Epping Forest (UK Parliament constituency)
Epping Forest | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
Boundary of Epping Forest in Essex | |
Location of Essex within England | |
County | Essex |
Electorate | 72,212 (December 2010)[1] |
Major settlements | Waltham Abbey |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1974 |
Member of Parliament | Eleanor Laing (Conservative) |
Number of members | One |
Created from | Epping Chigwell |
Overlaps | |
European Parliament constituency | East of England |
Epping Forest is a parliamentary constituency[n 1] in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Eleanor Laing, a Conservative.[n 2]
Contents
History
The seat was created for the February 1974 general election, primarily from part of the abolished constituency of Chigwell, together with parts of the abolished constituency of Epping.
When Epping Forest was first created, it was more favourable to the Conservatives than the old Epping seat, as it lost the new town of Harlow (inside the old Epping Rural District) and gained the more Conservative Chigwell Urban District. During the Thatcher period the Labour Party's vote was crushed. Even though the Liberals managed to move into second place, their vote did little more than follow national trends and as soon as 1987 their votes dropped away as well.
Two former candidates in the Epping Forest constituency have also stood for election as Mayor of London: Steve Norris (Conservative; MP 1988–97) and Julian Leppert (British National Party).
Constituency profile
The constituency includes the London commuter belt towns of Loughton, Epping and Chigwell (which are served by the Central line) and Waltham Abbey, as well as extensive areas of Metropolitan Green Belt including the majority of Epping Forest itself.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1974–1983: The Urban Districts of Chigwell, Epping, and Waltham Holy Cross, and in the Rural District of Epping and Ongar the civil parishes of Epping Upland, Theydon Bois, and Theydon Garnon.[2]
The majority of the new constituency, comprising the Urban District of Chigwell (incorporating Buckhurst Hill and Loughton), had previously been part of the abolished constituency of Chigwell. Remaining parts had previously been in the abolished constituency of Epping.
1983–1997: The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadway, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Debden Green, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey, Grange Hill, High Beach, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John's, Loughton St Mary's, Paternoster, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey East, and Waltham Abbey West.[3]
Minor loss to Brentwood and Ongar.
1997–2010: The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadway, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Debden Green, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey, Grange Hill, High Beach, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John's, Loughton St Mary's, North Weald Bassett, Paternoster, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey East, and Waltham Abbey West.[4]
North Weald Bassett transferred from Harlow.
2010–present: The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadley Common, Epping Upland and Nazeing, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey and Thornwood Common, Grange Hill, Loughton Alderton, Loughton Broadway, Loughton Fairmead, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John’s, Loughton St Mary’s, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey High Beach, Waltham Abbey Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey North East, Waltham Abbey Paternoster, and Waltham Abbey South West.[5]
North Weald Bassett ward now transferred to Brentwood and Ongar. Other marginal changes due to redistribution of local authority wards.
The constituency comprises Loughton, Epping, Waltham Abbey, Chigwell, Buckhurst Hill, Theydon Bois, part of North Weald, small intermediate villages and almost the whole of the ancient Forest itself, except those parts which were transferred to Greater London in 1965.
Changes proposed by the Boundary Commission
The Boundary Commission for England submitted their final proposals in respect of the Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies (the 2018 review) in September 2018 which would reduce the total number of MPs from 650 to 600. Although the proposals were immediately laid before Parliament they were not brought forward by the Government for approval. Accordingly, they will not come into effect for the 2019 election due to take place on 12 December 2019, which will be contested using the constituency boundaries in place since 2010.
The Commission has recommended that no changes be made to the Epping constituency.
Members of Parliament
The constituency was created in 1974 from the seats of Epping and Chigwell — both of these (then one constituency, Epping) were represented by Winston Churchill throughout his tenure as Prime Minister during World War II. The Conservative Party has won in Epping Forest in every election since the creation of the constituency, and the present MP is the Conservative Eleanor Laing, who has been a Deputy Speaker of the House to John Bercow since October 2013.
Election | Member[6] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
Feb 1974 | Sir John Biggs-Davison | Conservative | |
1988 by-election | Steve Norris | Conservative | |
1997 | Eleanor Laing | Conservative |
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | ||||
Green | Steven Neville | ||||
Brexit Party | Darren Selkus | ||||
Liberal Democrat | Jon Whitehouse |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 31,462 | 62.0 | +7.2 | |
Labour | Liam Preston | 13,219 | 26.0 | +9.9 | |
Liberal Democrat | Jon Whitehouse | 2,884 | 5.7 | -1.3 | |
UKIP | Patrick O'Flynn | 1,871 | 3.7 | -14.7 | |
Green | Simon Heap | 1,233 | 2.4 | -1.2 | |
Young People's | Thomas Hall | 110 | 0.2 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 18,243 | 36.0 | -0.4 | ||
Turnout | 50,779 | 67.9 | +0.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | 0.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing[9] | 27,027 | 54.8 | +0.8 | |
UKIP | Andrew Smith[9] | 9,049 | 18.3 | +14.4 | |
Labour | Gareth Barrett | 7,962 | 16.1 | +1.9 | |
Liberal Democrat | Jon Whitehouse[10] | 3,448 | 7.0 | −14.5 | |
Green | Anna Widdup | 1,782 | 3.6 | +2.2 | |
Young People's | Mark Wadsworth | 80 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 17,978 | 36.4 | +3.9 | ||
Turnout | 49,348 | 67.1 | +2.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 25,148 | 54.0 | +1.2 | |
Liberal Democrat | Ann Haigh | 10,017 | 21.5 | +3.4 | |
Labour | Katie Curtis | 6,641 | 14.3 | −7.2 | |
BNP | Patricia Richardson | 1,982 | 4.3 | +0.2 | |
UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,852 | 4.0 | +1.7 | |
Green | Simon Pepper | 659 | 1.4 | N/A | |
English Democrat | Kim Sawyer | 285 | 0.6 | −0.9 | |
Majority | 15,131 | 32.5 | +1.2 | ||
Turnout | 46,584 | 64.5 | +2.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 23,783 | 53.0 | +3.9 | |
Labour | Bambos Charalambous | 9,425 | 21.0 | −8.3 | |
Liberal Democrat | Michael Heavens | 8,279 | 18.5 | −0.1 | |
BNP | Julian Leppert | 1,728 | 3.9 | N/A | |
UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,014 | 2.2 | −0.7 | |
English Democrat | Robin Tilbrook | 631 | 1.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 14,358 | 32.0 | |||
Turnout | 44,860 | 61.6 | +3.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +6.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 20,833 | 49.1 | +3.6 | |
Labour | Christopher Naylor | 12,407 | 29.3 | −6.3 | |
Liberal Democrat | Michael Heavens | 7,884 | 18.6 | +5.2 | |
UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,290 | 3.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 8,426 | 19.8 | |||
Turnout | 42,414 | 58.4 | −14.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 24,117 | 45.5 | −14.0 | |
Labour | Stephen Murray | 18,865 | 35.6 | +12.6 | |
Liberal Democrat | Stephen Robinson | 7,074 | 13.3 | −3.7 | |
BNP | Paul Henderson | 743 | 1.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 5,252 | 9.9 | |||
Turnout | 53,750 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −13.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Steve Norris | 32,407 | 59.5 | −1.4 | |
Labour | Stephen Murray | 12,219 | 22.4 | +4.0 | |
Liberal Democrat | Beryl Austen | 9,265 | 17.0 | −2.4 | |
Epping Forest Residents Association | Andrew O'Brien | 552 | 1.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 20,188 | 37.1 | −4.5 | ||
Turnout | 54,443 | 80.5 | +4.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −2.7 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Steven Norris | 13,183 | 39.5 | −21.5 | |
Social and Liberal Democrats | Andrew J. Thompson | 8,679 | 26.0 | +6.6 | |
Labour | Stephen Murray | 6,261 | 18.7 | +0.4 | |
SDP | Michael Pettman | 4,077 | 12.2 | −7.2 | |
Green | Andrew M. Simms | 672 | 2.0 | ||
National Front | Tina Wingfield | 286 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 208 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Rainbow Alliance – Change the World | Jackie Moore | 33 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Vote no Belsen for South Africans | Brian G. Goodier | 16 | 0.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 4,504 | 13.5 | |||
Turnout | 33,415 | 49.1 | −27.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 31,536 | 60.9 | +4.4 | |
Liberal | Anthony Humphris | 10,023 | 19.4 | −5.4 | |
Labour | Stephen Murray | 9,499 | 18.4 | +1.3 | |
Green | Richard Denhard | 695 | 1.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 21,513 | 41.6 | |||
Turnout | 51,753 | 76.3 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 27,373 | 56.5 | −1.2 | |
Social Democratic | Michael Pettman | 11,995 | 24.8 | +12.0 | |
Labour | Hilary Bryan | 8,289 | 17.1 | −10.3 | |
Ecology | Robert Boenke | 452 | 0.9 | N/A | |
BNP | Sydney Smith | 330 | 0.7 | N/A | |
Majority | 15,378 | 31.8 | |||
Turnout | 48,439 | 72.0 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | −6.6 |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 29,447 | 57.7 | +10.0 | |
Labour | William David Shepherd | 13,994 | 27.4 | −5.9 | |
Liberal | David Monro Kitching | 6,528 | 12.8 | −6.3 | |
National Front | Brian Clive Wilkins | 1,110 | 2.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 15,453 | 30.3 | |||
Turnout | 51,079 | 76.6 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | +8.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 22,392 | 47.7 | +0.9 | |
Labour | Stanley James Palfreman | 15,618 | 33.3 | +2.2 | |
Liberal | Derek Frederick John Wood | 8,952 | 19.1 | −3.0 | |
Majority | 6,774 | 14.4 | |||
Turnout | 46,962 | 73.3 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 24,290 | 46.8 | −7.5 | |
Labour | William James Sheaff | 16,123 | 31.1 | −14.7 | |
Liberal | Derek Frederick John Wood | 11,478 | 22.1 | +22.1 | |
Majority | 8,167 | 15.7 | |||
Turnout | 51,891 | 81.8 | +8.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 |
Notional results (before 1974)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 35,010 | 54.3 | +9.2 | |
Labour | 29,506 | 45.7 | +4.3 | ||
Majority | 5,504 | 8.5 | |||
Turnout | 64,516 | 73.1 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 21,834 | 44.1 | |||
Labour | 20,504 | 41.4 | |||
Liberal | 7,202 | 14.5 | |||
Majority | 1,330 | 2.7 | |||
Turnout | 82.5 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Graphical representation
31.1% | 22.1% | 46.8% |
Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
33.3% | 19.1% | 47.7% |
Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
27.4% | 12.8% | 57.7% | |
Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
17.1% | 24.8% | 56.5% | ||
Labour | SDP | Conservative |
18.4% | 19.4% | 60.9% | |
Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
18.7% | 12.2% | 26.0% | 39.5% | ||||
Labour | SDP | Social and Liberal Democrats | Conservative |
22.4% | 17.0% | 59.5% | |
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative |
35.6% | 13.3% | 45.5% | |
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative |
29.3% | 18.6% | 49.1% | 3.0% |
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
21.0% | 18.5% | 53.0% | 3.9% | ||
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | BNP |
14.3% | 21.5% | 54.0% | 4.0% | 4.3% | ||
Lab | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP | BNP |
3.6% | 16.1% | 7.0% | 54.8% | 18.3% | |
Grn | Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
26.0% | 5.7% | 62.0% | 3.7% | ||
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
See also
Notes and references
- Notes
- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ 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
- ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Epping Forest parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ a b "UK ELECTION RESULTS: EPPING FOREST 2015".
- ^ "Ex-mayor selected for election by Lib Dems". Epping Forest Guardian.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Epping Forest". news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
Preceded by Epping (part) |
UK Parliament constituency Epping, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey, Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Loughton 1974 – present |
Current boundaries |
Preceded by Chigwell (part) |