Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The Borough of Reigate and Banstead ward of Hooley, Merstham & Netherne.
• The District of Tandridge.^[6]

The electorate will be reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring Horley to the new constituency of Dorking and Horley. To partly compensate, the Reigate and Banstead ward of Hooley, Merstham & Netherne will be transferred from the Reigate constituency.

Victorian dual-member constituency 1832–1885

The 13th century-created, dual-member constituency for the county took in over a third of today's Greater London and its population far exceeded the average for a county. It was recognised as needing or meriting four MPs, so division, under the Great Reform Act, 1832.

The territory was incepted^{[clarification needed]} and absorbed two of Surrey's three rotten boroughs: Bletchingley and Gatton, which were abolished under the Act. It overlapped the boroughs of:

• Reigate (its double representation halved, which kept a narrow franchise and completely abolished 1868).^{[clarification needed]}
• Lambeth, to be subdivided in 1885.
• Southwark, to be subdivided in 1885.

Often known as the Eastern Division of Surrey or Surrey Eastern, its enfranchised adult male property owners elected two MPs by bloc vote (a voter has a vote for each current vacancy). Notable outer reaches, clockwise from north, were Southwark, Rotherhithe, Addington, Lingfield, Charlwood, Buckland, Surrey, Cheam, Kingston upon Thames and Richmond (see map, top right).

The area was split in two, doubling representation, under the Second Reform Act, starting from the 1868 general election; the area was still under-represented, as shown by the setting up of a net increase of 14 metropolitan seats in 1885.

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 went much further than the 1832 Act towards equal representation around the country. It here reflected growth in the county's population. Thus for elections from 1885 dual-member West, Mid Surrey and East Surrey dissipated^{[clarification needed][This whole sentence needs to be rephrased in plain English.]} to allow the creation of 16 rather than just 2 metropolitan Surrey seats (Lambeth and Southwark which saw subdivision) and these "county" seats:^[7]

1. The North-Western or Chertsey Division (usually recorded as Chertsey, Surrey N.W. or North-West) – included Woking and Egham
2. The South-Western or Guildford Division (as style shown above) – included Godalming, Farnham and surrounds
3. The South-Eastern or Reigate Division (as style shown above) – included Dorking sessional division save for two parishes in No. 4.
4. The Mid or Epsom Division (as style shown above) – included Kingston's southern and eastern sessional division components
5. The Kingston Division (invariably Kingston or Kingston-upon-Thames) – included Richmond
6. The North-Eastern or Wimbledon Division (as style shown above)^{[clarification needed]} – included sessional division of Croydon except its core and north in the Metropolis^{[clarification needed]}; plus Caterham, Chelsham, Farley, Warlingham.

Seat created in 1918

In 1918 the constituency was re-established in dwarf form, taking rural and nascent very suburban parts of South East Surrey ("Reigate") and North East Surrey ("Wimbledon"), and for the first time electing only one MP. It covered from the south of Croydon to the Kent and West Sussex borders. It was to remain centred on Lingfield, Oxted, Limpsfield, Godstone, Caterham and Woldingham.

In 1950 East Surrey lost Addington parish on the eastern fringe of Croydon to the 1918-formed Croydon South seat, and its southern half to Reigate. In 1974 the north-west of the area became part of Croydon South, reflecting the 1965 transfer of Purley and Coulsdon to the London Borough of Croydon in the new Greater London which then replaced the London County Council. The seat regained essentially the same land as it had lost to Reigate in 1950. Its MP until 1974, William Clark, won the new Croydon South in that year's February election. Clark's successor, Sir Geoffrey Howe, later became Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary in Margaret Thatcher's cabinet.

MPs 1832–1885

MPs since 1918

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Election in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1939–40:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

• Conservative: Charles Emmott
• Labour:

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1910s

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1870s

• Caused by Buxton's death.

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1850s

Elections in the 1840s

• Caused by Alsager's death.

Elections in the 1830s