Sittingbourne and Sheppey
2010 Results:
Conservative: 24313 (50.05%)
Labour: 11930 (24.56%)
Liberal Democrat: 7943 (16.35%)
BNP: 1305 (2.69%)
UKIP: 2610 (5.37%)
Monster Raving Loony: 319 (0.66%)
Independent: 158 (0.33%)
Majority: 12383 (25.49%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Conservative: 18060 (41.6%)
Labour: 17978 (41.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 5636 (13%)
Other: 1694 (3.9%)
Majority: 82 (0.2%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 16972 (41.6%)
Labour: 17051 (41.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 5183 (12.7%)
UKIP: 926 (2.3%)
Other: 671 (1.6%)
Majority: 79 (0.2%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 13831 (36.5%)
Labour: 17340 (45.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 5353 (14.1%)
UKIP: 661 (1.7%)
Other: 673 (1.8%)
Majority: 3509 (9.3%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 16794 (36.4%)
Labour: 18723 (40.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 8447 (18.3%)
Referendum: 1082 (2.3%)
Other: 1116 (2.4%)
Majority: 1929 (4.2%)
Boundary changes: Gains most of Teynham and Lynstead ward.
Profile: A north Kent seat, one of the string of ultra-marginals there, this covers Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppey. Sheppey is divided from the mainland by the Swale (after which the local authority is named), though it is accessible by bridge, a new four lane bridge linking it to the mainland was opened in 2006. Sheppey itself is largely marshland (there are three prisons in the isolation of the marshes) and nature reserves for birdlife. Along the northern coast are a string of villages like Minster, Warden and Leysdown-on-Sea, with popular beaches. To the west the island is more industrial Sheerness, a major commerical port and the main route for imported cars coming into the UK.
The other, more populus, part of the seat consists of Sittingbourne.and surrounding villages like Newington, Borden, Bapchild, Teynham, Iwade and Milton Regis, an area of agriculture and commuters that tends to be more Conservative than Labour voting Sheerness.
In 2005 this was one of the most marginal seats in the country, held by Labour`s Derek Wyatt by only 79 votes. The boundary changes make it notionally a Conservative seat next time round, but it remains a super-marginal amongst many in this county.
Current MP: Gordon Henderson (Conservative) Works as operations manager to a gift manufacturer and has two retail shops in Sheerness. Former Swale District and Kent County Councillor. Contested Luton South 2001, Sittingbourne & Sheppey 2005.







2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 97067
Male: 49.6%
Female: 50.4%
Under 18: 24.4%
Over 60: 19.6%
Born outside UK: 3.6%
White: 98%
Black: 0.4%
Asian: 0.7%
Mixed: 0.7%
Other: 0.3%
Christian: 75.8%
Full time students: 1.8%
Graduates 16-74: 10%
No Qualifications 16-74: 35.5%
Owner-Occupied: 74.4%
Social Housing: 15% (Council: 1.3%, Housing Ass.: 13.7%)
Privately Rented: 8.3%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 8.3%