Battleground Anglia: Saffron Walden

The Conservatives won the Saffron Walden constituency in Essex at the 2010 General Election with a majority of more than 15,000 votes. Credit: ITV News Anglia

The constituency of Saffron Walden in Essex covers the district of Uttlesford and a small part of the outskirts of Chelmsford. It is an extremely rural and agricultural area. Uttlesford District has about 71,000 residents in an area equal to approximately half the size of greater London.

It contains London's third airport at Stansted plus Broomfield Hospital near Chelmsford.

  • Conservative majority in 2010: 15,242

  • Saffron Walden is the 19th safest seat in the Anglia region of 69 seats

  • Labour would need a swing of 23% to win in 2015 and the Lib Dems would need a 14% swing

This constituency regularly returns a Conservative MP with a five-figure majority. Sir Alan Haselhurst has been the local MP since a by-election in 1977. He was Deputy Speaker from 1997 until 2010. At the age of 77, he is the oldest MP in the Anglia region.

Saffron Walden was the seat of Rab Butler from 1929 until 1965. Served as Deputy PM, Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1950s and 60s.

Candidates in 2015

  • Heather Asker - Residents for Uttlesford

  • Jane Berney - Labour

  • Peter Day - UKIP

  • Sir Alan Haselhurst - Conservative

  • Mike Hibbs - Liberal Democrats

  • Karmel Stannard - Green