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Eltham (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Eltham is a borough 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.
, in south-east London
. Before 1983, a constituency with similar boundaries was called Woolwich West
. It adjoins the following constituencies:
It is made up of seven electoral wards from the London Borough of Greenwich
:
, and as a consequence of changes to ward boundaries, the Boundary Commission for England recommended that part of Plumstead ward be transferred from Eltham to the constituency of Erith and Thamesmead; that parts of Glyndon ward and Woolwich Common ward be transferred from Eltham to Greenwich and Woolwich; and that parts of Middle Park and Sutcliffe ward, Eltham West ward and Kidbrooke with Hornfair ward be transferred from Greenwich and Woolwich to Eltham.
-raised comedian and Hollywood film star Bob Hope
, and more infamously, where the black youth Stephen Lawrence
was murdered, the seat was held by high profile Tory Peter Bottomley
for over two decades (as Woolwich West and then Eltham) before Labour gained the seat in 1997. After fairly comfortable victories then and in 2001, the Labour majority decreased quite significnatly in 2005, though Labour were able to resist the national swing against them in 2010 to hold the seat then..gif)
The Eltham Conservative Association became the first in London to select a candidate, David Gold, by means of an open primary election
where any voter on the electoral roll was entitled to attend and vote at a meeting chaired by Michael Portillo
on 31 July 2006 at the Bob Hope Theatre.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It elects one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Boundaries
The constituency is located in the London Borough of GreenwichLondon Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
, in south-east London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Before 1983, a constituency with similar boundaries was called Woolwich West
Woolwich West (UK Parliament constituency)
Woolwich West was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It was based around Eltham, now in the London Borough of Greenwich in south-east London....
. It adjoins the following constituencies:
- Bromley and Chislehurst
- Erith and Thamesmead
- Greenwich and Woolwich
- Lewisham East
- Old Bexley and Sidcup
It is made up of seven electoral wards from the London Borough of Greenwich
London Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
:
- Coldharbour and New Eltham, Eltham North, Eltham South, Eltham West, Kidbrooke with Hornfair, Middle Park and Sutcliffe, Shooters Hill
Boundary review
Following their review of parliamentary representation in South LondonSouth London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, and as a consequence of changes to ward boundaries, the Boundary Commission for England recommended that part of Plumstead ward be transferred from Eltham to the constituency of Erith and Thamesmead; that parts of Glyndon ward and Woolwich Common ward be transferred from Eltham to Greenwich and Woolwich; and that parts of Middle Park and Sutcliffe ward, Eltham West ward and Kidbrooke with Hornfair ward be transferred from Greenwich and Woolwich to Eltham.
History
Famous as the birthplace of AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-raised comedian and Hollywood film star Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, and more infamously, where the black youth Stephen Lawrence
Stephen Lawrence
Stephen Lawrence was a black British teenager from Eltham, southeast London, who was stabbed to death while waiting for a bus on the evening of 22 April 1993....
was murdered, the seat was held by high profile Tory Peter Bottomley
Peter Bottomley
Sir Peter James Bottomley is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Worthing West...
for over two decades (as Woolwich West and then Eltham) before Labour gained the seat in 1997. After fairly comfortable victories then and in 2001, the Labour majority decreased quite significnatly in 2005, though Labour were able to resist the national swing against them in 2010 to hold the seat then.
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
where any voter on the electoral roll was entitled to attend and vote at a meeting chaired by Michael Portillo
Michael Portillo
Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo is a British journalist, broadcaster, and former Conservative Party politician and Cabinet Minister...
on 31 July 2006 at the Bob Hope Theatre.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 United Kingdom general election, 1983 The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945... |
Peter Bottomley Peter Bottomley Sir Peter James Bottomley is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Worthing West... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997 The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general... |
Clive Efford Clive Efford Clive Stanley Efford is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Eltham since 1997.-Early life:... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
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