Walthamstow (UK Parliament constituency)

Walthamstow
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Walthamstow in .
County	Greater London
Electorate	64,482 (December 2010)[1]
Current constituency
Created	1974
Member of parliament	Stella Creasy (Labour Co-op)
Number of members	One
Created from	Walthamstow East Walthamstow West
1885–1918
Number of members	One
Type of constituency	County constituency
Replaced by	Walthamstow East and Walthamstow West, Leyton East, Leyton West, and Epping
Created from	South Essex
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency	London

Walthamstow (Contemp. and Cons. RP) /wɔːlθm̩stəʊ/, (Est. Eng.) /woːwfm̩stɐʏ/ is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Stella Creasy, a member of the Labour Party and of the Cooperative Party.^{[n 2]}

Boundaries

The Walthamstow constituency from 1885-1918, shown within Essex

1885–1918

The South-Western or Walthamstow Division of the parliamentary county of Essex was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, when the existing seat of South Essex was divided into three single-member constituencies.

The constituency consisted of the three civil parishes of Leyton, Wanstead and Walthamstow. The area lay on the periphery of the London conurbation and became increasingly suburban over its existence.

The seat was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918. Two new constituencies were created with Walthamstow Urban District divided between Walthamstow East and Walthamstow West.^[2]

1974 – date

1974-1983: The London Borough of Waltham Forest wards of Higham Hill, High Street, Hoe Street, St James Street, and Wood Street.

1983-1997: The London Borough of Waltham Forest wards of Higham Hill, High Street, Hoe Street, Lloyd Park, St James Street, and Wood Street.

1997-2010: The London Borough of Waltham Forest wards of Chapel End, Higham Hill, High Street, Hoe Street, Lea Bridge, Lloyd Park, St James Street, and Wood Street.

2010-present: The London Borough of Waltham Forest wards of Chapel End, Higham Hill, High Street, Hoe Street, Lea Bridge, Markhouse, William Morris, and Wood Street.

History

The seat has been represented by the Labour Party since 1992, before which it was won on a marginal majority in 1987 by a Conservative, having until then (since its 1974 recreation as a seat) been served by one Labour MP, Eric Deakins.

The 2010 result was unusual in defying the national swing, producing a greater than 1% one-party swing to the new Labour candidate, Stella Creasy. She took the candidature from Neil Gerrard who was placed on the left of the Labour party. The Liberal Democrat, Farid Ahmed, has been the runner-up since 2005.

Prominent frontbenchers

Stella Creasy, the present member, was the Shadow Minister for Crime Prevention.

Constituency profile

The seat is that part of Outer London closest to Stratford, with its international rail connections, major city shopping centre and London's Olympic Park. To the East the seat borders Walthamstow Forest and Gilbert's Slade, thin sections of Epping Forest, and to the West, the Lea Valley. The eponymous district had as its open space feature a greyhound racing track, which is set for redevelopment into a modernist housing and green space scheme. Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly higher than the national average of 3.8% and Greater London average of 4%, at 7.2% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.^[3]

Member of Parliament

MPs 1885–1918

Election		Member[4]	Party
1885		Constituency created
	1885	Edward North Buxton	Liberal
	1886	William Thomas Makins	Conservative
	1892	Edmund Widdrington Byrne	Conservative
	1897 by-election	Sam Woods	Liberal-Labour
	1900	David John Morgan	Conservative
	1906	John Simon	Liberal
1918		Constituency abolished: see Walthamstow East and Walthamstow West

MPs 1974–present

Election		Member[4]	Party
Feb 1974		constituency recreated
	Feb 1974	Eric Deakins	Labour
	1987	Hugo Summerson	Conservative
	1992	Neil Gerrard	Labour
	2010	Stella Creasy	Labour

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Walthamstow[5][6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Stella Creasy	28,779	68.9	+17.0
	Conservative	Molly Samuel-Leport	5,584	13.4	−0.6
	Green	Michael Gold[7]	2,661	6.4	+4.5
	UKIP	Paul Hillman	2,507	6.0	+4.0
	Liberal Democrat	Steven Dominique Cheung	1,661	4.0	−24.7
	TUSC	Nancy Taaffe [8]	394	0.9	+0.3
	Independent	Ellie Merton [9]	129	0.3	n/a
	Workers Revolutionary	Jonty Leff [10]	81	0.2	n/a
Majority			23,195	55.5	+32.4
Turnout			41,796	62.4	-1.0
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	+8.8

General Election 2010: Walthamstow[11][12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Stella Creasy	21,252	51.8	+1.5
	Liberal Democrat	Farid Ahmed	11,774	28.7	+1.6
	Conservative	Andy Hemsted	5,734	14.0	−4.2
	UKIP	Judith Chisholm-Benli	823	2.0	-0.3
	Green	Daniel Perrett	767	1.9	N/A
	TUSC	Nancy Taaffe	279	0.7	N/A
	Christian	Ashar Mall	248	0.6	N/A
	Independent	Paul Warburton	117	0.3	N/A
Majority			9,478	23.1	-0.1
Turnout			40,994	63.4	+8.8
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	-0.04

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Walthamstow[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil Gerrard	17,323	50.3	-11.9
	Liberal Democrat	Farid Ahmed	9,330	27.1	+12.5
	Conservative	Jane Wright	6,254	18.2	+0.1
	UKIP	Robert Brock	810	2.4	+1.5
	Socialist Alternative	Nancy Taaffe	727	2.1	-0.2
Majority			7,993	23.2	-20.9
Turnout			34,444	54.6	+1.1
	Labour hold		Swing	-12.2

General Election 2001: Walthamstow[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil Gerrard	21,402	62.2	-1.0
	Conservative	Nicholas Boys Smith	6,221	18.1	-2.2
	Liberal Democrat	Peter Dunphy	5,024	14.6	+0.9
	Socialist Alternative	Simon Donovan	806	2.3	N/A
	BNP	William Phillips	389	1.1	N/A
	UKIP	Gerda Mayer	298	0.9	N/A
	ProLife Alliance	Barbara Duffy	289	0.8	N/A
Majority			15,181	44.1	+1.3
Turnout			34,429	53.5	-9.3
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.6

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Walthamstow[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil Gerrard	25,287	63.1	+17.4
	Conservative	Jill Andrew	8,138	20.3	-16.9
	Liberal Democrat	Jane Jackson	5,491	13.7	-0.8
	Referendum	Rev George Hargreaves	1,139	2.8	N/A
Majority			17,149	42.8	+34.3
Turnout			40,055	62.8	-9.6
	Labour hold		Swing	+17.15

General Election 1992: Walthamstow[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil Gerrard	16,251	45.7	+10.97
	Conservative	Hugo Summerson	13,229	37.2	-1.82
	Liberal Democrat	Peter Leighton	5,142	14.5	N/A
	Liberal	Vernon Wilkinson	241	0.7	N/A
Majority			3,022	8.5	N/A
Turnout			34,863	72.4	+0.00
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.4

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Walthamstow[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hugo Summerson	13,748	39.02	+3.12
	Labour	Eric Deakins	12,236	34.73	-5.07
	Social Democratic	Peter Leonard Leighton	8,852	25.1	+3.5
	Independent	Dr Zafar I Malik	396	1.12	N/A
Majority			1,512	4.29	N/A
Turnout			35,232	72.4	+3.6
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+4.1

General Election 1983: Walthamstow[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Eric Deakins	13,241	39.8	-10.4
	Conservative	Alan Amos	11,936	35.9	-1.8
	Social Democratic	Peter Leonard Leighton	7,192	21.6	N/A
	National Front	P Mitchell	444	1.3	-1.9
	Ecology	Stephen William Lambert	424	1.3	N/A
Majority			1,305	3.9	-8.6
Turnout			33,237	68.8	-2.5
	Labour hold		Swing	-4.3

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Walthamstow[18]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Eric Deakins	17,651	50.2	-4.9
	Conservative	S Eyres	13,248	37.7	+13.4
	Liberal	Mervyn Peter O'Flanagan	3,117	8.9	-6.1
	National Front	G Flaxton	1,119	3.2	-2.3
Majority			4,403	12.5	-18.3
Turnout			35,135	71.3	+5.1
	Labour hold		Swing	-9.15

General Election, October 1974: Walthamstow[19]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Eric Deakins	19,088	55.1	+4.4
	Conservative	D Arnold	8,424	24.3	-4.0
	Liberal	Mervyn Peter O'Flanagan	5,199	15.0	-6.0
	National Front	R Adde	1,911	5.5	N/A
Majority			10,664	30.8	+8.3
Turnout			34,622	66.2	-8.7
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.2

General Election, February 1974: Walthamstow[20]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Eric Deakins	19,726	50.7	N/A
	Conservative	PS Gill	10,992	28.3	N/A
	Liberal	Mervyn Peter O'Flanagan	8,157	21.0	N/A
Majority			8,374	22.5	N/A
Turnout			38,875	74.9	N/A
	Labour win (new seat)

Elections 1885–1918

Election	Political result		Candidate		Party	Votes	%	±%
General election, December 1910 [21] Electorate: 39,117 Turnout: 30,273 (77.4%) −0.8		Liberal hold Majority: 3,723 (12.2%) +3.2 Swing: 1.6% from Con to Lib		John Simon	Liberal	16,998	56.1	+1.6
				Carlyon Bellairs	Conservative	13,275	43.9	−1.6
By-election, November 1910 [21] Simon appointed as Solicitor General Electorate: 39,117 Turnout: 30,580 (78.2%) −6.8		Liberal hold Majority: 2,766 (9.0%) +2.4 Swing: 1.2% from Con to Lib		John Simon	Liberal	16,673	54.5	+1.2
				Stanley Johnson	Conservative	13,907	45.5	−1.2
General election, January 1910 [21] Electorate: 39,117 Turnout: 33,257 (85.0%) +11.1		Liberal hold Majority: 2,195 (6.6%) −8.4 Swing: 4.,2% from Lib to Con		John Simon	Liberal	17,726	53.3	−4.2
				Stanley Johnson	Conservative	15,531	46.7	+4.2
General election, 1906 [21] Electorate: 35,321 Turnout: 16,085 (73.9%) +3.0		Liberal gain from Conservative Majority: 3,937 (15.0%) Swing: 14.7% from Con to Lib		John Simon	Liberal	15,011	57.5	+14.7
				W. I. Shard	Conservative	11,074	42.5	−14.7
General election, 1900 [21] Electorate: 24,187 Turnout: 17,149 (70.9%) +6.6		Conservative gain from Lib-Lab Majority: 2,465 (14.4%) Swing: 8.3% from Lib-Lab to Con		David John Morgan	Conservative	9,807	57.2	+8.3
				Sam Woods	Lib-Lab	7,342	42.8	−8.3
By-election, 1897 [21] Resignation of Byrne Electorate: 19,845 Turnout: 12,757 (64.3%) +2.1		Lib-Lab gain from Conservative Majority: 279 (2.2%) Swing: 11.4% from Con to Lib-Lab		Sam Woods	Lib-Lab	6,518	51.1	+11.4
				Thomas Dewar	Conservative	6,239	48.9	−11.4
General election, 1895 [21] Electorate: 17,747 Turnout: 11,399 (64.2%) −8.1		Conservative hold Majority: 2,353 (20.6%) +10.2 Swing: 5.1% from Lib to Con		Edmund Byrne	Conservative	6,876	60.3	+5.1
				A. J. H. Pollen	Liberal	4,423	39.7	−5.1
General election, 1892 [21] Electorate: 15,323 Turnout: 11,080 (72.3%) +9.1		Conservative hold Majority: 1,150 (10.4%) −15.2 Swing: 7.6% from Con to Lib		Edmund Byrne	Conservative	6,155	55.2	−7.6
				W. B. Whittingham	Liberal	4,965	44.8	+7.6
General election, 1886 [21] Electorate: 11,233 Turnout: 7,000 (63.2%) −11.8		Conservative gain from Liberal Majority: 1,822 (25.6%) Swing: 13.8% from Lib to Con		William Makins	Conservative	4,461	62.8	+13.8
				Albert Spicer	Liberal	2,639	37.2	−13.8
General election, 1885 [21] new seat Electorate: 11,233 Turnout: 8,425 (75.0%)		Liberal win Majority: 175 (2.0%)		Edward Buxton	Liberal	4,300	51.0	n/a
				Thomas Baring	Conservative	4,125	49.0	n/a

See also

• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Greater London

Notes and references

Notes

1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

• Youngs, Frederic A, Jr. (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol.I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-901050-67-9.

1. "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
2. Leyton was divided into two seats: Leyton East and Leyton West, while Wanstead was included in the Epping constituency. (Youngs, p.727)
3. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
4. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 1)
5. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
6. https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/Pages/ServiceChild/election-results-7May15.aspx
7. london.greenparty.org.uk/elections/2015-general-election.html
8. http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/320.pdf
9. https://yournextmp.com/constituency/65651/walthamstow
10. http://wrp.org.uk/images/photos/15-04-07-10813.jpg
11. "Walthamstow". Election 2010. BBC. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
12. "UK General Election results May 2010". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
13. "UK General Election results May 2005". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
14. "UK General Election results 1997 & 2001: Walthamstow". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
15. "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
16. "UK General Election results June 1987". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
17. "UK General Election results June 1983". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
18. "UK General Election results May 1979". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
19. "UK General Election results October 1974". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
20. "UK General Election results February 1974". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
21. Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1989]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 282. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.