Tunbridge Wells
Conservative hold

It came as a source of amusement in May 1994 when the Conservatives lost control of the borough council in Tunbridge Wells; yet there is no real reason why the "disgusted" residents of the Kent spa town should not get fed up of a failing Conservative government; after all, nearly every other local authority in Britain did, and failed to return Tory councillors with an overall majority in the latter years of John Major's government. In 1997, however, Sir Patrick Mayhew was able to hand over this seat to the former Asda boss, Archie Norman, safely enough, and with the party now in opposition the council was regained too, and by May 2000 the Liberal Democrats were twenty per cent behind in the borough elections, which also include the Weald wards like Lamberhurst and Goudhurst.

Archie Norman, self-described as "definitely a businessman in politics, not a politician in business," was elected in 1997 whilst still Chairman of ASDA. He spent a year making himself disliked as Deputy Party Chairman, imposing reforms seemingly designed to root out from Central Office over-50-year old smokers with untidy desks, and calling for more gay, black and female candidates. He was then brought on to the front bench as a spokesman, by 2000 leading on the Environment. An unpractised Commons debater who owes his rapid rise to having shared with Hague a McKinsey past, he was born 1954 and educated at Charterhouse, Emmanuel College, Cambridge and Harvard Business School. He is seen as an unclubbable cold fish: his enforced bonding for MPs at Eastbourne was boycotted by Heath, Heseltine and Soames.

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   Thriving Wealthy Achievers, Suburban Areas 32.36% 14.99% 215.85 Affluent Greys, Rural Communities 0.15% 2.13% 6.97 Prosperous Pensioners, Retirement Areas 3.02% 2.49% 121.37 Expanding Affluent Executives, Family Areas 1.24% 4.43% 27.94 Well-Off Workers, Family Areas 8.85% 7.27% 121.73 Rising Affluent Urbanites, Town & City Areas 6.19% 2.56% 241.53 Prosperous Professionals, Metropolitan Areas 1.82% 2.04% 89.29 Better-Off Executives, Inner City Areas 5.92% 3.94% 150.06 Settling Comfortable Middle Agers, Mature Home Owning Areas 14.46% 13.04% 110.89 Skilled Workers, Home Owning Areas 6.67% 12.70% 52.50 Aspiring New Home Owners, Mature Communities 6.56% 8.14% 80.61 White Collar Workers, Better-Off Multi Ethnic Areas 3.23% 4.02% 80.24 Striving Older People, Less Prosperous Areas 4.46% 3.19% 140.11 Council Estate Residents, Better-Off Homes 4.20% 11.31% 37.11 Council Estate Residents, High Unemployment 0.11% 3.06% 3.60 Council Estate Residents, Greatest Hardship 0.72% 2.52% 28.77 People in Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Areas 0.00% 2.10% 0.00 Unclassified Unclassified 0.03% 0.06% 50.06

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   £0-5K 6.22% 9.41% 66.04 £5-10K 12.38% 16.63% 74.45 £10-15K 14.01% 16.58% 84.53 £15-20K 12.83% 13.58% 94.46 £20-25K 10.77% 10.39% 103.68 £25-30K 8.71% 7.77% 112.03 £30-35K 6.92% 5.79% 119.54 £35-40K 5.47% 4.33% 126.26 £40-45K 4.32% 3.27% 132.28 £45-50K 3.42% 2.48% 137.69 £50-55K 2.72% 1.90% 142.57 £55-60K 2.17% 1.47% 146.98 £60-65K 1.74% 1.15% 150.98 £65-70K 1.40% 0.91% 154.62 £70-75K 1.14% 0.72% 157.95 £75-80K 0.93% 0.57% 160.99 £80-85K 0.76% 0.46% 163.78 £85-90K 0.62% 0.37% 166.34 £90-95K 0.51% 0.31% 168.70 £95-100K 0.43% 0.25% 170.88 £100K + 2.43% 1.34% 180.53