Erith and Thamesmead
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Erith and Thamesmead in Greater London
CountyGreater London
Electorate69,718 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsErith, Plumstead and Thamesmead
Current constituency
Created1997
Member of ParliamentAbena Oppong-Asare (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromWoolwich and Erith & Crayford

Erith and Thamesmead (/ˈɪərɪθ ... tɛmzmiːd/) is a constituency[n 1] created in 1997 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Abena Oppong-Asare of the Labour Party.[n 2]

History

The seat was created for the 1997 general election from parts of the old Woolwich and Erith and Crayford constituencies.

John Austin was the MP for this constituency from its creation for the 1997 general election until he stepped down at the 2010 election. The seat was then held for Labour by a local activist Teresa Pearce, who defeated the Conservative candidate Colin Bloom, a councillor for Bickley ward in Bromley.

Pearce increased her majority at the 2015 general election to rank 125th of the party's 232 MPs then elected.[2]

2010 Labour selection controversy

In April 2009, an investigation took place into the tampering of ballot boxes and abuse of the postal vote system used for the selection of the prospective Labour candidate for Erith and Thamesmead. A rerun of the candidate selection ballot resulted in victory for Teresa Pearce.[3]

Constituency profile

The cross-border constituency of Erith and Thamesmead currently stretches from Plumstead, and Abbey Wood in the west, to Lesnes Heath, and Erith in the east. The Conservatives' strongest wards are in the Bexley part of the seat, in particular Northumberland Heath ward. The remaining wards from Bexley and Greenwich have traditionally seen more support for the Labour Party, in both local and national elections. There is a significant demographic divide within the seat, with Northumberland Heath being over 85% white, and Erith and Belvedere are also predominantly white. However, Thamesmead and Plumstead have much more diverse populations, where no single ethnic group has more than half of the population.

The eastern part of the seat includes significant areas of industry along the River Thames, including Crossness Sewage Treatment Works.

Boundaries

1997–2010: The London Borough of Bexley wards of Belvedere, Erith, Northumberland Heath, and Thamesmead East, and the London Borough of Greenwich wards of Abbey Wood, Eynsham, Glyndon, Lakedale, St Nicholas, and Thamesmead Moorings.

2010–present: The London Borough of Bexley wards of Belvedere, Erith, Lesnes Abbey, Northumberland Heath, and Thamesmead East, and the London Borough of Greenwich wards of Abbey Wood, Plumstead, and Thamesmead Moorings.

2010 Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in South London, and as a consequence of changes to ward boundaries, the Boundary Commission for England recommended that parts of Glyndon ward and Colyers ward be transferred from Erith and Thamesmead to the constituencies of Greenwich and Woolwich and Bexleyheath and Crayford respectively; that part of Plumstead ward be transferred to Erith and Thamesmead from Eltham; and that parts of Lesnes Abbey ward, Nothumberland Heath ward and Erith ward be transferred to Erith and Thamesmead from Bexleyheath and Crayford.

Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The London Borough of Bexley wards of: Belvedere; Erith; Thamesmead East.
  • The Royal Borough of Greenwich wards of: Abbey Wood; Glyndon; Plumstead; Shooters Hill; Thamesmead Moorings.[4]

The Greenwich Borough wards of Glyndon and Shooters Hill will be transferred from Greenwich and Woolwich, and Eltham (to be renamed Eltham and Chislehurst) respectively. To partly compensate, southernmost parts in Bexley Borough will be transferred to Bexleyheath and Crayford.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[5] Party
1997 John Austin Labour
2010 Teresa Pearce Labour
2019 Abena Oppong-Asare Labour

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

Next general election: Erith and Thamesmead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Abena Oppong-Asare[6]
Reform UK Michael Pastor[7]
Majority
Turnout

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Erith and Thamesmead[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Abena Oppong-Asare 19,882 48.0 -9.5
Conservative Joe Robertson 16,124 39.0 +4.0
Brexit Party Tom Bright 2,246 5.4 New
Liberal Democrats Sam Webber 1,984 4.8 +3.1
Green Claudine Letsae 876 2.1 +1.0
CPA Richard Mitchell 272 0.7 +0.2
Majority 3,758 9.0 -13.5
Turnout 41,284 63.3 -0.5
Registered electors 65,399
Labour hold Swing -6.7
General election 2017: Erith and Thamesmead[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Teresa Pearce 25,585 57.5 +7.7
Conservative Edward Baxter 15,571 35.0 +7.6
UKIP Ronie Johnson 1,728 3.9 -13.4
Liberal Democrats Simon Waddington 750 1.7 -0.6
Green Claudine Letsae 507 1.1 -1.1
CPA Temi Olodu 243 0.5 -0.1
Independent Doro Oddiri 80 0.2 New
Majority 10,014 22.5 +0.1
Turnout 44,464 63.8 +3.3
Registered electors 69,724
Labour hold Swing +0.1
General election 2015: Erith and Thamesmead[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Teresa Pearce 21,209 49.8 +4.9
Conservative Anna Firth 11,684 27.4 −4.1
UKIP Ronie Johnson 7,368 17.3 +14.6
Liberal Democrats Simon Waddington 972 2.3 −9.7
Green Ann Garrett 941 2.2 +1.4
CPA Sidney Cordle 255 0.6 −0.3
English Democrat Graham Moore 188 0.4 −0.7
Majority 9,525 22.4 +9.0
Turnout 42,617 60.5 -0.3
Registered electors 70,397
Labour hold Swing +4.5
General election 2010: Erith and Thamesmead[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Teresa Pearce 19,068 44.9 −7.7
Conservative Colin Bloom 13,365 31.5 +5.0
Liberal Democrats Alex Cunliffe 5,116 12.0 −0.8
BNP Kevin Saunders 2,184 5.1 +0.9
UKIP Pamela Perrin 1,139 2.7 −1.1
English Democrat Laurence Williams 465 1.1 New
Independent Abbey Akinoshun 438 1.0 New
CPA Sidney Cordle 379 0.9 New
Green Marek Powley 322 0.8 New
Majority 5,703 13.4 −17.1
Turnout 42,476 60.8 +7.1
Registered electors 69,900
Labour hold Swing −6.3

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Erith and Thamesmead[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Austin 20,483 54.4 −4.9
Conservative Chris R. Bromby 8,983 23.9 −1.9
Liberal Democrats Steven T. Toole 5,088 13.5 +2.1
BNP Brian Ravenscroft 1,620 4.3 New
UKIP Barrie R. Thomas 1,477 3.9 New
Majority 11,500 30.5 −3.0
Turnout 37,651 52.3 +2.1
Registered electors 72,058
Labour hold Swing −7.7
General election 2001: Erith and Thamesmead[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Austin 19,769 59.3 −2.8
Conservative Mark Brooks 8,602 25.8 +5.6
Liberal Democrats Barry Kempton 3,800 11.4 −0.6
Socialist Labour Hardev Singh Dhillon 1,180 3.5 New
Majority 11,167 33.5 -8.4
Turnout 33,351 50.2 -15.4
Registered electors 66,371
Labour hold Swing -4.2

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Erith and Thamesmead[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Austin 25,812 62.1
Conservative Nadhim Zahawi 8,388 20.2
Liberal Democrats Alex H.C. Grigg 5,001 12.0
Referendum John E. Flunder 1,394 3.4
BNP Victor J. Dooley 718 1.7
UKIP M.L. Jackson 274 0.7
Majority 17,424 41.9
Turnout 41,587 65.6
Registered electors 63,417
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, Erith and Thamesmead elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

  1. ↑ "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.
  2. ↑ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
  3. ↑ Kite, Melissa (18 April 2009). "Labour ballot box tampering row deepens – Telegraph". London: telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  4. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 3 London region.
  5. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  6. ↑ Abena Oppong-Asare [@abenaopp] (24 February 2022). "Delighted to be re-selected by @E_TLabour members and affiliates. It is a great privilege to be the Labour Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead. I look forward to working with local members to campaign for a much-needed Labour Government" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ↑ "Find My PPC" (PDF). Reform UK. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Erith & Thamesmead Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "Erith & Thamesmead parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  10. ↑ House Of Commons Library 2017 Election report http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf] House Of Commons Library 2017 Election report. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ↑ 9Jul15
  13. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  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. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

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