Eastleigh is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Paul Holmes, a Conservative. Constituency profile The seat forms part of the South Hampshire conurbation between Southampton and Portsmouth, including the railway town of Eastleigh itself, the postwar Hedge End and the Hamble peninsula which is known for boat building and sailing. Residents' health and wealth are around average for the UK. Boundaries 1955–1974: The Borough of Eastleigh, in the Rural District of New Forest the parishes of Eling and Netley Marsh, in the Rural District of Romsey and Stockbridge the parishes of Ampfield, Chilworth, North Baddesley, and Nursling and Rownhams, and in the Rural District of Winchester the parishes of Botley, Bursledon, Hamble, Hedge End, Hound, and West End. 1974–1983: The Boroughs of Eastleigh and Romsey, in the Rural District of Romsey and Stockbridge the parishes of Ampfield, Braishfield, Chilworth, Melchet Park and Plaitford, Michelmersh, North Baddesley, Nursling and Rownhams, Romsey Extra, Sherfield English, and Wellow, and in the Rural District of Winchester the parishes of Botley, Bursledon, Hamble, Hedge End, Hound, and West End. 1983–1997: The Borough of Eastleigh, and the City of Southampton ward of Woolston. 1997–2010: The Borough of Eastleigh wards of Bishopstoke, Botley, Bursledon, Eastleigh Central, Eastleigh North, Eastleigh South, Eastleigh West, Fair Oak, Hamble, Hedge End St John's, Hedge End Wildern, Hound, West End North, and West End South. 2010–present: The Borough of Eastleigh wards of Bishopstoke East, Bishopstoke West, Botley, Bursledon and Old Netley, Eastleigh Central, Eastleigh North, Eastleigh South, Fair Oak and Horton Heath, Hamble-le-Rice and Butlocks Heath, Hedge End Grange Park, Hedge End St John's, Hedge End Wildern, Netley Abbey, West End North, and West End South. The constituency lies in a long band east of Southampton in Hampshire that stretches from Eastleigh to the sailing centre of Hamble, and comprises all of the Borough of Eastleigh apart from part of the town of Chandler's Ford which is in the Winchester constituency. History Eastleigh constituency was created for the 1955 general election; before then Eastleigh itself had been in the Winchester constituency. It was a fairly safe seat for the Conservatives for nearly forty years until the death of its then MP, former journalist Stephen Milligan, in 1994. At the subsequent by-election, the Liberal Democrats gained the seat on a very large swing, and then held Eastleigh in the four following general elections (1997,