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 will be 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.

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (September 2020)

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
	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

• List of parliamentary constituencies in London