Colchester is a constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Pam Cox of the Labour Party.
The seat was previously held by Conservative MP Will Quince, who announced in June 2023 that he would not be standing for re-election.
Constituency profile The Colchester constituency is located in Essex and contains most of the city of Colchester. The city is historic and was known as Camulodunum in Roman times, during which it served as the capital of Roman Britain and was an important military centre. The city continues to be associated with the military today as the site of Colchester Garrison, home of the Parachute Regiment. Wealth in the city is divided; the eastern suburb of Greenstead has high levels of deprivation whilst northern and western suburbs like Lexden and Myland are affluent.
Compared to the rest of the country, residents of Colchester are generally younger and have average levels of wealth and education. White people make up 84% of the population, similar to the nationwide figure, with Asians being the largest ethnic minority group at 7%. At the local council level, the southern half of the city is represented by Labour Party councillors whilst the northern suburbs elected Liberal Democrats. An estimated 52% of voters in Colchester favoured leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, identical to the nationwide figure.
History The Parliamentary Borough of Colchester had sent two members to the Parliament of England since the Model Parliament of 1295 until 1707, then to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. In 1885, it was one of 36 English boroughs and three Irish boroughs to have its representation reduced to one under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, (48-49 Vict. Chapter 23), Schedule 2 Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the Parliamentary Borough was abolished and replaced with a Division of the County of Essex (later a County Constituency).
The revised constituency remained virtually unchanged until it was briefly abolished for the 1983 general election following the Third Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies, but re-established for the 1997 general election as a Borough Constituency by the Fourth Review.
In 1997, the vote was split three ways with the Liberal Democrat candidate Bob Russell winning with a small majority. Russell increased his votes and percentage share in next three elections. In the 2010 election this was the only non-Conservative seat in Essex. Russell was defeated in the 2015 general election by Conservative Will Quince, by an 11.5% majority. In the 2017 election Quince was re-elected by a slightly decreased margin by percentage (10.6%), with Labour moving into 2nd place after a substantial increase in their vote. In the 2019 election, Quince increased his majority to 9,423 or 17.6% in percentage terms. The seat lost the ward of Old Heath and The Hythe in the 2023 Boundary Commission review which increased the nominal Conservative majority to over 10,000, but despite this, Colchester was won by Labour for the first time since 1945 in the 2024 general election with Pam Cox as the new MP. The Liberal Democrats came fourth, narrowly behind Reform UK.
Boundaries and boundary changes
Historic
1918–1950 The Borough of Colchester; and The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree except the detached part of the parish of Inworth which was wholly surrounded by the parishes of Great Braxted and Kelvedon.
The area comprising the Rural District of Lexden and Winstree had largely been part of the Harwich Division.
1950–1983 The Borough of Colchester; The Urban District of West Mersea; and The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree.
No changes (the Urban District of West Mersea had been formed as a separate local authority in 1926).
For the 1983 general election, the constituency was abolished, with the northern parts (comprising the majority) forming the bulk of the new constituency of North Colchester. Southern areas were included in the new constituency of South Colchester and Maldon.
1997–2010
The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Harbour, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, St Mary's, Shrub End, and Stanway.
Re-established as a Borough Constituency from parts of the abolished constituencies of South Colchester and Maldon (Berechurch, Harbour, New Town, Prettygate and Shrub End wards) and North Colchester (remaining wards).
2010–2024 The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Christ Church, Harbour, Highwoods, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, and Shrub End.
Local authority wards redistributed. Minor reduction in electorate, with Stanway ward being included in the new constituency of Witham.
Current Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
The City of Colchester wards of: Castle; Greenstead; Highwoods; Lexden & Braiswick (polling districts AQ, AS and AT); Mile End; New Town & Christ Church; Prettygate; St. Anne’s & St. John’s; Shrub End.
The revised contents closely correspond to the previous boundaries, with the exception of the Old Heath and The Hythe areas to the south east of the city centre, which are now included in Harwich and North Essex.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1295–1640
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1312 Joseph Elianore 1386 Thomas Francis Ralph Algar 1388 (February) Thomas Francis Simon Fordham 1388 (September) Ralph Algar Simon Fordham 1390 (January) Thomas Francis Simon Fordham 1390 (November) 1391 Thomas Francis John Christian 1393 William Mate John Christian 1394 1395 Thomas Francis John Christian 1397 (January) Henry Boss John Seaburgh 1397 (September) 1399 Thomas Francis Thomas Godstone 1401 1402 Henry Boss Thomas Godstone 1404 (January) 1404 (October) 1406 Henry Boss William Mate 1407 Thomas Godstone William Mate 1410 1411 Thomas Godstone John Pod 1413 (February) 1413 (May) Thomas Godstone Thomas Francis 1414 (April) 1414 (November) Thomas Godstone Simon Mate 1415 1416 (March) John Ford John Sumpter 1416 (October) 1417 Thomas Godstone John Ford 1419 Thomas Godstone John Sumpter 1420 Thomas Godstone John Kimberley 1421 (May) Thomas Godstone John Kimberley 1421 (December) Thomas Godstone William Nottingham 1426 William Nottingham 1427 Thomas Godstone 1485 Thomas ChristmasJohn Vertue 1510No names known 1512 ?John Clere ?John Makin 1515 ?John Clere ?John Makin 1523 Thomas Audley Ambrose Lowth 1529 Sir John Raynsford Richard Rich 1536 ? 1539 ? 1542 ? 1545 John Lucas Benjamin Clere 1547 John Ryther John Lucas 1553 (March) Sir Francis Jobson ?John Lucas 1553 (October) John Lucas John Best 1554 (April) Sir Francis Jobson William Cardinall 1554 (November) George Sayer Robert Browne 1555 Sir Francis Jobson John Hering 1558 George Christmas Thomas Lucas 1559 Sir Francis Jobson William Cardinall 1562-63 Sir Francis Jobson William Cardinall 1571 Henry Golding Francis Harvey 1572 Robert Christmas Henry Golding, died and replaced in 1576 by Nicholas Clere, who also died and was replaced in 1579 by Robert Middleton 1584 James Morice Francis Harvey 1586 James Morice Francis Harvey 1588 James Morice Arthur Throckmorton 1593 James Morice Martin Bessell 1597 Richard Symnell Robert Barker 1601 Robert Barker Richard Symnell 1604–1611 Robert Barker Edward Alford 1614 Robert Barker Edward Alford 1621–1622 Edward Alford William Towse 1624 Edward Alford William Towse 1625 Sir Robert Quarles William Towse 1626 Edward Alford William Towse 1628 Sir Thomas Cheek Edward Alford repl. on petition by Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet 1639–1640No Parliaments summoned
MPs 1640–1885 YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond partyApril 1640Sir Harbottle GrimstonSucceeded to a baronetcy, April 1648 Parliamentarian Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet November 1640Sir Thomas BarringtonParliamentarianSeptember 1644Barrington died September 1644 - seat vacant1645John SayerDecember 1648Grimston excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacantSayer not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge1653Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament1654Colonel John Barkstead John Maidstone 1656Henry LawrenceJanuary 1659Abraham JohnsonJohn ShawMay 1659Not represented in the restored RumpApril 1660 Sir Harbottle Grimston Whig John Shaw 1679 Sir Walter Clarges, Bt Tory 1681 Samuel Reynolds Whig 1685 Sir Walter Clarges Tory Nathaniel Lawrence Whig 1689 Samuel Reynolds Whig Sir Isaac Rebow Whig 1690 Edward Cary Tory 1692 Sir Isaac Rebow Whig 1694 Sir Thomas Cooke Tory 1695 Sir John Morden, Bt Whigs 1698 Sir Thomas Cooke ToryMay 1705 Edward Bullock December 1705 Sir Thomas Webster, BtWebster and Rebow were re-elected in 1714, but on petition the result was reversed and Gore declared to have been duly elected instead, following a dispute over whether foreigners could be made freemen of the borough and thereby acquire voting rights Whigs 1711 William Gore Tories 1713 Sir Thomas Webster, Bt Whigs 1714Webster was re-elected in 1710, but on petition the result was reversed and Gore and Corsellis declared to have been duly elected instead, following a further dispute over foreign freemen's voting rights William Gore Tory Nicholas Corsellis Tory 1715 Richard Du Cane Whig Sir Isaac Rebow Whig 1722 Sir Thomas Webster Whig Matthew Martin Whig 1727 Stamp Brooksbank Whig Samuel Tufnell Whig 1734 Isaac Lemyng Rebow Whig Matthew Martin Whig 1735 Jacob Houblon Tory 1741 John Olmius Whig 1742At the election of 1741, Olmius and Martin were returned as elected, but on petition their election was declared void and their opponents, Savill and Gray, declared elected in their place Samuel Savill Whig Charles GrayAt the election of 1754, Gray was re- elected, but on petition his election was declared void and his opponent, Rebow, declared elected in his place Tory 1747 Richard Savage Nassau Whig 1754 John Olmius Whig 1755 Isaac Martin Rebow Whig 1761 Charles Gray Tory 1780 Sir Robert Smyth, Bt Radical Whig 1781 Christopher PotterOn petition, Potter's election was declared void on the grounds of defective qualification and his opponent, Affleck, declared duly elected Tory 1782 Sir Edmund Affleck, BtAdmiral from 1784 ToryApril 1784 Christopher PotterOn petition, Potter was declared ineligible on the grounds of bankruptcy, and a writ for a new election was issued ToryJuly 1784 Sir Robert Smyth, Bt Radical 1788 George Tierney Radical 1790 Robert Thornton Tory George Jackson Tory 1796 The Lord Muncaster Tory 1802 John Denison Tory 1806 William Tufnell Whig 1807 Richard Hart Davis Tory 1812 Hart Davis Tory 1817 Sir William Burroughs, Bt ToryFebruary 1818 James Beckford Wildman ToryJune 1818 Daniel Whittle HarveyHarvey was re-elected in 1820 but on petition his election was declared void on the grounds of defective qualification and a by-election was held Radical 1820 Henry Baring Tory 1826 Daniel Whittle Harvey Radical Sir George Smyth, Bt Tory 1829 Richard Sanderson Tory 1830 Andrew SpottiswoodeOn petition, Spottiswoode's election was declared void and a by-election was held Tory 1831 William Mayhew Whig 1832 Richard Sanderson Tory 1834 Conservative 1835 Sir George Smyth, Bt Conservative 1847 Joseph Hardcastle Whig 1850 Lord John Manners Conservative 1852 William Warwick Hawkins ConservativeFebruary 1857 John Gurdon Rebow RadicalMarch 1857 Taverner John Miller Conservative 1859 Philip Oxenden Papillon Conservative 1865 John Gurdon Rebow Liberal 1867 Edward Karslake Conservative 1868 William Brewer Liberal 1870 Alexander Learmonth Conservative 1874 Herbert Mackworth-Praed Conservative 1880 Richard Causton Liberal William Willis Liberal1885 Representation reduced to one member
Notes
MPs 1885–1983