Constituency profile
The area has a higher than average proportion of managers, professionals and retired people than much of Greater London.[2] The seat has a strong local economy, with extensive retail and industrial/commercial premises, particularly in Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield. Two of the four largest Hertfordshire economic towns, Stevenage and St Albans are also close by. Accordingly, workless claimants who were registered jobseekers were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.4% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[3]
History
The seat was created for the February 1974 general election following the second periodic review of Westminster constituencies, as Welwyn and Hatfield. It was formed from parts of the abolished constituency of Hertford. For the 1983 general election, the constituency was renamed in line with the recently created District of Welwyn Hatfield.
- Political history
Despite its short history, the seat has seen two parties serve it, with two Labour periods of representation, during the longer part of the Labour Government 1974-1979 and during the first two terms of the Blair ministry. Other than this the seat has elected a Conservative as its MP.
The 2005 majority more than tripled on the second election of Grant Shapps, in 2010, from a historically breakable (in the constituency) majority of 5,946 votes to the 26th largest Conservative share of the vote,[4] which on standard uniform swing seen in elections since 1931 represented a safe seat, but a 5% swing to Labour in 2017 means the seat is somewhat marginal again, needing a 7.1% swing to become Labour.
- Prominent frontbenchers
The first MP ended his term in the Commons as the member for Welwyn Hatfield before which he was Defence Minister from 1970 to 1972 then a Foreign Office Minister until February 1974 - later that year Lord Balniel was awarded a life peerage,[n 2] accelerating and safeguarding his right to sit in the Lords. The second MP later became the politically neutral Lord Speaker, Baroness Hayman.
During five years of the Blair ministry, the constituency's MP Melanie Johnson was a frontbench minister, serving as Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Minister for Competition and Consumers and the Minister for Public Health.
Grant Shapps, her successor, was appointed the Minister of State for Housing and Local Government for the first two years of the UK coalition government 2010 before being appointed to chair his party. Following the Conservative victory in 2015, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department for International Development[5] before resigning in November 2015. Shapps was briefly Home Secretary for six days from 19th October 2022 covering the period between the resignation and reinstatement of Suella Braverman.[6] Since then, he has served as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy followed by Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1974–1983
- The Urban District of Welwyn Garden City; and
- The Rural Districts of Hatfield and Welwyn.[7]
In April 1974 these local authorities were abolished and were merged into the Welwyn Hatfield District.
1983–1997
- The District of Welwyn Hatfield wards of Brookmans Park and Little Heath, Haldens, Handside, Hatfield Central, Hatfield East, Hatfield North, Hatfield South, Hollybush, Howlands, Peartree, Sherrards, Welham Green and Redhall, Welwyn East, and Welwyn West; and
- The City of St Albans ward of Wheathampstead.
Wheathampstead had formerly been in the St Albans parliamentary constituency. The Welwyn Hatfield ward of Northaw was included in the new Broxbourne parliamentary constituency.[8]
Map of current boundaries
1997–2010
As above minus Wheathampstead ward, which was transferred to the new constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden.[9]
2010–present
- The District of Welwyn Hatfield wards of Brookmans Park and Little Heath, Haldens, Handside, Hatfield Central, Hatfield East, Hatfield North, Hatfield South, Hatfield West, Hollybush, Howlands, Panshanger, Peartree, Sherrards, Welham Green, Welwyn North, and Welwyn South.
Contents updated to reflect local authority boundary review. Northaw remained in the Broxbourne constituency.[10]
Proposed
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the boundaries of the constituency from the next general election, due by January 2025, will be unchanged, except for very minor modifications due to ward boundary revisions.[11]
