Sir Bernard Jenkin · Conservative and Unionist Party
East of England, England
: 76,296
Con held for 5 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+48
Bernard Jenkin
Conservative and Unionist PartySir Bernard Jenkin is the Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, and has been an MP continually since 9 April 1992.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Harwich and North Essex has been predominantly positive for Bernard across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Army news: Britain's military collapse exposed by Nato as Keir Starmer's promise branded 'empty gesture'” — GB News
“All roads re-open after almost two months of Earls Colne closures” — The Gazette
Critical coverage
“Expert says 'do two things immediately' if nuclear strike hits UK” — Daily Star
“PM warns against 'false comfort' of thinking Iran war will end quickly” — Yahoo
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).
Digital Harwich Live to offer two days of interactive activities for families
Harwich and Manningtree Standard · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£28,200
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£40,600
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
4,425
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
41
33 primary, 3 secondary, 5 other
Total Income Tax▼
£366m
from 51,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,810
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£7,200
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▼
41.2
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
60.1%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 city, 5 towns, 11 villages, rural areas — 97,669 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
21 councillors across 15 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alresford Elmstead | Liberal Democrats | Ann Wiggins | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Gary Scott | May 2023 | |
| Ardleigh Little Bromley | Conservative and Unionist Party | Zoe Jacqueline Fairley | May 2023 |
| Brightlingsea | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Graham David Steady | May 2023 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Jayne Beverley Chapman | May 2023 | |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Mick Barry | May 2023 | |
| Dovercourt All Saints | Labour Party | Jo Henderson | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Maria Fowler | May 2023 | |
| Dovercourt Bay | Labour Party | Garry William John Calver | May 2023 |
| Dovercourt Tollgate | Labour Party | Pam Morrison | May 2023 |
| Dovercourt Vines Parkeston | Labour Party | Bill Davidson | May 2023 |
| Harwich Kingsway | Labour Party | Ivan Henderson | May 2023 |
| Lawford Manningtree Mistley | Conservative and Unionist Party | Carlo Guglielmi | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Matthew Bensilum | May 2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Terry Barrett | May 2023 | |
| Lexden Braiswick | Conservative and Unionist Party | Dennis Willetts | May 2024 |
| Mersea Pyefleet | Conservative and Unionist Party | Martin David Parsons | May 2024 |
| Old Heath The Hythe | Labour Party | Mike Lilley | May 2024 |
| Rural North | Conservative and Unionist Party | Darius Grant Laws | May 2024 |
| Stour Valley | Conservative and Unionist Party | Tanya Michelle Ferguson | May 2023 |
| Wivenhoe | Liberal Democrats | Sean Kelly | 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 | 16,522 | 34.4% |
| Lab | 15,360 | 32.0% | |
| Ref | 9,806 | 20.4% | |
| LD | 3,561 | 7.4% | |
| Green | 2,794 | 5.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 31,830 | 61.3% |
| Lab | 11,648 | 22.4% | |
| LD | 5,866 | 11.3% | |
| Green | 1,945 | 3.7% | |
| Ind | 411 | 0.8% | |
| Ind | 263 | 0.5% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 29,921 | 58.5% |
| Lab | 15,565 | 30.4% | |
| LD | 2,787 | 5.5% | |
| Ind | 1,685 | 3.3% | |
| Green | 1,042 | 2.0% | |
| Ind | 141 | 0.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 24,722 | 51.0% |
| Lab | 9,548 | 19.7% | |
| Ind | 8,464 | 17.5% | |
| LD | 3,576 | 7.4% | |
| Green | 2,122 | 4.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 23,001 | 46.9% |
| LD | 11,554 | 23.6% | |
| Lab | 9,774 | 19.9% | |
| Ind | 2,527 | 5.2% | |
| Ind | 1,065 | 2.2% | |
| Green | 909 | 1.9% | |
| Ind | 170 | 0.3% |
Bernard Jenkin 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.
6 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Digital Harwich Live, a free two-day event at Harwich Arts and Heritage Centre on April 10-11, offers interactive digital creativity workshops for families, including coding, animation, robotics and game design. The event is part of the three-year Digital Harwich project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
Harwich Town Museum is hosting a cultural event on April 11 exploring the town's medieval origins, featuring a talk by Dr Herbert Eiden on Harwich's foundation and a live medieval re-enactment by Historia Normannis. The event is organized by the Harwich Society, the museum, and the Victoria County History Essex project to showcase how Harwich developed from a rural estuary into a Tudor trading hub.
Queen Street Art School, based in Colchester, celebrates two students winning prestigious art competitions (Banksy Art Prize and Rotary Art Award). The school recently held a successful children's art exhibition in Wivenhoe with hundreds of visitors.
Missing academic Vitoria Barreto, last seen in early March in the Brightlingsea area of Essex, has been tracked via newly released CCTV footage showing her movements from Wivenhoe through Hurst Green to an industrial site near Copperas Road. Police are appealing for public information to help locate the 30-year-old Brazilian doctoral student.
Essex Police have released new CCTV footage in the ongoing search for Vitoria Barreto, a 30-year-old woman missing since March 3. The footage places her in Brightlingsea near Hurst Green and an industrial boatyard, strengthening investigators' belief she may have unmoored a boat later found adrift at Bradwell-on-Sea.
Market Field School in Elmstead Market has received a Gold award from the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools, upgrading from silver status. The school's comprehensive mental health provisions, including counselling, trauma-informed sessions, dog therapy, and support groups, were recognized for creating a culture where well-being is prioritized across all school operations.
An article critical of the UK government's defence spending, featuring Sir Bernard Jenkin (the local MP) arguing that Britain's military readiness has collapsed compared to NATO allies and that the government lacks a 'warfighting mentality' despite real threats from Russia and Iran.
Students from Market Field School in Elmstead Market performed at the OVO Arena Wembley as part of the Voice in a Million concert, a nationwide initiative celebrating inclusion and diversity for young people. The 17 students with moderate learning difficulties spent months preparing and performed alongside thousands of peers from across the UK.
Essex Highways has announced a closure of Horkesley Hill in Great Horkesley from March 30 to April 2 for utility asset works, forcing drivers to take a 50-mile diversion route. This disruption affects local residents and commuters in the North Essex area during the four-day period.
The UK government releases nuclear attack survival guidance amid concerns about Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. Sir Bernard Jenkin, the Harwich and North Essex MP, challenges the Prime Minister on defence preparedness during a parliamentary committee hearing, criticising the government's 'lack of war fighting mentality' and alleged complacency in defence decision-making.
Harwich's historic attractions are opening for the Easter season, with volunteers having completed winter maintenance and improvements. The Harwich Society is promoting guided tours and special events at local heritage sites including the circular fort, lighthouses, and maritime museum.
This article celebrates Colchester and North Essex's vibrant theatre scene, highlighting major venues like Mercury Theatre and Headgate Theatre, their 2026 programmes, and the cultural and community value of live performance across the region.
Colchester Council has ended its e-scooter trial and is now focusing exclusively on expanding its e-bikes scheme with Dott, introducing new parking infrastructure and expanding service into additional wards. The decision reflects a strategic shift toward safer, more controlled active travel options that the council can manage locally.
A former top military commander warns that the British armed forces are severely depleted and could only seize a small market town in a conflict, raising concerns about UK defence capabilities. The article highlights criticism of the government's military readiness, with Sir Bernard Jenkin, the local MP, directly challenging the Prime Minister on defence spending and what he calls a lack of war-fighting mentality.
A Brazilian psychologist, Vitoria Barreto, has been missing from Essex for three weeks after disappearing near Brightlingsea on March 3. Her housemate is urging police to stage a reconstruction, as Essex Police have ended physical searches and are pursuing other investigative avenues with international partners.
The government has announced plans for local government reorganisation in Essex, creating five unitary councils including a new North East Essex Council combining Colchester, Braintree, and Tendring. Colchester's High Steward Sir Bob Russell has strongly criticised the plan as 'soulless' and 'not local', arguing it ends over 900 years of Colchester's independent council governance and will reduce local representation.
Sir Bernard Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex, engaged in a heated parliamentary exchange with PM Sir Keir Starmer over the government's defensive posture regarding Iran conflict and UK military readiness. Jenkin accused the PM of complacency and lack of warfighting mentality, citing the failure to prevent a drone strike on Cyprus as evidence of military unpreparedness.
Prime Minister Starmer faced questions from MPs, including Sir Bernard Jenkin (the MP for Harwich and North Essex and chairman of the liaison committee), about the Government's timeline for increasing defence spending beyond 2.5% by 2027. Sir Bernard challenged the PM over UK military readiness and alleged complacency, while delays to the Defence Investment Plan and concerns about naval capability gaps continue to draw criticism.
Roads between Earls Colne and White Colne have reopened after nearly two months of closures due to gas main replacement works by Cadent. Sir Bernard Jenkin engaged with Cadent to address the impact on local businesses, and the work was completed ahead of schedule.
A satirical account of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's appearance before the liaison committee, where Sir Bernard Jenkin (MP for Harwich and North Essex) challenged the PM on defence procurement and Cyprus's defence gaps, prompting an angry response from Starmer.
PM Sir Keir Starmer warns against expecting a quick end to the Iran conflict and outlines government preparations for potential prolonged hostilities and economic impacts, including energy price support decisions. Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin criticizes the government's defence readiness and delays to the defence investment plan during parliamentary committee questioning.
Prime Minister Starmer admits the government's defence spending plan lacks sufficient funding to meet NATO targets, with an extra £40bn needed by 2035. Sir Bernard Jenkin (MP for Harwich and North Essex) challenged Starmer on delays to the Defence and Infrastructure Plan, criticizing the government's 'complacency' on timing.
Sir Bernard Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex, challenged Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Parliament over delays to the Defence Investment Plan and the military's preparedness amid global tensions, with Jenkin criticising the government for 'complacency' and lacking a 'war-fighting mentality'. Starmer defended the delay by blaming previous Conservative underinvestment and argued funding commitments must be properly secured before announcement.
West Mersea councillor Carl Powling has raised concerns about sewage discharges into local rivers based on Environment Agency data, warning that 300 proposed new homes could strain already inadequate infrastructure. He has escalated findings to Sir Bernard Jenkin and Colchester Council, with the MP backing his concerns whilst criticising the government's housing requirements that councils cannot refuse.
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