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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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West Bromwich East
West Bromwich East was a constituency in the West Midlands in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was represented from 1974 until 2019 by members of the Labour Party, and by the Conservatives from 2019 until 2024.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished and subjected to major boundary changes as a result of the realignment of the boundary between this seat and West Bromwich West, resulting in the loss of the Friar Park and Hateley Heath wards in exchange for the Oldbury and Tividale wards. The replacement seat also includes the Rowley ward from the (to be abolished) constituency of Halesowen and Rowley Regis and will be reformed as West Bromwich, to be first contested at the 2024 general election.

Constituency profile

West Bromwich itself is the main town, with a programme of investment in 21st century apartments similar to nearby Birmingham. Since the recessions of the 1970s and early 1980s, West Bromwich East has suffered from high unemployment, and as a result of the current recession, which began in 2008, unemployment peaked at 14.3%. Only Birmingham, Ladywood nearby had higher unemployment rates in all of Britain.

Workless claimants who were registered jobseekers stood at 7.6% of the population in November 2012; this was higher than the national average of 3.8%, based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian. However, this was lower than in West Bromwich West, with 8.1% of its constituents of working age in receipt of this benefit, which is seen as the lower gauge of the breadth of unemployment.

In the 2016 EU referendum, the constituency voted to leave by 68%, putting it in the top 10% of constituencies in terms of preference for leave.

Boundaries

West Bromwich East was one of four constituencies covering the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, covering the east and northeast of the borough. It included most of the town of West Bromwich and the part of Great Barr that is in Sandwell.

1974–1983: The County Borough of West Bromwich wards of Charlemont, Friar Park, Great Barr, Hateley Heath, Newton, Sandwell, and Tantany.

1983–1997: The Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell wards of Charlemont, Friar Park, Great Barr, Hateley Heath, Newton, and West Bromwich Central.

1997–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell wards of Charlemont, Friar Park, Great Barr, Greets Green and Lyng, Hateley Heath, Newton, and West Bromwich Central.

2010–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell wards of Charlemont with Grove Vale, Friar Park, Great Barr with Yew Tree, Greets Green and Lyng, Hateley Heath, Newton, and West Bromwich Central.

The seat formerly shared some wards with West Bromwich West: before 2010 instead placed in the latter seat were a small minority of 1,697 electors in the west of the wards of Friar Park and Greets Green and Lyng, also a negligible portion of Wednesbury South was contained in West Bromwich East.

Political history

The seat was held by the Labour Party for the first several decades of its existence, often with substantial majorities. At the 2019 general election, it fell to the Conservatives for the first time, on a swing in excess of 12%.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
Feb 1974 Peter Snape Labour
2001 Tom Watson Labour
2019 Nicola Richards Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicola Richards 16,804 46.7 Increase 8.5
Labour Ibrahim Dogus 15,211 42.3 Decrease 15.7
Brexit Party Christian Lucas 1,475 4.1 New
Liberal Democrats Andy Graham 1,313 3.6 Increase 2.0
Green Mark Redding 627 1.7 Increase 0.3
Independent George Galloway 489 1.4 New
Yeshua Colin Rankine 56 0.2 New
Majority 1,593 4.4 N/A
Turnout 35,975 57.9 Decrease 3.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Increase 12.1
General election 2017: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Watson 22,664 58.0 Increase 7.8
Conservative Emma Crane 14,951 38.2 Increase 13.3
Liberal Democrats Karen Trench 625 1.6 Decrease 0.4
Green John Macefield 533 1.4 Decrease 0.3
Independent Colin Rankine 325 0.8 New
Majority 7,713 19.8 Decrease 5.5
Turnout 39,098 61.3 Increase 2.4
Labour hold Swing Decrease 2.8
General election 2015: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Watson 18,817 50.2 Increase 3.7
Conservative Olivia Seccombe 9,347 24.9 Decrease 4.0
UKIP Steve Latham 7,949 21.2 Increase 18.6
Liberal Democrats Flo Clucas 751 2.0 Decrease 11.2
Green Barry Lim 628 1.7 New
Majority 9,470 25.3 Increase 7.7
Turnout 37,492 58.9 Decrease 1.5
Labour hold Swing Increase 3.9
General election 2010: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Watson 17,657 46.5 Decrease 9.2
Conservative Alistair Thompson 10,961 28.9 Increase 6.1
Liberal Democrats Ian Garrett 4,993 13.2 Increase 0.8
BNP Terry Lewin 2,205 5.8 Decrease 0.6
English Democrat Mark Cowles 1,150 3.0 New
UKIP Steve Grey 984 2.6 Increase 0.9
Majority 6,696 17.6 Decrease 15.2
Turnout 37,950 60.4 Increase 2.2
Labour hold Swing Decrease 7.7

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Watson 19,741 55.6 Decrease 0.3
Conservative Rosemary Bromwich 8,089 22.8 Decrease 3.2
Liberal Democrats Ian Garrett 4,386 12.4 Decrease 1.4
BNP Carl Butler 2,329 6.6 New
UKIP Steven Grey 607 1.7 Decrease 0.9
Socialist Labour Judith Sambrook 200 0.6 Decrease 1.2
Independent Margaret Macklin 160 0.5 New
Majority 11,652 32.8 Increase 2.9
Turnout 35,512 58.6 Increase 5.2
Labour hold Swing Increase 1.5
General election 2001: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Watson 18,250 55.9 Decrease 1.3
Conservative David McFarlane 8,487 26.0 Increase 1.6
Liberal Democrats Ian Garrett 4,507 13.8 Decrease 1.1
UKIP Steven Gray 835 2.6 New
Socialist Labour Satbir Johal 585 1.8 New
Majority 9,763 29.9 Decrease2.9
Turnout 32,664 53.4 Decrease 12.0
Labour hold Swing Decrease 1.5

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Snape 23,710 57.2 Increase 10.0
Conservative Brian Matsell 10,126 24.4 Decrease 15.3
Liberal Democrats Martyn G. Smith 6,179 14.9 Increase 1.8
Referendum Graham Mulley 1,472 3.5 New
Majority 13,584 32.8 Increase 26.3
Turnout 41,487 65.4 Decrease 10.3
Labour hold Swing Increase 13.6
General election 1992: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Snape 19,913 46.2 Increase 3.6
Conservative Crispin Blunt 17,100 39.7 Decrease 0.6
Liberal Democrats Martyn G. Smith 5,630 13.1 Decrease 4.0
National Front John Lord 477 1.1 New
Majority 2,813 6.5 Increase 4.2
Turnout 43,120 75.7 Increase 2.5
Labour hold Swing Increase 2.1

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Snape 18,162 42.6 +4.5
Conservative Roger Woodhouse 17,179 40.3 +2.9
Liberal Martyn G. Smith 7,268 17.1 −7.4
Majority 983 2.3 +1.6
Turnout 42,609 73.2 +3.0
Labour hold Swing
General election 1983: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Snape 15,894 38.1 −8.9
Conservative Charles Cole 15,596 37.4 −4.8
Liberal Martyn G. Smith 10,200 24.5 +16.5
Majority 298 0.7 −4.1
Turnout 41,690 70.2 −0.9
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Snape 19,279 47.0 −3.5
Conservative J Wright 17,308 42.2 +10.8
Liberal Martyn G. Smith 3,228 7.9 −5.9
National Front C Allsopp 1,175 2.9 −1.4
Majority 1,971 4.8 −14.3
Turnout 40,990 71.1 +3.5
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Snape 19,942 50.5 −2.3
Conservative David Mellor 12,413 31.4 −8.8
Liberal JPT Hunt 5,442 13.8 New
National Front G Bowen 1,692 4.3 −2.7
Majority 7,529 19.1 +6.5
Turnout 39,489 67.6 −4.3
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: West Bromwich East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Snape 21,895 52.8 −2.4
Conservative DW Bell 16,686 40.2 −4.6
National Front Martin Webster 2,907 7.0 New
Majority 5,209 12.6
Turnout 41,488 71.9
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. ^ Consisting of 48 electors at the time of reassessment.

References

  1. ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – West Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Virgin Media - Official Site". Virgin Media.
  4. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  5. ^ "EU Referendum results". Democratic Dashboard. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  6. ^ 2010 post-revision map Greater London and metropolitan areas of England
  7. ^ "Conservatives take Tom Watson's former seat". BBC News. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 2)
  9. ^ "West Bromwich East Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Statement of Persons nominated 2017". Sandwell Borough Council. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  11. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

52°32′N 1°59′W / 52.54°N 1.98°W / 52.54; -1.98

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