Tunbridge Wells
2010 Results:
Conservative: 28302 (56.24%)
Labour: 5448 (10.83%)
Liberal Democrat: 12726 (25.29%)
BNP: 704 (1.4%)
UKIP: 2054 (4.08%)
Green: 914 (1.82%)
Independent: 172 (0.34%)
Majority: 15576 (30.95%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Conservative: 23267 (51.1%)
Liberal Democrat: 11503 (25.2%)
Labour: 9147 (20.1%)
Other: 1653 (3.6%)
Majority: 11764 (25.8%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 21083 (49.6%)
Labour: 8736 (20.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 11095 (26.1%)
UKIP: 1568 (3.7%)
Majority: 9988 (23.5%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 19643 (48.9%)
Labour: 9332 (23.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 9913 (24.7%)
UKIP: 1313 (3.3%)
Majority: 9730 (24.2%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 21853 (45.2%)
Labour: 9879 (20.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 14347 (29.7%)
Referendum: 1858 (3.8%)
Other: 417 (0.9%)
Majority: 7506 (15.5%)
Boundary changes: Gains Hawkhurst and Sandhurst from Maidstone and the Weald.
Profile: A semi-rural and solidly Conservative seat in West Kent. Royal Tunbridge Wells is a spa town (and, along with Leamington Spa, one of only two towns in the UK granted the Royal prefix) associated in popular culture with the comfortable, curtain-twitching Middle classes and the mythical letters to the editor signed “Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells”. As well as the towns and villages surrounding Tunbridge Wells itself, such as Southborough, Pembury and Langton Green (birthplace of Subbuteo) the constituency stretches west across the Weald, taking in a swathe of rural villages like Goudhurst, Lamberhurst, Horsmonden, Hawkhurst and Sandhurst.
The seat has been Conservative since its creation in 1974, never having faced any serious challenge to their dominance at Parliamentary level (though the council was briefly controlled by the Liberal Democrats in the mid-90s). The seat was represented by Archie Norman between 1997 and 2005, the former Asda boss and sometime Chief Executive of the Conservative party who was expected to be a Tory highflier upon his election, but never really settled into the world of politics. He stood down in 2005 to be replaced by Greg Clark, the Conservative`s former head of policy.
Current MP: Greg Clark(Conservative) born 1967, Middlesborough. Educated at South Bank Comprehensive and Cambridge University. Doctorate from the LSE. Former special advisor to Ian Lang and Director of policy for the Conservative party. First elected as MP for Tunbridge Wells in 2005. Shadow minister for charities, voluntary sector and social enterprise 2006-2008, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 2008- (more information at They work for you)
Greg Clark(Conservative) born 1967, Middlesborough. Educated at South Bank Comprehensive and Cambridge University. Doctorate from the LSE. Former special advisor to Ian Lang and Director of policy for the Conservative party. First elected as MP for Tunbridge Wells in 2005. Shadow minister for charities, voluntary sector and social enterprise 2006-2008, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 2008- (more information at They work for you)Gary Heather (Labour) David Hallas (Liberal Democrat)Hazel Dawe (Green)Victor Webb (UKIP) Contested Tunbridge Wells 2001, 2005.Andrew McBride (BNP) Farel Bradbury (Independent)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 94330
Male: 48.3%
Female: 51.7%
Under 18: 22.8%
Over 60: 21.2%
Born outside UK: 6.9%
White: 97.5%
Black: 0.3%
Asian: 0.6%
Mixed: 0.9%
Other: 0.6%
Christian: 74.9%
Muslim: 0.6%
Full time students: 2.2%
Graduates 16-74: 24.4%
No Qualifications 16-74: 21.8%
Owner-Occupied: 71.7%
Social Housing: 15.7% (Council: 0.6%, Housing Ass.: 15%)
Privately Rented: 9.8%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 7.1%