Rebecca Harris · Conservative and Unionist Party
East of England, England
: 71,026
Con held for 5 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+64
Rebecca Harris
Conservative and Unionist PartyRebecca Harris is the Conservative MP for Castle Point, and has been an MP continually since 6 May 2010. She currently undertakes the role of Opposition Chief Whip (Commons).
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Sign up freeCoverage of Castle Point has been mixed for Rebecca across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Essex County Council issue positive update on Canvey roundabout 'error'” — Essex Echo
“'Bizarre' road marking change at busy south Essex roundabout was an 'error'” — Essex Echo
Represented by Con since 2024. Covers Thundersley and South Benfleet, Canvey Island and North Benfleet. Population 89,566, notably older (median age 46 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 35% below the national average.
Arrest after £113k worth of cannabis found in south Essex drugs raid
Essex Echo · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£28,800
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£38,100
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,470
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
33
24 primary, 4 secondary, 5 other
Total Income Tax▼
£309m
from 51,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,890
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£6,110
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
40.4
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
58.4%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
2 large towns, 2 villages, rural areas — 91,208 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
15 councillors across 5 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hadleigh St James | The People's Independent Party | Aimme Harbinson | May 2024 |
| The People's Independent Party | Duncan MacPherson | May 2024 | |
| The People's Independent Party | Kate Knott | May 2024 | |
| St Michaels | The People's Independent Party | John Charles Knott | May 2024 |
| The People's Independent Party | Tim Copsey | May 2024 | |
| The People's Independent Party | Warren Gibson | May 2024 | |
| Tarpots | The People's Independent Party | Benn Wimbledon | May 2024 |
| The People's Independent Party | Kieron David Bowker | May 2024 | |
| The People's Independent Party | Michael Dearson | May 2024 | |
| Thundersley North | The People's Independent Party | Gareth Howlett | May 2024 |
| The People's Independent Party | Steve Mountford | May 2024 | |
| The People's Independent Party | Tom Gibson | May 2024 | |
| Thundersley South | The People's Independent Party | Allan David Edwards | May 2024 |
| The People's Independent Party | Laurie Dixon | May 2024 | |
| The People's Independent Party | Matt Cortes | May 2024 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 15,485 | 38.1% |
| Ref | 12,234 | 30.1% | |
| Lab | 9,455 | 23.3% | |
| Green | 2,118 | 5.2% | |
| LD | 1,341 | 3.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 33,971 | 76.7% |
| Lab | 7,337 | 16.6% | |
| LD | 2,969 | 6.7% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 30,076 | 67.3% |
| Lab | 11,204 | 25.1% | |
| Ind | 2,381 | 5.3% | |
| LD | 1,049 | 2.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 23,112 | 50.9% |
| Ind | 14,178 | 31.2% | |
| Lab | 6,283 | 13.8% | |
| Green | 1,076 | 2.4% | |
| LD | 801 | 1.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 19,806 | 44.0% |
| Ind | 12,174 | 27.0% | |
| Lab | 6,609 | 14.7% | |
| LD | 4,232 | 9.4% | |
| Ind | 2,205 | 4.9% |
Rebecca Harris has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
24 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Essex Police officers from the Castle Point and Rochford Community Policing Team seized over £113,000 worth of cannabis and cultivation equipment during a raid on a Hadleigh property in April, arresting a 25-year-old man on drugs production and immigration charges. The operation demonstrates local policing efforts to disrupt drug production and protect communities.
A £600,000 bungalow site on Canvey Road has been approved for development into a 20-bed care home after Castle Point Council's original refusal was overturned on appeal. Government planning inspectors cited substantial need for elderly accommodation, overriding local concerns about parking, noise, and infrastructure impact.
Essex Police arrested three people in Castle Point over the Easter weekend for drug and drink driving offences, including a woman with controlled drugs in her system, a man who fled a collision scene, and another woman found with nitrous oxide. The arrests were part of targeted enforcement to safeguard the community.
St Andrew's Healthcare in North Benfleet, a mental health facility in south Essex, has been upgraded to a 'good' rating by the Care Quality Commission after previous improvements. The facility addressed staffing, training, and care model issues, with inspectors praising leadership, patient safety measures, and positive feedback from patients and carers.
Elderly residents in Canvey are avoiding the high street due to fears of antisocial behaviour involving e-scooters and phone-snatching. Castle Point Council and Essex Police are developing plans for a ban on antisocial behaviour in the town centre, with potential implementation before summer holidays.
A £20 million government investment plan for Canvey Island will fund a new splash park, shopfront improvements, community building upgrades, and Canvey Lake restoration. The announcement has been welcomed by local residents and council leadership as addressing long-standing concerns about the island's decline.
Basildon Council officers have recommended approval of plans to build 850 homes on green belt land between Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet, despite acknowledging the development is 'inappropriate' and harmful. Local residents and Conservative councillors oppose the scheme, arguing it will merge villages, create infrastructure problems, and represents a rushed planning process ahead of May elections.
Essex County Council has completed corrections to incorrect road markings at Waterside Roundabout on Canvey Way, restoring the original layout after an error. MP Rebecca Harris had advocated for the correction by writing to Essex Highways, and the work was completed as planned.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service received a 'good' overall rating from inspectors but was criticized for failing to maintain adequate fire engine availability, with only achieving 40 of its 66 engines available at any one time. The report highlights declining on-call firefighter numbers and staffing-related issues as key challenges, though the service has implemented some improvements including deploying additional engines at Canvey Island and other locations.
Essex County Council admitted an error in road markings at a busy A130 roundabout on Canvey Island that confused motorists by removing the option to drive straight in the left lane. MP Rebecca Harris commented on the issue, expressing confusion about how the error occurred and confirming the markings would be corrected.
Extensive gas pipe replacement works by Cadent are scheduled for Tarpots in South Benfleet from May to August 2026, causing significant road disruptions including lane closures and a three-week full closure. Castle Point MP Dame Rebecca Harris and local councillor Andrew Sheldon have publicised the works and their efforts to minimise disruption.
A Jewish community leader reflects on antisemitism in Britain while highlighting the growth of the Charedi Jewish community on Canvey Island from 6 families to around 160 over the past decade. The article balances accounts of antisemitic incidents with examples of warmth and acceptance from local residents, arguing for engagement and bridge-building rather than escalation.
Essex Highways made an error in repainting road markings at Waterside Roundabout on Canvey, reducing traffic capacity by 50% and creating safety issues. MP Rebecca Harris intervened after complaints from residents, securing a commitment to repaint the markings within 24-48 hours.
Cadent gas works will cause 13 weeks of road closures around Benfleet from May to August 2026, upgrading ageing infrastructure. MP Dame Rebecca Harris negotiated to minimize disruption by restricting lane closures to daytime hours and scheduling full closures during summer holidays.
The government has announced a £319 million investment through its Pride in Place strategy to revive high streets, create safe play spaces for children, and support local regeneration across the UK. Canvey Island in Castle Point is highlighted as one of the lead areas, with funding directed at strengthening the town centre, improving health services, supporting young people, and creating job opportunities.
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