Beckenham
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Beckenham in Greater London
CountyGreater London
Population87,011 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate66,470 (December 2010)[2]
BoroughLondon Borough of Bromley
Current constituency
Created1950
Member of ParliamentBob Stewart (Independent)
SeatsOne
Created fromBromley and Orpington
Detailed map of the post-2010 form of this Westminster seat (red) in the London Borough of Bromley (yellow)

Beckenham (/ˈbɛkənəm/) is a constituency[n 1] in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Bob Stewart, an independent, formerly a member of the Conservative Party.[n 2]

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency was subject to major boundary changes and renamed Beckenham and Penge.[3]

Constituency profile

The constituency is mostly leafy and suburban — one widely known gazetteer summarised this in 2012:

"The properties on these streets typically include a range of styles, from modern to Mock Tudor. However many local residents are wealthy city commuters. Keston Common and Keston Ponds are both popular attractions for locals...The common theme is large, detached houses with substantial land and typically with asking prices of over £1 million. At the lower end of the market, a one bedroom period conversion flat on Turpington Lane near Bromley Common, or a one bedroom flat in a modern block on Homesdale Road, near the Bickley border, would demand an asking price of approximately £160,000."[4]

There are significant areas of open land to the south around Hayes and Keston. The upmarket town centre of Beckenham is split between this constituency and Lewisham West and Penge to the west.

All wards have voted between 60 and 70% Conservative since the seat's inception. In times when Labour has led in the national polls the seat has remained Conservative. The smallest majority in a general election was 9.3%, in 1997; in all other elections except 2001 there have been majorities of more than 15%. The seat happened to become safer in its cut down to six wards (from ten) in 2010. This removed the three most Labour inclined wards of the borough, centered on Penge, and one other, taken from the more suburban parts that lean strongly or weakly Conservative.

Since 1983 there has been a close contest for second place between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Labour's share has remained much greater than in Orpington whereas the Liberal Democrat share has remained much greater than in Croydon Central.[n 3]

History

Fourth and present form of the seat, since the 2010 general election

The constituency has only elected Conservatives as its MPs since 1950.

The constituency shared boundaries with the Beckenham electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981.

The closest the Conservatives have ever come to losing this seat was at a by-election in November 1997, at the height of Tony Blair's 'honeymoon period' as Prime Minister, following the resignation of the previous MP Piers Merchant in a sex scandal. Even then, the former MP for Hastings who lost her seat in the earlier 1997 general election, Jacqui Lait, managed to win the seat by just over 1,000 votes.

Between 1957 and 1992 the long-serving MP for Beckenham was Sir Philip Goodhart, who was soon after 1979 discovered by Margaret Thatcher to be a right-of-centre or 'wet conservative' and consequently his career as a junior minister came to a quick end. Goodhart is best known for his book on the workings of the Conservative MPs' 1922 Committee, and for his brother Charles, who was a famous economics professor at LSE and sat for some time on the Bank of England's monetary policy committee.

Before Sir Philip Goodhart, the former Conservative Chief Whip Patrick Buchan-Hepburn represented Beckenham in Parliament.

Boundaries

Beckenham in Kent, boundaries used 1955-74

1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of Beckenham, and the Urban District of Penge.

1974–1983: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Anerley, Clock House, Copers Cope, Eden Park, Lawrie Park and Kent House, Manor House, Penge, and Shortlands.[5]

1983–1997: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Anerley, Clock House, Copers Cope, Eden Park, Kelsey Park, Lawrie Park and Kent House, Penge, and Shortlands.

1997–2010: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Anerley, Clock House, Copers Cope, Eden Park, Kelsey Park, Lawrie Park and Kent House, Penge, Shortlands, West Wickham North, and West Wickham South.

2010–present: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Bromley Common and Keston, Copers Cope, Hayes and Coney Hall, Kelsey and Eden Park, Shortlands, and West Wickham.

Despite the changes in ward names, the 1974–1983 boundaries and the 1983–1997 boundaries are almost exactly the same boundaries. Similarly, despite the changes in local authorities and the listing of wards, the 1950–1974 boundaries and the 1997–2010 boundaries are almost exactly the same.

Beckenham constituency covers the northwestern part of the London Borough of Bromley. The local government ward boundaries were redrawn for the 2002 local elections, though this did not affect parliamentary limits until the 2010 general election.

Pre-2010 boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in South London, the Boundary Commission for England made revisions to this seat. Clock House ward, Crystal Palace ward, and Penge and Cator ward were transferred from Beckenham to help create the new constituency of Lewisham West and Penge. Parts of Bromley Common and Keston, Hayes and Coney Hall, and Shortlands wards were transferred to Beckenham from Bromley and Chislehurst. A small part of Bromley Common and Keston ward was transferred to Beckenham from Orpington and a tiny part of Bromley Town ward was transferred from Beckenham to Bromley and Chislehurst.

Proposed boundary changes

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency has undergone major boundary changes, with eastern areas, comprising the Bromley Common and Keston, and Hayes and Coney Hall wards, being transferred to the new constituency of Bromley and Biggin Hill. To compensate, "Penge" (comprising the Clock House, Crystal Palace, and Penge and Cator wards) will be transferred from the current seat of Lewisham West and Penge, which is to be abolished. Accordingly, the seat will be renamed Beckenham and Penge, to be first contested at the next general election.[3] With the new boundary changes it is likely to become a Labour marginal seat.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[6] Party
1950 Patrick Buchan-Hepburn Conservative
1957 by-election Philip Goodhart Conservative
1992 Piers Merchant Conservative
1997 by-election Jacqui Lait Conservative
2010 Bob Stewart Conservative
2023 Independent

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Beckenham[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Stewart 27,282 54.0 –5.3
Labour Marina Ahmad 13,024 25.8 –4.3
Liberal Democrats Chloe-Jane Ross 8,194 16.2 +8.3
Green Ruth Fabricant 2,055 4.1 +1.4
Majority 14,258 28.2 –1.0
Turnout 50,555 73.6 –2.4
Registered electors 68,671
Conservative hold Swing –0.5
General election 2017: Beckenham[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Stewart 30,632 59.3 +2.0
Labour Marina Ahmad 15,545 30.1 +10.7
Liberal Democrats Julie Ireland 4,073 7.9 +1.0
Green Ruth Fabricant 1,380 2.7 –1.1
Majority 15,087 29.2 –8.7
Turnout 51,630 76.0 +2.8
Registered electors 67,925
Conservative hold Swing –4.3
General election 2015: Beckenham[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Stewart 27,955 57.3 –0.6
Labour Marina Ahmad 9,484 19.4 +4.9
UKIP Rob Bryant 6,108 12.5 +9.2
Liberal Democrats Anuja Prashar 3,378 6.9 –13.7
Green Ruth Fabricant[12] 1,878 3.8 +2.5
Majority 18,471 37.9 +0.6
Turnout 48,803 73.2 +1.2
Registered electors 67,439
Conservative hold Swing +6.6
General election 2010: Beckenham[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bob Stewart 27,597 57.9 –1.8
Liberal Democrats Stephen Jenkins 9,813 20.6 +4.5
Labour Damien Egan[14] 6,893 14.5 –4.9
UKIP Owen Brolly 1,551 3.3 +0.4
BNP Roger Tonks 1,001 2.1 New
Green Ann Garrett 608 1.3 New
English Democrat Dan Eastgate 223 0.5 New
Majority 17,784 37.3 +20.1
Turnout 47,686 72.0 +6.7
Registered electors 66,219
Conservative hold Swing –3.15

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Beckenham[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jacqui Lait 22,183 45.3 0.0
Labour Liam K. Curran 13,782 28.1 –6.3
Liberal Democrats Jef W. Foulger 10,862 22.2 +6.2
UKIP James D. C. Cartwright 1,301 2.7 +1.0
Independent Roderick A. Reed 836 1.7 New
Majority 8,401 17.2 +6.3
Turnout 48,964 65.5 +2.9
Registered electors 74,706
Conservative hold Swing +3.1
General election 2001: Beckenham[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jacqui Lait 20,618 45.3 +2.8
Labour Richard F. Watts 15,659 34.4 +1.0
Liberal Democrats Alexander D. Feakes 7,308 16.0 –2.1
Green Karen A. Moran 961 2.1 New
UKIP Christopher N. Pratt 782 1.7 +0.8
Liberal Rif Winfield 234 0.5 –0.8
Majority 4,959 10.9 +7.2
Turnout 45,562 62.6 –11.7
Registered electors 72,772
Conservative hold Swing +0.9

Elections in the 1990s

1997 Beckenham by-election[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jacqui Lait 13,162 41.3 −1.2
Labour Robert Nigel Hughes 11,935 37.4 +4.0
Liberal Democrats Rosemary Elizabeth Vetterlein 5,864 18.4 +0.2
Liberal Phil Hocknell Rimmer 330 1.0 –0.3
National Front John Charley McAuley 267 0.8 +0.1
Referendum Leonard Francis Mead 237 0.7 –2.3
Independent John Campion 69 0.2 New
Natural Law John Douglas Small 44 0.1 New
Majority 1,227 3.9 –5.2
Turnout 31,908 43.6 –31.1
Registered electors 73,127
Conservative hold Swing –2.6
General election 1997: Beckenham[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Piers Merchant 23,084 42.5 –14.4
Labour Robert Nigel Hughes 18,131 33.4 +9.5
Liberal Democrats Rosemary Elizabeth Vetterlein 9,858 18.1 +0.7
Referendum Leonard Francis Mead 1,663 3.1 New
Liberal Phil Hocknell Rimmer 720 1.3 –0.1
UKIP Christopher Norman Pratt 506 0.9 New
National Front John Charles McAuley 388 0.7 New
Majority 4,953 9.1 –23.9
Turnout 54,350 74.7 –3.2
Registered electors 72,807
Conservative hold Swing –11.9
General election 1992: Beckenham[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Piers Merchant 26,323 56.9 +0.6
Labour Ken Ritchie 11,038 23.9 +6.1
Liberal Democrats Mary Christine Williams 8,038 17.4 –8.5
Liberal Gerry Williams 643 1.4 N/A
Natural Law Patrick Johnston Shaw 243 0.5 N/A
Majority 15,285 33.0 +2.6
Turnout 46,285 77.9 +5.1
Registered electors 59,440
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Beckenham[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 24,903 56.3 –1.1
Liberal Colin Darracot 11,439 25.9 –0.7
Labour Ken Ritchie 7,888 17.8 +2.3
Majority 13,464 30.4 –0.4
Turnout 44,230 72.8 +3.5
Registered electors 60,718
Conservative hold Swing –0.2
General election 1983: Beckenham[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 23,606 57.4 +0.5
Liberal Christina Forrest 10,936 26.6 +11.7
Labour Jim Dowd 6,386 15.5 –9.6
BNP Geoffrey Watt Younger 203 0.5 N/A
Majority 12,670 30.8 -1.0
Turnout 41,131 69.3 –5.4
Registered electors 59,384
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 24,607 56.85 +9.16
Labour Jonathan Watkin Mordecai 10,856 25.08 –1.75
Liberal Christina Maria Forrest 6,450 14.90 –10.58
Ecology Wilfred Vernon 762 1.76 New
National Front Nigel Vernon Dickson 606 1.40 New
Majority 13,751 31.77 +10.91
Turnout 43,281 74.70 +4.92
Registered electors 57,939
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 19,798 47.69 –1.39
Labour Nicholas John Sharp 11,140 26.83 +3.29
Liberal Graham Donald Mitchell 10,578 25.48 –1.91
Majority 8,658 20.86 –0.83
Turnout 41,516 69.78 –9.57
Registered electors 59,497
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 22,976 49.08
Liberal Graham Donald Mitchell 12,821 27.39
Labour Nicholas John Sharp 11,018 23.54
Majority 10,155 21.69
Turnout 46,815 79.35
Registered electors 58,995
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 30,763 57.83 +6.30
Labour Inigo Geoffrey Bing 13,031 24.50 –2.25
Liberal Philip Alan Golding 9,404 17.68 –4.04
Majority 17,732 33.33 +8.55
Turnout 53,198 68.74 –9.04
Registered electors 77,385
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 28,837 51.53 –1.95
Labour John Grant 14,972 26.75 +3.03
Liberal Philip Alan Golding 12,155 21.72 –1.08
Majority 13,865 24.78 -4.98
Turnout 55,964 77.78 +0.43
Registered electors 71,952
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 30,070 53.48 –8.13
Labour Alistair Macdonald 13,338 23.72 +1.13
Liberal Hubert Holmes Monroe 12,821 22.80 +7.00
Majority 16,732 29.76 –9.26
Turnout 56,229 77.35 –3.40
Registered electors 72,692
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 36,528 61.61 –7.35
Labour Herbert Ferguson 13,395 22.59 –8.45
Liberal Hubert Holmes Monroe 9,365 15.80 New
Majority 23,133 39.02 +1.09
Turnout 59,288 80.75 +4.24
Registered electors 73,421
Conservative hold Swing
1957 Beckenham by-election[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Goodhart 29,621 62.94 –6.02
Labour Neville Sandelson 17,445 37.06 +6.02
Majority 12,176 25.88 –12.04
Turnout 47,066 64.70 –11.81
Registered electors 72,786
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Buchan-Hepburn 38,614 68.96 +1.58
Labour Charles F. A. Culling 17,377 31.04 –1.58
Majority 21,237 37.92 +3.16
Turnout 55,991 76.51 –5.87
Registered electors 73,177
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Buchan-Hepburn 41,282 67.38 +7.53
Labour A. Philip Magonet 19,982 32.62 +3.21
Majority 21,300 34.76 +4.32
Turnout 61,264 82.38 –4.11
Registered electors 74,370
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Beckenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Buchan-Hepburn 38,102 59.85
Labour Alexander Bain 18,723 29.41
Liberal Hubert Holmes Monroe 6,834 10.74
Majority 19,379 30.44
Turnout 63,659 86.49
Registered electors 73,605
Conservative 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. ↑ Both Orpington and Croydon Central are conservative neighbouring seats.

References

  1. ↑ "Beckenham: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  3. 1 2 "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – London | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "Area and Property Guide for br2 - Mouseprice". www.mouseprice.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (London Borough of Bromley) Order 1971. SI 1971/2112". Statutory Instruments 1971. Part III Section 2. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1972. pp. 6228–6230.
  6. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 1)
  7. ↑ Bromley, London Borough of. "Statement of Persons Nominated General Election 2019 - Beckenham constituency | London Borough of Bromley". www.bromley.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  8. ↑ "Beckenham parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  9. ↑ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  10. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ↑ Bromley, London Borough of. "London Borough of Bromley download - General Election May 2015 results Council and democracy - Elections and voting - Elections". www.bromley.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  12. ↑ FABRICANT, RUTH (24 April 2015). "Done. As you might have spotted, this is the twitter for the @Beckenham Green Party Candidate. @BeckBromFL @WoW_Bromley #GE2015". Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  13. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "PPC for Beckenham". Labour. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  15. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ↑ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1997-2002 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  21. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ↑ "1957 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2015.

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