Bexleyheath (UK Parliament constituency)

Bexleyheath
Former borough constituency for the House of Commons
County	Greater London
February 1974–1997
Seats	One
Created from	Bexley
Replaced by	Bexleyheath & Crayford, Old Bexley and Sidcup

Bexleyheath was a parliamentary constituency in south-east London, which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

It was created for the February 1974 general election, and abolished for the 1997 general election.

History

This safe Conservative seat was represented for its entire existence by Sir Cyril Townsend.

Boundaries

1974–1983: The London Borough of Bexley wards of Brampton, Christchurch, Danson, East Wickham, Falconwood, St Michael's, and Upton.

1983–1997: The London Borough of Bexley wards of Barnehurst, Barnehurst North, Brampton, Christchurch, Danson, East Wickham, Falconwood, St Michael's, and Upton.

This constituency in the London Borough of Bexley was centred on the district of Bexleyheath. It was split in 1997 when the Boundary Commission for England recommended an extra seat for the paired boroughs of Bexley and Greenwich.^[1] It was largely replaced by the new constituency of Bexleyheath and Crayford, with about a third of the constituency being added to the existing Old Bexley and Sidcup constituency.^[2]

Members of Parliament

Election		Member[3]	Party
	Feb 1974	Cyril Townsend	Conservative
	1997	constituency abolished: see Bexleyheath and Crayford & Old Bexley and Sidcup

Election results

Elections in the 1970s

General election February 1974: Bexleyheath

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cyril Townsend	18,541	43.3
	Labour Co-op	John Cartwright	14,675	34.3
	Liberal	W. Pickard	9,575	22.4
Majority			3,866	9.0
Turnout			42,791	84.6
	Conservative win (new seat)

General election October 1974: Bexleyheath

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cyril Townsend	17,399	43.8	+0.5
	Labour	J. Stanyer	15,412	38.8	+4.5
	Liberal	W. Pickard	6,882	17.3	−5.1
Majority			1,987	5.0	−4.0
Turnout			39,693	77.8	−6.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.0

General election 1979: Bexleyheath

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cyril Townsend	21,888	53.7	+9.9
	Labour	Richard Blackwell[4]	13,342	32.7	−6.1
	Liberal	John Crowhurst[4]	4,782	11.7	−5.6
	National Front	Alan Wilkens[4]	749	1.8	New
Majority			8,546	21.0	+16.0
Turnout			40,761	80.1	+2.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	+8.0

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Bexleyheath^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cyril Townsend	23,411	53.1	−1.1
	Liberal	Barry Standen	13,153	29.8	+18.4
	Labour	Andrew Erlam	7,560	17.1	−15.5
Majority			10,258	23.3
Turnout			44,124	74.5	−5.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	−9.8

General election 1987: Bexleyheath^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cyril Townsend	24,866	53.7	+0.6
	Liberal	Barry Standen	13,179	28.5	−1.3
	Labour	James Little	8,218	17.8	+0.7
Majority			11,687	25.2	+1.9
Turnout			46,263	77.8	+3.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.0

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Bexleyheath^[7]^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cyril Townsend	25,606	54.0	+0.3
	Labour	John Browning	11,520	24.3	+6.5
	Liberal Democrats	Wendy Chaplin	10,107	21.3	−7.2
	Independent	Roger W.C. Cundy	170	0.4	New
Majority			14,086	29.7	+4.5
Turnout			47,403	82.2	+4.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	−3.1

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in London

Notes and references

1. C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.12 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
2. C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.192 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
3. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 3)
4. Election Expenses. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 1980. p. 9. ISBN 0102374805.
5. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
6. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
7. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
8. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.

51.45°N 0.14°E / 51.45; 0.14