Hornchurch (UK Parliament Constituency)
Boundaries
1945–1974: The Urban District of Hornchurch.
1974–1983: The London Borough of Havering wards of Elm Park, Hacton, Hylands, Rainham, St Andrew's, and South Hornchurch.
1983–2010: The London Borough of Havering wards of Airfield, Elm Park, Hacton, Hylands, Rainham, St Andrew's, and South Hornchurch.
History
The seat established in 1945 covered the Hornchurch Urban District, which had been enlarged in the 1930s to include the civil parishes of Cranham, Great Warley, Rainham, Upminster and Wennington in addition to the parish of Hornchurch, which included the neighbourhoods of Ardleigh Green, Elm Park, Emerson Park, South Hornchurch and Harold Wood. The population of the urban district in 1939 was 81,486. The most populous Hornchurch North West ward was very near to the town of Romford. The area became part of the London Borough of Havering in Greater London in 1965.
In 1974 the seat was redrawn, transferring Cranham, Emerson Park, Great Warley, Harold Wood and Upminster to the new Upminster constituency. The constituency shared boundaries with the Hornchurch electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981. The electoral wards in Havering were redrawn in 1978, with the constituency defined in reference to the new wards from 1983. The new Airfield ward reflected the building of the Airfield Estate housing development on land that had been RAF Hornchurch.
The constituency was abolished for the 2010 election. The areas of the constituency covered by the Elm Park, South Hornchurch, and Rainham and Wennington wards in the London Borough of Havering were merged with Dagenham to form a cross-borough Dagenham and Rainham constituency. Hacton and St Andrews wards in Hornchurch merged with Upminster to form Hornchurch and Upminster. Hylands ward in Hornchurch merged with Romford. Prior to the change in boundaries the new seats were predicted to be marginal Labour and safe Conservative respectively if they followed the voting patterns of the previous Dagenham, Upminster and Romford constituencies.
Constituency profile
The south of the constituency was the industrialised Hornchurch Marshes, which included the eastern part of the Ford Dagenham plant. The adjacent Rainham Marshes had been seen as a site for building large entertainment centres and was viewed as a potential site for the European Disneyland project, although it was considered much less suitable than the current position near Paris. There had been plans to build a casino but permission was not granted.
Hornchurch is a predominantly suburban and residential area. The constituency was a marginal seat due to Rainham and Elm Park's working class voters and because the wealthiest Emerson Park area of Hornchurch did not form part of the constituency after 1974.
Members of Parliament
The Conservative Robin Squire was elected to Parliament as the member for Hornchurch on 3 May 1979, in one of the most surprising results of that election. Labour-held Hornchurch had not been a marginal seat and Squire had not expected to win it. However, he gained the seat from Alan Lee Williams with a majority of just 769 on a "freak" swing of 8.5% to his party. During the Thatcher years (1979 to 1990) Squire was considered to be a prominent "wet", opposed to the Conservative government's economic and employment policies. After Mrs Thatcher left office in 1990, Squire's political position strengthened and he held junior ministerial posts until the fall of the Major government in 1997. Squire was defending a majority of 9,165 – his personal popularity plus his prominence as a Minister led him to believe that he would hold the seat, but he lost to Labour's John Cryer with a 16% swing and a Labour majority of 5,680. Squire stood against Cryer again in the 2001 general election but was again defeated by a significant majority.
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1945 | Geoffrey Bing | Labour | |
1955 | Godfrey Lagden | Conservative | |
1966 | Alan Lee Williams | Labour | |
1970 | John Loveridge | Conservative | |
Feb 1974 | Alan Lee Williams | Labour | |
1979 | Robin Squire | Conservative | |
1997 | John Cryer | Labour | |
2005 | James Brokenshire | Conservative | |
2010 | constituency abolished: see Hornchurch and Upminster, Dagenham and Rainham & Romford |
Elections
Elections in the 1940s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Geoffrey Bing | 26,856 | 56.0 | ||
Conservative | John Theadore de Horne Vaizey | 15,100 | 31.5 | ||
Liberal | Norman Clarke Jones | 5,807 | 12.1 | ||
Independent | Violet Van der Elst | 232 | 0.5 | ||
Majority | 11,756 | 24.5 | |||
Turnout | 47,995 | 72.3 | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Elections in the 1950s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Geoffrey Bing | 28,463 | 46.1 | −9.9 | |
Conservative | James Wentworth−Day | 26,696 | 43.2 | +11.7 | |
Liberal | Nancy Seear | 6,653 | 10.8 | −1.3 | |
Majority | 1,767 | 2.9 | −21.6 | ||
Turnout | 61,812 | 85.7 | +13.4 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | −10.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Geoffrey Bing | 30,101 | 47.4 | +1.3 | |
Conservative | James Wentworth−Day | 28,976 | 45.6 | +2.4 | |
Liberal | Nancy Seear | 4,771 | 7.0 | −3.8 | |
Majority | 1,125 | 1.8 | −1.1 | ||
Turnout | 63,848 | 86.3 | +0.6 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | −0.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Godfrey Lagden | 29,205 | 46.2 | +0.6 | |
Labour | Geoffrey Bing | 27,833 | 44.1 | −3.3 | |
Liberal | Donald S. Paterson | 6,117 | 9.7 | +2.7 | |
Majority | 1,372 | 2.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 63,155 | 82.0 | −4.3 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +2.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Godfrey Lagden | 34,852 | 47.5 | +1.3 | |
Labour | Jo Richardson | 27,530 | 37.5 | −6.6 | |
Liberal | Lyndon H. Jones | 11,056 | 15.1 | +5.4 | |
Majority | 7,322 | 10.0 | +7.8 | ||
Turnout | 73,438 | 83.9 | +1.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.0 |
Elections in the 1960s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Godfrey Lagden | 30,933 | 41.6 | −5.9 | |
Labour | Trevor Williams | 30,699 | 41.3 | +3.8 | |
Liberal | Ralph Taylor | 12,725 | 17.1 | +2.0 | |
Majority | 234 | 0.3 | −9.7 | ||
Turnout | 74,357 | 81.9 | −2.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Alan Lee Williams | 38,406 | 52.1 | +10.8 | |
Conservative | Godfrey Lagden | 35,373 | 47.9 | +6.3 | |
Majority | 3,033 | 4.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 73,779 | 81.1 | −0.8 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.3 |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Loveridge | 36,124 | 49.7 | +1.8 | |
Labour | Alan Lee Williams | 30,294 | 41.7 | −10.4 | |
Liberal | Bryan G. Sell | 6,227 | 8.6 | New | |
Majority | 5,830 | 8.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 72,645 | 72.8 | −8.3 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +6.1 |
Note: This constituency underwent boundary changes after the 1970 election, so was notionally a Labour seat.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Alan Lee Williams | 21,763 | 45.0 | −3.7 | |
Conservative | J. Jackson | 15,567 | 32.2 | −7.5 | |
Liberal | B. McCarthy | 10,391 | 21.5 | +12.9 | |
PEOPLE | B. Percy−Davis | 619 | 1.3 | New | |
Majority | 6,196 | 12.8 | +4.8 | ||
Turnout | 48,340 | 80.8 | +8.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +1.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Alan Lee Williams | 21,336 | 48.5 | +3.5 | |
Conservative | Robin Squire | 14,535 | 33.1 | +0.9 | |
Liberal | B.G. McCarthy | 7,284 | 16.6 | −4.9 | |
PEOPLE | B. Percy−Davis | 797 | 1.8 | +0.5 | |
Majority | 6,801 | 15.5 | +2.7 | ||
Turnout | 43,952 | 72.7 | −8.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +1.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robin Squire | 21,340 | 44.9 | +11.8 | |
Labour | Alan Lee Williams | 20,571 | 43.3 | −5.2 | |
Liberal | Christopher Lewcock | 4,657 | 9.8 | −6.8 | |
National Front | Alfred Harris | 994 | 2.1 | New | |
Majority | 769 | 1.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 47,562 | 78.1 | +5.4 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +8.5 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robin Squire | 21,393 | 47.0 | +2.1 | |
Labour | Alan Williams | 12,209 | 26.9 | −16.4 | |
SDP | John Martin | 11,251 | 24.7 | +14.9 | |
National Front | A.M. Joyce | 402 | 1.2 | New | |
Ecology | Michael Crowson | 219 | 0.5 | New | |
Majority | 9,184 | 20.1 | +18.5 | ||
Turnout | 45,474 | 73.7 | −4.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +9.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robin Squire | 24,039 | 51.2 | +4.2 | |
Labour | Alan Williams | 13,345 | 28.4 | +1.5 | |
Liberal | Mark Long | 9,609 | 20.4 | −4.3 | |
Majority | 10,694 | 22.8 | +2.7 | ||
Turnout | 44,712 | 75.3 | +1.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robin Squire | 25,817 | 53.5 | +2.3 | |
Labour | Leonie Cooper | 16,652 | 34.5 | +6.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Barry J. Oddy | 5,366 | 11.1 | –9.3 | |
Independent Ind SD | Terrence F. Matthews | 453 | 0.9 | New | |
Majority | 9,165 | 19.0 | –3.8 | ||
Turnout | 48,288 | 79.8 | +4.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | –1.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Cryer | 22,066 | 50.2 | +15.7 | |
Conservative | Robin Squire | 16,386 | 37.3 | –16.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Rabi Martins | 3,446 | 7.8 | –3.3 | |
Referendum | Rory E.B. Khilkoff-Bouldi | 1,595 | 3.6 | New | |
Independent | Jenny Trueman | 259 | 0.6 | New | |
ProLife Alliance | Joseph Sowerby | 189 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 5,680 | 12.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 43,941 | 72.8 | –7.0 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.2 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Cryer | 16,514 | 46.4 | –3.8 | |
Conservative | Robin Squire | 15,032 | 42.3 | +5.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Sarah E. Lea | 2,928 | 8.2 | +0.4 | |
UKIP | Lawrence Webb | 893 | 2.5 | New | |
National Liberal | David Durant | 190 | 0.5 | New | |
Majority | 1,482 | 4.1 | −8.8 | ||
Turnout | 35,557 | 58.3 | –14.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | –4.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Brokenshire | 16,355 | 42.8 | +0.5 | |
Labour | John Cryer | 15,875 | 41.6 | –4.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Nathaniel Green | 2,894 | 7.6 | –0.6 | |
BNP | Ian Moore | 1,313 | 3.4 | New | |
UKIP | Laurence Webb | 1,033 | 2.7 | +0.2 | |
Residents | Malvin P. Brown | 395 | 1.0 | New | |
National Liberal | Graham K. Williamson | 304 | 0.8 | +0.3 | |
Majority | 480 | 1.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 38,169 | 63.5 | +5.2 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +2.6 |
See also
References
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 16 March 1983. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 28 June 1995. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Review of parliamentary constituencies in the North London Boroughs" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 January 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2008.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 4)
- ^ Election Expenses. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 1980. p. 14. ISBN 0102374805.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
External links
- Hornchurch UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK