Basildon and Billericay

Basildon and Billericay (/ˈbæzɪldən ... ˈbɪlərɪki/) is a constituency^{[n 1]} in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Since the 2024 general election it has been represented by Richard Holden, a Conservative.^{[n 2]}

Basildon and Billericay
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Basildon and Billericay in the East of England
County	Essex
Population	89,687 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate	76,993 (2023)[2]
Major settlements	Basildon, Billericay, Great Burstead
Current constituency
Created	2010
Member of Parliament	Richard Holden (Conservative)
Seats	One
Created from	Basildon, Billericay

Constituency profile

The constituency is located in Essex and covers most of the Borough of Basildon local government district. It contains the town of Billericay, most of the town of Basildon and the rural areas that lie between them.

Basildon is a new town built after World War II to accommodate the London overspill,^[3] whilst Billericay is a historic market town.^[4] Residents of the constituency have a similar ethnic makeup and level of wealth compared to the rest of the country, but are less likely to be degree-educated.^[5] At the most recent borough council election in 2024, voters in Basildon elected mostly Labour Party councillors whilst Billericay and the rural areas of the constituency elected Conservatives. Voters in Basildon and Billericay voted strongly in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, with an estimated 67% supporting Brexit.^[5]

History

The seat was created for the 2010 general election following a review of the Parliamentary representation of Essex by the Boundary Commission for England. It combined parts of the separate, now abolished, Basildon and Billericay constituencies.

It has been held throughout its existence by the Conservative Party and, until the 2024 general election, with large majorities.

Boundaries

2010–2024

The Borough of Basildon wards of Billericay East, Billericay West, Burstead, Crouch, Fryerns, Laindon Park, Lee Chapel North and St Martin's.^[6]

The seat merged about half of the previous constituency of Billericay with smaller parts of the former Basildon constituency – mostly around the centre of Basildon.

The Billericay constituency lost Wickford to the new Rayleigh and Wickford constituency, and Pitsea to the South Basildon and East Thurrock seat, which also included the remainder of the Basildon seat.

2024–present

Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was expanded with the transfer in of the Vange ward (as it existed on 1 December 2020) from South Basildon and East Thurrock.^[7]

Following a local government boundary review in Basildon which came into effect in May 2024,^[8] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The Borough of Basildon wards or part wards of: Billericay East; Billericay West; Burstead; Castledon & Crouch (part); Fryerns; Laindon Park; Lee Chapel North; St Martin's; and small parts of Nethermayne and Pitsea South East.^[9]

Members of Parliament

The MP until the dissolution of parliament in May 2024 was the Conservative John Baron, who had held the seat since its creation, but announced in October 2023 that he would be stepping down.^[10] His party's choice of the national chairman as its candidate to succeed him was controversially made just 48 hours before the deadline from a shortlist of one, to the anger of the local association.^[11]

Election		Member[12]	Party
	2010	John Baron	Conservative
	2024	Richard Holden	Conservative

Elections

Basildon & Billericay election results 2010–2024

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Basildon and Billericay^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Holden	12,905	30.64	−35.2
	Labour	Alex Harrison	12,885	30.59	+9.0
	Reform	Stephen Conlay	11,354	27.0	New
	Liberal Democrats	Edward Sainsbury	2,292	5.4	−3.0
	Green	Stewart Goshawk	2,123	5.1	+2.1
	British Democrats	Christopher Bateman	373	0.9	New
	TUSC	Dave Murray	192	0.5	New
Majority			20	0.04	−44.2
Turnout			42,124	54.8	−6.1
Registered electors			76,873
	Conservative hold		Swing	−22.2

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[14]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	30,867	65.9
	Labour	10,118	21.6
	Liberal Democrats	3,947	8.4
	Green	1,395	3.0
	Others	526	1.1
Turnout		46,853	60.9
Electorate		76,993

General election 2019: Basildon and Billericay^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Baron	29,590	67.1	+6.1
	Labour	Andrew Gordon	9,178	20.8	−10.3
	Liberal Democrats	Edward Sainsbury	3,741	8.5	+5.0
	Green	Stewart Goshawk	1,395	3.2	New
	SDP	Simon Breedon	224	0.5	New
Majority			20,412	46.3	+16.4
Turnout			44,128	63.1	−1.8
Registered electors			69,906
	Conservative hold		Swing	+8.2

General election 2017: Basildon and Billericay^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Baron	27,381	61.0	+8.3
	Labour	Kayte Block	13,981	31.1	+7.5
	UKIP	Tina Hughes	2,008	4.5	−15.4
	Liberal Democrats	Antonia Harrison	1,548	3.4	−0.4
Majority			13,400	29.8	+0.8
Turnout			44,918	65.0	+0.1
Registered electors			69,149
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.4

General election 2015: Basildon and Billericay^[17][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Baron	22,668	52.7	−0.1
	Labour	Gavin Callaghan	10,186	23.7	+0.6
	UKIP	George Konstantinidis	8,538	19.8	+16.0
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Thompson	1,636	3.8	−11.9
Majority			12,482	29.0	−0.8
Turnout			43,028	64.9	+1.4
Registered electors			66,345
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.3

General election 2010: Basildon and Billericay^[19][20][21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Baron*	21,922	52.7	+10.6
	Labour	Allan Davies	9,584	23.1	−9.9
	Liberal Democrats	Mike Hibbs	6,538	15.7	+3.4
	BNP	Irene Bateman	1,934	4.6	New
	UKIP	Alan Broad	1,591	3.8	New
Rejected ballots			114
Majority			12,338	29.8	+18.6
Turnout			41,629	63.6	+1.3
Registered electors			65,515
	Conservative hold		Swing	+10.2

* Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 parliament

2005 notional result
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	16,454	42.1
	Labour	12,866	32.9
	Others	4,901	12.5
	Liberal Democrats	4,831	12.4
Turnout		39,052	60.2
Electorate		64,873

See also

• South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency
• List of parliamentary constituencies in Essex

Notes

1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.