Hitchin is a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was re-established for the 2024 general election, since when it has been held by Alistair Strathern of the Labour Party.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

''The constituency was established by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (which followed on from the Third Reform Act) as one of four Divisions of the abolished three-member Parliamentary County of Hertfordshire, and was formally named as the Northern or Hitchin Division of Hertfordshire. It included the towns/villages of Hitchin, Stevenage, Welwyn, Baldock and Royston.''

1918–1945

Minor changes only to reflect local authority boundaries.

1945–1950

''The constituency had included a part of the Urban District of Welwyn Garden City, which had been formed as a separate local authority in 1927, and this was now transferred to St Albans. Other nominal changes as a result of the reorganisation of local authorities.''

1950–1955

The Rural District of Welwyn was transferred to St Albans.

1955–1974

The part of the Rural District of Braughing was transferred to the new constituency of East Hertfordshire, and the part of the Rural District of Hertford was transferred to Hertford.

1974–1983

The Urban District of Stevenage formed the majority of the new County Constituency of Hertford and Stevenage. The constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election and was replaced by the new constituency of North Hertfordshire, with the exception of a small part in the south-east which was included in the new constituency of Stevenage (Codicote and Knebworth).

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the re-established constituency was defined as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020): Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the part in Central Bedfordshire now comprises the following wards from the 2024 general election:

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885-1983

North Hertfordshire and Stevenage prior to 1885 Notes:-

MPs since 2024

Hitchin & Harpenden prior to 2024

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

The Hitchin parliamentary constituency did not exist when the 2019 general election was held. The following is a projection of what the result of the 2019 general election might have looked like in the Hitchin parliamentary constituency if it had existed.

Election results 1885-1983

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1914–15: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s