East of England · England · 76,296Boundary · 2023

Harwich & North Essex

Follow⇄ Compare
Dispatch
Apr 2026

A marginal seat — won by just 1,162 votes (2.4%) in 2024. Covers Harwich, Colchester and Brightlingsea. Population 98,389, notably older (median age 47 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 36% below the national average.

A long-serving Conservative with over three decades in the Commons, Jenkin has been most visibly active recently on victims' rights and local infrastructure. In March 2026, he consistently voted to retain Lords amendments to the Victims and Courts Bill that would have expanded victims' access to court transcripts and strengthened their ability to challenge unduly lenient sentences -- backing the Lords' position against his own government's preferred approach. Separately, he secured £65 million in funding to complete the A1331 Link Road, insisting housing development should not proceed until infrastructure is in place, and has raised concerns in parliament about plans to scrap a health service investigations body serving his constituents.

In the current parliament, Jenkin votes at 65% -- below the Commons average -- and maintains perfect alignment with the Conservative party line where he does vote. His speeches are dominated by economy and jobs, defence, and fiscal policy, reflecting long-standing interests. His stance profile marks him as strongly pro-business (90%), tough on crime (86%), and anti-tax increases (86%), while he sits notably below his party average on civil liberties (-12pp). He scores above party average on lords scrutiny (100%), parliamentary scrutiny (93%), criminal justice reform (+11pp), and -- unusually for a Conservative -- lords reform (+18pp).

318
Commons votes
This parliament
£28k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
76.3k
Electorate
2024 GE

Con held for 5 consecutive elections.

Current Member of Parliament

Bernard Jenkin

Bernard Jenkin

Conservative and Unionist Party

Sir Bernard Jenkin is the Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, and has been an MP continually since 9 April 1992.

Sign up free to read the full briefing on Bernard Jenkin.

Sign up free

Voting at a Glance

A marginal seat — won by just 1,162 votes (2.4%) in 2024. Covers Harwich, Colchester and Brightlingsea. Population 98,389, notably older (median age 47 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 36% below the national average.

2024 General Election

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

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

§ 07The record, at a glance.330 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Jenkin 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
Taxation
79
Economy
62
Crime & Policing
41
Employment
29
Education
28
Constitution and Democracy
20
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip

No rebellions or free votes recorded yet.

§ 08The local picture.15 wards

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

WardCouncillorVotesParty
Alresford ElmsteadAnn Wiggins1,046Liberal
Alresford ElmsteadGary Scott1,170Liberal
Ardleigh Little BromleyZoe Jacqueline Fairley343Conserva
BrightlingseaGraham David Steady1,081Independ
BrightlingseaJayne Beverley Chapman1,309Independ
BrightlingseaMick Barry1,411Independ
Dovercourt All SaintsJo Henderson1,018Labour P
Dovercourt All SaintsMaria Fowler858Labour P
Dovercourt BayGarry William John Calver422Labour P
Dovercourt TollgatePam Morrison264Labour P
Dovercourt Vines ParkestonBill Davidson337Labour P
Harwich KingswayIvan Henderson493Labour P
Population (2021 Census)
98,389
Electorate 76,296 · 2024 register
Median income
£28,200
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
16.7%
England average 20.0%
Schools
41
33 primary · 3 secondary
Next · dig deeperEvery division, question, speech and committee record

Mine the full
record → Data view

Filter divisions, search written questions, read every speech since the election. Sortable, searchable, downloadable.

More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.