The seat covered Hampstead and West Hampstead, which are known for their large houses and affluent population, and to the west, the more working-class areas of Kilburn and Queen's Park.[3]
History
The constituency was created for the 2010 general election in which it was won by Labour's Glenda Jackson with a majority of 42 votes being the most marginal result in England; one smaller majority nationally was achieved, in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Hampstead and Kilburn was in 2010 the closest three-way marginal seat as the third-placed candidate obtained 841 fewer votes than the winner, approximately 1% of the electorate. In January 2013, Jackson announced that she would not seek re-election, one of 37 of her party's MPs who did so in the 2015 general election.
The seat was won by Labour candidate Tulip Siddiq. The 2015 result made the seat the 10th narrowest result of the party's 232 seats (by majority percentage).[4] Comparing the 2015 election to the 2010 election, the Liberal Democrat share of the vote fell by 25.6%, which compared to a national negative swing for the party of 15.2%.
Hampstead Town, Belsize, Swiss Cottage, Frognal and Fitzjohns, Fortune Green, West Hampstead, and Kilburn (Camden) were transferred from the former constituency of Hampstead and Highgate. Brondesbury Park, Kilburn (Brent) and part of Queens Park wards were transferred from the former constituency of Brent East. A small part of Queens Park ward was transferred from the former constituency of Brent South.
* Independent candidate Ronnie Carroll died[14] following the close of nominations for the 2015 general election. Under current rules, the election proceeded with his name on the ballot paper and would have been rerun had he won.[15]