Sir Julian Lewis · Conservative and Unionist Party
South East, England
: 70,618
Con held for 5 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+56
Julian Lewis
Conservative and Unionist PartyThe Rt Hon Sir Julian Lewis is the Conservative MP for New Forest East, and has been an MP continually since 1 May 1997.
MPs voted on whether to give the Tobacco and Vapes Bill its Second Reading, advancing legislation that would create a 'smoke-free generation' by progressively raising the legal age for buying tobacco so that anyone born after 2009 could never legally purchase cigarettes, while also cracking down on vaping among young people.
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Sign up freeCoverage of New Forest East has been mixed for Julian across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“County Durham MP backs bid for prison officer stab proof vests in Westminster debate” — The Northern Echo
“Victory for Mirror campaigner as MPs back stab vests for ALL prison staff” — Mirror
Represented by Con since 2024. Covers Totton, Hythe and Dibden Purlieu and Holbury. Population 87,142, notably older (median age 48 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 40% below the national average.
As MPs gear up for a 'summer of sex', Starmer reveals himself as the tantric PM - AOL
AOL.com · 15 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£28,500
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£39,200
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,525
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
51
30 primary, 5 secondary, 16 other
Total Income Tax▼
£335m
from 51,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,880
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£6,520
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▼
39.5
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
56.0%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 5 towns, 5 villages, rural areas — 90,775 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
25 councillors across 14 wards · Last elections: May 2023
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashurst Bramshaw Copythorne Netley Marsh | Conservative and Unionist Party | Derek Brian Tipp | May 2023 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Joe Reilly | May 2023 | |
| Brockenhurst Denny Lodge | Green Party of England and Wales | Adam William Parker | May 2023 |
| Dibden Dibden Purlieu | Liberal Democrats | Malcolm Spencer Wade | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Steph Osborne | May 2023 | |
| Fawley Blackfield Calshot Langley | Conservative and Unionist Party | Alan Rutherford Alvey | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Matthew James Hartmann | May 2023 | |
| Forest Solent | Conservative and Unionist Party | Dan Poole | May 2023 |
| Hardley Holbury North Blackfield | Conservative and Unionist Party | Allan Glass | May 2023 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Peter Armstrong | May 2023 | |
| Hythe Central | Liberal Democrats | Alex Wade | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Philip Dowd | May 2023 | |
| Hythe South | Liberal Democrats | Mark Clark | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Sean Daniel Cullen | May 2023 | |
| Lyndhurst Minstead | Liberal Democrats | Hilary Brand | May 2023 |
| Marchwood Eling | Liberal Democrats | Patrick Armand Mballa | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Richard Mark Young | May 2023 | |
| Sway | Conservative and Unionist Party | Barry Rickman | May 2023 |
| Totton Central | Conservative and Unionist Party | Ian Alec Murray | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | John Hugh Sleep | May 2023 | |
| Totton North | Conservative and Unionist Party | David Maurice Penny | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Kathleen Veronica Crisell | May 2023 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Neville Penman | May 2023 | |
| Totton South | Liberal Democrats | Caroline Rackham | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | David Harrison | May 2023 |
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 | 17,412 | 38.5% |
| Lab | 8,917 | 19.7% | |
| Ref | 7,646 | 16.9% | |
| LD | 7,198 | 15.9% | |
| Green | 3,118 | 6.9% | |
| Ind | 529 | 1.2% | |
| Ind | 410 | 0.9% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 32,769 | 64.5% |
| Lab | 7,518 | 14.8% | |
| LD | 7,390 | 14.6% | |
| Green | 2,434 | 4.8% | |
| Ind | 675 | 1.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 32,162 | 62.6% |
| Lab | 10,167 | 19.8% | |
| LD | 7,786 | 15.2% | |
| Green | 1,251 | 2.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 27,819 | 56.3% |
| Ind | 8,657 | 17.5% | |
| Lab | 6,018 | 12.2% | |
| LD | 4,626 | 9.4% | |
| Green | 2,327 | 4.7% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 26,443 | 52.9% |
| LD | 15,136 | 30.3% | |
| Lab | 4,915 | 9.8% | |
| Ind | 2,518 | 5.0% | |
| Green | 1,024 | 2.0% |
Julian Lewis appeared in 2 national articles across 2 topics (14 Apr 2026 – 14 Apr 2026)
Mixed (0.00)Ranked #64 of 286 MPs mentioned in national coverage
Mentioned as attending the meeting to listen to residents' concerns, but no substantive role or position taken is described.
Mentioned as attending the meeting but no specific actions or statements attributed to him beyond being present.
4 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Parliament debated defence spending and military preparedness, with Conservative MPs criticising the Government's delay in publishing a defence review and hitting NATO targets. The article includes commentary on a Labour MP's 'summer of sex' initiative and features Sir Julian Lewis asking about defence readiness against Russia.
New Forest District Council held a passionate meeting on April 13 opposing government proposals to divide the New Forest under local government reorganisation. Councillors, including those led by independent Michael Thierry, united in chanting "leave the New Forest alone" while Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East MP) attended, with the council unanimously passing a motion to pursue legal advice on the government's decision.
New Forest District Council has unanimously voted to consider pursuing legal action against government plans to split the district into two separate unitaries as part of local government reorganisation in Hampshire. A petition with over 14,000 signatures has demanded the council instruct a public law barrister to review the LGR process and pursue judicial review if grounds exist.
New Forest District Council councillors staged an impassioned protest at a full council meeting against government proposals to reorganise local government and split the New Forest district, with hundreds gathering outside to oppose the plans. MP Sir Julian Lewis attended the meeting where councillors chanted 'Leave the New Forest alone' and a petition with over 13,000 signatures was presented calling for legal action against the reorganisation.
Hundreds of New Forest residents protested against plans to split the district between two new councils under local government reorganisation, with over 13,000 signatures on a petition calling for legal action. New Forest District Council unanimously backed consideration of the petition and potential judicial review, with cross-party councillor support amid concerns that splitting the area would benefit Southampton's business interests rather than serve local communities.
A letter to the editor discusses upcoming local elections in BCP authority and expresses concerns about council devolution plans that would merge Waterside (New Forest East) into Southampton without local consent, arguing this represents undemocratic governance.
New Forest District Council is rolling out Phase 3 of its waste and recycling collection service in May, covering Totton, Lyndhurst, Marchwood, Hythe, Fawley and surrounding areas. Households will receive new wheelie bins and food waste caddies, with collection starting the week of May 11.
New Forest District Council is launching phase three of its new waste and recycling collection scheme, covering major areas including Totton, Lyndhurst, and Fawley, with collections starting in May. The rollout aims to improve recycling rates and reduce overall waste across the district.
An unauthorised traveller encampment at Eling car park in New Forest District has dispersed after nearly a week, following incidents including dog bites to two people. Local councillor David Harrison is calling for preventative measures such as height barriers to prevent future encampments.
Police have released CCTV images following a shoplifting incident at Morrisons in Totton where £170 of meat and alcohol were stolen on February 20. The appeal seeks information to identify a woman pictured and locate witnesses to the crime.
The UK government's plan to split the New Forest's administration between two new authorities (South West Hampshire and Mid Hampshire) from 2028 has sparked significant local opposition. Residents, including those with centuries-long family ties to the forest, fear losing their rural identity and autonomy to urban, city-focused governance, with particular concerns about the eastern section being absorbed into Southampton-dominated authority.
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has defended plans to split New Forest council and merge parts with Southampton and Eastleigh as part of a wider Hampshire reorganisation. The proposal has sparked fierce opposition from local residents and councillors who fear losing identity and being tied to a Labour-controlled council they view as poorly managed.
A letter from Douglas Holloway, the Your Party candidate for Dibden and Hythe, argues that local government reorganisation in the New Forest area should not be feared as a loss of identity. He contends that communities like Totton and Marchwood have closer economic and social ties to Southampton than rural New Forest, and that the reorganisation could bring better services and investment.
Police visited an unauthorised traveller encampment at Eling Cemetery car park in New Forest District after travellers arrived on April 8. Local authorities are managing the situation through welfare assessments and daily monitoring in coordination with police and town councils.
The Hythe Ferry service has been placed into voluntary liquidation by Red Funnel after an 18-month attempt to revive it, causing widespread disappointment in the local community. Local councillors have blamed Red Funnel for failing to deliver on promises to run the service properly, while Sir Julian Lewis, the MP for New Forest East, has expressed disappointment at the company's decision to withdraw.
New Forest District Council has completed a 20-unit affordable housing development in Totton with energy-efficient features and allocation to residents on the council's housing register. The project demonstrates the council's commitment to delivering affordable housing while meeting climate and building standards.
Southern Water is completing the final £10m phase of a sewer strengthening project in the Ashurst Bridge area near Totton and the New Forest, involving 430 metres of pipe lining work. The project aims to reduce burst risks and improve long-term network resilience, though it will cause temporary disruption with increased tanker activity for up to three weeks.
New Forest District Council has ordered a Milford-on-Sea farmer to remove 30 storage containers from her land after refusing a retrospective planning application. The farmer, Sue Crawford, had installed the containers and allowed businesses to store vehicles on her property as a diversification strategy to keep Forest Farm financially viable, but councillors deemed the industrial appearance harmful to the rural character of the green belt.
Southern Water is completing a £4m project to reline over 500m of sewer near Totton, Hampshire, aimed at reducing burst incidents that have plagued the area over five years. The final three-week phase involves increased tanker activity but represents a significant infrastructure investment to improve service reliability for local residents.
A sapling grown from the famous Sycamore Gap tree felled in 2023 has been planted at Bolton's Bench in Lyndhurst as part of a UK-wide Trees of Hope legacy project across all 15 national parks. The planting represents a tribute to the lost landmark and a renewed commitment to nature and heritage in the New Forest.
Strawberry Fields car boot sale in the New Forest (between Lymington and Brockenhurst) is returning for Easter weekend with hundreds of stalls expected. The event offers affordable family entertainment with £1 entry for buyers and £7–£12 pitch fees for sellers.
Hampshire Police are appealing for information to locate Nigel Slack, 46, a missing man from Totton who was last seen on March 31st. The public is urged to contact police with any sightings or information about his whereabouts.
Police have released CCTV footage seeking a man in connection with a £300 shoplifting incident at Morrisons in Totton on February 28. The theft involved meat, drinks, and food stolen between 5:30pm and 5:50pm.
The New Forest National Park Authority has announced its 2025 Building Design Awards, recognising four projects including a restored Grade II listed cottage in Frogham, solar canopies at Paultons Park theme park, a retrofitted bungalow in Brockenhurst, and a new facility at Brockenhurst College. The awards celebrate outstanding design, sustainability, and respect for the National Park's character.
Brockenhurst College in New Forest has won a design award for its £4.9 million Foundation and Independence Hub, a new facility supporting students with additional needs. The hub, officially opened in October 2023, features sustainable design and specialist facilities including 14 classrooms, sensory rooms, and healthcare spaces.
Brockenhurst College held its annual sports awards ceremony on March 25, recognizing 37 outstanding sporting achievements across 200 attendees. The event celebrated student athletes and their coaches, with awards including Team of the Year and individual achievement accolades.
New build homes at Danes Park in New Milton are offering more affordable entry points to the New Forest property market, with two-bedroom properties priced around £320,000 compared to £527,000 in premium villages like Brockenhurst. The development by Pennyfarthing Homes aims to make homeownership accessible while maintaining quality design and energy efficiency.
NFU Mutual New Forest has partnered with Oakhaven Hospice to raise funds through a donation scheme offering £10 per new insurance policy between April and September 2026. This addresses the hospice's significant funding gap, as it receives only 11% of its £9 million annual budget from government sources and depends heavily on donations.
Claire Lewis, a prison officer assaulted at Frankland jail 16 years ago, has successfully campaigned for protective body armour for all UK prison staff. Sir Julian Lewis, the MP for New Forest East, backed the cause in a Westminster Hall debate and praised cross-party support for mandatory anti-stab vests for all 23,000 prison officers.
Sir Julian Lewis, MP for New Forest East, led a Westminster Hall debate on prison officer safety, backing calls for all prison workers to be issued with stab-proof vests following a campaign by former HMP Frankland officer Claire Lewis. The debate highlighted ongoing violence in prisons and the need for universal protective equipment for all officers across the country.
The NS&I savings scandal has resulted in 37,500 bereaved families being denied £476m in rightfully owned funds due to systemic operational failures. Labour's pensions minister Torsten Bell has announced compensation but warned families may face unexpected tax bills on recovered funds, while NS&I's CEO Dax Harkins has been sacked and replaced with Sir Jim Harra.
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