County Greater London Created 1950 Member of parliament David Burrowes | Electorate 64,932 (December 2010) European Parliament constituency London | |
Enfield Southgate is a constituency created in 1950 represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005 by David Burrowes, a Conservative.
Contents
History
From 1950 to the February 1974 general election, this constituency was known as Southgate.
The seat gained national attention in the 1997 general election when Michael Portillo, Secretary of State for Defence was unexpectedly defeated on a massive swing. Portillo had been widely expected to contest the Conservative leadership and his defeat the media took to epitomise the Labour landslide victory. The victorious candidate, Stephen Twigg, increased his majority at the following election. In the 2005 general election, Twigg's majority was the largest overturned, with a swing of 8.7% to the Conservative candidate David Burrowes.
The 2015 result gave the seat the 60th most marginal majority of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.
Constituency profile
The constituency is in the west of the London Borough of Enfield and generally more affluent than other parts of the borough. It is more cosmopolitan than many other Conservative London suburban constituencies including sizeable Jewish, Muslim and Cypriot communities. In recent years the south-eastern wards of the constituency including Bowes and Palmers Green tend to return Labour local councillors, but in the remainder of the wards overall Southgate has tended to give majorities to the Conservatives and elects Conservative local councillors. To the north the seat becomes semi-rural as it takes in Trent Park and the former campus of Middlesex University, and the Cockfosters terminus of the Piccadilly line. It stretches into the wealthy Hadley Wood area. Some areas (smaller than local government wards) in the south of the constituency have middle rankings of deprivation when placed in a complete list of wards (such as the 2000 Index of Multiple Deprivation), however all other output areas lack any significant deprivation.
Boundaries
1950-1965: The Municipal Borough of Southgate.
1965-1974: Southgate as part of the London Borough of Enfield.
1974-1983: The London Borough of Enfield wards of Arnos, Bowes, Cockfosters, Grange, Highfield, Oakwood, Palmers Green, Southgate Green, West, and Winchmore Hill.
1983-2010: The London Borough of Enfield wards of Arnos, Bowes, Grange, Grovelands, Highfield, Merryhills, Oakwood, Palmers Green, Southgate Green, Trent, and Winchmore Hill.
2010–present: The London Borough of Enfield wards of Bowes, Cockfosters, Grange, Palmers Green, Southgate, Southgate Green, and Winchmore Hill.
5th Boundary review 2000-2007
Following its review of parliamentary representation in North London, the Boundary Commission for England made some changes to Enfield, Southgate. Part of Highlands ward was transferred to the constituency of Enfield North, and part of Grange ward was transferred from Enfield North to Enfield, Southgate. Parts of Grange ward, Bowes ward and Palmers Green ward were transferred to Enfield, Southgate from Edmonton. Part of Bush Hill Park ward and a tiny part of Upper Edmonton ward were transferred to Edmonton.
6th Boundary review 2015-2018
In the first draft proposal of the Review, the Constituency would be broken up, with Cockfosters Ward joining an enlarged [Chipping Barnet, Grange Ward joining Enfield North, renamed as Enfield, Palmers Green returning to Edmonton, and the remainder joining parts of Finchley in a new Southgate and Finchley Constituency.