Epping Forest | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Essex |
Electorate | 72,212 (December 2010)[1] |
Major settlements | Epping, Waltham Abbey, Loughton, Chigwell, Buckhurst Hill |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1974 |
Member of Parliament | TBC (TBC) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Epping Chigwell |
Epping Forest is a constituency[n 1] in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Eleanor Laing, a Conservative.[n 2]
The constituency includes the London commuter belt towns of Loughton, Epping and Chigwell (which are served by the Central line) and Waltham Abbey, as well as extensive areas of Metropolitan Green Belt including the majority of Epping Forest itself.
The seat was created for the February 1974 general election, primarily from part of the abolished constituency of Chigwell, together with parts of the abolished constituency of Epping, which was notably the seat held by Winston Churchill from 29 October 1924 – 15 June 1945.
When Epping Forest was first created, it was more favourable to the Conservatives than the old Epping seat, as it lost the new town of Harlow (part of the old Epping Rural District) and gained the more Conservative Chigwell Urban District. During the Thatcher period the Labour Party's vote was crushed. Even though the Liberals managed to move into second place, their vote did little more than follow national trends and as soon as 1987 their votes dropped away as well.
Two former candidates in the Epping Forest constituency have also stood for election as Mayor of London: Steve Norris (Conservative; MP 1988–97) and Julian Leppert (British National Party).
The majority of the new constituency, comprising the Urban District of Chigwell (incorporating Buckhurst Hill and Loughton), had previously been part of the abolished constituency of Chigwell. Remaining parts had previously been in the abolished constituency of Epping.
Minor loss to Brentwood and Ongar.
North Weald Bassett transferred from Harlow.
North Weald Bassett ward now transferred to Brentwood and Ongar. Other marginal changes due to redistribution of local authority wards.
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is unchanged.[6]
The constituency comprises Loughton, Epping, Waltham Abbey, Chigwell, Buckhurst Hill, Theydon Bois, part of North Weald, small intermediate villages and almost the whole of the ancient Forest itself, except those parts which were transferred to Greater London in 1965.
The constituency was created in 1974 from the seats of Epping and Chigwell — both of these (then one constituency, Epping) were represented by Winston Churchill throughout his tenure as Prime Minister during World War II. The Conservative Party has won in Epping Forest in every election since the creation of the constituency, and the present MP is the Conservative Dame Eleanor Laing, who has been a Deputy Speaker of the House since October 2013 and Chairman of Ways and Means since 2020.
Election | Member[7] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
Feb 1974 | Sir John Biggs-Davison | Conservative | |
1988 by-election | Steve Norris | Conservative | |
1997 | Eleanor Laing | Conservative |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Rosalind Doré[8] | ||||
Shared Ground | Thomas Hall[9] | ||||
Green | Simon Heap[10] | ||||
Conservative | Neil Hudson[11] | ||||
Independent | Ed Pond[12] | ||||
Liberal Democrats | Jon Whitehouse[13] | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 32,364 | 64.4 | +2.4 | |
Labour | Vicky te Velde | 10,191 | 20.3 | -5.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Jon Whitehouse | 5,387 | 10.7 | +5.0 | |
Green | Steven Neville | 1,975 | 3.9 | +1.5 | |
Young People's | Thomas Hall | 181 | 0.4 | +0.2 | |
SDP | Jon Newham | 170 | 0.3 | New | |
Majority | 22,173 | 44.1 | +8.1 | ||
Turnout | 50,268 | 67.7 | -0.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 31,462 | 62.0 | +7.2 | |
Labour | Liam Preston | 13,219 | 26.0 | +9.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Jon Whitehouse | 2,884 | 5.7 | -1.3 | |
UKIP | Patrick O'Flynn | 1,871 | 3.7 | -14.6 | |
Green | Simon Heap | 1,233 | 2.4 | -1.2 | |
Young People's | Thomas Hall | 110 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |
Majority | 18,243 | 36.0 | -0.5 | ||
Turnout | 50,779 | 67.9 | +0.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -0.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing[17] | 27,027 | 54.8 | +0.8 | |
UKIP | Andrew Smith[17] | 9,049 | 18.3 | +14.3 | |
Labour | Gareth Barrett | 7,962 | 16.1 | +1.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Jon Whitehouse[18] | 3,448 | 7.0 | −14.5 | |
Green | Anna Widdup | 1,782 | 3.6 | +2.2 | |
Young People's | Mark Wadsworth | 80 | 0.2 | New | |
Majority | 17,978 | 36.5 | +4.0 | ||
Turnout | 49,348 | 67.1 | +2.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 25,148 | 54.0 | +1.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Ann Haigh | 10,017 | 21.5 | +3.4 | |
Labour | Katie Curtis | 6,641 | 14.3 | −7.2 | |
BNP | Patricia Richardson | 1,982 | 4.3 | +0.2 | |
UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,852 | 4.0 | +1.7 | |
Green | Simon Pepper | 659 | 1.4 | New | |
English Democrat | Kim Sawyer | 285 | 0.6 | −0.9 | |
Majority | 15,131 | 32.5 | +1.2 | ||
Turnout | 46,584 | 64.5 | +2.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 23,783 | 53.0 | +3.9 | |
Labour | Bambos Charalambous | 9,425 | 21.0 | −8.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Michael Heavens | 8,279 | 18.5 | −0.1 | |
BNP | Julian Leppert | 1,728 | 3.9 | New | |
UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,014 | 2.2 | −0.8 | |
English Democrat | Robin Tilbrook | 631 | 1.4 | New | |
Majority | 14,358 | 32.0 | +12.2 | ||
Turnout | 44,860 | 61.6 | +3.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +6.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 20,833 | 49.1 | +3.6 | |
Labour | Christopher Naylor | 12,407 | 29.3 | −6.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Michael Heavens | 7,884 | 18.6 | +5.3 | |
UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,290 | 3.0 | New | |
Majority | 8,426 | 19.8 | +9.9 | ||
Turnout | 42,414 | 58.4 | −14.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 24,117 | 45.5 | −14.0 | |
Labour | Stephen Murray | 18,865 | 35.6 | +12.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Stephen Robinson | 7,074 | 13.3 | −3.7 | |
BNP | Paul Henderson | 743 | 1.4 | New | |
Majority | 5,252 | 9.9 | -26.2 | ||
Turnout | 53,750 | 72.9 | -7.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −13.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Steve Norris | 32,407 | 59.5 | −1.4 | |
Labour | Stephen Murray | 12,219 | 22.4 | +4.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Beryl Austen | 9,265 | 17.0 | −2.4 | |
Epping Forest Residents Association | Andrew O'Brien | 552 | 1.0 | New | |
Majority | 20,188 | 37.1 | −4.4 | ||
Turnout | 54,443 | 80.5 | +4.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −2.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Steven Norris | 13,183 | 39.5 | −21.6 | |
SLD | Andrew J. Thompson | 8,679 | 26.0 | +6.6 | |
Labour | Stephen Murray | 6,261 | 18.7 | +0.3 | |
SDP | Michael Pettman | 4,077 | 12.2 | New | |
Green | Andrew M. Simms | 672 | 2.0 | +0.7 | |
National Front | Tina Wingfield | 286 | 0.6 | New | |
Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 208 | 0.6 | New | |
Rainbow Alliance – Change the World | Jackie Moore | 33 | 0.1 | New | |
Vote no Belsen for South Africans | Brian G. Goodier | 16 | 0.0 | New | |
Majority | 4,504 | 13.5 | -28.0 | ||
Turnout | 33,415 | 49.1 | −27.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 31,536 | 60.9 | +4.4 | |
SDP | Anthony Humphris | 10,023 | 19.4 | −5.4 | |
Labour | Stephen Murray | 9,499 | 18.4 | +1.3 | |
Green | Richard Denhard | 695 | 1.3 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 21,513 | 41.5 | +9.8 | ||
Turnout | 51,753 | 76.3 | +4.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 27,373 | 56.5 | −1.2 | |
SDP | Michael Pettman | 11,995 | 24.8 | +12.0 | |
Labour | Hilary Bryan | 8,289 | 17.1 | −10.3 | |
Ecology | Robert Boenke | 452 | 0.9 | New | |
BNP | Sydney Smith | 330 | 0.7 | New | |
Majority | 15,378 | 31.7 | |||
Turnout | 48,439 | 72.0 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | −6.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 29,447 | 57.7 | +10.0 | |
Labour | William David Shepherd | 13,994 | 27.4 | −5.9 | |
Liberal | David Monro Kitching | 6,528 | 12.8 | −6.3 | |
National Front | Brian Clive Wilkins | 1,110 | 2.2 | New | |
Majority | 15,453 | 30.3 | +15.9 | ||
Turnout | 51,079 | 76.6 | +3.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +8.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 22,392 | 47.7 | +0.9 | |
Labour | Stanley James Palfreman | 15,618 | 33.3 | +2.2 | |
Liberal | Derek Frederick John Wood | 8,952 | 19.1 | −3.0 | |
Majority | 6,774 | 14.4 | -1.3 | ||
Turnout | 46,962 | 73.3 | -8.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −0.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 24,290 | 46.8 | −7.5 | |
Labour | William James Sheaff | 16,123 | 31.1 | −14.6 | |
Liberal | Derek Frederick John Wood | 11,478 | 22.1 | New | |
Majority | 8,167 | 15.7 | -7.1 | ||
Turnout | 51,891 | 81.8 | +8.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 35,010 | 54.3 | +9.2 | |
Labour | 29,506 | 45.7 | +4.3 | ||
Majority | 5,504 | 8.6 | +5.9 | ||
Turnout | 64,516 | 73.1 | -9.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 21,834 | 44.1 | |||
Labour | 20,504 | 41.4 | |||
Liberal | 7,202 | 14.5 | |||
Majority | 1,330 | 2.7 | |||
Turnout | 49,540 | 82.5 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
31.1% | 22.1% | 46.8% |
Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
33.3% | 19.1% | 47.7% |
Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
27.4% | 12.8% | 57.7% | |
Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
17.1% | 24.8% | 56.5% | ||
Labour | SDP | Conservative |
18.4% | 19.4% | 60.9% | |
Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
18.7% | 12.2% | 26.0% | 39.5% | ||||
Labour | SDP | Social and Liberal Democrats | Conservative |
22.4% | 17.0% | 59.5% | |
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative |
35.6% | 13.3% | 45.5% | |
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative |
29.3% | 18.6% | 49.1% | 3.0% |
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
21.0% | 18.5% | 53.0% | 3.9% | ||
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | BNP |
14.3% | 21.5% | 54.0% | 4.0% | 4.3% | ||
Lab | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP | BNP |
3.6% | 16.1% | 7.0% | 54.8% | 18.3% | |
Grn | Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
26.0% | 5.7% | 62.0% | 3.7% | ||
Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
3.9% | 20.3% | 10.7% | 64.4% | ||
Grn | Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative |