Reading West (UK Parliament constituency)

Former parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, from 1983 to 2024

Reading West

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of Reading West in Berkshire

Location of Berkshire within England

County| Berkshire
Electorate| 73,006 (2018)[1]
Major settlements| Reading, Theale and Tilehurst
1983–2024
Seats| One
Created from| Reading North, Newbury and Reading South[2]
Replaced by| Earley and Woodley, Reading Central, Reading West and Mid Berkshire

Reading West was a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.[n 2]

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. Its area was transferred to the new constituencies of Earley and Woodley (Whitley ward), Reading Central (Battle, Minster and Southcote wards), and Reading West and Mid Berkshire (all other wards). These constituencies were first contested at the 2024 general election.[n 3][3][4][5]

## Constituency profile

[edit]

Since its 1983 creation the constituency was a bellwether paradigm example of a marginal seat. Boundary changes for the 2010 election took in areas of population expansion to the east in new largely private sector housing estates. Unemployment is close to the regional average, which is lower than the national average[6] and the constituency has seen a marked increase in properties and property prices throughout the 2001 to 2011 period which saw town centre regeneration and investment by a Labour Party-controlled council enhanced by Reading railway station hub improvements and enterprise areas equally.

## History

[edit]

The Reading West parliamentary constituency was first contested in 1983, when it was won by a member of the Conservative Party, Tony Durant, the sitting MP for the abolished Reading North constituency. He held the seat through two subsequent general elections until he retired at the 1997 election.

The constituency was then won by Martin Salter for Labour, as part of the landslide that brought Labour back to power under Tony Blair. Salter held the seat through the 13 years of Labour government until Parliament was dissolved in April 2010, but did not stand in the 2010 general election, when Alok Sharma won the seat for the Conservatives.

Sharma held several posts within government, including serving in the Cabinet as the President for COP26 from January 2021 until October 2022.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

[edit]

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

1983–1997

* The Borough of Reading wards of Battle, Katesgrove, Kentwood, Minster, Norcot, Southcote, and Tilehurst; and
* The District of Newbury wards of Calcot, Pangbourne, Purley, Theale, and Tilehurst.[7]

Formed as a county constituency, largely from parts of the abolished constituency of Reading North. Extended westwards to include parts of Newbury.

1997–2010

* The Borough of Reading wards of Battle, Kentwood, Minster, Norcot, Southcote, Tilehurst, and Whitley; and
* The District of Newbury wards of Calcot, Pangbourne, Purley, Theale, and Tilehurst.[8]

The boundary with Reading East was realigned, gaining Whitley ward and losing Katesgrove ward.

2010–2024

* The Borough of Reading wards of Battle, Kentwood, Minster, Norcot, Southcote, Tilehurst, and Whitley; and
* The District of West Berkshire wards of Birch Copse, Calcot, Pangbourne, Purley on Thames, Theale, and Westwood.[9]

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

The constituency was bordered by the seats of Newbury, Henley, Reading East, and Wokingham.[10]

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member[11] | Party

|
|

1983 | Tony Durant |  | Conservative
1997 | Martin Salter |  | Labour
2010 | Alok Sharma |  | Conservative

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 2010s

[edit]

General election 2019: Reading West[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alok Sharma | 24,393  | 48.4  | –0.5
| Labour Co-op | Rachel Eden  | 20,276  | 40.2  | –3.1
| Liberal Democrats | Meri O'Connell  | 4,460  | 8.9  | +3.0
| Green | Jamie Whitham  | 1,263  | 2.5  | +0.6
Majority | 4,117  | 8.2  | +2.6
Turnout | 50,392  | 67.9  | −1.6
Registered electors | 74,623  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.3  |

General election 2017: Reading West[13][14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alok Sharma | 25,311  | 48.9  | +1.2
| Labour | Olivia Bailey | 22,435  | 43.3  | +9.3
| Liberal Democrats | Meri O’Connell  | 3,041  | 5.9  | +1.0
| Green | Jamie Whitham  | 979  | 1.9  | −1.0
Majority | 2,876  | 5.6  | −8.1
Turnout | 51,766  | 69.5  | +2.8
Registered electors | 74,518  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | –4.1  |
General election 2015: Reading West[15][16][17] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alok Sharma | 23,082  | 47.7  | +4.5
| Labour | Victoria Groulef  | 16,432  | 34.0  | +3.5
| UKIP | Malik Azam[18] | 4,826  | 10.0  | +6.8
| Liberal Democrats | Meri O'Connell  | 2,355  | 4.9  | −15.2
| Green | Miriam Kennet  | 1,406  | 2.9  | +1.7
| Independent | Suzie Ferguson  | 156  | 0.3  | New
| TUSC | Neil Adams  | 83  | 0.2  | New
| Roman | Philip West  | 64  | 0.1  | New
Majority | 6,650  | 13.7  | +1.0
Turnout | 48,404  | 66.7  | +0.8
Registered electors | 72,302  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5  |
General election 2010: Reading West[19] [20] [21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alok Sharma | 20,523  | 43.2  | +9.6
| Labour | Naz Sarkar  | 14,519  | 30.5  | −14.5
| Liberal Democrats | Daisy Benson  | 9,546  | 20.1  | +4.3
| UKIP | Bruce Hay  | 1,508  | 3.2  | +0.4
| Common Sense | Howard Thomas  | 852  | 1.8  | New
| Green | Adrian Windisch  | 582  | 1.2  | −1.0
Majority | 6,004  | 12.6  | N/A
Turnout | 47,530  | 65.9  | +4.7
Registered electors | 72,118  |  |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +12.1  |

### Elections in the 2000s

[edit]

2005 notional result

Party  | Vote  | %
| Labour | 19,451 | 45.1
| Conservative | 14,496 | 33.6
| Liberal Democrats | 6,814 | 15.8
| Others | 2,385 | 5.5
Turnout | 43,146  | 61.2
Electorate | 70,529
General election 2005: Reading West[22] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Martin Salter | 18,940  | 44.9  | −8.3
| Conservative | Ewan Cameron  | 14,258  | 33.8  | +1.7
| Liberal Democrats | Denise Gaines  | 6,663  | 15.8  | +3.0
| UKIP | Peter Williams  | 1,180  | 2.8  | +0.8
| Green | Adrian Windisch  | 921  | 2.2  | New
| Veritas | Dave Boyle  | 267  | 0.6  | New
Majority | 4,672  | 11.1  | −10.0
Turnout | 42,229  | 61.2  | +2.1
Registered electors | 69,011  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing | −5.0  |
General election 2001: Reading West[23] [24] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Martin Salter | 22,300  | 53.1  | +8.0
| Conservative | Stephen Reid  | 13,451  | 32.0  | −6.9
| Liberal Democrats | Polly Martin  | 5,387  | 12.8  | +0.1
| UKIP | David Black  | 848  | 2.0  | +1.4
Majority | 8,849  | 21.1  | +14.9
Turnout | 41,986  | 59.1  | −11.0
Registered electors | 71,089  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing | +7.4  |

### Elections in the 1990s

[edit]

General election 1997: Reading West[25][24] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Martin Salter | 21,841  | 45.1  | +16.5
| Conservative | Nicholas Bennett | 18,844  | 38.9  | −13.4
| Liberal Democrats | Dee Tomlin  | 6,153  | 12.7  | −5.1
| Referendum | Steven G Brown  | 976  | 2.0  | New
| BNP | Ian Dell  | 320  | 0.7  | New
| UKIP | David M Black  | 255  | 0.5  | New
Majority | 2,997  | 6.2  | N/A
Turnout | 48,389  | 70.1  | −7.3
Registered electors | 69,073  |  |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +15.0  |
1992 notional result

Party  | Vote  | %
| Conservative | 27,888 | 52.4
| Labour | 15,256 | 28.7
| Liberal Democrats | 9,461 | 17.8
| Others | 638 | 1.2
Turnout | 53,243  | 77.3
Electorate | 68,848
General election 1992: Reading West[26][27] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Tony Durant | 28,048  | 52.9  | −2.4
| Labour | PM Ruhemann  | 14,750  | 27.8  | +6.6
| Liberal Democrats | KH Lock  | 9,572  | 18.1  | −4.3
| Green | PJ Unsworth  | 613  | 1.2  | +0.1
Majority | 13,298  | 25.1  | −7.8
Turnout | 52,983  | 78.0  | +5.8
Registered electors | 67,937  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −4.5  |

### Elections in the 1980s

[edit]

General election 1987: Reading West[28] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Tony Durant | 28,122  | 55.3  | +3.2
| Liberal | Keith Lock  | 11,369  | 22.4  | −5.9
| Labour | Michael Orton  | 10,819  | 21.3  | +2.0
| Green | EP Wilson  | 542  | 1.1  | New
Majority | 16,753  | 32.9  | +9.1
Turnout | 50,852  | 72.2  | −0.2
Registered electors | 70,391  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +4.7  |
General election 1983: Reading West[29] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Tony Durant | 24,948  | 52.1  | +4.1
| Liberal | James Day  | 13,549  | 28.3  | +8.7
| Labour | Richard Evans  | 9,220  | 19.3  | –12.2
| Independent  | E Lilley  | 161  | 0.3  | New
Majority | 11,399  | 23.5  | +7.3
Turnout | 47,878  | 72.5  |
Registered electors | 66,080  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | –2.3  |
1979 notional result[30]

Party  | Vote  | %
| Conservative | 24,628 | 48.0
| Labour | 16,144 | 31.5
| Liberal | 10,056 | 19.6
| Others | 492 | 1.0
Turnout | 51,320  |
Electorate |

## See also

[edit]

* List of parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire

## Notes

[edit]

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.
3. ^ For the purposes of this definition, the Electoral Commission appears to have used the borough ward names and definitions as existed prior to 2022 rather than the current names and definitions.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
2. ^ "'Reading West', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 13 March 2016.[permanent dead link]
3. ^ "South East | Boundary Commission for England". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
4. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
5. ^ "Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the South East region". Boundary Commission for England. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
6. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
7. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
8. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
9. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
10. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
11. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
12. ^ "Reading West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
13. ^ "Reading Borough Council statement of persons nominated 2017" (PDF).
14. ^ "Reading Borough Council". www.reading.gov.uk.
15. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
16. ^ Fort, Linda (9 December 2014). "Reading West has new independent General Election candidate".
17. ^ "Parliamentary results 2015". Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
18. ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
19. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
20. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated – Notice of Poll – Reading West Constituency" (PDF). Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
21. ^ "Election 2010 – Reading West". BBC. 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
22. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
24. ^ a b "Ask Aristotle – Reading West". London: Guardian Unlimited. 2005. Archived from the original on 11 April 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2005.
25. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
26. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
27. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
28. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
29. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
30. ^ "BBC/ITN NOTIONAL ELECTION 1979". election.demon.co.uk. BBC/ITN. Archived from the original on 28 May 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Reading West UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
* Reading West UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK

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Constituencies in South East England (91)

Labour (35)|

* Aldershot
* Ashford
* Aylesbury
* Banbury
* Basingstoke
* Bracknell
* Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven
* Buckingham and Bletchley
* Chatham and Aylesford
* Crawley
* Dartford
* Dover and Deal
* Earley and Woodley
* East Thanet
* East Worthing and Shoreham
* Folkestone and Hythe
* Gillingham and Rainham
* Gravesham
* Hastings and Rye
* Hove and Portslade
* Isle of Wight West
* Milton Keynes Central
* Milton Keynes North
* Oxford East
* Portsmouth North
* Portsmouth South
* Reading Central
* Reading West and Mid Berkshire
* Rochester and Strood
* Sittingbourne and Sheppey
* Slough
* Southampton Itchen
* Southampton Test
* Worthing West
* Wycombe

Conservative (30)|

* Arundel and South Downs
* Beaconsfield
* Bexhill and Battle
* Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
* East Grinstead and Uckfield
* East Hampshire
* East Surrey
* Fareham and Waterlooville
* Farnham and Bordon
* Faversham and Mid Kent
* Godalming and Ash
* Gosport
* Hamble Valley
* Havant
* Herne Bay and Sandwich
* Isle of Wight East
* Maidstone and Malling
* Mid Buckinghamshire
* New Forest East
* New Forest West
* North West Hampshire
* Reigate
* Romsey and Southampton North
* Runnymede and Weybridge
* Sevenoaks
* Spelthorne
* Sussex Weald
* Tonbridge
* Weald of Kent
* Windsor

Liberal Democrats (24)|

* Bicester and Woodstock
* Chesham and Amersham
* Chichester
* Didcot and Wantage
* Dorking and Horley
* Eastbourne
* Eastleigh
* Epsom and Ewell
* Esher and Walton
* Guildford
* Henley and Thame
* Horsham
* Lewes
* Maidenhead
* Mid Sussex
* Newbury
* North East Hampshire
* Oxford West and Abingdon
* Surrey Heath
* Tunbridge Wells
* Winchester
* Witney
* Woking
* Wokingham

Green (1)|

* Brighton Pavilion

Independent (1)|

* Canterbury

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Reading, Berkshire

Topics|

* Culture
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Politics|

| Constituencies|

* Reading Central
* Reading West and Mid Berkshire
* Earley and Woodley

|

Local elections|

* 1973
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* 1987
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Places|

| Suburbs and areas
within the borough|

* Caversham
* Caversham Heights
* Caversham Park Village
* Coley
* Coley Park
* East Reading
* Emmer Green
* Green Park
* Horncastle
* Katesgrove
* Lower Caversham
* Newtown
* Norcot
* Southcote
* Tilehurst
* West Reading
* Whitley
* Whitley Wood

|

Electoral wards
within the borough|

* Abbey
* Battle
* Caversham
* Caversham Heights
* Church
* Coley
* Emmer Green
* Katesgrove
* Kentwood
* Norcot
* Park
* Redlands
* Southcote
* Thames
* Tilehurst
* Whitley

Suburbs and areas
outside the borough|

* Beansheaf Farm
* Calcot
* Earley
* Fords Farm
* Holybrook
* Little Heath
* Lower Earley
* Maiden Erlegh
* Purley on Thames
* Tilehurst Without
* Woodley

Authority control databases: People |

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