South West · England · 74,107Boundary · 2023

Chippenham

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Dispatch
Apr 2026

Represented by LD since 2024. Covers Chippenham (Wiltshire), Calne and Royal Wootton Bassett. Population 90,327. Recorded crime is 40% below the national average.

Chippenham's MP has carved out a distinctive local campaigning identity since entering Parliament in 2024, most visibly on water regulation. Sarah Gibson launched a "Cut our Water Bills" campaign, tabled an Early Day Motion calling for Thames Water to be placed into special administration, and publicly declared the government's response to constituent concerns "not good enough" -- language unusually direct for a government-aligned backbencher. She also led opposition to the government's proposed mandatory Digital ID scheme, creating a petition and raising the issue in Parliament by citing specific constituent concerns about digital exclusion. Her one formal rebel vote -- opposing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at Third Reading despite her party supporting it -- stands out in an otherwise tightly party-aligned record.

In Parliament, Gibson votes with the Liberal Democrats 99.7% of the time, but her 62% participation rate is below the Commons average, meaning she attends and votes in roughly three in five divisions. Her stance profile shows strong alignment with pro-business, pro-climate-action, and pro-parliamentary-scrutiny positions, and she consistently backed Lords amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill against government opposition -- reflecting her 92% pro-Lords-scrutiny score. She deviates notably from her party on pension protection, voting for it more consistently than the Lib Dem average. Her 127 parliamentary contributions span economy, local government, housing, and cost-of-living debates.

304
Commons votes
This parliament
£31k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
74.1k
Electorate
2024 GE

LD regained this seat from Con — last held it in 2010.

Current Member of Parliament

Sarah Gibson

Sarah Gibson

Liberal Democrats

Sarah Gibson is the Liberal Democrat MP for Chippenham, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.

Notable Votes

MPs voted to pass the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at its final stage in the Commons. The Bill aims to create a 'smokefree generation' by gradually raising the legal age for buying tobacco so that those born after a certain date can never legally purchase it, representing the biggest public health intervention since the 2007 smoking ban.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

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Voting at a Glance

Represented by LD since 2024. Covers Chippenham (Wiltshire), Calne and Royal Wootton Bassett. Population 90,327. Recorded crime is 40% below the national average.

2024 General Election

§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Gibson’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.320 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Gibson has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Economy
59
Taxation
58
Employment
36
Crime & Policing
32
Welfare and Benefits
27
Constitution and Democracy
21
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Tobacco and Vapes Bill: Third Reading26 Mar 2025
No
§ 08The local picture.19 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
Calne CentralIan Leslie Thorn863Liberal
Calne Chilvester AbberdRobert MacNaughton424Liberal
Calne NorthTom Rounds480Conserva
Calne RuralAshley O'Neill1,199Conserva
Chippenham Cepen Park DerriadsNic Puntis701Conserva
Chippenham Cepen Park Hunters MoonPeter John Hutton744Conserva
Chippenham HardenhuishKathryn Farrah MacDermid665Liberal
Chippenham Hardens CentralLiz Alstrom935Liberal
Chippenham Lowden RowdenRoss Henning444Liberal
Chippenham MonktonNick Murry1,062Independ
Chippenham PewshamClare Cape797Liberal
Chippenham SheldonAdrian David Foster433Liberal
Population (2021 Census)
90,327
Electorate 74,107 · 2024 register
Median income
£30,700
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
16.6%
England average 20.0%
Schools
42
30 primary · 5 secondary
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More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.