Reading East
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Reading East in Berkshire
Outline map
Location of Berkshire within England
CountyBerkshire
Electorate72,647 (2018)[1]
Major settlementsReading
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentMatt Rodda (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromReading North, Reading South and Henley[2]

Reading East is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Matt Rodda, of the Labour Party.[n 2] The seat is one of two Labour seats from a total of eight seats in Berkshire.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be abolished. Voters will be transferred to the new constituencies of Earley and Woodley (Bulmershe and Whitegates, Church, Loddon and South Lake wards) and Reading Central (all other wards). These constituencies will be first contested at the next general election.[3][4][5]

Constituency profile

The seat contains the University of Reading and most of its students. The Thames Valley Business Park is in another part of the seat, hosting multinational and cutting-edge technology companies in the software and advanced computer science areas. Adjoining the redeveloped heart of town are a handful mid-rise blocks of ex-council flats and serried ranks of former relatively philanthropic biscuit, brick and seeds manufacturing/processing workers' neat terraces towards the south-centre and east of the town, including firmly Labour-held wards. The suburban north bank of the Thames section takes in Caversham, forming four wards, whilst Earley and Woodley, adding a further three wards, make up strongly-leaning Conservative wards. Intermediate wards such as Redlands and Park are more marginal including Green Party and Liberal Democrat representation.

History

The Reading East parliamentary constituency was first contested in 1983, when it was won by a partial incumbent, Gerry Vaughan, a Conservative who was before that election sitting MP for abolished Reading South. He held the seat through two general elections until he retired before the 1997 election. The constituency was in 1997 won by the Labour Party's Jane Griffiths, thus a backbencher under the Blair Ministry. She retained the seat in the 2001 election but was deselected by her Constituency Labour Party before the 2005 election, when the seat was won by the Tory candidate, Rob Wilson, who held the seat through two elections. Until 2005 the seat had been a national bellwether.

Graph of election results for Reading East, 1983-2017

The seat was regained by the Labour Party's candidate in 2017, Matt Rodda, achieving the party's best showing since the seat's creation. Rodda's 2017 win was one of 30 net gains of the Labour Party. The 2017 result came when there was a hung parliament nationally. Reading East was one of five constituencies, the others being Croydon Central, Enfield Southgate, Leeds North West and Peterborough, which elected Labour MPs in 2017 having not done so since 2001.

At the 2019 general election, the seat was retained by Rodda with an increased majority, achieving a swing to Labour of 1.9%, and bucking the national trend which saw an overall swing to the Conservatives of 4.6%.

The seat has been, relative to others, a semi-marginal seat, and major-swing (volatile) seat since 2010. Its winner's majority has not exceeded 12.9% of the vote since the 15.2% majority won in that year. The seat has changed hands once since 2010.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1983–1997

  • The Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Caversham, Church, Park, Peppard, Redlands, Thames, and Whitley; and
  • The District of Wokingham wards of Arborfield, Barkham, Finchampstead, Shinfield, and Swallowfield.[6]

Formed as a county constituency, largely from parts of the abolished constituency of Reading South.  It also incorporated parts of the abolished constituency of Reading North, including Caversham.

1997–2010

  • The Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Caversham, Church, Katesgrove, Park, Peppard, Redlands, and Thames;and
  • The District of Wokingham wards of Bulmershe, Loddon, South Lake, and Whitegates.[7]

For the 1997 general election, the constituency lost its southern areas comprising the parts of the District of Wokingham to Wokingham (including Shinfield) and Bracknell (Finchampstead), but gained other parts of Wokingham to the east of the Reading. The boundary with Reading West was realigned, gaining Katesgrove ward and losing Whitley ward. It was redesignated as a Borough Constituency.

2010–present

  • The Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Caversham, Church, Katesgrove, Mapledurham, Park, Peppard, Redlands, and Thames; and
  • The District of Wokingham wards of Bulmershe and Whitegates, Loddon, and South Lake.[8]

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

Reading East is bordered by the constituencies of Reading West, Henley, Maidenhead, and Wokingham.[9]

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[10] Party
1983 Gerard Vaughan Conservative
1997 Jane Griffiths Labour
2005 Rob Wilson Conservative
2017 Matt Rodda Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Reading East[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Matt Rodda 27,102 48.5 -0.5
Conservative Craig Morley 21,178 37.9 −4.4
Liberal Democrats Imogen Shepherd-DuBey 5,035 9.0 +2.9
Green David McElroy 1,549 2.8 +0.8
Brexit Party Mitchell Feierstein 852 1.5 New
CPA Yemi Awolola 202 0.4 New
Majority 5,924 10.6 +3.9
Turnout 55,918 72.6 -0.5
Labour hold Swing +1.9
General election 2017: Reading East[12][13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Matt Rodda 27,093 49.0 +15.9
Conservative Rob Wilson 23,344 42.3 −3.7
Liberal Democrats Jenny Woods 3,378 6.1 −1.3
Green Kizzi Johannessen 1,093 2.0 −4.4
Independent Michael Turberville 188 0.3 New
Movement for Active Democracy Andy Kirkwood 142 0.0 New
Majority 3,749 6.7 N/A
Turnout 55,370 73.1 +3.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +9.9
General election 2015: Reading East[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rob Wilson 23,217 46.0 +3.4
Labour Matt Rodda 16,697 33.1 +7.6
Liberal Democrats Jenny Woods 3,719 7.4 −19.9
UKIP Christine Forrester[17] 3,647 7.2 +5.0
Green Rob White 3,214 6.4 +4.3
Majority 6,520 12.9 -2.3
Turnout 50,494 69.0 +2.3
Conservative hold Swing −2.1
General election 2010: Reading East[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rob Wilson 21,269 42.6 +6.9
Liberal Democrats Gareth Epps 13,664 27.3 +3.1
Labour Anneliese Dodds 12,729 25.5 −8.5
UKIP Adrian Pitfield 1,086 2.2 +0.2
Green Rob White 1,069 2.1 −1.4
Independent Joan Lloyd 111 0.2 New
Independent Michael Turberville 57 0.1 New
Majority 7,605 15.3 -2.1
Turnout 49,985 66.7 +8.2
Conservative hold Swing +2.0

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Reading East[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rob Wilson 15,557 35.4 +3.4
Labour Tony Page 15,082 34.3 −10.5
Liberal Democrats John Howson 10,619 24.2 +5.7
Green Rob White 1,548 3.5 +1.1
UKIP David Lamb 849 1.9 +0.7
Independent Joan Lloyd 135 0.3 New
Independent Rex Hora 122 0.3 New
Majority 475 1.1 N/A
Turnout 43,912 60.3 +1.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +7.0
General election 2001: Reading East[21][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jane Griffiths 19,538 44.8 +2.1
Conservative Barry Tanswell 13,943 32.0 −3.2
Liberal Democrats Thomas Dobrashian 8,078 18.5 0.0
Green Miriam Kennet 1,053 2.4 New
UKIP Amy Thornton 525 1.2 +0.7
Socialist Alliance Darren Williams 394 0.9 New
Independent Peter Hammerson 94 0.2 New
Majority 5,595 12.8 +5.3
Turnout 43,625 58.4 −11.8
Labour hold Swing −2.7

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Reading East[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jane Griffiths 21,461 42.7 +13.8
Conservative John Watts 17,666 35.2 −13.9
Liberal Democrats Sam Samuel 9,307 18.5 -1.9
Referendum David Harmer 1,042 2.1 New
Natural Law John Buckley 254 0.5 New
UKIP A L Thornton 252 0.5 New
BNP Barbara Packer 238 0.5 New
Majority 3,795 7.5 N/A
Turnout 50,220 70.2 −4.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +17.2
General election 1992: Reading East[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 29,148 53.8 0.0
Labour Gillian Parker 14,593 27.0 +5.5
Liberal Democrats Denis Thair 9,528 17.6 −5.6
Green A McCubbin 861 1.6 +0.3
Majority 14,555 26.8 −3.8
Turnout 54,130 75.0 +1.7
Conservative hold Swing −2.8

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Reading East[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 28,515 53.8 +2.2
Alliance (SDP) Susan Baring 12,298 23.2 −4.2
Labour Martin Salter 11,371 21.5 +2.1
Green Philip Unsworth 667 1.3 +0.2
CSOSMG Arthur Shone 125 0.2 New
Majority 16,217 30.6 +6.4
Turnout 52,976 73.3 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing +3.2
General election 1983: Reading East[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 24,516 51.6
Alliance (SDP) Chris Huhne 13,008 27.4
Labour Kevin Boyle 9,218 19.4
Ecology Geoffrey Darnton 519 1.1
BNP P. Baker 147 0.3
Common Market Party B. Shone 113 0.2
Majority 11,508 24.2
Turnout 47,512 70.4
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. ↑ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  2. ↑ "'Reading East', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  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. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  8. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  10. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
  11. ↑ "Reading East parliamentary constituency – Election 201( – BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  12. ↑ "Reading Borough Council – statement of persons nominated 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "Reading East parliamentary constituency – Election 2017 – BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  14. ↑ "Reading Borough Council". www.reading.gov.uk.
  15. ↑ "Notice of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Reading Borough Council.
  16. ↑ "Parliamentary results 2015". Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  17. ↑ "UK Polling Report".
  18. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Election 2005 – Reading East". BBC. 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2005.
  21. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Research Paper 01/54 – General Election Results – 7 June 2001" (PDF). House of Commons Library. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2005.
  23. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  26. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

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