district DN of the Pitsea South East ward in the Borough of Basildon - equivalent to the civil parish of Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet.[12]

Members of Parliament

Election Member[13][14] Party
1983 Sir Bernard Braine Conservative
1992 Bob Spink Conservative
1997 Christine Butler Labour
2001 Bob Spink Conservative
April 2008 UKIP
November 2008 Independent
2010 Rebecca Harris Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Castle Point[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rebecca Harris 15,485 38.1 −38.4
Reform Keiron McGill 12,234 30.1 N/A
Labour Mark Maguire 9,455 23.3 +6.5
Green Bob Chapman 2,118 5.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats James Willis 1,341 3.3 −3.3
Majority 3,251 8.0 −52.1
Turnout 40,633 57.6 −6.2
Registered electors 70,552
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[16]
Party Vote %
Conservative 34,611 76.5
Labour 7,602 16.8
Liberal Democrats 3,004 6.6
Turnout 45,217 63.8
Electorate 70,923
General election 2019: Castle Point[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rebecca Harris 33,971 76.7 +9.4
Labour Katie Curtis 7,337 16.6 −8.5
Liberal Democrats John Howson 2,969 6.7 +4.4
Majority 26,634 60.1 +17.9
Turnout 44,277 63.6 −0.8
Conservative hold Swing +9.0

This was the largest Conservative vote share at the 2019 general election.[18]

General election 2017: Castle Point[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rebecca Harris 30,076 67.3 +16.4
Labour Joe Cooke 11,204 25.1 +11.3
UKIP David Kurten 2,381 5.3 −25.9
Liberal Democrats Tom Holder 1,049 2.3 +0.5
Majority 18,872 42.2 +22.5
Turnout 44,710 64.4 −2.3
Conservative hold Swing +2.6
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Castle Point
General election 2015: Castle Point[21][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rebecca Harris 23,112 50.9 +6.9
UKIP Jamie Huntman [23] 14,178 31.2 New
Labour Joe Cooke [24] 6,283 13.8 −0.9
Green Dom Ellis[25] 1,076 2.4 New
Liberal Democrats Sereena Davey [26] 801 1.8 −7.6
Majority 8,934 19.7 +2.7
Turnout 45,450 66.7 −0.2
Conservative hold Swing −24.3
General election 2010: Castle Point[27][28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rebecca Harris 19,806 44.0 −4.3
Independent Save Our Green Belt Bob Spink 12,174 27.0 New
Labour Julian Ware-Lane 6,609 14.7 −15.7
Liberal Democrats Brendan D'Cruz 4,232 9.4 −0.9
BNP Philip Howell 2,205 4.9 New
Majority 7,632 17.0 −0.9
Turnout 45,026 66.9 +1.0
Conservative hold Swing −15.7

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Castle Point[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Spink 22,118 48.3 +3.7
Labour Luke Akehurst 13,917 30.4 −11.7
Liberal Democrats James Sandbach 4,719 10.3 +2.5
UKIP Neil Hamper 3,431 7.5 +4.3
Green Irene Willis 1,617 3.5 New
Majority 8,201 17.9 +15.4
Turnout 45,802 65.9 +7.5
Conservative hold Swing +7.7
General election 2001: Castle Point[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Spink 17,738 44.6 +4.5
Labour Christine Butler 16,753 42.1 −0.3
Liberal Democrats Billy Boulton 3,116 7.8 −1.4
UKIP Ronald Hurrell 1,273 3.2 New
Independent Douglas Roberts 663 1.7 New
Truth Party Nik Searle 223 0.6 New
Majority 985 2.5 N/A
Turnout 39,766 58.4 −13.7
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +2.4

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Castle Point[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christine Butler 20,605 42.4 +18.4
Conservative Bob Spink 19,462 40.1 −15.5
Liberal Democrats Michael Baker 4,477 9.2 −10.0
Referendum Hugh Maulkin 2,700 5.6 New
Independent Linda Kendall 1,301 2.7 New
Majority 1,143 2.3 N/A
Turnout 48,545 72.1 −8.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +17.0
General election 1992: Castle Point[33][34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Spink 29,629 55.6 −4.3
Labour David Flack 12,799 24.0 +5.0
Liberal Democrats Allan Petchey 10,208 19.2 −1.9
Green Irene Willis 643 1.2 New
Majority 16,830 31.6 −7.2
Turnout 53,279 80.4 +5.9
Conservative hold Swing −4.7

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Castle Point[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Braine 29,681 59.9 +1.4
SDP Anne Bastow 10,433 21.1 −3.7
Labour William Deal 9,422 19.0 +2.3
Majority 19,248 38.8 +5.1
Turnout 49,536 74.5 +3.2
Conservative hold Swing +2.6
General election 1983: Castle Point[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Braine 26,730 58.5
SDP Anne Bastow 11,313 24.8
Labour Lynne Cunningham 7,621 16.7
Majority 15,417 33.7
Turnout 45,664 71.3
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer).
  2. ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

  1. ^ "Castle Point: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021". Census 2021. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  4. ^ Islands of Essex by Ian Yearsley, Published 1994 by Ian Henry Books : ISBN 0 86025 508 5
  5. ^ Stratton, 2000. (p. 192).
  6. ^ "Oikos – Canvey Island". Oikos. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  8. ^ a b c "Seat Details - Castle Point". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  9. ^ Kelly, Jon (27 June 2016). "Was there a Brexit graduate gap?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Ex-Tory MP Spink defects to UKIP". BBC News. 22 April 2008. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  11. ^ "Tory? UKIP? Now I'm just an inde says MP Bob". Echo. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  12. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  13. ^ "Castle Point 1983-". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  14. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
  15. ^ "UK Parliamentary election: Castle Point Constituency" (PDF). castlepoint.gov.uk. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Castle Point Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  18. ^ a b "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Castle Point". Election 2017. BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  20. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  21. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Castle Point parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  23. ^ "Cllr Jamie Huntman". UKIP Essex. 12 July 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  24. ^ "UK ELECTION RESULTS: CASTLE POINT 2015". Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  25. ^ "Candidates". Eastern Green Party. Archived from the original on 11 March 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  26. ^ "List of selected candidates". Liberal Democrats. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  28. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  29. ^ "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Castle Point". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  30. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  32. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  33. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  34. ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  35. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  36. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

51°32′N 0°34′E / 51.54°N 0.57°E / 51.54; 0.57

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