Huntingdon is a constituency west of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire and including its namesake town of Huntingdon. It has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Benjamin Obese-Jecty of the Conservative Party.
Before 2024, Huntingdon was considered a safe Conservative seat and was the seat of John Major, the Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997.
First established around the time of the Model Parliament in 1295, Huntingdon was the seat of Oliver Cromwell in 1628–1629 and 1640–1642.
Constituency profile Huntingdon is a rural constituency located in Cambridgeshire, although it was previously within the now-defunct county of Huntingdonshire. Its largest town is Huntingdon, which has a population of around 26,000. Other settlements in the constituency include the towns of Godmanchester and St Ives and the villages of Brampton, Buckden, Sawtry, Warboys and Somersham. The constituency includes a number of current and former Royal Air Force bases; RAF Molesworth, RAF Alconbury and RAF Wyton are still operational. Huntingdon, Godmanchester and St Ives are historic, agricultural market towns. The area is generally wealthy with low levels of deprivation. House prices in the constituency are in line with the national average.
In general, residents have average levels of education and high rates of household income. A high proportion of residents work in the manufacturing and defence industries. White people made up 91% of the population at the 2021 census. At the local council level, the towns are mostly represented by Liberal Democrats and independents whilst the rural areas in the constituency's north and west elected Conservative councillors. An estimated 53% of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, similar to the nationwide figure of 52%.
History The constituency of Huntingdon has existed in three separate forms: as a parliamentary borough from 1295, represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885; as a division of a parliamentary county from 1885 to 1918; and as a county constituency from 1983 until the present day.
Representatives for the seat, the standard two burgesses per parliamentary borough, were summoned to form the first fully assembled parliament, the Model Parliament in 1295 and at all parliaments assembled from then until 1868, in which year the constituency was reduced to a single-member borough in accordance with the Reform Act 1867. In the mid-17th century, this was Oliver Cromwell's constituency.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the parliamentary borough was abolished altogether and the two-member parliamentary county of Huntingdonshire was replaced by the two-single member seats formally known as the Northern or Ramsey Division and the Southern or Huntingdon Division. It was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918 when it was re-combined with Ramsey and Huntingdonshire was re-established as a single member constituency.
As a result of the Local Government Act 1972, the two counties of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, and Huntingdon and Peterborough were merged to form the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, with effect from 1 April 1974. However, the next redistribution did not come into effect until the 1983 general election, when the Huntingdonshire constituency was abolished once again, with the majority comprising the re-established county constituency of Huntingdon which also included rural areas to the west of Peterborough.
There were significant boundary changes at the 1997 general election, when the neighbouring seat of North West Cambridgeshire was created from areas previously in the seats of Huntingdon and Peterborough.
The former Conservative Prime Minister (1990–1997) John Major represented the seat from its re-creation in 1983 until his retirement in 2001. His majority in 1992 (36,230) was the largest majority for any member of parliament post-1832 until 2017, in which George Howarth won a 42,214 vote majority in Knowsley.
Boundaries and boundary changes
Historic
1832–1885 The townships of Huntingdon and Godmanchester.
1885–1918 The Sessional Divisions of Leightonstone and Toseland.
The new county division incorporated the towns of Huntingdon, Godmanchester, and St Neots.
1983–1997 The District of Huntingdon wards of Brampton, Bury, Earith, Ellington, Elton, Farcet, Fenstanton, Godmanchester, Hemingford Abbots and Hilton, Hemingford Grey, Houghton and Wyton, Huntingdon North, Huntingdon West, Kimbolton, Needingworth, Ramsey, Sawtry, Somersham, Stilton, St Ives North, St Ives South, The Stukeleys, Upwood and The Raveleys, Warboys, and Yaxley; and The City of Peterborough wards of Barnack, Glinton, Northborough, Werrington, and Wittering. The re-established seat comprised the majority of the abolished Huntingdonshire constituency, including Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Ramsey and St Ives, together with rural areas to the west of Peterborough, including Barnack and Werrington.
1997–2010 The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Brampton, Buckden, Eaton Ford, Eaton Socon, Ellington, Eynesbury, Fenstanton, Godmanchester, Gransden, Hemingford Abbots and Hilton, Hemingford Grey, Houghton and Wyton, Huntingdon North, Huntingdon West, Kimbolton, Needingworth, Paxton, Priory Park, St Ives North, St Ives South, Staughton, The Offords, and The Stukeleys.
Gained the parts of the District of Huntingdon, including St Neots, which had previously been part of the abolished South West Cambridgeshire constituency. The City of Peterborough ward of Werrington was transferred to the Peterborough constituency. Remaining Peterborough wards and northern parts of the District of Huntingdon, including Ramsey, were included in the new constituency of North West Cambridgeshire.
2010–2024
The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Alconbury and The Stukeleys, Brampton, Buckden, Fenstanton, Godmanchester, Gransden and The Offords, Huntingdon East, Huntingdon North, Huntingdon West, Kimbolton and Staughton, Little Paxton, St Ives East, St Ives South, St Ives West, St Neots Eaton Ford, St Neots Eaton Socon, St Neots Eynesbury, St Neots Priory Park, and The Hemingfords.
Local authority wards revised. Further minor loss to North West Cambridgeshire.
Current Following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following electoral wards:
The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Alconbury, Brampton, Buckden, Godmanchester & Hemingford Abbots, Great Staughton, Hemingford Grey & Houghton, Holywell-cum-Needingworth, Huntingdon East, Huntingdon North, Kimbolton, St Ives East, St Ives South, St Ives West, Sawtry, Somersham, The Stukeleys, and Warboys.
The seat was subject to major changes with the town of St Neots being moved to the new constituency of St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, partly offset by the transfer of mainly rural areas to the north from North West Cambridgeshire. The constituency consists of the towns of Huntingdon, St Ives, Godmanchester and a number of smaller settlements in Western Cambridgeshire.
Members of Parliament
MPs c1290–1660
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1361William Wightman 1365 1366 1369 1371 1372 1373 1376 1377 (Jan) 1377 (Oct) 1378 1380 (Jan) 1381 1382 (May) 1382 (Oct) 1383 (Oct) 1384 (Apr) 1384 (Nov) 1386 William Luton Thomas Daniel 1388 (Feb) William Wightman 1388 (Sep) 1390 (Jan) 1390 (Nov) 1391 William Wightman William Luton 1393 William Albon John Pabenham 1394 Henry Proude John Dunhead I 1395 John Cutler John Dunhead II 1397 (Jan) Walter Willardby John Dunhead I 1397 (Sep) John Hawkin John Dunhead II 1399 Richard Prentice 1401 John Sabrisforth John Rous 1402 Walter Devenham Ambrose Newton 1404 (Jan) 1404 (Oct) 1406 John Hawkin Richard Prentice 1407 Richard Prentice John Navet 1410 1411 Robert Peck Thomas Freeman 1413 (Feb) 1413 (May) Robert Peck John Denton 1414 (Apr) 1414 (Nov) Roger Chamberlain John Foxton 1415 Robert Peck John Bickley 1416 (Mar) John Denton 1416 (Oct) 1417 John Fette Richard Freeman 1419 Richard Spicer Hugh Parson 1420 John Abbotsley John Foxton 1421 (May) Robert Peck II John Colles 1421 (Dec) George Gidding 1510–1523No names known 1529 Thomas Hall William Webbe 1536 ? 1539 ? 1542 ? 1545 ? 1547John Arscott John Millicent 1553 (Mar) William Tyrwhitt Thomas Maria Wingfield 1553 (Oct) Thomas Maria Wingfield John Purvey 1554 (Apr) Simon Throckmorton 1554 (Nov) Philip Clampe William Horwood 1555 Robert Brockbank Thomas Worlich 1558 John Brigandine 1559 (Jan) Richard Patrick William Symcots 1562–3 Richard Gooderick George Blyth 1571 Tristram Tyrwhitt Ralph Rokeby 1572 (Apr) Thomas Slade John Turpin 1584 (Nov) Francis Flower William Cervington 1586 1588 (Oct) 1593 Robert Lee Robert Cromwell 1597 (Oct) Richard Cromwell Robert Cooke 1601 William Beecher Thomas Chichley 1604 Henry Cromwell Thomas Harley 1614 Sir Christopher HattonSir Miles Fleetwood 1621–1622 Sir Henry St John Sir Miles Sandys, 1st Baronet 1624 Sir Arthur Mainwaring Sir Henry St John 1625 1626 John Goldsborough 1628 Oliver Cromwell James Montagu 1629–1640No Parliaments summoned Apr 1640 Robert Bernard William Montagu Nov 1640 George Montagu Edward Montagu, ennobled in 1644 and replaced by Abraham Burrell 1653Not represented in Barebones Parliament 1654 John Bernard 1656 1659John ThurloeSir John Bernard 1659 Abraham Burrell
MPs 1660–1868
YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party1660 John Bernard Nicholas Pedley 1661 Sir John Cotton, 3rd Bt Lionel Walden Apr 1679 Hon. Sidney Wortley-Montagu Sir Nicholas Pedley Aug 1679 Lionel Walden 1685 Hon. Oliver Montagu 1689 John Bigg Hon. Sidney Wortley-Montagu 1690 Hon. Richard Montagu 1695 John Pocklington 1697 Francis Wortley-Montagu 1698 Edward Carteret 1701 The Earl of Orrery 1702 Anthony Hammond 1705 Edward Wortley Montagu Sir John Cotton, 4th Bt 1706 John Pedley 1708 Francis Page 1713 Sidney Wortley-Montagu Viscount Hinchingbrooke 1722 Edward Wortley Montagu Roger Handasyde 1734 Edward Montagu May 1741 Hon. Wills Hill Dec 1741 Albert Nesbitt 1747 Kelland Courtenay 1748 John Montagu 1754 Robert Jones 1768 Henry Seymour Feb 1774 Hon. William Augustus Montagu Oct 1774 George Wombwell 1776 The Lord Mulgrave Tory 1780 Hugh Palliser Tory1784 Sir Walter Rawlinson Tory Lancelot Brown Tory 1787 John Willett Payne Tory Jun 1790 Hon. John George Montagu Tory Dec 1790 Henry Speed Tory 1796 William Henry FellowesTory John Calvert Tory 1807 William Meeke Farmer Tory 1809 Samuel Farmer Tory 1818 William Augustus Montagu Tory 1820 Earl of Ancram Tory1824 James Stuart Tory 1831 Jonathan Peel Tory Sir Frederick Pollock Tory 1834 Conservative Conservative1844 Thomas Baring Conservative1868 representation reduced to one member
MPs 1868–1918 ElectionMemberParty1868Thomas Baring Conservative 1873 by-electionSir John Burgess Karslake Conservative 1876 by-electionEdward Montagu Conservative1884 by-electionSir Robert Peel Conservative 1885Thomas Coote Liberal1886Arthur Smith-Barry Conservative1900George Montagu Conservative1906Samuel Whitbread Liberal1910 (Jan)John Cator Conservative1918constituency abolished, Huntingdonshire from 1918
MPs since 1983
ElectionMemberParty1983Rt Hon John Major Conservative2001Jonathan Djanogly Conservative2024Ben Obese-Jecty Conservative
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s 2019 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 33,352 59.2 Labour 11,707 20.8 Liberal Democrats 7,899 14.0 Green 1,952 3.5 Others 1,407 2.5Turnout56,31774.5Electorate75,590
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s :
The constituency underwent boundary changes prior to the 1997 election and the changes are not based on the 1992 result.
Elections in the 1980s