Streatham (UK Parliament constituency)

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Streatham
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Streatham in Greater London.
County Greater London
Electorate 71,913 (December 2010)[1]
Current constituency
Created 1918
Member of parliament Chuka Umunna (Labour)
Number of members One
Created from Wandsworth
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency London
Streatham Green is at the centre of Streatham
Streatham in the Parliamentary County of London from 1918 to 1949
A map showing the wards of Wandsworth Metropolitan Borough as they appeared in 1916.
Chuka Umunna became the MP in 2010

Streatham is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Chuka Umunna, a Labour Party MP.[n 2]

Boundaries

1918-1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth ward of Streatham.

1974-1983: The London Borough of Lambeth wards of Clapham Park, St Leonard's, Streatham South, Streatham Wells, and Thornton.

1983-1997: The London Borough of Lambeth wards of Clapham Park, St Leonard's, Streatham Hill, Streatham South, Streatham Wells, Thornton, and Town Hall.

1997-2010: The London Borough of Lambeth wards of Clapham Park, St Leonard's, St Martin's, Streatham Hill, Streatham South, Streatham Wells, Thornton, Town Hall, and Tulse Hill.

2010–present: The London Borough of Lambeth wards of Brixton Hill, Clapham Common, St Leonard’s, Streatham Hill, Streatham South, Streatham Wells, Thornton, and Tulse Hill.

Streatham is a long constituency running down the western side of the London Borough of Lambeth.[2] The town of Streatham constitutes only the four wards in the southern half of the constituency. At its north-western tip it includes half of Clapham Common, while in the north-east it takes in part of the district of Brixton which is also split between neighbouring Vauxhall and Dulwich and West Norwood.

The northern boundary follows Clapham Park Road, Acre Lane, and Coldharbour Lane through Clapham and Brixton to Lambeth Town Hall. The north-eastern boundary generally follows Effra Road and Tulse Hill, but runs east of the main road to include the part of the Tulse Hill estate and the Cressingham Gardens estate west of Brockwell Park. The boundary skirts the Tulse Hill district centre, following Hardel Rise, Christchurch Road and Norwood Road, and then runs along Leigham Vale and Leigham Court Road. The southern and western constituency boundaries follow Lambeth's borough boundaries with Croydon, Merton and Wandsworth.

History

The constituency of Streatham was contested under the name at the 1918 general election, and approximately followed the historic parish boundaries of Streatham, including a substantial part of Balham.

The constituency was carved out of the former constituency of Wandsworth. The rest of the Wandsworth constituency was divided into Putney, Wandsworth Central and Balham and Tooting under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the fourth major UK reform, that for the first time led to single member constituencies, and roughly equal electorates.

The 1918 boundaries remained unchanged until the 1965 changes to Greater London local government were eventually reflected in the constituency boundaries fought at the February 1974 general election. This resulted in a net reduction in the size of the Streatham constituency. The western district Streatham Park (location of the Streatham Conservative Club) and the remainder of Furzedown ward went into Tooting.

The rest of the constituency, including the town of Streatham was now in the London Borough of Lambeth, and Streatham became one of four Borough constituency divisions of Lambeth, along with 'Vauxhall', 'Norwood' and 'Lambeth Central'. The Clapham constituency was abolished as part of the 1974 changes. The Clapham Park area and Hyde Farm (commonly thought of as part of Balham) came into the Streatham seat, whereas the rest of Clapham went into the Vauxhall seat - a split which continues to the present.

With the abolition of Lambeth Central at the 1983 election, the constituency gained much of southern Brixton. Following further population decline, Lambeth was paired with Southwark in the next boundary review, and from the 1997 election, Streatham constituency gained areas around Tulse Hill from the former Norwood constituency, the rest of which became part of Dulwich and West Norwood.

Political history

Having lost Streatham in 1992, the Conservatives were beaten into third place by a Liberal Democrat in 2001, and there were swings from Labour to the Liberal Democrats at the two subsequent general elections with only a marginal improvement in the Conservative share of the vote in 2010, when the Labour incumbent, Keith Hill, retired.

Constituency profile

In all its forms, the Streatham Constituency was represented by the Conservatives from 1918 until 1992.

Once a byword for solidly Tory suburbia - the seat was so safe that the Conservatives still won it when Labour gained large majorities such as in 1945 and 1966, and it was the only seat in the former LCC area (Inner London) apart from the Chelsea/Kensington/Westminster/City central core to remain consistently Conservative - Streatham has swung heavily against the Conservative Party since the 1980s, even more than other similar seats in South London (such as Croydon North, Dulwich, Lewisham East and West). In effect, demographic and voting pattern changes combined with unfavourable boundary changes to turn Streatham first into a marginal, then into a safe Labour seat.

Today much of the seat would be better described as 'inner London' rather than 'suburban'. In many areas, the large Victorian houses have been either demolished or converted into far smaller flats, though there are still pockets of significant affluence in the seat, especially in the areas around Tooting Bec Common and close to Clapham Common.

The high street from Brixton to Streatham has become a leisure hub for South London, with restaurants, cinemas, music venues and an ice rink attracting visitors from, for example, Tooting, Norbury and Mitcham.

The seat has a substantial black population, particularly in the wards near Brixton, as well as significant numbers of Asian voters.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party Notes
1918 Sir[n 3] William Lane-Mitchell Coalition Conservative Sat as a Unionist
1922 Conservative
1939 by-election Sir David Robertson Conservative Uncontested wartime by-election caused by Lane-Mitchell's resignation
1950 Duncan Sandys (after, Lord Duncan-Sandys) Conservative Secretary of State for Defence (1957-9), Commonwealth Relations (1960-2), and Colonies (1962-4).
1974 Sir William Shelton Conservative
1992 Trevor Keith Hill Labour First Labour MP to represent the constituency
2010 Chuka Umunna Labour First Streatham MP to represent the constituency she/he grew up in.[3] Shadow Business Secretary since October 2011.[4]

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Streatham[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chuka Umunna 26,474 53.0 +10.2
Conservative Kim Caddy 12,540 25.1 +6.8
Liberal Democrat Amna Ahmad 4,491 9.0 −26.8
Green Jonathan Bartley 4,421 8.9 +7.1
UKIP Bruce Machan 1,602 3.2 +3.2
CISTA Artificial Beast 192 0.4 +0.4
TUSC Unjum Mirza 164 0.3 +0.3
Workers Revolutionary Deon Gayle 49 0.1 −0.2
Majority 13,934 27.9 +20.9
Turnout 49,933 63.1 +0.3
Labour hold Swing +1.7
General Election 2010: Streatham[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chuka Umunna 20,037 42.8 −4.2
Liberal Democrat Chris Nicholson 16,778 35.8 +6.3
Conservative Rahoul Bhansali 8,578 18.3 +0.5
Green Rebecca Findlay 861 1.8 −3.7
Christian Geoffrey Macharia 237 0.5 N/A
English Democrats Janus Polenceus 229 0.5 N/A
Workers Revolutionary Paul Lepper 117 0.2 −0.1
Majority 3,259 7.0
Turnout 46,837 62.8 +11.0
Labour hold Swing −5.2

NB Percentage comparions in the table above are against the notional result on the new constituency boundaries.

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Streatham[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Trevor Keith Hill 18,950 46.7 −10.2
Liberal Democrat Darren Sanders 11,484 28.3 +10.0
Conservative James Sproule 7,238 17.8 0.0
Green Shane Collins 2,245 5.5 +1.1
UKIP Trevor Gittings 396 1.0 N/A
Workers Revolutionary Billy Colvill 127 0.3 N/A
Independent Philippa Stone 100 0.2 N/A
Independent Robert West 40 0.1 N/A
Independent Sarah Acheng 35 0.1 N/A
Majority 7,466 18.4
Turnout 40,615 51.3 +2.6
Labour hold Swing −10.1
General Election 2001: Streatham[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Trevor Keith Hill 21,401 57.3 −5.5
Liberal Democrat Roger O'Brien 6,771 18.1 +4.6
Conservative Stephen Hocking 6,639 17.8 −4.0
Green Mohammed Sajid 1,641 4.4 N/A
Socialist Alliance Greg Tucker 906 2.4 N/A
Majority 14,630 39.2
Turnout 37,358 49.1 −11.0
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Streatham[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Hill 28,181 62.8 +13.4
Conservative Ernest George Noad 9,758 21.7 −16.7
Liberal Democrat Roger O'Brien 6,082 13.6 +3.6
Referendum Jeremy J. Wall 864 1.9 N/A
Majority 18,423 41.1
Turnout 44,885 60.2
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1992: Streatham[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Trevor Keith Hill 18,925 47.0
Conservative Sir William Shelton 16,608 41.3
Liberal Democrat John Pindar 3,858 9.6
Green Roger C. L. Baker 443 1.1
Islamic Party A. Hakin 154 0.4
Rainbow Dream Ticket Cynthia Payne 145 0.4
Natural Law John V. Parsons 97 0.2
Majority 2,317 5.7
Turnout 40,230 70.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 5.75

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Streatham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Shelton 18,916 45.0
Labour Mrs. E. A. Tapsall 16,509 39.2
Liberal Michael William Tuffrey 6,663 15.8
Majority 2,407 5.8
Turnout 42,088 69.5
Conservative hold Swing 4.6%
General Election 1983: Streatham[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Shelton 18,264 46.5
Labour Miss M. M. Long 12,362 31.5
Liberal Peter H. Billenness 8,321 21.2
National Front K. D. Handy 321 0.8
Majority 5,902 15.0
Turnout 39,268 65.4
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Shelton 19,630 51.44
Labour T. P. C. Daniel 14,130 37.02
Liberal J. S. Pincham 3,779 9.9
National Front G. W. Bryant 523 1.37
Providers Through Care A. J. Hollander 102 0.27
Majority 5,500 14.41
Turnout 38,164 71.54
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Shelton 16,515 45.65
Labour J. Gaffin 13,648 37.73
Liberal R. Silver 4,987 13.79
National Front T. Lamb 817 2.26
Independent Miss T. E. Moore 210 0.58
Majority 2,867 7.92
Turnout 36,177 64.08
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Shelton 18,457 45.15 -8.965
Labour J. Gaffin 13,982 34.21 -4.09
Liberal R. Silver 7,456 18.24 +10.69
National Front T. Lamb 937 2.29 +2.29
Independent Bill Boaks 45 0.11 +0.11
Majority 4,475 10.95 -4.89
Turnout 40,877 72.78 +6.08
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Streatham

General Election 1970: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Duncan Sandys 19,215 54.115 -0.515
Labour Mrs. Ann S Ward 13,593 38.30 -7.07
Liberal Derrick Delaney 2,680 7.55 +7.55
Majority 5,622 15.84 +6.58
Turnout 35,488 66.70 -3.71
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Duncan Edwin Sandys 19,872 54.63 +2.53
Labour James L Walker 16,505 45.37 +12.93
Majority 3,367 9.26
Turnout 36,377 70.41
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Duncan Edwin Sandys 19,408 52.10 -7.66
Labour James L Walker 12,085 32.44 +5.02
Liberal Anthony H J Miller 5,261 14.12 +1.3
Independent Loyalists William Austen Brooks 497 1.33 +1.33
Majority 7,323 19.66
Turnout 71.76
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Duncan Edwin Sandys 23,479 59.76 -5.79
Labour David Leigh Kerr 10,773 27.42 -7.03
Liberal Robert Stephen Rubin 5,039 12.82 +12.82
Majority 12,706 32.34
Turnout 77.17
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Duncan Edwin Sandys 25,862 65.55 +5.64
Labour Reginald Ernest Prentice 13,594 34.45 +1.7
Majority 12,268 31.09
Turnout 74.38
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Duncan Edwin Sandys 27,084 59.91 +2.61
Labour Norman John Smart 14,804 32.75 -0.11
Liberal Alexander William Wilson 3,319 7.34 -2.5
Majority 12,280 27.16
Turnout 81.53
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Duncan Edwin Sandys 26,571 57.30 +5.07
Labour Peter Benenson 15,235 32.86 -0.92
Liberal Alexander William Wilson 4,562 9.84 -4.15
Majority 11,336 24.45
Turnout 81.01
Conservative hold Swing

Election in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir David Robertson 17,462 52.23 -23.95
Labour John Gross 11,296 33.78 +9.96
Liberal Charles William Ernest Remnant 4,677 13.99 +13.99
Majority 6,166 18.44
Turnout 73.45
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

Streatham by-election 1939
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir David Robertson Unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1935: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir William Lane-Mitchell 25,429 76.18 -8.85
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 7,951 23.82 +8.85
Majority 17,478 52.36
Turnout 64.11
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir William Lane-Mitchell 30,358 85.03
Labour Mrs. R.B. Fraser 5,343 14.97 -3.43
Majority 25,015 70.07
Turnout 71.30
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir William Lane-Mitchell 19,024 57.0 -11.5
Liberal Percy Lionel Edwin Rawlins 8,191 24.6 +6.9
Labour Fred Hughes 6,134 18.4 n/a
Majority 10,833 32.4 -18.4
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing -9.2
General Election 1924: Streatham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir William Lane-Mitchell 15,936 68.5
Liberal Charles Guy Parsloe 4,111 17.7
Communist Alfred M. Wall 3,204 13.8
Majority 11,825 50.8
Turnout 23,251 77.75
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1923: Streatham [14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir William Lane-Mitchell 10,598 60.0 -9.1
Liberal Charles Guy Parsloe 7,075 40.0 +9.1
Majority 3,523 20.0 -18.2
Turnout 61.3 -1.7
Unionist hold Swing -9.1

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See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A borough 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.
  3. ↑ From 1921

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig, Political Reference Publications 1972
  3. ↑ Chuka Umunna, Huffington Post UK, London, 10 July 2011.Retrieved 12 September 2011
  4. ↑ About Chuka, Chuka Umunna's official website, Undated.Retrieved 12 September 2011
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=138&RPID=26942681 23Jul15
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1918-1949

Sources

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