Basildon (UK Parliament constituency)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Basildon Borough constituency |
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| Basildon shown within Essex, and Essex shown within England | |
| Created: | 1974 |
| MP: | Angela Smith |
| Party: | Labour Co-operative |
| Type: | House of Commons |
| County: | Essex |
| EP constituency: | East of England |
Basildon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
It is one of the best known bellwether constituencies in the UK, having voted for the winning party in each election since its creation. The failure of the Labour Party to win it in the 1992 election, which was the first result in a marginal seat to be declared, prefixed that party's failure to dislodge the Conservative majority.
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[edit] Boundaries
Following their review of parliamentary representation in Essex, the Boundary Commission for England has made radical changes to all parliamentary constituncies in the county in time for the 2009/10 UK General Election.
Basildon constituency is to be divided. The largest element is to be merged with Billericay to form a new Basildon and Billericay constituency, whilst the southern electoral wards will form a new constituency of South Basildon and East Thurrock
[edit] Profile
- Further information: Essex man
Basildon was a famously Conservative seat between 1979 and 1997. It is the quintessential "Essex man" constituency based on the new town of Basildon. Much of its population are, or are descended, from the East End of London; of which a significant group have traditionally voted for the Labour Party.
However, throughout the 1980s and most of the 1990s, many transferred their loyalties to the Conservative Party. The MP throughout that period was David Amess, who originated from Plaistow in East London and now holds the safer seat of Southend West.
Labour took the seat in 1997 and 2001 with a comfortable majority and in 2005 with a reduced majority. Basildon has thus proved to a "bellweather" seat, voting for whichever party forms the government since 1974.
[edit] Members of Parliament
- 1974 – 1979: Eric Moonman, Labour
- 1979 – 1983: Harvey Proctor, Conservative
- 1983 – 1997: David Amess, Conservative
- 1997 – "present": Angela Smith, Labour Co-operative
[edit] Election results
| General Election 2005: Basildon | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Labour Co-op | Angela Smith | 18,720 | 43.4 | -9.3 | |
| Conservative | Aaron Powell | 15,578 | 36.1 | +2.3 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Martin Thompson | 4,473 | 10.4 | +1.4 | |
| British National | Emma Colgate | 2,055 | 4.8 | +4.8 | |
| UK Independence | Alix Blythe | 1,143 | 2.6 | -0.8 | |
| Green | Vikki Copping | 662 | 1.5 | +1.5 | |
| English Democrats | Kim Gandy | 510 | 1.2 | +1.2 | |
| Majority | 3,142 | 7.3 | |||
| Turnout | 43,141 | 58.4 | +3.3 | ||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | -5.8 | |||
| General Election 2001: Basildon | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Labour Co-op | Angela Smith | 21,551 | 52.7 | -3.1 | |
| Conservative | Dominic Schofield | 13,813 | 33.8 | +3.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Jane Smithard | 3,691 | 9.0 | +0.3 | |
| UK Independence | Frank Mallon | 1,397 | 3.4 | N/A | |
| Socialist Alliance | Dick Duane | 423 | 1.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 7,738 | 18.9 | |||
| Turnout | 40,875 | 55.1 | -16.9 | ||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
