Old Bexley and Sidcup
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Old Bexley and Sidcup is a constituency in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its 1983 creation. Its first Member of Parliament (MP) was former Prime Minister Edward Heath, who previously represented Bexley (1950–1974) and Sidcup (1974–1983). The seat has been held since a 2021 by-election by Louie French of the Conservative Party, following the death of incumbent James Brokenshire. Template:TOC limit
History and profile
The seat was created in 1983 by combining a small part of the abolished seat of Bexleyheath, chiefly Old Bexley, with the abolished seat of Sidcup.
On 29 January 2008 the Conservative Party withdrew the whip from the constituency's MP, Derek Conway, following alleged misuse of funds revealed by the MPs expenses controversy, who declined to resign as MP and became an Independent. He retired from national politics in 2010.
Sir Edward Heath (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1970–1974) held this area (also referring to its main predecessor seats, Bexley and Sidcup) from 1950 until 2001 when he retired at the age of 84, at the time the longest-serving MP in the Commons, known as the Father of the House.
- Political overview
The seat has been won at general elections since creation by the Conservative Party candidate. The 1997 New Labour landslide saw the party's majority fall to its lowest level of 7% of the vote. Its greatest level has to date been 41.5% of the vote — in 1987.
In 2010 the seat was won by the Conservative candidate James Brokenshire, who had transferred to this seat and approved by his local party when his former seat of Hornchurch was abolished in boundary changes. His 2015 result made the seat the 105th safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The seat was left vacant following Brokenshire's death on 7 October 2021.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> until a by-election was held on 2 December which resulted in a Conservative hold.
Boundaries
Historic
1983–1997: The London Borough of Bexley wards of Blackfen, Blendon and Penhill, Cray, Lamorbey, St Mary's, Sidcup East, and Sidcup West.
1997–2010: The London Borough of Bexley wards of Blackfen, Blendon and Penhill, Cray, Danson, East Wickham, Falconwood, Lamorbey, St Mary's, Sidcup East, and Sidcup West.
2010–2024: The London Borough of Bexley wards of Blackfen and Lamorbey, Blendon and Penhill, East Wickham, Falconwood and Welling, Longlands, St Mary's, and Sidcup.
As its name suggests, the seat covers the Bexley and Sidcup areas; it formerly included Danson Park which owing to more development in the south was moved to the Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.
Current
Further to the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of:
- The London Borough of Bexley wards of: Blackfen & Lamorbey; Blendon & Penhill; East Wickham; Falconwood & Welling; Longlands; St. Mary’s & St. James; Sidcup.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The revised contents take into account the local government boundary review for Bexley which became effective in May 2018. Boundaries were extended slightly by adding the parts of the expanded East Wickham and Falconwood & Welling wards previously in Bexleyheath and Crayford.
Constituency profile
Old Bexley and Sidcup has average incomes among the highest of all constituencies,<ref name=census>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a high proportion of semi-detached and detached homes<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and low unemployment<ref>Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian</ref> with a lower than average dependency on social housing.<ref name=census/>
The constituency generally consists of middle-class and lower middle-class outer London suburbia, served by the Dartford Loop and Bexleyheath commuter railway lines to Central London. Sidcup has been largely developed to neat garden suburb-inspired building schemes for most homes.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member<ref name="rayment">Template:Rayment-hc</ref> | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 1983 | Edward Heath | Conservative |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 2001 | Derek Conway | Conservative |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 2008 | Independent | |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 2010 | James Brokenshire | Conservative |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | 2021 by-election | Louie French | Conservative |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
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Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Conservative | 33,158 | 63.9 | |
| Template:Party color cell | Labour | 12,389 | 23.9 | |
| Template:Party color cell | Liberal Democrats | 4,303 | 8.3 | |
| Template:Party color cell | Green | 1,791 | 3.5 | |
| Template:Party color cell | Others | 226 | 0.4 | |
| Turnout | 51,867 | 69.8 | ||
| Electorate | 74,317 | |||
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Elections in the 2000s
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Elections in the 1990s
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Elections in the 1980s
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See also
References
External links
- Politics Resources (Election results from 1922 onwards)
- Electoral Calculus (Election results from 1955 onwards)
- Old Bexley and Sidcup UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
- Old Bexley and Sidcup UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Old Bexley and Sidcup UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK
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