Bromley and Chislehurst (UK Parliament constituency)

Bromley and Chislehurst
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Bromley and Chislehurst in Greater London
CountyGreater London
Population88,633 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate65,508 (December 2010)[2]
BoroughLondon Borough of Bromley
1997–2024
SeatsOne
Created fromRavensbourne, Chislehurst
Replaced byBromley and Biggin Hill, Eltham and Chislehurst

Bromley and Chislehurst was a constituency in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2006 until its abolition for the 2024 general election[3] by Bob Neill, a Conservative.[n 1]

Constituency profile

The Bromley and Chislehurst constituency is relatively prosperous in terms of income and has low unemployment; it is largely suburban with significant parkland and sports areas.[4][5] Most of the housing is owner-occupied although there are significant proportions of social housing in parts of Mottingham and Bromley Common. The 2011 census shows that the borough is 84.3% White European/British, lower than the national average (86%) and higher than then London average (59%).[6]

Until 2006 it was one of the Conservative Party's safest seats; the by-election of that year saw the party's electoral majority fall steeply from over 13,000 (in the 2005 election) to just over 600 votes. The party has since rebuilt its majority, which currently stands at just under 11,000.[7]

History

The Bromley parliamentary constituency was created in 1918.[n 2] In 1974 Bromley became Ravensbourne.

Before the 1997 election western wards of Chislehurst merged with eastern wards in Ravensbourne to form Bromley and Chislehurst.[n 3]

Bromley/Ravensbourne/Chislehurst summary

The earlier Bromley seat, later Ravensbourne, was markedly prosperous in regional terms and did not elect Labour Members of Parliament (MPs) during its 1918 to 1974 existence. However, one of the Ravensbourne wards, Plaistow and Sundridge, had a communist councillor in the 1940s. Prime Minister (1957–1963) Harold Macmillan was the MP for Bromley from 1945 until his retirement in 1964, when he was succeeded by John Hunt. Hunt, on the left of the Conservative Party, held the seat (renamed Ravensbourne in 1974) until 1997.

The Chislehurst seat had a Labour Party MP from 1966 until 1970.

A by-election was held on 29 June 2006, upon the death of the previous MP Eric Forth the month before, which returned London Assembly member Bob Neill as the new Conservative MP with an electoral majority of just over 600 votes – compared to the previous Conservative majority of over 13,000 in the 2005 general election. Turnout was down by a significant margin. In 2010 Bob Neill was re-elected with a Conservative majority greater than that achieved in 2005.

Boundaries

1997–2010: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Bickley, Bromley Common and Keston, Chislehurst, Hayes, Martins Hill and Town, Mottingham, and Plaistow and Sundridge.

The wards and boundaries for the Bromley and Chislehurst Parliament constituency (red) as first used in the 2010 general election, shown within the London Borough of Bromley (yellow)

2010–2024: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Bickley, Bromley Town, Chislehurst, Cray Valley West, Mottingham and Chislehurst North, and Plaistow and Sundridge.

Bromley and Chislehurst constituency covered the northern part of the London Borough of Bromley including the east of Bromley, its town centre, and Chislehurst.

Abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished for the 2024 general election, with its contents distributed three ways:[3]

Members of Parliament

Election Member[8][9] Party
1997 Eric Forth Conservative
2006 by-election Bob Neill

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Bromley and Chislehurst[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Neill 23,958 52.6 −1.4
Labour Angela Wilkins 13,067 28.7 −4.7
Liberal Democrats Julie Ireland 6,621 14.5 +7.3
Green Mary Ion 1,546 3.4 +0.9
CPA Zion Amodu 255 0.6 New
Renew Jyoti Dialani 119 0.3 New
Majority 10,891 23.9 +3.3
Turnout 45,566 68.3 −3.4
Registered electors 66,711
Conservative hold Swing +1.7
General election 2017: Bromley and Chislehurst[10][11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Neill 25,175 54.0 +1.0
Labour Sara Hyde 15,585 33.4 +11.2
Liberal Democrats Sam Webber 3,369 7.2 +0.8
UKIP Emmett Jenner 1,383 3.0 −11.3
Green Roisin Robertson 1,150 2.5 −1.6
Majority 9,590 20.6 −10.2
Turnout 46,662 71.7 +3.3
Registered electors 65,117
Conservative hold Swing -5.1
General election 2015: Bromley and Chislehurst[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Neill 23,343 53.0 −0.5
Labour John Courtneidge[15] 9,779 22.2 +5.6
UKIP Emmett Jenner 6,285 14.3 +11.0
Liberal Democrats Sam Webber[16] 2,836 6.4 −15.6
Green Roisin Robertson[17] 1,823 4.1 +2.6
Majority 13,564 30.8 −0.8
Turnout 44,066 68.4 +1.1
Registered electors 65,477
Conservative hold Swing -3.0
General election 2010: Bromley and Chislehurst[18][6][19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Bob Neill 23,569 53.5
Liberal Democrats Sam Webber 9,669 22.0
Labour Chris Kirby 7,295 16.6
UKIP Emmett Jenner 1,451 3.3
BNP Rowena Savage 1,070 2.4
Green Roisin Robertson 607 1.5
English Democrat Jon Cheeseman 376 0.9
Majority 13,900 31.6
Turnout 44,037 67.3
Conservative win (new boundaries)

Elections in the 2000s

2006 Bromley and Chislehurst by-election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Neill 11,621 40.1 –11.0
Liberal Democrats Ben Abbotts 10,988 37.9 +17.6
UKIP Nigel Farage 2,307 8.0 +4.8
Labour Rachel Reeves 1,925 6.6 –15.6
Green Ann Garrett 811 2.8 –0.4
National Front Paul Winnett 476 1.6 New
Independent John Hemming-Clark 442 1.5 New
English Democrat Steven Uncles 212 0.7 New
Monster Raving Loony John Cartwright 132 0.5 New
Independent Nick Hadziannis 65 0.2 New
Money Reform Anne Belsey 33 0.1 New
Majority 633 2.2 –26.7
Turnout 29,012 40.2 –24.6
Registered electors 71,798
Conservative hold Swing –13.8
General election 2005: Bromley and Chislehurst[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eric Forth 23,583 51.1 +1.6
Labour Rachel Reeves 10,241 22.2 –6.4
Liberal Democrats Peter Brooks 9,368 20.3 +1.4
UKIP David Hooper 1,475 3.2 +0.3
Green Ann Garrett 1,470 3.2 New
Majority 13,342 28.9 +8.0
Turnout 46,137 64.8 +0.5
Registered electors 71,137
Conservative hold Swing +4.0
General election 2001: Bromley and Chislehurst[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eric Forth 21,412 49.5 +3.2
Labour Sue Polydorou 12,375 28.6 +3.4
Liberal Democrats Geoff Payne 8,180 18.9 –4.9
UKIP Rob Bryant 1,264 2.9 +0.7
Majority 9,037 20.9 −0.2
Turnout 43,231 64.3 –9.8
Registered electors 67,183
Conservative hold Swing –0.1

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Bromley and Chislehurst[24][23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Eric Forth 24,428 46.3
Labour Rob Yeldham 13,310 25.2
Liberal Democrats Paul Booth 12,530 23.8
UKIP Rob Bryant 1,176 2.2
Green Frances Speed 640 1.2
National Front Michael Stoneman 369 0.7
Liberal Gabriel Aitman 285 0.5
Majority 11,118 21.1
Turnout 52,738 74.1
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Before 1918 the area was part of the larger Sevenoaks constituency
  3. ^ Outlying parts of predecessor constituencies joined Beckenham, Lewisham West and Penge and Orpington

References

  1. ^ "Bromley and Chislehurst: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ a b "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – London | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". Neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. 12 May 2017. Archived from the original on 11 February 2003. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  5. ^ "OpenStreetMap". OpenStreetMap.org. Archived from the original on 23 February 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "UKPollingReport Election Guide 2010 » Bromley and Chislehurst". Ukpollingreport.co.uk. 29 June 2006. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  7. ^ a b Bromley, London Borough of. "Statement of Persons Nominated General Election 2019 - Bromley & Chislehurst constituency | London Borough of Bromley". www.bromley.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  8. ^ "Bromley and Chislehurst 1997-". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 6)
  10. ^ "Bromley and Chislehurst Constituency Notice of Election Agents' Names and Offices". Archived from the original on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  11. ^ "Bromley & Chislehurst parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ^ London Borough of Bromley. "Bromley and Chislehurst Constituency result of poll May 2015 - General Election May 2015 results - Downloads - London Borough of Bromley". Bromley.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  15. ^ "John Courtneidge – the Labour Party". Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  16. ^ [1] Archived 2015-02-15 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "London Green Party | 2015 General Election". Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. ^ "The British National Party — Blog — BNP to Fight 32 Parliamentary Seats in London". Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  20. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Election 2005 | Results | Bromley & Chislehurst". BBC News. 6 May 2005. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ^ a b "VOTE 2001 | RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES | Bromley & Chislehurst". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  24. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Further reading

  • Cook, Chris and Ramsden, John. By-elections in British politics (Routledge, 2003)

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