Mitcham and Morden is a constituency[n 1] in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Dame Siobhain McDonagh of the Labour Party.[n 2]
History
The constituency was created in 1974 from the former seats of Mitcham and Merton & Morden.
Between 1974 and 1982 it was represented by Bruce Douglas-Mann who was elected as a Labour MP but defected in 1982 to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Douglas-Mann was the sole SDP defector to resign his seat; he sought immediate re-election.
In the by-election Douglas-Mann triggered in May 1982, during the Falklands War, Angela Rumbold (Con) was elected. Rumbold's gain was the last time the Conservative Party would gain (as opposed to hold) at a by-election until 22 May 2008 when Edward Timpson won the Crewe and Nantwich by-election.
At the 1997 general election the seat was won by the Labour Party's Siobhain McDonagh. At the 2001, 2005 and 2010 General Elections, she was re-elected, in the latter election polling the 26th highest share of the vote for the party of the 631 seats contested.[2]
The 2015 re-election of McDonagh made the seat the 41st safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority and 14th safest in the capital.[3] The seat is one of the capital's two seats in which its majority in 2015 surpassed the Labour Party's landslide 1997 victory (the other being Ilford South).
Boundaries
Historic
1974–1983: The London Borough of Merton wards of Mitcham Central, Mitcham East, Mitcham North, Mitcham South, Mitcham West, Morden, and Ravensbury.
1983–2010: Upon redrawing of most of the local government wards, the London Borough of Merton wards of Colliers Wood, Figge's Marsh, Graveney, Lavender, Longthornton, Lower Morden, Phipps Bridge, Pollards Hill, Ravensbury, and St Helier.
2010–2024: As above except Cricket Green ward replaced Phipps Bridge and Lavender ward was renamed Lavender Fields following a local authority boundary review.
Current
Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was expanded to include the Cannon Hill ward, transferred from Wimbledon.[4]
- Cannon Hill, Colliers Wood, Cricket Green, Figge's Marsh, Graveney, Lavender Fields, Longthornton, Lower Morden, Merton Park, Pollards Hill, Ravensbury, and St Helier.
Constituency profile
The seat is relatively dense suburban — predominantly the housing divides into terraced houses and low-rise apartments in southern parts of Tooting and Streatham at the northern end of the seat. In the south-west of the constituency is the most affluent part, Lower Morden. The name Mitcham and Morden is a partial misnomer — the area of the modern town centre around Morden tube station is in the Wimbledon constituency.
In the middle, the former coaching stop town of Mitcham with its ancient cricket green retains some village-like characteristics and had relatively poor transport connections until the opening of the Tramlink in 2000. In the 20th century, Mitcham became surrounded by modern council housing and light industry. Housing varies between the large rented sector, privately acquired properties much of which due to the Thatcher Ministry-introduced right to buy and significant dependence in certain areas on social housing.[5]
Across the borough, around 40% of the population are ethnic minorities.[6][7]
Members of Parliament
Election results
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
See also
Notes
References
- ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – London". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ "General Election Results from the Electoral Commission".
- ^ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 3 London region.
- ^ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
- ^ "UKPollingReport Election Guide 2010 » Mitcham and Morden".
- ^ "2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "M" (part 3)
- ^ "Mitcham & Morden Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Mitcham & Morden Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ "Merton Council Statement of Persons Nominated Mitcham and Morden General Election 2017" (PDF). Merton Council. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ^ "Mitcham & Morden parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
- ^ "General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2018.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ Services, CS-Democracy (7 May 2015). "Councillors". democracy.merton.gov.uk.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Mitcham & Morden". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Retrieved 25 December 2010.
- ^ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.120 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
- ^ "'Mitcham and Morden', May 1997 -". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1979-83 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
- ^ a b c Election Expenses. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 1980. p. 18. ISBN 0102374805.
- ^ Michael Stead. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
External links
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51°24′04″N 0°10′34″W / 51.401°N 0.176°W / 51.401; -0.176