Folkestone and Hythe (UK Parliament constituency)

Folkestone and Hythe
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Folkestone and Hythe in Kent.
Location of Kent within England.
County	Kent
Electorate	84,156 (December 2010)
Major settlements	Folkestone and Hythe
Current constituency
Created	1950
Member of parliament	Damian Collins (Conservative)
Number of members	One
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency	South East England

Folkestone and Hythe /ˈfoʊkstən.əndˈhaɪð/ is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Its MP is Damian Collins, a Conservative.

1950-1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Folkestone, Hythe, Lydd, and New Romney, and the Rural Districts of Elham and Romney Marsh.

1983-2010: The District of Shepway.

2010-present: The District of Shepway, and the Borough of Ashford ward of Saxon Shore.

Folkestone and Hythe consists of a hilly swathe of East Kent including the coastal towns of Folkestone and Hythe, in the south east of England. An urban area exists in and small suburban area around Folkestone and Hythe whereas rural communities of New Romney (which was a borough constituency until abolition as a 'rotten borough' in 1832), Lydd, Dymchurch, Lyminge and Elham contain significant farming communities, commuters to towns and business parks, including a small percentage to London and a large retired population.