LD regained this seat from Con — last held it in 2010.
MP News Approval i
+48
Sarah Gibson
Liberal DemocratsSarah Gibson is the Liberal Democrat MP for Chippenham, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
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.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Chippenham has been mixed for Sarah across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Calne's 'foul' smell sees 1,000 complaints made in a week” — BBC
“Local community garden growing more than just food” — Gazette & Herald
Represented by LD since 2024. Covers Chippenham (Wiltshire), Calne and Royal Wootton Bassett. Population 90,327. Recorded crime is 39% below the national average.
Bus driver gave 'lifesaving' CPR to passenger after collapse
Adver Sport Desk · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£30,700
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£39,000
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,705
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
42
30 primary, 5 secondary, 7 other
Total Income Tax▼
£325m
from 53,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£3,120
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£6,170
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▼
46.1
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
66.7%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 5 towns, 3 villages, rural areas — 97,214 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
19 councillors across 19 wards · Last elections: Feb 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calne Central | Liberal Democrats | Ian Leslie Thorn | May 2021 |
| Calne Chilvester Abberd | Liberal Democrats | Robert MacNaughton | Feb 2024 |
| Calne North | Conservative and Unionist Party | Tom Rounds | May 2021 |
| Calne Rural | Conservative and Unionist Party | Ashley O'Neill | May 2021 |
| Chippenham Cepen Park Derriads | Conservative and Unionist Party | Nic Puntis | May 2021 |
| Chippenham Cepen Park Hunters Moon | Conservative and Unionist Party | Peter John Hutton | May 2021 |
| Chippenham Hardenhuish | Liberal Democrats | Kathryn Farrah MacDermid | May 2021 |
| Chippenham Hardens Central | Liberal Democrats | Liz Alstrom | May 2021 |
| Chippenham Lowden Rowden | Liberal Democrats | Ross Henning | May 2021 |
| Chippenham Monkton | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Nick Murry | May 2021 |
| Chippenham Pewsham | Liberal Democrats | Clare Cape | May 2021 |
| Chippenham Sheldon | Liberal Democrats | Adrian David Foster | May 2021 |
| Corsham Ladbrook | Liberal Democrats | Ruth Mary Catherine Hopkinson | May 2021 |
| Corsham Pickwick | Liberal Democrats | Helen Belcher | May 2021 |
| Corsham Without | Liberal Democrats | Derek Charles Walters | May 2021 |
| Lyneham | Conservative and Unionist Party | Allison Mary Bucknell | May 2021 |
| Royal Wootton Bassett South West | Liberal Democrats | David Michael Bowler | May 2021 |
| Wootton Bassett East | Conservative and Unionist Party | Steve Bucknell | May 2021 |
| Wootton Bassett North | Conservative and Unionist Party | Mary Isabel Champion | May 2021 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LD | 22,552 | 45.5% | |
| Con | 14,414 | 29.1% | |
| Ref | 6,127 | 12.4% | |
| Lab | 3,925 | 7.9% | |
| Green | 1,954 | 4.0% | |
| Ind | 540 | 1.1% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 30,994 | 54.3% |
| LD | 19,706 | 34.5% | |
| Lab | 6,399 | 11.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 31,267 | 54.7% |
| LD | 14,637 | 25.6% | |
| Lab | 11,236 | 19.7% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Con | 26,354 | 47.6% |
Won 2010 GE | LD | 16,278 | 29.4% |
| Ind | 5,884 | 10.6% | |
| Lab | 4,561 | 8.2% | |
| Green | 2,330 | 4.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| LD | 23,970 | 45.8% | |
| Con | 21,500 | 41.0% | |
| Lab | 3,620 | 6.9% | |
| Ind | 1,783 | 3.4% | |
| Ind | 641 | 1.2% | |
| Green | 446 | 0.8% | |
| Ind | 307 | 0.6% | |
| Ind | 118 | 0.2% |
Sarah Gibson 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.
15 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Dave Watts, a bus driver for Faresaver Buses operating routes including the 231 and X31 that serve Chippenham, performed lifesaving CPR on a collapsed passenger at Chippenham Bus Station. He was named driver of the month and donated his bonus to the Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance, receiving praise from passengers and employers.
GreenSquareAccord housing association has awarded a £2,000 grant to Chippenham-based charity Waste Not Want Not, which redistributes furniture and household items to around 267 households monthly. The funding will support the charity's rent costs and help it continue serving vulnerable people in the constituency struggling with cost-of-living pressures.
Harriet Jany, a Chippenham resident, completed a 29km charity hike marking the tenth anniversary of her son's death, raising £1,230 for Sands, a baby loss charity that supported her after her loss in 2016. The walk route took her through local areas including Derry Hill, Lacock, and Pewsham, with community support throughout.
A 650-home development (Rawlings Green) at Rawlings Farm on Chippenham's northeastern edge faces significant opposition over traffic concerns, despite revised plans submitted to address earlier objections. Chippenham Town Council maintains its objection, citing fears of massive congestion on Station Hill and through residential areas before a promised link road is built.
The A4 between Calne and Chippenham will close for three days in late April for surface dressing and maintenance work. This is part of Wiltshire Council's £15 million road repair programme following winter weather damage.
A person died after being struck by a train near Royal Wootton Bassett on Easter Sunday, causing the railway line between Swindon and Chippenham to be closed while emergency services responded. The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a coroner's file will be prepared.
A major new fitness and leisure club is planned for Southpoint Business Park in western Chippenham, featuring tennis, padel courts, swimming pools, spa facilities, and sports halls. Residents have responded positively during public consultation, welcoming the investment and amenities that address a lack of leisure facilities on the western side of town.
A rare Black Redstart bird was spotted in Chippenham on March 16, one of Britain's scarcest breeding birds with fewer than 100 pairs nesting annually. The article is part of a broader feature about unusual bird sightings across Wiltshire as migration patterns shift with seasonal changes.
A crash on the A4 between Calne and Chippenham resulted in a major emergency response, with one driver allegedly fleeing the scene. One driver suffered a neck injury and was hospitalised; police investigation is ongoing with no arrests made to date.
Calne residents have filed over 1,000 complaints in a week about foul odours from the Lower Compton landfill operated by Hills Waste Solutions, despite previous enforcement action by the Environment Agency. Chippenham MP Sarah Gibson has written to DEFRA about the issue, acknowledging the problem while noting that Hills is taking it seriously and the EA is investigating.
The Calne Model Railway Show 2026 will take place at Calne Leisure Centre on April 11, offering free admission for children under five and featuring various model railway displays and local business support. This community event provides accessible entertainment for families and enthusiasts in the local area.
Wiltshire Police self-referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following the discovery of a body in the River Avon in Chippenham town centre on 31 March. The mandatory referral follows protocol when a deceased person had prior contact with police, though this does not indicate any wrongdoing.
Corsham is hosting a monthly Creative Market at Springfield Community Campus featuring over 35 handmade stalls, craft workshops, and local food from February to December. The event supports local small businesses and artisans while offering family-friendly activities and excellent facilities.
The Original Factory Shop in Calne has closed following the chain's collapse into administration in January, with the Corsham store also closing after 28 years. The closures represent the loss of local retail jobs and empty town centre properties, with administrators citing high inflation, weak consumer confidence, and rising labour costs as key factors.
The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust has reached a significant milestone in restoring the Pewsham Locks near Chippenham, completing the top lock bridge's final construction elements and moving into landscaping phases. The project is part of a broader 70-mile canal restoration scheme, with public open days scheduled monthly to showcase progress and invite community participation.
A free countryside walk from Corsham to Lacock on May 4 will raise awareness and funds for The Cinnamon Trust, a charity supporting elderly and terminally ill pet owners. The event, led by volunteer Victoria Conrad, aims to bring together dog owners and the wider community while promoting the charity's services across the Wiltshire area.
Wiltshire Police recovered a man's body from the River Avon near Chippenham's Town Bridge in the early hours of March 13. The force has made a mandatory self-referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to prior police contact with the deceased.
A body was discovered in the River Avon in Chippenham town centre following a large search and rescue operation initiated after concerns for a man's welfare were reported to police. Chippenham Town Council expressed deep sadness at the death, and police have made a mandatory self-referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
A major search and rescue operation is underway in Chippenham town centre following reports of concerns for a man's welfare at the River Avon. Specialist teams from Wiltshire Police, Wiltshire Search and Rescue, and Avon and Somerset Police are conducting underwater searches, with residents asked to avoid the area.
Park Lane Community Garden in Corsham is a thriving local initiative launched in 2024 that combines food growing, environmental conservation, and community wellbeing activities. The project, supported by Wiltshire Council and The Kings Coronation Fund, serves 60 members and will host an official opening with MP Sarah Gibson this spring.
A community orchard with 30 fruit trees has been planted in Lords Mead, Chippenham, through a partnership between Freely Fruity charity and local environmental group Rooted Chippenham. The project aims to provide free fruit, improve local ecology, and create a community space for learning about sustainable food production.
The Tiger Moth Fields development in Lyneham, a major 200-home estate with 120 private and 80 affordable homes, has reached a construction milestone with 20 plots currently under construction and first homes expected summer 2025. The development includes community facilities, sustainable features like EV charging and solar panels, and will contribute over £831,000 to local services including education and playing fields.
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