Richmond and Barnes (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids
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Richmond and Barnes was an area in London that used to have its own representative in the UK Parliament. This area was called a 'constituency'. From 1983 to 1997, people living here voted for one person, called a 'Member of Parliament' (MP), to speak for them in the House of Commons. The House of Commons is where laws are made for the whole country.
Contents
Understanding a Parliamentary Constituency
A parliamentary constituency is a specific area in a country. People living in that area vote for one person to represent them in the national parliament. This person is called a Member of Parliament (MP). The MP's job is to bring the ideas and concerns of the people in their constituency to the government.
Why Constituencies Change
Constituencies like Richmond and Barnes are sometimes created or removed. This happens to make sure that each MP represents about the same number of people. When populations grow or shrink in different areas, the boundaries of constituencies are changed. This helps keep elections fair.
History of Richmond and Barnes
The Richmond and Barnes constituency existed for 14 years, from 1983 to 1997. During this time, it was always represented by Jeremy Hanley. He was a member of the Conservative Party.
Key Elections in the Constituency
The elections in Richmond and Barnes were often very close. This means that the difference in votes between the winning candidate and the second-place candidate was small. Jeremy Hanley's main opponent was Alan Watson from the SDP–Liberal Alliance. Alan Watson came very close to winning the seat in both the 1983 and 1987 elections.
1983 General Election
In the 1983 election, Jeremy Hanley won by a very small number of votes. He received 20,695 votes, while Alan Watson received 20,621 votes. This was a difference of only 74 votes!
1987 General Election
The 1987 election was also close. Jeremy Hanley won again, this time with 21,729 votes. Alan Watson received 19,963 votes. The gap between them grew a little, but it was still a tight race.
1992 General Election
In the 1992 election, Jeremy Hanley won for the third time. He received 22,894 votes. The second-place candidate was Jenny Tonge from the Liberal Democrats, who got 19,025 votes. This election had a larger difference in votes than the previous two.
Where Was Richmond and Barnes?
The Richmond and Barnes constituency was located in the northern part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It included areas like Richmond and Barnes.
Boundary Changes Over Time
Before 1983, much of this area was part of the Richmond (Surrey) constituency. When Richmond and Barnes was abolished in 1997, its area was mostly split into two new constituencies: Richmond Park and Twickenham.
Members of Parliament for Richmond and Barnes
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Jeremy Hanley | Conservative | |
| 1997 | constituency abolished: see Richmond Park and Twickenham | ||
See also
