This is a highly-affluent, suburban constituency located just outside Greater London, around 17 miles (27km) south of the centre of the capital, placing it within the London commuter belt. Traditionally a rural, agricultural area, Reigate and its nearby settlements were mostly developed during the Victorian era after the arrival of road and rail from London. The Surrey Hills, a National Landscape of rolling downland, passes through the constituency between Reigate and Banstead. This gives the area a leafy, suburban character with most residents living in large detached or semi-detached homes; the average house price across the constituency is almost double the nationwide average.
The Reigate constituency has a low proportion of young adults and an above-average population of middle-aged adults and young families. Levels of income and homeownership are high and the child poverty rate is less than half the UK-wide rate. Residents are generally well-educated and a high proportion work in the health and finance sectors. The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is around half the national rate. White people made up 84% of the population at the 2021 census.
1885–1918: The Borough of Reigate, its Sessional Division, and those of Dorking and Godstone except Effingham, Mickleham, Caterham, Warlingham, Chelsham and Farleigh
1918–1950: The Borough of Reigate, the Urban District of Dorking, and the Rural Districts of Dorking and Reigate
1950–1974: The Borough of Reigate, and the Rural District of Godstone
1974: what had been the Rural District was ceded to the East Surrey seat; Banstead U.D. was taken from the Carshalton seat
1974–1983: The Borough of Reigate, and the Urban District of Banstead
1983: The northern heart of what had been Banstead U.D. (four wards) were ceded to the Epsom and Ewell seat
1983–1997: The Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Chipstead Hooley and Woodmansterne, Horley East, Horley West, Kingswood with Burgh Heath, Reigate Central, Reigate East, Reigate North, Reigate North Central, Reigate North East, Reigate South Central, Reigate South East, Reigate South West, Salfords and Sidlow, and Tadworth and Walton
1997–2010: The Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Banstead Village, Chipstead Hooley and Woodmansterne, Kingswood with Burgh Heath, Reigate Central, Reigate East, Reigate North, Reigate North Central, Reigate North East, Reigate South Central, Reigate South East, Reigate South West, Salfords and Sidlow, and Tadworth and Walton
2010–2024: The Borough of Reigate and Banstead wards of Banstead Village, Chipstead Hooley and Woodmansterne, Earlswood and Whitebushes, Kingswood with Burgh Heath, Meadvale and St John's, Merstham, Preston, Redhill East, Redhill West, Reigate Central, Reigate Hill, Salfords and Sidlow, South Park and Woodhatch, and Tadworth and Walton
This constituency was first created with the first election of Burgesses to Parliament in 1295, electing two members. It continued to elect two members until 1832 when its representation was reduced to one member by the Great Reform Act.
In 1868 the constituency was disenfranchised for corruption, but was revived in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 when the East Surrey constituency was abolished. Since 1918 the seat has been held by a candidate in the Conservative Party with the exception of four months during which the anti-EU MP in 1997 before the election of that year joined the Referendum Party (UK). The Liberal Democrats including their two predecessor parties amassed their largest share of the vote in 2010. The largest opposition party changed from Labour to the Liberal Democrats in 2005 and 2010, then UKIP in 2015 and back to Labour in the 2017 general election.
In 1974, the seat saw major boundary changes which removed some of Eastern Surrey which was in the seat into the radically redesigned East Surrey seat and added the Banstead area to the seat.
This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation. George Gardiner changed party from the Conservative Party to the Referendum Party following his deselection by the local Conservative association.
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
1234Spencer, Howard. "Reigate". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
Sources
Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nded.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p.252. ISBN0-900178-26-4.
Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nded.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p.400. ISBN0-900178-27-2.
Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rded.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p.479. ISBN0-900178-06-X.
