Christchurch: MP, 2024 result and local figures
Christchurch is represented in the House of Commons by Sir Christopher Chope (Conservative). On 4 July 2024 Christopher Chope (Conservative) won 16,941 votes, 35.8% of the valid vote; Mike Cox (Liberal Democrat) came second with 9,486. Turnout, counted as valid votes over the electorate, was 66.6% (47,335 of 71,060); the winning margin was 7,455 votes.
Key figures
What the figures show
Compared with other constituencies, Christchurch has the highest share of adults retired (2021) of the 575 constituencies with this figure (39.4%); it also has the 7th lowest population of the 575 constituencies with this figure (88,284).
Christchurch had an estimated population of 88,284 in mid-2024, against 85,222 in 2014 (ONS). There were more residents aged 65 and over (31,197) than children under 16 (12,165).
Homes in Christchurch sold for a median £415,000 in the year to March 2026, from HM Land Registry records compiled by the ONS. That is up 32% on £315,000 ten years before. The highest March-year median in the series was £440,000, in the year to March 2023. It ranks 123rd highest of 575 constituencies. The figure rests on 1,336 recorded sales.
In 2024/25, 20.5% of children under 16 in Christchurch (2,489) lived in relative low income families once housing costs are taken off, says the DWP; the UK figure is 26.0%. Before housing costs the share was 12.4% in 2024/25, from 11.8% in 2021/22.
Full-time employees living in Christchurch had median pay of £39,520 a year in April 2025; for jobs based in the constituency the median was £36,404. A year before, the residents' median was £38,065. The residents' figure ranks 253rd highest of 632 constituencies with an estimate. The latest year is provisional.
75.9% of residents aged 16 to 64 were in work in April 2025 to March 2026, on the Annual Population Survey estimate (95% confidence interval ±7.2 points). The economically inactive share was 22.6%.
At the 2021 Census there were 39,980 households and 777.6 residents per square kilometre; 31.5% of workers mainly worked from home and 39.4% of residents aged 16 and over were retired.
1,075 people were claiming unemployment-related benefits in September 2026, 2.4% of residents aged 16 to 64. That is up from 1,035 twelve months before.
4,550 business sites were registered in Christchurch in March 2026 (4,540 a year before), and employed 40,000 people in 2024.
MP
Sir Christopher Chope, Conservative
- MP for Christchurch since 4 July 2024
- In the House of Commons since 1 May 1997
Official UK Parliament page · Statements by Sir Christopher Chope on this site
In Parliament
The 5 most recent spoken contributions by Sir Christopher Chope in Hansard, from 16 October 2026 to 22 October 2026, quoted from the official report. Hansard search returns 259 spoken contributions by Sir Christopher Chope since 4 July 2024.
The right hon. Gentleman will know that the places of worship scheme is massively oversubscribed. If people can have VAT allowances against repairs to historic places of worship in Scotland, why can we not have them in England?
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
Let us put the issue in context. The headline today is that we now have £3 trillion of national debt, which represents an increase of £1 trillion over the last six years. That debt has accumulated largely because of Treasury neglect and bad policy.
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this debate. Does he agree that one of the fundamental issues is who regulates the regulators?
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
Order. The winding-up speeches will have to begin at half-past 10.
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. My point of order arises from the written statement issued by the Government today about the covid-19 inquiry module 4 report.
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
Read from the Hansard API on 27 October 2026. Up to two items per debate; remarks under 40 characters are left out. All contributions in Hansard.
General election, 4 July 2024
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Change in share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Chope | Conservative | 16,941 | 35.8% | −29.8 |
| Mike Cox | Liberal Democrat | 9,486 | 20.0% | +2.7 |
| Robin Adamson | Reform UK | 8,961 | 18.9% | |
| Joanna Howard | Labour | 7,762 | 16.4% | +3.5 |
| Susan Graham | Green Party | 1,900 | 4.0% | −0.2 |
| Simon McCormack | Independent | 1,728 | 3.7% | |
| Sasha Jolliffe Yasawi | Animal Welfare Party | 335 | 0.7% | |
| Steve Unwin | UK Independence Party | 163 | 0.3% | |
| Trevor Parsons | Social Democratic Party | 59 | 0.1% |
Result summary as published: Con hold. Change in share is in percentage points against the notional 2019 result on the new boundaries. Source: House of Commons Library, election results (data, read 14 October 2026).
Results on these boundaries
| Date | Election | First | Second | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 July 2024 | General election | Conservative 35.8% | Liberal Democrat 20.0% | 7,455 | 66.6% |
| 12 December 2019 | General election (notional result on these boundaries) | Conservative 65.6% | Liberal Democrat 17.4% | 25,034 | 72.5% |
Only results on the constituency boundaries first used at the 2024 general election are shown. The 2019 figures are the House of Commons Library's notional estimates of how votes cast in 2019 would have fallen on these boundaries, not a result that was declared. Source: House of Commons Library, constituency results.
Councils
Christchurch covers wards in 2 local authority areas, listed by the number of wards in the constituency.
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole E06000058
- Dorset E06000059
Who has power over Christchurch
Every body that makes decisions for Christchurch, from the street up to the G20. Each one links to its page on the official record. How the ten levels work.
Level 1: Neighbourhood and community power
Residents' and tenants' groups, neighbourhood forums and local policing panels.
Level 2: Parish, town and community councils
Parish, town and community councils, where the area has them, sit below the council.
Level 5: Devolved and state governments
England has no devolved parliament of its own: its laws are made by the UK Parliament.
Level 6: National government
- Christchurch this page: Sir Christopher Chope (Conservative) MP
- All 650 MPs votes, interests and costs
- UK government and Parliament official figures and sources
Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies
- Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (CoE / ECtHR) The UK Government says the United Kingdom was one of the Council of Europe's founding members.
Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies
- United Nations (General Assembly and Security Council) The UN lists the United Kingdom as a member admitted on 24 October 1945.
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) The UK is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and holds the veto, according to the UN.
- NATO NATO lists the United Kingdom among its 12 founding members, which signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- World Health Organization (WHO) WHO's list of member states includes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO says the United Kingdom has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 1 January 1948.
- Commonwealth of Nations The UK is one of the 56 members, one of three European members with Cyprus and Malta, and the Commonwealth Secretariat is headquartered at Marlborough House in London.
Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
- World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.
Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums
Sources
| Figure | Period | Publisher | Read | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | mid-2024 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Claimants as a share of residents aged 16 to 64 | September 2026 | ONS | 29 October 2026 | data · area |
| Claimant count | September 2026 | ONS | 29 October 2026 | data · area |
| Employment rate, aged 16 to 64 | April 2025 to March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Median full-time pay of residents | April 2025 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Median full-time pay of people working here | April 2025 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Median house price | the year to March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · release |
| Homes sold | the year to March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · release |
| Children in relative low income families, after housing costs | 2024/25 | DWP | 14 October 2026 | data · release |
| Children in relative low income families, before housing costs | 2024/25 | DWP | 14 October 2026 | data · release |
| Business sites (local units) | March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| People employed by businesses here | 2024 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Economically inactive, aged 16 to 64 | April 2025 to March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Households | Census 2021 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Residents per square kilometre | Census 2021 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Workers mainly working from home | Census 2021 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Residents aged 16+ who are retired | Census 2021 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
"Data" is the file or query each figure was read from (its SHA-256 is in the link title); "area" shows the same table for this constituency alone.
Common questions
Who is the MP for Christchurch?
UK Parliament lists Sir Christopher Chope, Conservative, as the Member of Parliament for Christchurch since the July 2024 general election.
What was the 2024 general election result in Christchurch?
Christopher Chope (Conservative) won with 16,941 votes, a majority of 7,455, on a turnout of 66.6% (House of Commons Library).
What is the unemployment claimant rate in Christchurch?
2.4% of residents aged 16 to 64 in September 2026, 1,075 people, on the ONS claimant count.
What is the average house price in Christchurch?
The median price paid was £415,000 in the year to March 2026 (ONS, from HM Land Registry sales).
What is the average salary in Christchurch?
Median full-time pay of residents was £39,520 a year in April 2025 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings).
How many children in Christchurch live in low income families?
DWP counts 2,489 (20.5% of under-16s) in relative low income after housing costs for 2024/25.
What is the population of Christchurch?
The ONS estimate for mid-2024 is 88,284 residents.
Built 14 October 2026 from official records; how these pages are compiled. This page lists what the record shows and gives no verdict on the MP or the area. Link moved or figure wrong? Tell us.