Orpington (UK Parliament constituency)

Orpington
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Orpington in Greater London for the 2010 general election.
County Greater London
Electorate 68,221 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements St Mary Cray, St Paul's Cray (part), Orpington, Petts Wood and Biggin Hill
Current constituency
Created 1945
Member of parliament Jo Johnson (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from Chislehurst and Dartford
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency London

Orpington is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Jo Johnson, a Conservative.[n 2]

Map showing the wards of the Orpington Parliament Constituency (red) within the London Borough of Bromley (yellow). Cray Valley West (orange) was included in the constituency at the election in 2005 but was transferred to Bromley and Chislehurst in 2010

History

Orpington was created in a minor boundary review enacted at the 1945 general election.

Housing expansion

The seats of Dartford and Chislehurst had both seen their electorate grow enormously since the 1918 review and were treated as one and divided into four, creating the additional seats of Bexley and this one in 1945.

Boundary changes

The seat has changed a little in subsequent boundary reviews since 1945. For the 1997 general election the Ravensbourne seat which had emerged in the west by Bromley was divided between three constituencies which before then overshot the London Borough of Bromley, adding to Orpington the community of Biggin Hill.

Notable political events

The seat is famous for its 1962 by-election when it was taken in a shock result and substantial victory by the Liberal Party candidate Eric Lubbock.[2]

Boundaries

1945-1974: The Urban District of Orpington, and part of the Rural District of Dartford.

1974-1983: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Biggin Hill, Chelsfield, Darwin, Farnborough, Goddington, Petts Wood, and St Mary Cray.

1983-1997: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Chelsfield and Goddington, Crofton, Farnborough, Orpington Central, Petts Wood and Knoll, and St Mary Cray.

1997-2010: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Biggin Hill, Chelsfield and Goddington, Crofton, Darwin, Farnborough, Orpington Central, Petts Wood and Knoll, St Mary Cray, and St Paul’s Cray.

2010-present: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Biggin Hill, Chelsfield and Pratts Bottom, Cray Valley East, Darwin, Farnborough and Crofton, Orpington, and Petts Wood and Knoll.

Constituency profile

The constituency is in the quite uniformly larger-housing dominated London Borough of Bromley,[3] which has low unemployment[4] and forms the southeastern limits of Greater London, and of this contains the largely buffered settlements of St Mary Cray, parts of St Pauls Cray, Swanley and Ruxley, then ascends through Orpington, Farnborough, and Chelsfield to the uppermost tracts of the North Downs and to the Biggin Hill settlement, which has an airport [5] and retains some of the hill-farming and woodland which dominated the area through the Industrial Revolution until the inter-war period.[6]

In the media

Honda ran a national advertising campaign in an American accent pinpointing the district as the sort of place where a necessary status symbol or way of life requires one of their more cross-terrain vehicles, broadcast widely around the country, using the slogan You live in Orpington, that's all.[7]

Members of Parliament

Election Member[8] Party
1945 Sir Waldron Smithers Conservative
1955 Donald Sumner Conservative
1962 by-election Eric Lubbock Liberal
1970 Ivor Stanbrook Conservative
1992 John Horam Conservative
2010 Jo Johnson Conservative

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Orpington [9][10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jo Johnson 28,152 57.4 -2.3
UKIP Idham Ramadi[12] 8,173 16.7 +13.9
Labour Nigel de Gruchy 7,645 15.6 +6.6
Liberal Democrat Peter Brooks 3,330 6.8 -17.7
Green Tamara Galloway[13] 1,732 3.5 +2.5
Majority 19,979 40.7 +5.5
Turnout 49,032 72.6 +0.4
Conservative hold Swing -8.1
General Election 2010: Orpington[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jo Johnson 29,200 59.7 +8.5
Liberal Democrat David McBride 12,000 24.5 15.9
Labour Stephen Morgan 4,400 9.0 +3.0
UKIP Mick Greenhough 1,360 2.8 +0.4
BNP Tess Culnane 1,241 2.5 N/A
Green Tamara Galloway 511 1.0 N/A
English Democrats Chris Snape 199 0.4 N/A
Majority 17,200 35.2
Turnout 48,911 72.2 0.2
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Horam 26,718 48.8 +4.9
Liberal Democrat Chris Maines 21,771 39.8 3.5
Labour Emily Bird 4,914 9.0 1.8
UKIP Mick Greenhough 1,331 2.4 +0.4
Majority 4,947 9.0 +8.4
Turnout 54,734 69.9 +5.3
Conservative hold Swing +4.2
General Election 2001: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Horam 22,334 43.9 +3.3
Liberal Democrat Chris Maines 22,065 43.3 +7.7
Labour Chris A. Purnell 5,517 10.8 7.0
UKIP John B. Youles 996 2.0 +1.1
Majority 269 0.6 4.3
Turnout 50,912 64.6 11.7
Conservative hold Swing 2.2

Elections in 1990s

General Election 1997: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Horam 24,417 40.6 16.6
Liberal Democrat Chris Maines 21,465 35.7 +5.5
Labour Sue Polydorou 10,753 17.9 +6.4
Referendum David Clark 2,316 3.8 N/A
UKIP James Carver 526 0.9 N/A
Liberal Robin Almond 494 0.8 0.3
ProLife Alliance Nicholas Wilton 191 0.3 N/A
Majority 2,952 4.9 22.1
Turnout 60,162 76.3 7.4
Conservative hold Swing 11.0
General Election 1992: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Horam 27,421 57.2 1.0
Liberal Democrat Chris Maines 14,486 30.2 0.8
Labour Stephen J. Cowan 5,512 11.5 +0.8
Liberal Robin Almond 539 1.1 N/A
Majority 12,935 27.0 0.2
Turnout 47,958 83.7 +5.2
Conservative hold Swing 0.1

Elections in 1980s

General Election 1987: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ivor Stanbrook 27,261 58.2 +0.9
SDP–Liberal Alliance (Liberal) Jonathan Harold Fryer 14,529 31.0 3.5
Labour Steven John Cowan 5,020 10.7 +3.0
Majority 12,732 27.2 +4.5
Turnout 46,810 78.5 +2.5
Conservative hold Swing +2.2
General Election 1983: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ivor Stanbrook 25,569 57.3 0.7
SDP–Liberal Alliance (Liberal) J.W. Cook 15,418 34.5 +5.5
Labour D.M. Bean 3,439 7.7 4.2
BNP L.T. Taylor 215 0.5 N/A
Majority 10,151 22.7 6.3
Turnout 44,641 76.0 5.7
Conservative hold Swing 3.2

Elections in 1970s

General Election 1979: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ivor Stanbrook 32,150 58.0 +11.0
Liberal J.W. Cook 16,074 29.0 8.4
Labour A.J. Weyman 6,581 11.9 3.8
National Front F. Hitches 516 0.9 N/A
Homeland Party I. MacKillian 146 0.3 N/A
Majority 16,076 29.0 +19.3
Turnout 55,467 81.7 +2.7
Conservative hold Swing +9.6
General Election October 1974: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ivor Stanbrook 24,394 47.0 0.2
Liberal Lady Avebury 19,384 37.3 3.4
Labour C. Spillane 8,121 15.6 +3.5
Majority 5,010 9.7 +3.1
Turnout 51,899 79.0 7.1
Conservative hold Swing +1.6
General Election February 1974: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ivor Stanbrook 26,435 47.2 0.1
Liberal R. Young 22,771 40.7 4.0
Labour D. Grant 6,752 12.1 +4.1
Majority 3,664 6.6 +4.0
Turnout 55,598 86.1 +7.0
Conservative hold Swing +2.0
General Election 1970: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ivor Stanbrook 24,385 47.3 +4.0
Liberal Eric Lubbock 23,063 44.7 2.0
Labour D. Grant 4,098 8.0 2.1
Majority 1,322 2.6
Turnout 51,546 79.1 7.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +3.0

Elections in 1960s

General Election 1966: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Eric Lubbock 22,615 46.7 1.7
Conservative Norris McWhirter 20,993 43.3 +1.5
Labour D. Sleigh 4,870 10.1 +0.2
Majority 1,622 3.4 -3.2
Turnout 48,478 87.0 +1.6
Liberal hold Swing -1.6
General Election 1964: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Eric Lubbock 22,637 48.4 4.5
Conservative Norris McWhirter 19,565 41.8 +7.1
Labour P. Merriton 4,609 9.9 2.5
Majority 3,072 6.6 11.6
Turnout 46,811 87.0
Liberal hold Swing 5.8
Orpington by-election, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Eric Lubbock 22,846 52.9 +30.7
Conservative Peter Goldman 14,991 34.7 -21.9
Labour Alan Jinkinson 5,350 12.4 -9.8
Majority 7,855 18.2 -16.2
Turnout 43,187
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +26.3

Elections in 1950s

General Election 1959: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Sumner 24,303 56.6 -3.3
Labour N. Hart 9,543 22.2 -5.4
Liberal Jack Galloway 9,092 21.2 +8.7
Majority 14,760 34.4 +1.1
Turnout 42,938 82.8 +3.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.6
General Election 1955: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Sumner 22,166 59.9 -2.8
Labour N. J. Hart 10,230 27.6 -9.8
Liberal Alfred B. Howard 4,610 12.5 N/A
Majority 11,936 32.3 +7.0
Turnout 37,006 79.4 -2.6
Conservative hold Swing +3.5
Orpington by-election, 1955
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Sumner 20,082 65.83
Labour R. Vaughan Williams 10,426 34.17
Majority 9,656 31.7
Turnout 30,508 55.39
Conservative hold Swing +3
General Election 1951: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Waldron Smithers 27,244 62.7 +6.0
Labour R.D. Vaughan Williams 16,241 37.4 +4.6
Majority 11,003 25.3 +1.4
Turnout 43,485 82.0 -3.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.7
General Election 1950: Orpington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Waldron Smithers 24,450 56.7 +8.1
Labour George H. C. Vaughan 14,161 32.8 -5.0
Liberal Lady Ruth Abrahams 4,523 10.5 -1.8
Majority 10,289 23.9 +13.1
Turnout 43,134 85.1 +12.4
Conservative hold Swing

Election in 1940s

General Election 1945: Orpington[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Waldron Smithers 20,388 48.6 N/A
Labour A.R. Mais 15,846 37.8 N/A
Liberal E.R. Goodfellow 5,140 12.3 N/A
Independent G.C. Milner 528 1.3 N/A
Majority 4,542 10.8 N/A
Turnout 41,902 72.7 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. A county 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
  1. "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. On This Day - "1962: Liberals seize Orpington" BBC News
  3. 2011 census interactive maps
  4. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  5. Ordnance survey website
  6. Samuel Lewis (publisher) (1848). "Orpington - Osgoodby". A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 22 January 2013. A
  7. Youtube Honda advertising which homed in on the town as their prime audience
  8. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "O"
  9. election result http://www.bromley.gov.uk/downloads/file/2227/orpington_constituency_result_of_poll_may_2015 26Jul15
  10. total electorate 67,505 email Bromley Council 3Aug15
  11. http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/Orpington/
  12. http://twitter.com/idhamramadi
  13. london.greenparty.org.uk/elections/2015-general-election.html
  14. "Orpington". UK Polling Report. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  15. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press, revised edition 1977)

External links

Coordinates: 51°21′25″N 0°05′06″E / 51.357°N 0.085°E / 51.357; 0.085

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