Barnet (UK Parliament constituency)

UK former constituency infobox
Name = Barnet
Type = County
Year = 1945
Abolition = 1974
members = one

Barnet was a parliamentary constituency in what is now the London Borough of Barnet, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

History

The constituency was created for the 1945 general election and abolished for the February 1974 general election.

Boundaries

The constituency was created in 1945 when the number of parliamentary divisions of Hertfordshire was increased from five to six. Previously the area had been part of the St Albans seat. This was one of the English constituencies divided as an emergency measure, before the general review of parliamentary constituencies due later in the decade, because its electorate exceeded 100,000 voters.

Initially, the constituency consisted of three local government areas: Barnet Urban District, East Barnet Urban District and Elstree Rural District. The constituency was enlarged in 1950 by the addition of Hatfield Rural District transferred from the St Albans parliamentary seat. [Representation of the People Act 1948, (1948 C.65), Schedule 1] In 1955 the number of county constituencies in Hertfordshire was increased from six to seven, and the Barnet constituency reverted to its original boundaries, with Hatfield Rural District being transferred to the Hertford constituency. [F A Youngs, "Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England", Vol.I: Southern England, London, 1979]

In 1965 the Barnet and East Barnet urban districts were transferred to Greater London, becoming part of the London Borough of Barnet, while Elstree Rural District remained part of Hertfordshire. This did not effect parliamentary boundaries for nine years, however.

When seats were next redistributed, with effect from the United Kingdom general election, February 1974, the Greater London parts of the old constituency moved to the new seat of Chipping Barnet. The Elstree Rural District was transferred to South Hertfordshire. [The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970 (S.I. 1970 No. 1674)]

Members of Parliament

Elections

References

* "Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972", compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)

ee also

*Rayment