Basildon (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = Basildon
Map1 = Basildon
Map2 = Essex
Type = Borough
Year = 1974
Entity = Essex
County = Essex
EP = East of England
MP = Angela Smith
Party = Labour Co-operative

Basildon is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

It is one of the best known bellwether constituencies in the UK, having voted for the winning party in each election since its creation in 1974. The failure of the Labour Party to win it in the 1992 election — Basildon would be the first to declare of all the marginal seats — foreshadowed Labour's fourth straight defeat at the hands of the Conservative party.

Boundaries

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Essex, the Boundary Commission for England has made radical changes to all parliamentary constituencies in the county for the 2009/10 UK General Election. The current Basildon constituency is to be divided, with the larger part merged with Billericay to form a new Basildon and Billericay constituency, whilst the southern electoral wards will form a new constituency of South Basildon and East Thurrock

Profile

Basildon was a (famously) Conservative seat between 1979 and 1997 as the quintessential Essex man constituency based on the new town of Basildon. Much of its population has its origins in the East End of London, who as a group traditionally voted for the Labour Party.

However, throughout the 1980s and until the Labour landslide victory of 1997, many voters in the area transferred their loyalties to the Conservative Party. The MP throughout that period was David Amess, who himself originated from East London (Plaistow) ,and now holds the safer seat of Southend West.

Labour took the seat in 1997 and 2001 with a large majority, and in 2005 with a reduced majority. Basildon has thus proved to be a "bellwether" seat, voting for the eventual winning party since 1974.

Members of Parliament

Election results

2000s

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: BasildonElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Co-operative
candidate = Angela Smith
votes = 18,720
percentage = 43.4
change = -9.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Aaron Powell
votes = 15,578
percentage = 36.1
change = +2.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Martin Thompson
votes = 4,473
percentage = 10.4
change = +1.4Election box candidate with party link
party = British National Party
candidate = Emma Colgate
votes = 2,055
percentage = 4.8
change = +4.8Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Alix Blythe
votes = 1,143
percentage = 2.6
change = -0.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Vikki Copping
votes = 662
percentage = 1.5
change = +1.5Election box candidate with party link
party = English Democrats Party
candidate = Kim Gandy
votes = 510
percentage = 1.2
change = +1.2Election box majority
votes = 3,142
percentage = 7.3
change = Election box turnout
votes = 43,141
percentage = 58.4
change = +3.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Co-operative
swing = -5.8

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: BasildonElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Co-operative
candidate = Angela Smith
votes = 21,551
percentage = 52.7
change = -3.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Dominic Schofield
votes = 13,813
percentage = 33.8
change = +3.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Jane Smithard
votes = 3,691
percentage = 9.0
change = +0.3Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Frank Mallon
votes = 1,397
percentage = 3.4
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Alliance (England)
candidate = Dick Duane
votes = 423
percentage = 1.0
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 7,738
percentage = 18.9
change = Election box turnout
votes = 40,875
percentage = 55.1
change = -16.9Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Co-operative
swing =

1990s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1997: BasildonElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Co-operative
candidate = Angela Smith
votes = 29,646
percentage = 55.8
change = +15.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = John Baron
votes = 16,366
percentage = 30.8
change = -14.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Lindsay Granshaw
votes = 4,608
percentage = 8.7
change = -6.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = Craig Robinson
votes = 2,462
percentage = 4.6
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 13,280
percentage = 25.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 53,082
percentage = 72.0
change = -7.6Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Co-operative
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = 14.7

Due to constituency boundary changes between 1992 and 1997, the changes in percentage of vote share in 1997 are given relative to the notional 1992 results, which reflect what the results would have been in 1992 had the election been fought with the 1997 boundaries.

Election box begin
title=General Election 1992: BasildonElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = David Amess
votes = 24,159
percentage = 44.9
change = +1.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Co-operative
candidate = J Potter
votes = 22,679
percentage = 42.1
change = +3.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = G Williams
votes = 6,967
percentage = 12.9
change = -5.3Election box majority
votes = 1,480
percentage = 2.7
change = Election box turnout
votes = 53,805
percentage = 79.6
change = +6.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = 1.2

1980s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1987: BasildonElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = David Amess
votes = 21,858
percentage = 43.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Co-operative
candidate = J Fulbrook
votes = 19,209
percentage = 38.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = SDP-Liberal Alliance
candidate = R Auvray
votes = 9,139
percentage = 18.2
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,649
percentage = 7.17
change = Election box turnout
votes = 50,206
percentage = 73.3
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

See also

* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Essex