Gillingham and Rainham
Gillingham and Rainham is a constituency in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Naushabah Khan of the Labour Party. It was previously represented since its 2010 creation by Rehman Chishti of the Conservative Party and replaced the previous constituency of Gillingham.
Boundaries
2010–2023: The Borough of Medway wards of Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Hempstead and Wigmore, Rainham Central, Rainham North, Rainham South, Twydall and Watling.2023–present: Further to a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Borough of Medway:
- Gillingham North ; Gillingham South; Hempstead & Wigmore ; Rainham North; Rainham South East; Rainham South West; Twydall; Watling.
Constituency profile
The constituency is generally suburban and centred on Gillingham, historically a small port, which is within the London Commuter Belt. Local retail, industry, business parks, trades and professions provide constituents with a high level of employment, mostly on moderate to middle incomes; however, the area is not wholly resilient to unemployment. Registered claimants who were registered jobseekers were marginally lower than the national average of 3.8% at 3.5% of the population, according to a statistical compilation by The Guardian.Residents' wealth is around average for the UK, but below average for the South East region.
The predecessor constituency of Gillingham was a Labour-Conservative marginal seat though prior to 1997 was a safe Conservative seat. The current constituency had been considered a safe Conservative seat until 2024.