Stevenage is a

constituency An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...

represented in the

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of the

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since 2010 by Stephen McPartland, a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

History

The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the seats of Hertford and Stevenage,

Hitchin Hitchin () is a market town and unparished area in the North Hertfordshire district in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 35,842. History Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people, a tribe holding ...

, and East Hertfordshire. A Southern England

new town New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

seat with volatile voting patterns, it was Conservative held between 1983 and 1997 until Labour easily gained it, but their winning margin in 2005 was small and the Conservatives gained the seat at the 2010 election. Its main predecessor, named first, was also a

bellwether A bellwether is a leader or an indicator of trends.bellwether
" ''Cambridge Dictionary''. Ret ...

of the national result.

Shirley Williams Shirley Vivian Teresa Brittain Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, (' Catlin; 27 July 1930 – 12 April 2021) was a British politician and academic. Originally a Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP), she served in the Labour cabinet from ...

has been the most prominent member, in fact the second

frontbencher In many parliaments and other similar assemblies, seating is typically arranged in banks or rows, with each political party or caucus grouped together. The spokespeople for each group will often sit at the front of their group, and are then kn ...

since 1974. She held it when she was a Secretary of State in government from 1974 until 1979, Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection and then Paymaster General. Barbara Follett achieved two ministerial roles from 2007 until 2010.

Constituency profile

The main town is known for its fast rail links to London and proximity to

Luton Airport London Luton Airport is an international airport located in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, situated east of the town centre, and north of Central London. The airport is owned by London Luton Airport Ltd (LLAL), a company wholly owned by L ...

which accompanies a few headquarters of global businesses based in the seat. Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 higher than the national average of 3.8%, and eastern regional average of 3.2%, at 4.0% of the population based on a statistical compilation by ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

''.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1983–1997: The Borough of Stevenage, the District of North Hertfordshire wards of Codicote and Knebworth, and the District of East Hertfordshire wards of Cottered, Datchworth, Mundern, Walkern, and Watton-at-Stone. The constituency was formed from the majority of the abolished County Constituency of Hertford and Stevenage, except for the wards of Codicote and Knebworth, transferred from the abolished County Constituency of

, and the wards of Cottered and Mundern, transferred from the abolished County Constituency of East Hertfordshire. 1997–2010: The Borough of Stevenage, the District of North Hertfordshire wards of Codicote and Knebworth, and the District of East Hertfordshire wards of Datchworth and Walkern. The District of East Hertfordshire wards of Cottered, Mundern and

Watton-at-Stone Watton-at-Stone is a village in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated midway between the towns of Stevenage and Hertford in the valley of the River Beane. The 2011 census showed a population of 2,272 living in 946 households. Watton-at ...

were transferred to the new County Constituency of

North East Hertfordshire North East Hertfordshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Oliver Heald, a Conservative. Constituency profile The constituency includes the towns of Letchworth, Baldock and Royston and th ...

. 2010–present: The Borough of Stevenage, the District of North Hertfordshire wards of Codicote and Knebworth, and the District of East Hertfordshire ward of Datchworth and Aston.

Walkern Walkern is a village and civil parish in East Hertfordshire, England. It is about two miles from Stevenage. The village has several shops, including a convenience store, a hair and beauty salon, a craft shop, a shop that features homestyle pr ...

ward transferred to North East Hertfordshire. The constituency covers the

Borough of Stevenage Stevenage ( ) is a large town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, about north of London. Stevenage is east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1(M), between Letchworth Garden City to the north and Welwyn Garden City to the south. In 1946, Steve ...

, as well as the villages of Codicote and

Knebworth Knebworth is a village and civil parish in the north of Hertfordshire, England, immediately south of Stevenage. The civil parish covers an area between the villages of Datchworth, Woolmer Green, Codicote, Kimpton, Whitwell, St Paul's Walden ...

to the south and

Aston Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, England. Located immediately to the north-east of Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a ward within the metropolitan authority. It is approximately 1.5 miles from Birmingham City Centre. History Aston wa ...

and Datchworth to the east.2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England
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Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenage (Uk Parliament Constituency) Parliamentary constituencies in Hertfordshire Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1983 Politics of Stevenage