Lewisham West (UK Parliament constituency)

Lewisham West
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of Lewisham West in Greater London for the 2005 general election.
County Greater London
1918 (1918)–2010 (2010)
Number of members One
Replaced by Lewisham West and Penge
Created from Lewisham

Lewisham West was a borough constituency in south-east London represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election from 1918, until it was abolished for the 2010 general election.

Contents

History

From 1966 until 1992, Lewisham West was a classic bellwether seat, being won by whichever party won the General Election (with the exception of 1979). However, long-term demographic trends have since turned the seat away from being a Labour-Conservative marginal into a safe Labour seat. Partly this has occurred because of a strong increase in the number of ethnic minority residents. At the same time, the communities of Catford, Sydenham and Forest Hill have become much less leafy and suburban over the past 30 years. The large council estate of Bellingham has always been a Labour stronghold, and the other areas of the seat can also now be regarded as quite safe for Labour, whereas in the past they were not.

Boundaries

Lewisham West constituency covered the south-western part of the London Borough of Lewisham, being largely based on the communities of Catford, Sydenham, Forest Hill and Bellingham.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in South London, the Boundary Commission for England have created a new constituency of Lewisham West and Penge, which creates a cross-border constituency. Electoral wards from Bromley and Lewisham are used in the creation of this new seat.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1918 Edward Feetham Coates Coalition Conservative
1921 by-election Philip Dawson Conservative
1938 by-election Henry Brooke Conservative
1945 Arthur Skeffington Labour
1950 Henry Price Conservative
1964 Patrick McNair-Wilson Conservative
1966 James Dickens Labour
1970 John Gummer Conservative
Feb 1974 Christopher Price Labour
1983 John Maples Conservative
1992 Jim Dowd Labour
2010 constituency abolished: see Lewisham West and Penge

Elections

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Dowd 16,611 52.0 −9.1
Liberal Democrat Alex Feakes 6,679 20.9 +7.4
Conservative Evett McAnuff 6,396 20.0 −2.4
Green Nick Long 1,464 4.6 N/A
UKIP Jens Winton 773 2.4 +0.8
Majority 9,932 31.1
Turnout 31,923 54.7 +2.6
Labour hold Swing −8.2
General Election 2001: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Dowd 18,816 61.1 -0.9%
Conservative Gary Johnson 6,896 22.4 -1.5%
Liberal Democrat Richard Thomas 4,146 13.5 +3.7%
UKIP Frederick Pearson 485 1.6
Independent Nick Long 472 1.5
Majority 11,920 38.7
Turnout 30,815 52.1 -12.0%
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Lewisham West[1][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Dowd 23,273 62.0 +15.0
Conservative C. Whelan 8,956 23.8 −19.0
Liberal Democrat K. McGrath 3,672 9.8 −0.1
Referendum Party A. Leese 1,098 2.9 N/A
Socialist Labour N. Long 398 1.1 N/A
Liberal E. Oram 167 0.5 N/A
Majority 14,317 38.1 +33.9
Turnout 37,564 64.0 −9.0
Labour hold Swing +17.0
General Election 1992: Lewisham West[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Dowd 20,378 47.0 +9.1
Conservative John Maples 18,569 42.8 −3.4
Liberal Democrat Mrs E Neale 4,295 9.9 −6.0
Anti-Federalist League P Coulam 125 0.3 N/A
Majority 1,809 4.2 −4.1
Turnout 43,367 73.0 +0.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +6.2

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Maples 20,995 46.18
Labour Jim Dowd 17,223 37.88
Liberal S. C. Titley 7,247 15.94
Majority 3,772 8.30
Turnout 45,465 72.25
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Maples 19,521 44.02
Labour C. Price 17,015 38.37
Liberal H. Mooney 7,470 16.85
BNP R. F. Hoy 336 0.76
Majority 2,506 5.65
Turnout 44,342 70.34
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour C. Price 20,932 46.45
Conservative N. P. Kemp 19,882 44.12
Liberal G. A. Payne 3,350 7.43
National Front P. Williams 901 2.00
Majority 1,050 2.33
Turnout 45,065 76.01
Labour hold Swing
General Election 10 October 1974:

constituency of
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Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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General Election 28 February 1974:

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General Election 18 June 1970:

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Elections in the 1960s

General Election 31 March 1966:

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General Election 15 October 1964:

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Elections in the 1950s

General Election 8 October 1959:

constituency of
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Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Labour
Liberal
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Turnout
General Election 26 May 1955:

constituency of
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Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Labour
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General Election 25 October 1951:

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General Election 23 February 1950:

constituency of
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Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
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Elections in the 1940s

General Election 5 to 19 July 1945:

constituency of
Composed of the wards of
Electorate , Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
Conservative
Liberal
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Turnout

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 14 November 1935:

constituency of
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Electorate , Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
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General Election 27 October 1931:

constituency of
Composed of the wards of
Electorate , Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
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Elections in the 1920s

General Election 30 May 1929:

constituency of
Composed of the wards of
Electorate 42,940 Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Philip Dawson 12,448
Liberal B L A O'Malley 12,009
Majority
Turnout
General Election 29 October 1924:

constituency of
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Electorate , Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
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Turnout
General Election 6 December 1923:

constituency of
Composed of the wards of
Electorate , Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
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General Election 15 November 1922:

constituency of
Composed of the wards of
Electorate , Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
Conservative
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Turnout

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 14 December 1918:

constituency of Lewisham West
Composed of the Lewisham wards of Brockley, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Catford (part)and Lewisham Village (part)
Electorate 39,796, Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Coates unopposed
Majority
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/constit/058.htm. Retrieved 7 Jan 2011. 
  2. ^ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.111 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  3. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm. Retrieved 6 Dec 2010. 

Sources

Labour (37)
Conservative (28)
Liberal Democrats (7)