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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Lewisham Deptford

Lewisham Deptford was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. Subject to moderate boundary changes, it was reformed as a re-established Lewisham North constituency, to be first contested in the 2024 general election.

History

This seat was created in 1974. It remained largely urban in its constituent areas which have been altered on reform by the Boundary Commission very lightly overall. The area of Deptford wholly within the seat was a major London dockyard and in its early history contained chandleries, repair yards, connected with the Royal Navy, later having a high concentration of London's expansive import and export wharves and warehouses; this extended well within the 2010-drawn confines of the seat towards New Cross which had major railway yards.

Political history

The seat has been won by three Members of Parliament, all of which were and remained during their public service members of the Labour Party. The 2015 result made the seat the 23rd safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority and the 9th safest in the capital.

In the 2016 referendum to leave the European Union, the constituency voted remain by 75.4%.

Constituency profile

This constituency covered Lewisham's northern tip – a short stretch alongside the Thames – along with the Deptford and New Cross districts, and the centre of Lewisham itself. These are historically some of the more deprived in London with high crime rates and social problems. However, in the 21st century, counter to this, more upmarket housing developments are springing up as former industrial sites are cleared away. To the South East of the seat, Lewisham town centre adjoins Ladywell.

The area is relatively affordable, given the short commuting distance to Central London and Canary Wharf, via the Docklands Light Railway and South East Main Line. Goldsmiths, University of London and wider halls of residence make this a popular living area for those staying and studying in Greater London, giving a substantial student minority to the electorate.

At the Western extremity of the seat, just inside the current boundaries, is The Den, home to Millwall FC.

Lewisham Deptford has been one of Labour's safest London seats since its 1974 creation – it was the party's 25th safest in Britain at the 2001 election – though social change in the last decade has seen things become a little more competitive; the most popular opposition in 2005 and 2010 was formed by the active Liberal Democrat party in the area. In terms of share of the vote, it received the 44th largest Labour vote in 2010, of the 650 constituencies.

Boundaries

1974–1983: The London Borough of Lewisham wards of Brockley, Deptford, Drake, Grinling Gibbons, Ladywell, Marlowe, and Pepys.

1983–2010: The London Borough of Lewisham wards of Blythe Hill, Crofton Park, Drake, Evelyn, Grinling Gibbons, Ladywell, Marlowe, and Pepys.

2010–2024: The London Borough of Lewisham wards of Brockley, Crofton Park, Evelyn, Ladywell, Lewisham Central, New Cross, Telegraph Hill and part of Hither Green ward.

The constituency covered the northern and north-western parts of the London Borough of Lewisham.

The Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which redrew this seat in 2010 also resulted in the creation of a new cross-borough constituency of Lewisham West and Penge which took electoral wards from the London Boroughs of Lewisham and Bromley.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party Notes
Feb 1974 John Silkin Labour Government Chief Whip 1966–69. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1976–79. Died in April 1987; seat remained vacant until general election in June.
1987 Dame Joan Ruddock Labour
2015 Vicky Foxcroft Labour

Election results

Elections in 2010s

General election 2019: Lewisham Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Vicky Foxcroft 39,216 70.8 −6.2
Conservative Gavin Haran 6,303 11.4 −2.3
Liberal Democrats Bobby Dean 5,774 10.4 +5.1
Green Andrea Fuller 3,085 5.6 +2.6
Brexit Party Moses Etienne 789 1.4 New
Independent Tan Bui 130 0.2 New
Alliance for Green Socialism John Lloyd 71 0.1 New
Majority 32,913 59.4 −3.9
Turnout 55,368 68.7 −1.5
Registered electors 80,617
Labour hold Swing −1.9
General election 2017: Lewisham Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Vicky Foxcroft 42,461 77.0 +16.8
Conservative Melanie McLean 7,562 13.7 −1.2
Liberal Democrats Bobby Dean 2,911 5.3 0.0
Green John Coughlin 1,640 3.0 −9.5
CPA Malcolm Martin 252 0.5 −0.1
Animal Welfare Laura McAnea 225 0.4 New
The Realists' Party Jane Lawrence 61 0.1 New
Majority 34,899 63.3 +17.9
Turnout 55,112 70.2 +5.6
Registered electors 78,468
Labour hold Swing +9.0
General election 2015: Lewisham Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Vicky Foxcroft 28,572 60.2 +6.5
Conservative Bim Afolami 7,056 14.9 +1.4
Green John Coughlin 5,932 12.5 +5.8
Liberal Democrats Michael Bukola 2,497 5.3 −18.1
UKIP Massimo DiMambro 2,013 4.2 New
People Before Profit Helen Mercer 666 1.4 New
CPA Malcolm Martin 300 0.6 −0.6
TUSC Chris Flood 286 0.6 New
Democratic Reform Phil Badger 74 0.2 New
Independent David Harvey 30 0.1 New
Majority 21,516 45.3 +15.0
Turnout 47,426 64.6 +3.1
Registered electors 73,428
Labour hold Swing +2.6
General election 2010: Lewisham Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Ruddock 22,132 53.7 –1.7'"`UNIQ−−ref−00000021−QINU`"'
Liberal Democrats Tam Langley 9,633 23.4 +5.4
Conservative Gemma Townsend 5,551 13.5 +0.8
Green Darren Johnson 2,772 6.7 –3.3
Socialist Alternative Ian Page 645 1.6 –0.6
CPA Malcolm Martin 487 1.2 New
Majority 12,499 30.3 –8.6
Turnout 41,220 61.5 +10.6
Registered electors 67,058
Labour hold Swing –7.2

Elections in 2000s

General election 2005: Lewisham, Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Ruddock 16,902 55.6 −9.4
Liberal Democrats Columba Blango 5,091 16.8 +5.1
Conservative James Cartlidge 3,773 12.4 0.0
Green Darren Johnson 3,367 11.4 +4.9
Socialist Alternative Ian Page 742 2.4 −1.9
UKIP David Holland 518 1.7 New
Majority 11,811 38.8 −13.8
Turnout 30,393 51.5 +3.2
Registered electors 58,390
Labour hold Swing −7.2
General election 2001: Lewisham, Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Ruddock 18,915 65.0 −5.8
Conservative Cordelia McCartney 3,622 12.4 −2.3
Liberal Democrats Andrew Wiseman 3,409 11.7 +2.8
Green Darren Johnson 1,901 6.5 New
Socialist Alliance Ian Page 1,260 4.3 New
Majority 15,293 52.6 −3.51
Turnout 29,107 48.3 −9.6
Registered electors 60,275
Labour hold Swing −1.8

Elections in 1990s

General election 1997: Lewisham, Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Ruddock 23,827 70.8 +9.9
Conservative Irene Kimm 4,949 14.7 −13.2
Liberal Democrats Kofi Appiah 3,004 8.9 −2.4
Socialist Labour John Mulrenan 996 2.9 New
Referendum Shelagh Shepherd 868 2.5 New
Majority 18,878 56.1 +23.1
Turnout 33,644 57.9 −7.2
Registered electors 58,141
Labour hold Swing +11.5
General election 1992: Lewisham, Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Ruddock 22,574 60.9 +10.6
Conservative T. A. J. O'Neill 10,336 27.9 −4.2
Liberal Democrats J. C. Brightwell 4,181 11.3 −6.2
Majority 12,238 33.0 +14.8
Turnout 37,091 65.1 +0.2
Registered electors 57,014
Labour hold Swing +7.4

Elections in 1980s

General election 1987: Lewisham, Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Ruddock 18,724 50.3 +2.0
Conservative Martyn Punyer 11,953 32.1 +0.6
SDP Anne−Marie Braun 6,513 17.5 −1.3
Majority 6,771 18.2 +1.4
Turnout 37,190 64.9 +3.7
Registered electors 58,151
Labour hold Swing +0.6
General election 1983: Lewisham, Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Silkin 17,360 48.3 −5.9
Conservative Robin Wheatley 11,328 31.5 −1.0
SDP Denise Abbott 6,734 18.8 New
BNP P. Wilson 317 0.9 New
Assassin's Bullett S. B. Housego 173 0.5 New
Majority 6,032 16.8 −4.9
Turnout 35,912 61.2 −2.5
Registered electors 58,663
Labour hold Swing -2.4

Elections in 1970s

General election 1979: Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Silkin 19,391 54.22 −4.65
Conservative David Grant 11,638 32.54 +9.96
Liberal Nicholas Rowden 2,774 7.76 −5.97
National Front Dr Robert Mitchel 1,490 4.17 −0.65
Socialist Unity Janet Maguire 274 0.77 New
Workers Revolutionary Gilbert Dacres 198 0.55 New
Majority 7,753 21.68 −15.63
Turnout 35,765 63.76 +5.12
Registered electors 56,096
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Silkin 21,145 58.87 +4.76
Conservative C. H. Cross 8,111 22.58 −3.81
Liberal M. Steele 4,931 13.73 −5.77
National Front Richard Edmonds 1,731 4.82 New
Majority 13,034 36.31 +8.59
Turnout 35,918 58.68 −10.43
Registered electors 61,210
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Deptford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Silkin 22,699 54.11
Conservative C. H. Cross 11,070 26.39
Liberal M. Steele 8,181 19.50
Majority 11,629 27.72
Turnout 41,950 69.11
Registered electors 60,703
Labour win (new seat)

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. ^ Changes in the election are nominal, based on the 2005 results for the new set of wards contested in 2010, (partly in other seats contested before the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies)

References

  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Revised estimates of leave vote in Westminster constituencies". Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Local statistics – Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  5. ^ "General Election Results from the Electoral Commission". Archived from the original on 19 July 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  6. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 2)
  7. ^ "General election results 2019". Lewisham Council. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Statement of persons nominated and notice of poll, Lewisham Deptford" (PDF). lewisham.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Lewisham Deptford parliamentary constituency". Election 2015. BBC News. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Election results for Lewisham Deptford, 7 May 2015". councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  13. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ^ "TUSC parliamentary candidates in May 2015" (PDF). Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. 4 February 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 February 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ Election Expenses. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 1980. p. 18. ISBN 0102374805.

51°28′N 0°02′W / 51.47°N 0.04°W / 51.47; -0.04