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Southend East and Rochford (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 51°33′N 0°49′E / 51.55°N 0.81°E / 51.55; 0.81
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Southend East and Rochford
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Southend East and Rochford in the East of England
CountyEssex
Electorate70,094 (2023) [1]
Major settlementsPrittlewell, Rochford, Shoeburyness, Southend, Thorpe Bay
Current constituency
Created1997
Member of ParliamentBayo Alaba (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromSouthend East, Rochford

Southend East and Rochford is a constituency[a] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Bayo Alaba, a member of the Labour Party.[b]

Prior to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, coming into effect at the 2024 general election, the constituency was known as Rochford and Southend East.[2]

Constituency profile

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Rochford and Southend East had a relatively marginal Conservative majority on its 1997 creation, as it had some of Labour's stronger wards in Southend, such as Kursaal, Milton, St. Luke's and Victoria, with the party nearly gaining its predecessor seat Southend East in 1966, and secondly in a by-election in 1980, though in the elections since a much larger majority suggests a Conservative safe seat. In more recent elections, it had become more marginal however than other Essex constituencies that elected Labour MPs in the 21st century such as Harlow and Basildon.

Dependency on social housing[3] and unemployment benefit in the constituency is low[4] and in the Rochford local council only 14.5% of households do not have a car (band 5 of 5 in the 2011 census) whereas 27% of households in the Southend part lack a car (band 2 of 5).[5]

Local government

Currently the 31 Council seats held in Rochford and Southend East are 7 Conservative (from Rochford), 10 Independent, 7 Labour, 5 Conservative and 2 UKIP (from Southend).

History

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This seat was created for the 1997 general election primarily from the abolished constituency of Southend East, with the addition of Rochford and Great Wakering, which were previously in the abolished Rochford constituency.

It was held by the Conservatives since its formation until 2024. The 2017 election saw a 5% swing to Labour, cutting Duddridge's majority by 3,928 votes. In the 2019 election however, a 7.4% swing from Labour to the Conservatives gave Duddridge a 12,286 majority; his largest ever majority under the seat's current boundaries.

At the 2024 election, Duddridge stood down and the constituency elected Bayo Alaba as its first Labour MP on a swing of 18.9%.

Boundaries

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1997–2010

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  • The Borough of Southend-on-Sea wards of Milton, St Luke's, Shoebury, Southchurch, Thorpe, and Victoria; and
  • The District of Rochford wards of Barling and Sutton, Foulness and Great Wakering East, Great Wakering Central, Great Wakering West, Rochford Eastwood, Rochford Roche, and Rochford St Andrews.[6]

2010–2024

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Map
Map of boundaries 2010-2024
  • The Borough of Southend-on-Sea wards of Kursaal, Milton, St Luke's, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe, Victoria, and West Shoebury; and
  • The District of Rochford wards of Barling and Sutton, Foulness and Great Wakering, and Rochford.[7]

Small reduction in electorate due to redistribution of local authority wards.

Current (Southend East and Rochford)

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Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The District of Rochford wards of: Foulness & The Wakerings; Roche North & Rural; Roche South.
  • The City of Southend-on-Sea wards of: Kursaal; Milton; Shoeburyness; Southchurch; Thorpe; Victoria; West Shoebury.[8]

St Luke's ward transferred to the newly named constituency of Southend West and Leigh. Minor gain of sparsely populated area to the north of the constituency from Rayleigh and Wickford.

The constituency covers the town of Rochford and the town centre, main seafront and eastern part of Southend-on-Sea, such as Thorpe Bay and Shoeburyness.

Members of Parliament

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Southend East and Rochford prior to 1997

Election Member[9] Party
1997 Sir Teddy Taylor Conservative
2005 Sir James Duddridge Conservative
2024 Bayo Alaba Labour

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Southend East and Rochford[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bayo Alaba 15,395 38.8 +7.5
Conservative Gavin Haran 11,368 28.7 –30.3
Reform UK Leslie Lilley[c] 7,214 18.2 N/A
Green Simon Cross 2,716 6.8 +6.7
Liberal Democrats James Allen 2,269 5.7 –0.7
Confelicity Lee Clark 488 1.2 N/A
Heritage Bianca Isherwood 206 0.5 N/A
Majority 4,027 10.1 N/A
Turnout 39,656 56.5 –5.1
Registered electors 70,217
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase18.9

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[12]
Party Vote %
Conservative 25,463 59.0
Labour 13,521 31.3
Liberal Democrats 2,775 6.4
Others 1,356 3.1
Green 42 0.1
Turnout 43,157 61.6
Electorate 70,094
General election 2019: Rochford and Southend East[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Duddridge 27,063 58.7 +10.0
Labour Ashley Dalton 14,777 32.0 –5.0
Liberal Democrats Keith Miller 2,822 6.1 +3.4
Independent Navin Kumar 1,107 2.4 N/A
Psychedelic Future Jason Pilley 367 0.8 N/A
Majority 12,286 26.7 +15.0
Turnout 46,136 61.0 –3.3
Conservative hold Swing +7.4
General election 2017: Rochford and Southend East[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Duddridge 23,013 48.7 +2.3
Labour Ashley Dalton 17,465 37.0 +12.3
Independent Ron Woodley 2,924 6.2 N/A
UKIP Neil Hookway 1,777 3.8 –16.7
Liberal Democrats Peter Gwizdala 1,265 2.7 –0.6
Green Simon Cross 804 1.7 –3.3
Majority 5,548 11.7 –10.0
Turnout 47,248 64.3 +3.7
Conservative hold Swing –5.0
General election 2015: Rochford and Southend East[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Duddridge 20,241 46.4 −0.5
Labour Ian Gilbert 10,765 24.7 +4.4
UKIP Floyd Waterworth[17] 8,948 20.5 +14.7
Green Simon Cross[18] 2,195 5.0 +3.3
Liberal Democrats Peter Gwizdala 1,459 3.3 –16.1
Majority 9,476 21.7 –4.9
Turnout 43,608 60.6 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing –2.4
General election 2010: Rochford and Southend East[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Duddridge 19,509 46.9 +1.5
Labour Kevin Bonavia[21] 8,459 20.3 −11.3
Liberal Democrats Graham Longley[22] 8,084 19.4 +4.7
UKIP James Moyies[23] 2,405 5.8 +0.9
BNP Geoff Strobridge[24] 1,856 4.5 N/A
Green Andrew Vaughan[25] 707 1.7 –1.8
Independent Anthony Chytry 611 1.5 N/A
Majority 11,050 26.6 +12.7
Turnout 41,631 58.5 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing +6.4

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Rochford and Southend East[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Duddridge 17,874 45.3 –8.3
Labour Fred Grindrod 12,384 31.4 –3.4
Liberal Democrats Graham Longley 5,967 15.1 +7.7
UKIP John Croft 1,913 4.8 N/A
Green Andrew Vaughan 1,328 3.4 +0.8
Majority 5,490 13.9 –4.9
Turnout 39,466 55.4 +2.7
Conservative hold Swing –2.4
General election 2001: Rochford and Southend East[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Teddy Taylor 20,058 53.6 +4.9
Labour Chris Dandridge 13,024 34.8 –4.9
Liberal Democrats Stephen Newton 2,780 7.4 –2.0
Green Adrian Hedges 990 2.6 N/A
Liberal Brian Lynch 600 1.6 –0.6
Majority 7,034 18.8 +8.8
Turnout 37,452 52.7 –11.0
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Rochford and Southend East[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Teddy Taylor 22,683 48.7
Labour Nigel Smith 18,458 39.7
Liberal Democrats Paula Smith 4,387 9.4
Liberal Brian Lynch 1,007 2.2
Majority 4,225 9.0
Turnout 46,535 63.7
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
  3. ^ After nominations for the 2024 general election closed, Reform UK withdrew support for Lilley on the 29 June, after reports of "offensive comments" on asylum seekers.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – Eastern | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Check Browser Settings". Neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  4. ^ Simon Rogers, John Burn-Murdoch and Ami Sedghi (17 November 2010). "Unemployment: the key UK data and benefit claimants for every constituency". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  5. ^ "2011 Census Interactive". ONS. 16 May 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  7. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  8. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
  10. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated, Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations, Southend East and Rochford". Southend-on-Sea City Council. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  11. ^ Morton, Becky (29 June 2024). "Reform UK drops three candidates over offensive comments". BBC News. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Rochford & Southend East Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Rochford & Southend East parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC News. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ [1] Archived 11 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "UK Polling Report". UK Polling Report. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  18. ^ "Eastern Region Green Party | Green Party announces its candidates for the East of England's seaside towns". Eastern.greenparty.org.uk. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Election 2010 | Constituency | Rochford & Southend East". BBC News. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  21. ^ "Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Labour Party. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  22. ^ "Rochford and Southend East & Southend West". Liberal Democrats (UK). Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  23. ^ "Eastern Counties Region". UKIP. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  24. ^ "Rochford and Southend East Announces Its BNP Parliamentary Candidate". BNP. 6 December 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  25. ^ "Green Party Parliamentary Candidate". South East Essex Green Party. 6 May 2010. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  26. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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51°33′N 0°49′E / 51.55°N 0.81°E / 51.55; 0.81

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