Walthamstow (UK Parliament constituency)

Walthamstow (Contemp. and Cons. RP) /wɔːlθəmstəʊ/, (Est. Eng.) /woːwfm̩stɐʏ/ is a constituency[n 1] created in 1974 represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Stella Creasy, a member of the Labour Co-op party.[n 2] An earlier version of the constituency existed covering a significantly different area (1885—1918) and was among the vast majority by that time returning one member to the House of Commons.

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 (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

Boundaries

Walthamstow in Essex, 1885-1918

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: As above plus Lloyd Park.

1997–2010: As above plus Chapel End and Lea Bridge.

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.

In 2015, Creasy's re-election saw Walthamstow become Labours' second-safest London seat, and tenth-safest nationally.[3]

Prominent frontbenchers

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

Constituency profile

The seat is the 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 has been redeveloped 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.[4]

Members of Parliament

Year		Member[5]	Party
	1885	Edward Buxton	Liberal
	1886	William Makins	Conservative
	1892	Edmund Widdrington Byrne	Conservative
	1897	Sam Woods	Liberal
	1900	David John Morgan	Conservative
	1906	John Simon	Liberal
1918		Constituency abolished
Feb 1974		Constituency recreated
	Feb 1974	Eric Deakins	Labour
	1987	Hugo Summerson	Conservative
	1992	Neil Gerrard	Labour
	2010	Stella Creasy	Labour Co-op

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Walthamstow[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour Co-op	Stella Creasy	36,784	76.1	-4.5
	Conservative	Shade Adoh	5,922	12.3	-1.8
	Liberal Democrats	Meera Chadha	2,874	5.9	+3.0
	Green	Andrew Johns	1,733	3.6	+1.1
	Brexit Party	Paul Campbell	768	1.6	N/A
	Christian Peoples Alliance	Deborah Longe	254	0.5	N/A
Majority			30,862	63.8	-2.7
Turnout			48,355	68.8	-2.0
Registered electors			70,268
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	-1.3

General election 2017: Walthamstow[7][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour Co-op	Stella Creasy	38,793	80.6	+11.7
	Conservative	Molly Samuel	6,776	14.1	+0.7
	Liberal Democrats	Ukonu Obasi	1,384	2.9	-1.1
	Green	Andrew Johns	1,190	2.5	-3.9
Majority			32,017	66.5	+11.0
Turnout			48,143	70.8	+8.4
Registered electors			67,957
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	+5.5

General election 2015: Walthamstow[9][10][11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour Co-op	Stella Creasy	28,779	68.9	+17.0
	Conservative	Molly Samuel	5,584	13.4	−0.6
	Green	Michael Gold	2,661	6.4	+4.5
	UKIP	Paul Hillman	2,507	6.0	+4.0
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Cheung	1,661	4.0	−24.7
	TUSC	Nancy Taaffe	394	0.9	+0.3
	Independent	Ellie Merton	129	0.3	N/A
	Workers Revolutionary	Jonty Leff	81	0.2	N/A
Majority			23,195	55.4	+32.3
Turnout			41,796	62.4	-1.0
Registered electors			67,015
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	+8.8

General election 2010: Walthamstow[12][13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour Co-op	Stella Creasy	21,252	51.8	+1.5
	Liberal Democrats	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
Registered electors			64,625
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	-0.04

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Walthamstow[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Neil Gerrard	17,323	50.3	-11.9
	Liberal Democrats	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
Registered electors			63,079
	Labour hold		Swing	-12.2

General election 2001: Walthamstow[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Neil Gerrard	21,402	62.2	-1.0
	Conservative	Nicholas Smith	6,221	18.1	-2.2
	Liberal Democrats	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
Registered electors			64,403
	Labour hold		Swing	+0.6

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Walthamstow[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Neil Gerrard	25,287	63.1	+17.4
	Conservative	Jill Andrew	8,138	20.3	−16.9
	Liberal Democrats	Jane Jackson	5,491	13.7	−0.8
	Referendum	George Hargreaves	1,139	2.8	N/A
Majority			17,149	42.8	+34.3
Turnout			40,055	62.8	−9.6
Registered electors			63,818
	Labour hold		Swing	+17.9

General election 1992: Walthamstow[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Neil Gerrard	16,251	45.7	+11.0
	Conservative	Hugo Summerson	13,229	37.2	−1.8
	Liberal Democrats	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	+0.0
Registered electors			49,140
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.4

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Walthamstow[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Hugo Summerson	13,748	39.0	+3.1
	Labour	Eric Deakins	12,236	34.7	−5.1
	SDP	Peter Leighton	8,852	25.1	+3.5
	Independent	Zafar Iqnal Malik	396	1.1	N/A
Majority			1,512	4.3	N/A
Turnout			35,232	72.4	+3.6
Registered electors			48,691
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+4.1

General election 1983: Walthamstow[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Eric Deakins	13,241	39.8	-10.4
	Conservative	Alan Amos	11,936	35.9	-1.8
	SDP	Peter Leighton	7,192	21.6	N/A
	National Front	P Mitchell	444	1.3	-1.9
	Ecology	Stephen Lambert	424	1.3	N/A
Majority			1,305	3.9	-8.6
Turnout			33,237	68.8	-2.5
Registered electors			48,324
	Labour hold		Swing	-4.3

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Walthamstow[19]

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
Registered electors			49,315
	Labour hold		Swing	-9.15

General election October 1974: Walthamstow[20]

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
Registered electors			52,280
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.2

General election February 1974: Walthamstow[21]

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
Registered electors			51,907
	Labour win (new seat)

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1914/15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

• Liberal: Emslie Horniman
• Unionist: Stanley Johnson

Bellairs

General election December 1910:Walthamstow[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	John Simon	16,998	56.1	+1.6
	Liberal Unionist	Carlyon Bellairs	13,275	43.9	-1.6
Majority			3,723	12.2	+3.2
Turnout			30,273	77.4	-0.8
Registered electors			39,117
	Liberal hold		Swing	+1.6

Simon

1910 Walthamstow by-election[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	John Simon	16,673	54.5	+1.2
	Conservative	Stanley Johnson	13,907	45.5	-1.2
Majority			2,766	9.0	+2.4
Turnout			30,580	78.2	-6.8
Registered electors			39,117
	Liberal hold		Swing	+1.2

General election January 1910:Walthamstow[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	John Simon	17,726	53.3	-4.2
	Conservative	Stanley Johnson	15,531	46.7	+4.2
Majority			2,195	6.6	-8.4
Turnout			33,257	85.0	+11.1
Registered electors			39,117
	Liberal hold		Swing	-4.2

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906 Walthamstow[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	John Simon	15,011	57.5	+14.7
	Conservative	William Isaac Shard	11,074	42.5	-14.7
Majority			3,937	15.0	29.4
Turnout			26,085	73.9	+3.0
Registered electors			35,321
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+14.7

Woods

General election 1900: Walthamstow[22][23][24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	David Morgan	9,807	57.2	-3.1
	Lib-Lab	Sam Woods	7,342	42.8	+3.1
Majority			2,465	14.4	-6.2
Turnout			17,149	70.9	+6.7
Registered electors			24,187
	Conservative hold		Swing	-3.1

Elections in the 1890s

Dewar

1897 Walthamstow by-election[22][23][24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Lib-Lab	Sam Woods	6,518	51.1	+11.4
	Conservative	Thomas Dewar	6,239	48.9	-11.4
Majority			279	2.2	N/A
Turnout			12,757	64.3	+0.1
Registered electors			19,845
	Lib-Lab gain from Conservative		Swing	+11.4

General election 1895: Walthamstow[22][23][24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Edmund Byrne	6,876	60.3	+5.1
	Liberal	Arthur Pollen	4,423	39.7	-5.1
Majority			2,353	20.6	+10.2
Turnout			11,399	64.2	-8.1
Registered electors			17,747
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.1

General election 1892: Walthamstow[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Edmund Byrne	6,155	55.2	-7.6
	Liberal	Walter Basden Whittingham	4,965	44.8	+7.6
Majority			1,150	10.4	-15.2
Turnout			11,080	72.3	+9.1
Registered electors			15,323
	Conservative hold		Swing	-7.6

Elections in the 1880s

Spicer

General election 1886: Walthamstow[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Makins	4,461	62.8	+13.8
	Liberal	Albert Spicer	2,639	37.2	-13.8
Majority			1,822	25.6	N/A
Turnout			7,000	63.2	-11.8
Registered electors			11,233
	Conservative hold		Swing	+13.8

General election 1885: Walthamstow[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Edward Buxton	4,300	51.0	N/A
	Conservative	Thomas Baring	4,125	49.0	N/A
Majority			175	2.0	N/A
Turnout			8,425	75.0	N/A
Registered electors			11,233
	Liberal win (new seat)

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. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. 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. List of Labour MPs elected in 2015 by % majority UK Political.info. Retrieved 2017-01-29
4. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
5. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 1)
6. "Walthamstow Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
7. "Walthamstow parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
8. http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf
9. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
10. http://www.london.greenparty.org.uk/elections/2015-general-election.html
11. http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/320.pdf
12. "Walthamstow". Election 2010. BBC. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
13. "UK General Election results May 2010". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
14. "UK General Election results May 2005". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
15. "UK General Election results 1997 & 2001: Walthamstow". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
16. "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
17. "UK General Election results June 1987". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
18. "UK General Election results June 1983". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
19. "UK General Election results May 1979". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
20. "UK General Election results October 1974". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
21. "UK General Election results February 1974". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
22. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 282. ISBN 9781349022984.
23. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
24. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901

External links

• Politics Resources (Election results from 1922 onwards)
• Electoral Calculus (Election results from 1955 onwards)

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Essex South	UK Parliament constituency 1885 – 1918	Succeeded by Walthamstow East
	UK Parliament constituency 1885 – 1918	Succeeded by Walthamstow West
Preceded by Walthamstow East	UK Parliament constituency 1974 – present	Incumbent
Preceded by Walthamstow West	UK Parliament constituency 1974 – present