Wycombe () is a constituency in Buckinghamshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Labour's Emma Reynolds. It succeeded the Parliamentary Borough of Chipping Wycombe.
Constituency profile The constituency shares similar borders with Wycombe local government district, although it covers a slightly smaller area. The main town within the constituency, High Wycombe, contains many working and middle class voters and a sizeable ethnic minority population that totals around one quarter of the town's population, with some census output areas of town home to over 50% ethnic minorities, and a number of wards harbouring a considerable Labour vote. The surrounding villages, which account for just under half of the electorate, are some of the most wealthy areas in the country, with extremely low unemployment, high incomes and favour the Conservatives. Workless claimants totalled 3.0% of the population in November 2012, lower than the national average of 3.8%.Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian.
History The Parliamentary Borough of Chipping Wycombe had continuously returned two MPs to the House of Commons of England since the Model Parliament of 1295 until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801. This was reduced to one MP by the Representation of the People Act 1867 and the Borough was abolished altogether by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It was transformed into a large county division, formally named the Southern or Wycombe Division of Buckinghamshire. It was one of three divisions formed from the undivided three-member Parliamentary County of Buckinghamshire, the other two being the Mid or Aylesbury Division and the Northern or Buckingham Division. As well as the abolished Borough, it absorbed the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Great Marlow and included the towns of Beaconsfield and Slough.
Since 1885, the seat has generally been held by the Conservative Party except for brief intervals for the Liberals (1906–1910 and 1923–1924) and Labour (1945–1951) and since 2024.
The seat bucked the trend in 2019 with a swing of 2.3% to the Labour Party in spite of their heavy general election defeat, and was looked on as a key blue wall marginal constituency in the 2024 general election, with Labour winning for the first time since 1951.
Boundaries and boundary changes 1885–1918
The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe; The Sessional Divisions of Burnham and Stoke; and Parts of the first and second Sessional Divisions of Desborough.
1918–1945
The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe; The Urban Districts of Eton, Marlow, and Slough; The Rural Districts of Eton and Hambleden; and Part of the Rural District of Wycombe.
Beaconsfield was transferred to Aylesbury. Gained Eton which had been part of the abolished Parliamentary Borough of New Windsor in Berkshire.
1945–1950
The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944 set up Boundaries Commissions to carry out periodic reviews of the distribution of parliamentary constituencies. It also authorised an initial review to subdivide abnormally large constituencies in time for the 1945 election. This was implemented by the Redistribution of Seats Order 1945 under which Buckinghamshire was allocated an additional seat. As a consequence, the new constituency of Eton and Slough was formed from the Wycombe constituency, comprising the Municipal Borough of Slough and the Urban and Rural Districts of Eton. In compensation, the parts of the (revised) Rural District of Wycombe in the Aylesbury Division, including Hughenden and Princes Risborough, were transferred to Wycombe.
The revised composition of the constituency, after taking account of changes to local authorities, was:
The Municipal Borough of Chepping Wycombe; The Urban District of Marlow; and The Rural District of Wycombe.
1950–1974
The Municipal Borough of High Wycombe; The Urban District of Marlow; and The Rural District of Wycombe.
No changes to boundaries.
1974–1983
The Municipal Borough of High Wycombe; The Urban District of Marlow; and The Rural District of Wycombe parishes of Chepping Wycombe, Fawley, Fingest and Lane End, Great Marlow, Hambleden, Hughenden, Little Marlow, Medmenham, Turville, and West Wycombe Rural.
Northern parts of the Rural District of Wycombe, including Princes Risborough, but excluding Hughenden, were transferred back to Aylesbury. Wooburn was included in the new constituency of Beaconsfield.
1983–1997
The District of Wycombe wards of Booker and Castlefield, Bowerdean and Daws Hill, Cressex and Frogmoor, Downley, Great Marlow, Green Hill and Totteridge, Hambleden Valley, Hughenden Valley, Keep Hill and Hicks Farm, Kingshill, Lane End and Piddington, Little Marlow, Marlow Bottom, Marlow North, Marlow South, Marsh and Micklefield, Oakridge and Tinkers Wood, and West Wycombe and Sands.
Areas to the east of High Wycombe (former parish of Chepping Wycombe) transferred to Beaconsfield. Hazlemere transferred to Chesham and Amersham.
1997–2010
The District of Wycombe wards of Booker and Castlefield, Bowerdean and Daws Hill, Cressex and Frogmoor, Downley, Great Marlow, Green Hill and Totteridge, Hambleden Valley, Hughenden Valley, Keep Hill and Hicks Farm, Kingshill, Lane End and Piddington, Marlow Bottom, Marlow North, Marlow South, Marsh and Micklefield, Oakridge and Tinkers Wood, and West Wycombe and Sands.
Minor changes.2010–2024
The District of Wycombe wards of Abbey, Booker and Cressex, Bowerdean, Chiltern Rise, Disraeli, Downley and Plomer Hill, Greater Marlow, Hambleden Valley, Hazlemere North, Hazlemere South, Micklefield, Oakridge and Castlefield, Ryemead, Sands, Terriers and Amersham Hill, Totteridge, and Tylers Green and Loudwater.
Hazlemere transferred back from Chesham and Amersham. Marlow transferred to Beaconsfield and Hughenden to Aylesbury.
In April 2020, the District of Wycombe, together with those of Aylesbury, Chiltern and South Bucks were merged into the new unitary authority of Buckinghamshire Council. Accordingly, the contents of the constituency at that time were:
The Buckinghamshire Council wards of Abbey, Booker, Cressex & Castlefield, Chiltern Villages, Downley, Hazlemere, Ryemead & Micklefield, Terriers & Amersham Hill, Totteridge & Bowerdean, Tylers Green & Loudwater, and West Wycombe (part).
2024–present
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency is composed of the following:
The District of Buckinghamshire wards of: Abbey; Booker & Cressex; Castlefield & Oakridge; Chiltern Villages (part); Disraeli; Downley; Hazlemere; Penn, Tylers Green & Loudwater (part); Marlow (part); Marsh & Micklefield; Ridgeway West (part); Sands; Terriers and Amersham Hill; Totteridge and Bowerdean; West Wycombe & Lane End.
The electorate was reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring Hazlemere back to Chesham and Amersham once again.
Members of Parliament MPs 1295–1640 Constituency created (1295) YearFirst memberSecond member1295Stephen AyottThomas le Tayleur1298Adam de GuldefordRoger Allitarius1300John le Pistor1306Peter le CotilerJohn le Bake1307Andrew Batyn1307Roger de Sandwell1308Edmond de Haveringdoun1312Thomas GerveysMatthew le Fuller1312Robert PaerWilliam le Cassiere1318Robert SmithWilliam le Fote1322Richard le HaslereBennet le Cassiere1325John le TayleurJohn de Sandwell1326Roger SandwellMatthew le Fuller1327Richard atte WalleJohn atte Donne1328John atte DonneHenry de Mussenden1330John le HarriereRichard Perre1332Matthew le FullerRichard Tottering1333Jordan de WycombeRichard Bennet1335John AyotRichard Perkyn1336John le HarriereThomas Gerveys1336John AyotRichard Abyndon1337John le ClerkJohn Pool1338Stephen AyotJohn le Taverner1338Thomas GerveysJordan de Preston1341Robert StenstooleRobert Harleyford1346Ralph Barber1347John MartynRobert Cattingham1348Walter atte LeechWilliam Cassiere1355Thomas GerveysRalph Harleyford1357Robert Harleyford1357John Mepertshale1360Robert le Weeler1360Richard Spigurnell1362William Frere1365Thomas CornwaileRichard Barbour1368William atte Dene1369Thomas Gerveys1371No other?1372John Bledlowe1373Thomas Ballard1377Richard Sandwell1378Richard Jordaine1379Richard Sandwell1381Thomas RavellWalter Frere1382William KeleWilliam atte Dene1383Stephen WatfordJohn Petymin1384William atte DeneRichard Kele1385Stephen Watford1386Walter FrereRichard Holiman1388Stephen WatfordWilliam atte Dene1391William Depham1392Walter Waltham1394Walter atte DeneWilliam Depham1396Richard SandwellWalter Waltham1399John CotynghamWilliam Clerk1401Nicholas SperlingJohn Sandwell1406John CotynghamWilliam Marchaunt1413Henry SperlingRoger More1414William HallJohn Coventre II1415William ClerkAndrew Sperling1417Roger More1419William MerchantJohn Cotyngham1420Roger MoreThomas Merston1421John HorewodeThomas Pusey1421Roger MoreRichard Merston1422Nicholas SteptonJohn Coventry1423Roger More1424William WhaplodeJohn Cotyngham1425Thomas MustonWilliam Stocton1427John CoventryJohn Justice1429John WellesbournJohn Bishop1430Roger MoreWilliam Fowler1432John MartynJohn Blackpoll1434John DureinJohn Cotyngham1436John HillBartholomew Halling1441John RadeshillJohn Martyn1446John Wellesbourn1448John Haynes1449William StoctonNicholas Fayrewell1450Thomas More1452William CollardDavid Thomasyn1461Thomas MansellThomas Catsbury1469Thomas FowlerThomas Fayrewell1478Thomas GateThomas Wellesbourn1529William Windsor1542John GatesWilliam Dormer1547Thomas FisherArmigyll WadeMar 1553Henry PeckhamJohn CheyneOct 1553Robert DruryApr 1554Thomas Pymme alias FryerNov 1554John CheyneWilliam Drury1555Henry PeckhamRobert Drury1558Thomas PymmeRobert Woodleafe1558Paul WentworthRoland Bracebridge1562Thomas Fermore alias DraperThomas Keele1570John RussellRobert Christmas1571Thomas NaleRowland Goules1584 John Morley George Cawfield1585Thomas Ridley George Fleetwood1589Owen OglethorpFrancis Goodwin1592 Thomas TasburghThomas Fortescue1596 William Fortescue John Tasburgh1601 Richard Blount Henry Fleetwood1604 Sir John Townsend1614 William Borlase Sir Henry Neville1621 Richard Lovelace Arthur Goodwin1624 Henry Coke1625 Thomas Lane1626 Edmund Waller1628 Sir William Borlase Thomas Lane1629–1640No Parliament summoned
MPs 1640–1868