East Ham (UK Parliament constituency)

Constituency profile

East Ham is an urban and suburban constituency located in the Borough of Newham in the east of London. It covers the neighbourhoods of East Ham and Little Ilford. Most of the constituency is made up of dense Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing and the population has grown rapidly during the 21st century. The constituency has very high levels of deprivation and house prices are considerably lower than the London average.

In general, residents of the constituency are young and have low levels of education and homeownership. Household income is lower than the London average and residents are considerably less likely to work in professional occupations. A majority of the population (59%) were of Asian background at the 2021 census with Bangladeshis forming the largest individual ethnic group. White people were 20% of the population, less than half of whom were of White British background, and Black people were 13%. At the local council, all wards covered by the constituency are represented by Labour Party councillors. In the 2016 Brexit referendum, an estimated 53% of residents voted to remain in the European Union, higher than the nationwide figure but lower than the London average.

History

;Predecessor seats and constituent wards The seat was formed in 1997 when Newham North East and part of Newham South were replaced by the seat.

East Ham's wards have long been Labour strongholds. Ron Leighton (Lab) was MP for the old Newham North East from 1979 until his death in 1994.

;Summary of results Stephen Timms (Lab) has represented the seat since its creation in 1997. At the 2010 general election, Timms received the most votes of any MP (35,471) and largest majority (27,826) of any MP. The seat has the second-highest numerical majority and fourth-highest percentage of majority in the country, behind other staunch Labour "safe seats" in Merseyside. Every component ward has only Labour councillors (resulting from local elections) and the party's general election candidate has achieved an absolute majority in the five elections since creation, against a wide assortment of political parties.

The RESPECT Coalition stood a candidate once, hoping to benefit from opposition to the Iraq war in the 2005 general election which saw elsewhere their first MP, and took second place.

Boundaries

The constituency covers north-eastern parts of Newham, including East Ham, Little Ilford, Manor Park and Plashet.

1997–2010: The London Borough of Newham wards of Castle, Central, Greatfield, Kensington, Little Ilford, Manor Park, Monega, St Stephen's, South, and Wall End.

2010–2024: The London Borough of Newham wards of Beckton, Boleyn, East Ham Central, East Ham North, East Ham South, Green Street East, Little Ilford, Manor Park, Royal Docks, and Wall End.

2024–present: The London Borough of Newham wards of Boleyn, East Ham, East Ham South, Green Street East, Little Ilford, Manor Park, Plashet, Wall End, and small parts of Forest Gate South and Plaistow North.

Members of Parliament

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

|reg. electors = 88,316

|reg. electors = 83,928

|reg. electors = 87,382

|reg. electors = 90,674 This was the largest numerical majority of any seat in the 2010 general election.

Elections in the 2000s

|reg. electors = 78,110 |reg. electors = 71,255

Elections in the 1990s

|reg. electors = 66,111

Notes

References

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – London {{!}} Boundary Commission for England".
2. Office for National Statistics https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E09000025
3. "Constituency data: Deprivation in England".
4. "Seat Details - East Ham".
5. (4 July 2024). "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency".
6. "Labour Members of Parliament 2015".
7. "New Seat Details – East Ham".
8. {{Rayment-hc. e. 1. (March 2012)
9. (5 July 2024). "Election Results 2024". London Borough of Newham.
10. "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". [[UK Parliament]].
11. https://www.newham.gov.uk/Documents/Council%20and%20Democracy/StatementOfPersonsNominatedAndNoticeOfPollEastHam.pdf {{Dead link. (February 2022)
12. "East Ham parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
13. (29 January 2019). "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis". [[House of Commons Library]].
14. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
15. (2015-01-19). "Natalie Bennett's Green Party Candidates You'll Want To Be Mates With". The Debrief.
16. (4 February 2015). "TUSC parliamentary candidates in May 2015".
17. [http://www.newham.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4BC0D348-BFED-45FF-B3A4-44D2C7201901/0/StatementofpersonsnominatedEastHamconstituency.pdf Statement of Persons Nominated] {{Webarchive. link. (2011-09-28 , Newham Council)