Dartford is a constituency in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Jim Dickson of the Labour Party since 2024.
It is currently the longest-running bellwether constituency in the UK, having voted for an MP of the party which formed the government in every General Election since 1964.
The Dartford constituency is located in Kent and lies just outside the boundaries of Greater London. It is roughly coterminous with the local government district of the same name. The constituency covers the large town of Dartford and its surrounding settlements, including the small town of Swanscombe and the villages of Greenhithe, Longfield and Maypole. Dartford has an industrial heritage and was a centre for cement, flour and paper manufacturing until the decline of industry in the 20th century. Today Dartford serves as a commuter town and is connected to central London by the Southeastern and Thameslink rail services.
Compared to the rest of the country, residents of the constituency have average levels of education and professional employment and above-average household income. At the 2021 census, White people made up 73% of the population, Black people were 11% and Asians were 10%. At the local borough council, most of the constituency is represented by Conservatives with some Labour councillors in Swanscombe and parts of Dartford. At the county council, all wards in the constituency elected Reform UK councillors. Voters in the constituency strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, with an estimated 64% in favour of Brexit.
The seat was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. This Act added a net 18 seats, but its main purpose was to correct the over-representation of minor, if often old,boroughs and of depopulated county divisions. In their place were created new seats with a larger population. In Kent the Act finally abolished the Sandwich constituency, which sent two MPs until 1885. It also halved the representation of no fewer than four other historic towns. In contrast a seat for Dartford, the North-Western Division of Kent or North West Kent, was created.
The area of the seat, remaining a combination of urban, suburban and a small rural population, has been gradually reduced through its territory being contributed to new constituencies, their county designation later being changed in 1965 to become part of the new county of Greater London, which adjoins Dartford. These seats were Bexley, created in 1945, and Erith & Crayford, created in 1955.
In the early 20th century, the Dartford constituency was very much a bellwether. Dartford's results later shifted towards the left: in a by-election in 1938 and then in the general elections from 1951 to 1959, a Labour candidate won, going against the national result.
Since 1964, however, Dartford has alternated between Labour and the Conservatives in line with the national result, and has thus served as a bellwether again. Indeed, as of the 2024 General Election it is the longest-running bellwether constituency in the United Kingdom. Candidates for the largest two parties nationally have also polled first and second since 1923 in Dartford.
This was the first constituency contested by future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (then Margaret Roberts). She was the Conservative candidate at the 1950 and 1951 general elections, unsuccessful on both occasions.
1885âÂÂ1918: The Sessional Division of Dartford, and part of the Sessional Division of Bromley.
1918âÂÂ1945: The Urban Districts of Bexley, Dartford, and Erith, and in the Rural District of Dartford the parishes of Crayford, Stone, and Swanscombe.
1945âÂÂ1955: The Boroughs of Dartford and Erith, and the Urban District of Crayford.
1955âÂÂ1974: The Borough of Dartford, the Urban District of Swanscombe, and the Rural District of Dartford.
1974âÂÂ1983: The Borough of Dartford, the Urban District of Swanscombe, and in the Rural District of Dartford the parishes of Darenth, Southfleet, Stone, Sutton-at-Hone, and Wilmington.
1983âÂÂ1997: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks wards of Ash-cum-Ridley, Fawkham and Hartley, Horton Kirby, and Longfield.
1997âÂÂ2010: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks wards of Fawkham and Hartley, and Horton Kirby.
2010âÂÂ2024: The Borough of Dartford, and the District of Sevenoaks ward of Hartley and Hodsoll Street.
2024âÂÂpresent: The Borough of Dartford wards of Bean & Village Park, Brent, Burnham, Darenth, Ebbsfleet, Greenhithe & Knockhall, Heath, Joyden's Wood, Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet, Maypole & Leyton Cross, Newtown, Princes, Stone Castle, Stone House, Swanscombe, Temple Hill, Town, and West Hill.
West Kent prior to 1885
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General Election 1914âÂÂ15:
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;