Tooting (UK Parliament constituency)

Boundaries

Historic

1974–1983: The London Borough of Wandsworth wards of Bedford, Furzedown, Graveney, Springfield, and Tooting.

1983–2010: As above plus Earlsfield, and Nightingale

2010–2022: As above minus Springfield, plus Wandsworth Common.

Current

Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2022, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the London Borough of Wandsworth from the 2024 general election:

• Balham (part); Furzedown; South Balham; Tooting Bec; Tooting Broadway; Trinity; Wandle; Wandsworth Common; and a small part of Wandsworth Town. The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.

Tooting is the south-eastern third of the London Borough of Wandsworth. In addition to Tooting, it includes the districts of Earlsfield, Furzedown and Streatham Park and part of Balham. The constituency includes part of Wandsworth Common, a rectangular open space that lends its name to one of the seven wards.

Tooting between 2010 and 2024 was bordered to the west by Putney and Wimbledon; to the other three compass points by Mitcham and Morden, Streatham and Battersea.

Following boundary changes first used for the 2024 general election, Tooting is bordered to the west by Putney and Wimbledon, to the south by Mitcham and Morden, to the east by Streatham and Croydon North and to the north by Battersea and Clapham and Brixton Hill.

History

The constituency was created for the February 1974 election from areas which, prior to that election, were within Battersea South, Streatham and Wandsworth Central.

Political history

Held by Labour since its creation, Tooting was a target seat for the Conservatives at the 2010 general election after the party made gains in local elections. However, Sadiq Khan was able to retain the seat for Labour. The Conservatives have generally performed best in the northern half of the seat - Balham, Earlsfield and Wandsworth Common - whereas Labour are strongest in the southern half, which covers Tooting itself and Furzedown.

The 2015 general election result gave the seat the twenty-fourth-most marginal majority of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority. Had the majority obtained by Allin-Khan at her 2016 by-election win been part of the 2015 results, the seat would have been the 136th safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.

In the 2016 referendum to leave the European Union, the constituency voted remain by 74.7%.

;Local government indications As in the other two constituencies located in the London Borough of Wandsworth, voters have in part supported the Conservatives at local level; however, the southern area has strong enough Labour support to have consistently returned at least seven Labour councillors since 1992.

Prominent frontbenchers

Sadiq Khan, a solicitor by profession, was the Minister of State for Transport and Minister of State for Communities in the government of Gordon Brown. In opposition after 2010, he became the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor. He was the Labour Party's candidate in the 2016 London mayoral election, and was subsequently elected as Mayor of London. Following his election, Khan announced his intention to resign as MP for Tooting, and on 9 May 2016 he was appointed to the ancient office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of The Three Chiltern Hundreds, triggering a by-election.

Constituency profile

The modern Tooting constituency is a simplified name, as it contains much of Balham, Wandsworth Common and Earlsfield, yet the southernmost parts of the area that self-identifies as Tooting are actually in the London Borough of Merton and so in the Mitcham and Morden seat.

Transport links to Central London are good, and the population has expanded steadily due to the area's popularity with commuters looking for affordable property.

Unemployment benefit claimants and registered jobseekers, in November 2012 were lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 3.2% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

|reg. electors = 76,082

Elections in the 2010s

|reg. electors = 76,933

|reg. electors = 77,971 |reg. electors = 74,701 |reg. electors = 76,782 |reg. electors = 73,840

Elections in the 2000s

|reg. electors = 70,510 |reg. electors = 68,447

Elections in the 1990s

|reg. electors = 66,536 |reg. electors = 68,306

Elections in the 1980s

|reg. electors = 68,116 |reg. electors = 68,083

Elections in the 1970s

|reg. electors = 50,962 |reg. electors = 53,793 |reg. electors = 53,443

Notes

References

References

1. LGBCE. "Wandsworth {{!}} LGBCE".
2. "The London Borough of Wandsworth (Electoral Changes) Order 2021".
3. "New Seat Details - Tooting".
4. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
5. "Election Maps".
6. "Labour Members of Parliament 2015".
7. "Revised estimates of leave vote in Westminster constituencies".
8. (10 May 2016). "Sadiq Khan resigns as MP for Tooting". [[UK Parliament]].
9. [https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/nov/17/unemployment-and-employment-statistics-economics Unemployment claimants by constituency] ''[[The Guardian]]''
10. "Election results for Tooting".
11. "Statement of Persons Nominated".
12. "Tooting parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
13. (29 Jan 2019). "General Election 2017: results and analysis". House of Commons Library.
14. Council, Wandsworth. "Tooting by-election candidate list published - News - Wandsworth Council".
15. Council, Wandsworth. "Tooting Constituency by-election result June 2016 - Tooting Constituency by-election result June 2016 - Wandsworth Council".
16. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
17. Council, Wandsworth. "Tooting Constituency - Parliamentary election results May 2015 - Wandsworth Council".
18. "Tooting parliamentary constituency - Election 2015 - BBC News".
19. "General Election 2015 Candidates - Liberal Democrats".
20. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
21. "Election 2010". BBC News.
22. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
23. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
24. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
25. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
26. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
27. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].