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Bexleyheath (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 51°27′N 0°08′E / 51.45°N 0.14°E / 51.45; 0.14
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Bexleyheath
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Bexleyheath in for the 1983 general election
CountyGreater London
February 1974–1997
SeatsOne
Created fromBexley
Replaced byBexleyheath & 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.

Politics and history of the constituency

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

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

Boundaries

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Dates Local authority Maps Wards
1974–1983 London Borough of Bexley Brampton, Christchurch, Danson, East Wickham, Falconwood, St Michael's, and Upton.
1983–1997 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

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

Election results

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Elections in the 1970s

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1970 notional result[4]
Party Vote %
Conservative 20,500 51.3
Labour 15,700 39.3
Liberal 2,500 6.3
Others 1,300 3.3
Turnout 40,000 76.3
Electorate 52,450
General election February 1974: Bexleyheath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cyril Townsend 18,541 43.3 –7.9
Labour Co-op John Cartwright 14,675 34.3 –5.0
Liberal W. Pickard 9,575 22.4 +16.1
Majority 3,866 9.0 –3.0
Turnout 42,791 84.6 +8.4
Registered electors 50,558
Conservative hold Swing –1.5
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 –5.0
Majority 1,987 5.0 –4.0
Turnout 39,693 77.8 −6.8
Registered electors 51,022
Conservative hold Swing −2.0
General election 1979: Bexleyheath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cyril Townsend 21,888 53.7 +9.9
Labour Richard Blackwell[5] 13,342 32.7 −6.1
Liberal John Crowhurst[5] 4,782 11.7 −5.6
National Front Alan Wilkens[5] 749 1.8 New
Majority 8,546 21.0 +16.0
Turnout 40,761 80.1 +2.3
Registered electors 50,872
Conservative hold Swing +8.0
1979 notional result[6]
Party Vote %
Conservative 26,007 54.2
Labour 15,620 32.6
Liberal 5,459 11.4
Others 875 1.8
Turnout 47,961
Electorate

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1983: Bexleyheath[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cyril Townsend 23,411 53.1 −1.2
Liberal Barry Standen 13,153 29.8 +18.4
Labour Andrew Erlam 7,560 17.1 −15.4
Majority 10,258 23.3 +1.6
Turnout 44,124 74.5 −5.6
Registered electors 59,263
Conservative hold Swing −9.8
General election 1987: Bexleyheath[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cyril Townsend 24,866 53.7 +0.7
Liberal Barry Standen 13,179 28.5 −1.3
Labour James Little 8,218 17.8 +0.6
Majority 11,687 25.3 +2.0
Turnout 46,263 77.8 +3.4
Registered electors 59,448
Conservative hold Swing +1.0

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1992: Bexleyheath[9][10]
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
Registered electors 57,684
Conservative hold Swing −3.1

See also

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Notes and references

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  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. ^ Michael Stead. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Election Expenses. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 1980. p. 9. ISBN 0102374805.
  6. ^ "BBC/ITN NOTIONAL ELECTION 1979". election.demon.co.uk. BBC/ITN. Archived from the original on 28 May 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  7. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.

51°27′N 0°08′E / 51.45°N 0.14°E / 51.45; 0.14

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