Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1950 onwards
Southend West and Leigh is a constituency [ n 1] in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament . In the 2024 general election the seat was won by David Burton-Sampson for Labour .[ 2] It was previously held by Anna Firth who won the 2022 by-election ,[ 3] following the murder of the incumbent MP , David Amess .[ 4] [ n 2]
Prior to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies , coming into effect at the 2024 general election , the constituency was known as Southend West .[ 5]
The constituency was created for the 1950 general election under the Representation of the People Act 1948 , when the Parliamentary Borough of Southend-on-Sea was split in two.
Because four members of the Guinness family have held the seat (or its predecessor, Southend ) it has been dubbed in political analyses in the media as "Guinness-on-Sea".[ 6]
The seat had historically been seen by pundits as a safe Conservative seat and from its creation until 2019, the seat was held by the Conservative Party , with majorities ranging from 5.7% during the Labour Landslide of 1997 to 43.4% in 1955.
The seat was represented by David Amess for 24 years, from 1997 to 15 October 2021, when he was murdered .[ 4] Amess was previously the MP for Basildon from 1983. A by-election was held to elect a replacement MP. In a similar vein to the subsequent by-election following the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016, all major contender parties stated they would not field candidates in opposition to the successful Conservative candidate, Anna Firth .[ 7]
At the 2024 general election it was won by Labour for the first time with a 35.6% share.[ 8] [ 9]
Boundaries and boundary changes [ edit ]
The County Borough of Southend-on-Sea wards of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh, Milton, Prittlewell, St Clements, Victoria, and Westborough.[ 10]
Formed primarily from western parts of the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Southend-on-Sea .
The County Borough of Southend-on-Sea wards of Blenheim, Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh, Prittlewell, St Clement's, Southbourne, and Westborough.[ 10]
Realignment of boundary with Southend East .
The Borough of Southend-on-Sea wards of Belfairs, Blenheim, Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh, Prittlewell, and Westborough.[ 11] [ 12]
Marginal changes following the redistribution of wards in the Borough of Southend-on-Sea .
Map of boundaries 2010-2024
The Borough of Southend-on-Sea wards of Belfairs, Blenheim Park, Chalkwell, Eastwood Park, Leigh, Prittlewell, St Laurence, Westborough, and West Leigh.[ 13]
Further marginal changes were due to a redistribution of local authority wards.
Current (Southend West and Leigh)[ edit ]
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies , which came into effect for the 2024 general election , the constituency comprises the whole of the current Southend West seat with the addition of St Luke's ward from Rochford and Southend East .[ 14]
The constituency comprises a small part of the west of Southend-on-Sea , and includes Leigh-on-Sea and Westcliff-on-Sea . It is bounded to the north and east by Rochford and Southend East , to the north by Rayleigh and Wickford , to the west by Castle Point , and to the south by the very end of the Thames Estuary .
Members of Parliament [ edit ]
Southend prior to 1950
Elections in the 2020s [ edit ]
Elections in the 2010s [ edit ]
Jack Monroe had previously been standing[ 24] for the National Health Action Party , before withdrawing their candidacy on 11 May 2017, citing death threats and concern for their health.[ 25] [ 26]
Elections in the 2000s [ edit ]
Elections in the 1990s [ edit ]
Elections in the 1980s [ edit ]
Elections in the 1970s [ edit ]
Elections in the 1960s [ edit ]
Elections in the 1950s [ edit ]
^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
^ 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.
^ "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 .
^ "Southend West and Leigh – General election results 2024" . BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024 .
^ "Southend West by-election: Anna Firth wins seat for the Conservative Party" . BBC News. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022 .
^ a b "Sir David Amess MP dead after stabbing in Leigh church" . Echo . 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021 .
^ "Eastern | Boundary Commission for England" . Boundary Commission for England . Retrieved 20 June 2023 .
^ Roth, Andrew (31 January 2007). "Lord Kelvedon" . The Guardian . London. Retrieved 23 May 2010 .
^ "Labour, Lib Dems and Greens won't stand candidates in Southend West by-election" . ITV News. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021 .
^ "Labour wins Southend East and Southend West seats" . Southend Echo . 5 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^ "Southend West and Leigh – General election results 2024" . BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024 .
^ a b Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972; . Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094 . OCLC 539011 .
^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983" . Legislation.gov.uk . Retrieved 8 September 2019 .
^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995" . Legislation.gov.uk . Retrieved 8 September 2019 .
^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007" . Legislation.gov.uk . Retrieved 8 September 2019 .
^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023" . Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 4)
^ "Statement of Persons Nominated, Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations, Southend West and Leigh" . Southend-on-Sea City Council . 7 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024 .
^ "Statement of persons nominated, notice of poll and situation in polling stations" . Southend Council . 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022 .
^ "Southend West by-election live updates: Residents vote to elect MP after Sir David Amess' death" . Essex Live . The turnout for the Southend West by election was 24.03 per cent of an electorate of 66,354
^ @BritainElects (4 February 2022). "Southend West parliamentary by-election, result" (Tweet ) – via Twitter .
^ "Election Results Southend West by-election 2022" . 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022 .
^ "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 .
^ "Southend West Parliamentary constituency" . BBC News. Retrieved 19 November 2019 .
^ "General Election 2017" . Southend Council . Retrieved 18 June 2017 .
^ "Jack Monroe announced as snap General Election candidate" . BBC News. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017 .
^ "Jack Monroe pulls out of general election campaign after death threats" . PinkNews . Retrieved 12 May 2017 .
^ "Jack Monroe abandons bid to become an MP" . The Guardian . Press Association. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017 .
^ "Election Data 2015" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015 .
^ "Southend West" . UK Polling Report .
^ "Paul Collins PPC page" . Liberal Democrats. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015 .
^ "Green Party announces its candidates for the East of England's seaside towns" . Eastern Region Green Party . 25 November 2014.
^ "Election Data 2010" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015 .
^ "Rochford and Southend East & Southend West" . Liberal Democrats. Archived from the original on 10 November 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2010 .
^ "Prospective Parliamentary Candidates" . Labour Party. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010 .
^ "Eastern Counties Region" . UKIP. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2010 .
^ "Green Party Parliamentary Candidate" . Green Party. Archived from the original on 11 May 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2010 .
^ "General Election Candidates" . English Democrats. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2010 .
^ "Election Data 2005" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
^ "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 .
^ "Election Data 1992" . Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
^ "UK General Election results April 1992" . Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources . Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. 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 .
^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons . 1951.
^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons . 1950.
51°33′N 0°40′E / 51.55°N 0.66°E / 51.55; 0.66