Beckenham (UK Parliament constituency)

Beckenham (/ˈbɛkənəm/) was a constituency^{[n 1]} in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2010 until its abolition for the 2024 general election by Bob Stewart, a member of the Conservative Party.^{[n 2]}

Beckenham
Former borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Beckenham in Greater London for the 2010 general election
County	Greater London
Population	87,011 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate	66,470 (December 2010)[2]
Borough	London Borough of Bromley
1950–2024
Seats	One
Created from	Bromley and Orpington
Replaced by	Beckenham and Penge Bromley and Biggin Hill

Detailed map of the post-2010 form of this Westminster seat (red) in the London Borough of Bromley (yellow)

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the majority of the constituency was incorporated into the new constituency of Beckenham and Penge.^[3]

Constituency profile

The constituency is mostly leafy and suburban — one widely known gazetteer summarised this in 2012:

"The properties on these streets typically include a range of styles, from modern to Mock Tudor. However many local residents are wealthy city commuters. Keston Common and Keston Ponds are both popular attractions for locals...The common theme is large, detached houses with substantial land and typically with asking prices of over £1 million. At the lower end of the market, a one bedroom period conversion flat on Turpington Lane near Bromley Common, or a one bedroom flat in a modern block on Homesdale Road, near the Bickley border, would demand an asking price of approximately £160,000."^[4]

There are significant areas of open land to the south around Hayes and Keston. The upmarket town centre of Beckenham is split between this constituency and Lewisham West and Penge to the west.

All wards have voted between 60 and 70% Conservative since the seat's inception. In times when Labour has led in the national polls the seat has remained Conservative. The smallest majority in a general election was 9.3%, in 1997; in all other elections except 2001 there have been majorities of more than 15%. The seat happened to become safer in its cut down to six wards (from ten) in 2010. This removed the three most Labour inclined wards of the borough, centered on Penge, and one other, taken from the more suburban parts that lean strongly or weakly Conservative.

Since 1983 there has been a close contest for second place between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Labour's share has remained much greater than in Orpington whereas the Liberal Democrat share has remained much greater than in Croydon Central.^{[n 3]}

History

The constituency has only elected Conservatives as its MPs since 1950.

The constituency shared boundaries with the Beckenham electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981.

The closest the Conservatives have ever come to losing this seat was at a by-election in November 1997, at the height of Tony Blair's 'honeymoon period' as Prime Minister, following the resignation of the previous MP Piers Merchant in a sex scandal. Even then, the former MP for Hastings who lost her seat in the earlier 1997 general election, Jacqui Lait, managed to win the seat by just over 1,000 votes.

Between 1957 and 1992 the long-serving MP for Beckenham was Sir Philip Goodhart, who was soon after 1979 discovered by Margaret Thatcher to be a right-of-centre or 'wet conservative' and consequently his career as a junior minister came to a quick end. Goodhart is best known for his book on the workings of the Conservative MPs' 1922 Committee, and for his brother Charles, who was a famous economics professor at LSE and sat for some time on the Bank of England's monetary policy committee.

Before Sir Philip Goodhart, the former Conservative Chief Whip Patrick Buchan-Hepburn represented Beckenham in Parliament.

Boundaries

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

Dates	Local authority	Maps	Wards
1950–1974	Municipal Borough of Beckenham Penge Urban District (before 1965) London Borough of Bromley (after 1965)		The Municipal Borough of Beckenham, and the Urban District of Penge.
1974–1983	London Borough of Bromley		Anerley, Clock House, Copers Cope, Eden Park, Lawrie Park and Kent House, Manor House, Penge and Shortlands.[5]
1983–1997			Anerley, Clock House, Copers Cope, Eden Park, Kelsey Park, Lawrie Park and Kent House, Penge and Shortlands.
1997–2010			Anerley, Clock House, Copers Cope, Eden Park, Kelsey Park, Lawrie Park and Kent House, Penge, Shortlands, West Wickham North and West Wickham South.
2010–2024			Bromley Common and Keston, Copers Cope, Hayes and Coney Hall, Kelsey and Eden Park, Shortlands and West Wickham.

Despite the changes in ward names, the 1974–1983 boundaries and the 1983–1997 boundaries are almost exactly the same boundaries. Similarly, despite the changes in local authorities and the listing of wards, the 1950–1974 boundaries and the 1997–2010 boundaries are almost exactly the same.

Beckenham constituency covers the northwestern part of the London Borough of Bromley. The local government ward boundaries were redrawn for the 2002 local elections, though this did not affect parliamentary limits until the 2010 general election.

Pre-2010 boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in South London, the Boundary Commission for England made revisions to this seat. Clock House ward, Crystal Palace ward, and Penge and Cator ward were transferred from Beckenham to help create the new constituency of Lewisham West and Penge. Parts of Bromley Common and Keston, Hayes and Coney Hall, and Shortlands wards were transferred to Beckenham from Bromley and Chislehurst. A small part of Bromley Common and Keston ward was transferred to Beckenham from Orpington and a tiny part of Bromley Town ward was transferred from Beckenham to Bromley and Chislehurst.

Abolition

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency underwent major boundary changes, with eastern areas, comprising the Bromley Common and Keston, and Hayes and Coney Hall wards, being transferred to the new constituency of Bromley and Biggin Hill. To compensate, "Penge" (comprising the Clock House, Crystal Palace, and Penge and Cator wards) was transferred back from the now abolished seat of Lewisham West and Penge. Accordingly, the seat was renamed Beckenham and Penge, first contested at the 2024 general election.^[3] With the new boundary changes it was notionally a marginal seat but was won by Liam Conlon for Labour with a majority of 12,905.

Members of Parliament

Election		Member[6]	Party
	1950	Patrick Buchan-Hepburn	Conservative
	1957 by-election	Philip Goodhart	Conservative
	1992	Piers Merchant	Conservative
	1997 by-election	Jacqui Lait	Conservative
	2010	Bob Stewart	Conservative
	2023		Independent
	2024		Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Beckenham^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bob Stewart	27,282	54.0	−5.3
	Labour	Marina Ahmad	13,024	25.8	−4.3
	Liberal Democrats	Chloe-Jane Ross	8,194	16.2	+8.3
	Green	Ruth Fabricant	2,055	4.1	+1.4
Majority			14,258	28.2	−1.0
Turnout			50,555	73.6	−2.4
Registered electors			68,671
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.5

General election 2017: Beckenham^[8][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bob Stewart	30,632	59.3	+2.0
	Labour	Marina Ahmad	15,545	30.1	+10.7
	Liberal Democrats	Julie Ireland	4,073	7.9	+1.0
	Green	Ruth Fabricant	1,380	2.7	−1.1
Majority			15,087	29.2	−8.7
Turnout			51,630	76.0	+2.8
Registered electors			67,925
	Conservative hold		Swing	−4.3

General election 2015: Beckenham^[10][11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bob Stewart	27,955	57.3	−0.6
	Labour	Marina Ahmad	9,484	19.4	+4.9
	UKIP	Rob Bryant	6,108	12.5	+9.2
	Liberal Democrats	Anuja Prashar	3,378	6.9	−13.7
	Green	Ruth Fabricant[12]	1,878	3.8	+2.5
Majority			18,471	37.9	+0.6
Turnout			48,803	73.2	+1.2
Registered electors			67,439
	Conservative hold		Swing	+6.6

General election 2010: Beckenham^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bob Stewart	27,597	57.9	−1.2
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Jenkins	9,813	20.6	+5.5
	Labour	Damien Egan[14]	6,893	14.5	−7.3
	UKIP	Owen Brolly	1,551	3.3	+0.8
	BNP	Roger Tonks	1,001	2.1	New
	Green	Ann Garrett	608	1.3	New
	English Democrat	Dan Eastgate	223	0.5	New
Majority			17,784	37.3	+20.1
Turnout			47,686	72.0	+6.7
Registered electors			66,219
	Conservative hold		Swing	−3.3

Elections in the 2000s

2005 notional result[15]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	24,596	59.1
	Labour	9,040	21.7
	Liberal Democrats	6,287	15.1
	Others	1,705	4.1
Turnout		41,628	65.3
Electorate		63,738

General election 2005: Beckenham^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jacqui Lait	22,183	45.3	+0.1
	Labour	Liam Curran	13,782	28.1	−6.1
	Liberal Democrats	Jef Foulger	10,862	22.2	+6.1
	UKIP	James Cartwright	1,301	2.7	+0.9
	Independent	Roderick Reed	836	1.7	New
Majority			8,401	17.2	+6.3
Turnout			48,964	65.5	+2.9
Registered electors			74,706
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.1

General election 2001: Beckenham^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jacqui Lait	20,618	45.3	+2.8
	Labour	Richard Watts	15,659	34.4	+1.0
	Liberal Democrats	Alexander Feakes	7,308	16.0	−2.1
	Green	Karen Moran	961	2.1	New
	UKIP	Christopher Pratt	782	1.7	+0.8
	Liberal	Rif Winfield	234	0.5	−0.8
Majority			4,959	10.9	+1.8
Turnout			45,562	62.6	−12.0
Registered electors			72,772
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.9

Elections in the 1990s

1997 Beckenham by-election^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jacqui Lait	13,162	41.2	−1.2
	Labour	Robert Hughes	11,935	37.4	+4.0
	Liberal Democrats	Rosemary Vetterlein	5,864	18.4	+0.2
	Liberal	Phil Rimmer	330	1.0	−0.3
	National Front	John McAuley	267	0.8	+0.1
	Referendum	Leonard Mead	237	0.7	−2.3
	Independent	John Campion	69	0.2	New
	Natural Law	John Small	44	0.1	New
Majority			1,227	3.8	−5.3
Turnout			31,908	43.6	−31.1
Registered electors			73,127
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.6

General election 1997: Beckenham^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Piers Merchant	23,084	42.5	−17.7
	Labour	Robert Hughes	18,131	33.4	+12.2
	Liberal Democrats	Rosemary Vetterlein	9,858	18.1	+1.4
	Referendum	Leonard Mead	1,663	3.1	New
	Liberal	Phil Rimmer	720	1.3	−0.1
	UKIP	Christopher Pratt	506	0.9	New
	National Front	John McAuley	388	0.7	New
Majority			4,953	9.1	−29.9
Turnout			54,350	74.7	−2.8
Registered electors			72,807
	Conservative hold		Swing	−15.0

1992 notional result[20]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	35,154	60.2
	Labour	12,341	21.1
	Liberal Democrats	9,765	16.7
	Others	1,153	3.2
Turnout		58,413	77.5
Electorate		75,388

General election 1992: Beckenham^[21][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Piers Merchant	26,323	56.9	+0.6
	Labour	Ken Ritchie	11,038	23.9	+6.1
	Liberal Democrats	Mary Williams	8,038	17.4	−8.5
	Liberal	Gerry Williams	643	1.4	New
	Natural Law	Patrick Shaw	243	0.5	New
Majority			15,285	33.0	+2.6
Turnout			46,285	77.9	+5.0
Registered electors			59,440
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.7

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Beckenham^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	24,903	56.3	−1.1
	Liberal	Colin Darracot	11,439	25.9	−0.7
	Labour	Ken Ritchie	7,888	17.8	+2.3
Majority			13,464	30.4	−0.4
Turnout			44,230	72.8	+3.5
Registered electors			60,718
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.2

General election 1983: Beckenham^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	23,606	57.4	+0.5
	Liberal	Christina Forrest	10,936	26.6	+11.7
	Labour	Jim Dowd	6,386	15.5	−9.5
	BNP	Geoffrey Younger	203	0.5	New
Majority			12,670	30.8	−1.1
Turnout			41,131	69.3	−5.4
Registered electors			59,384
	Conservative hold		Swing	−5.6

Elections in the 1970s

1979 notional result[25]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	24,761	56.9
	Labour	10,872	25.0
	Liberal	6,488	14.9
	Others	1,371	3.2
Turnout		43,492
Electorate

General election 1979: Beckenham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	24,607	56.9	+9.2
	Labour	Jonathan Mordecai	10,856	25.1	−1.8
	Liberal	Christina Forrest	6,450	14.9	−10.6
	Ecology	Wilfred Vernon	762	1.8	New
	National Front	Nigel Dickson	606	1.4	New
Majority			13,751	31.8	+10.9
Turnout			43,281	74.7	+4.9
Registered electors			57,939
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.5

General election October 1974: Beckenham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	19,798	47.7	−1.4
	Labour	Nicholas Sharp	11,140	26.8	+3.3
	Liberal	Graham Mitchell	10,578	25.5	−1.9
Majority			8,658	20.9	−0.8
Turnout			41,516	69.8	−9.6
Registered electors			59,497
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.3

General election February 1974: Beckenham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	22,976	49.1	−6.7
	Liberal	Graham Mitchell	12,821	27.4	+11.3
	Labour	Nicholas Sharp	11,018	23.5	−4.6
Majority			10,155	21.7	−18.0
Turnout			46,815	79.4	+11.0
Registered electors			58,995
	Conservative hold		Swing	−9.0

1970 notional result[26]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	23,200	55.8
	Labour	11,700	28.1
	Liberal	6,700	16.1
Turnout		41,600	68.4
Electorate		60,857

General election 1970: Beckenham^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	30,763	57.8	+6.3
	Labour	Inigo Bing	13,031	24.5	−2.3
	Liberal	Philip Golding	9,404	17.7	−4.0
Majority			17,732	33.3	+8.6
Turnout			53,198	68.7	−9.0
Registered electors			77,385
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.3

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Beckenham^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	28,837	51.5	−2.0
	Labour	John Grant	14,972	26.8	+3.0
	Liberal	Philip Golding	12,155	21.7	−1.1
Majority			13,865	24.8	−5.0
Turnout			55,964	77.8	+0.4
Registered electors			71,952
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.5

General election 1964: Beckenham^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	30,070	53.5	−8.1
	Labour	Alistair Macdonald	13,338	23.7	+1.1
	Liberal	Hubert Monroe	12,821	22.8	+7.0
Majority			16,732	29.8	−9.3
Turnout			56,229	77.4	−3.4
Registered electors			72,692
	Conservative hold		Swing	−4.6

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Beckenham^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	36,528	61.6	−7.4
	Labour	Herbert Ferguson	13,395	22.6	−8.4
	Liberal	Hubert Monroe	9,365	15.8	New
Majority			23,133	39.0	+1.1
Turnout			59,288	80.8	+4.2
Registered electors			73,421
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.5

1957 Beckenham by-election^[28][27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Goodhart	29,621	62.9	−6.0
	Labour	Neville Sandelson	17,445	37.1	+6.0
Majority			12,176	25.9	−12.1
Turnout			47,066	64.7	−11.9
Registered electors			72,786
	Conservative hold		Swing	−6.0

General election 1955: Beckenham^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Patrick Buchan-Hepburn	38,614	69.0	+1.6
	Labour	Charles Culling	17,377	31.0	−1.6
Majority			21,237	37.9	+3.2
Turnout			55,991	76.5	−5.9
Registered electors			73,177
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.6

General election 1951: Beckenham^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Patrick Buchan-Hepburn	41,282	67.4	+7.5
	Labour	A. Philip Magonet	19,982	32.6	+3.2
Majority			21,300	34.8	+4.3
Turnout			61,264	82.4	−4.1
Registered electors			74,370
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.2

General election 1950: Beckenham^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Patrick Buchan-Hepburn	38,102	59.9
	Labour	Alexander Bain	18,723	29.4
	Liberal	Hubert Monroe	6,834	10.7
Majority			19,379	30.4
Turnout			63,659	86.5
Registered electors			73,605
	Conservative win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in London

Notes

1. A borough 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. Both Orpington and Croydon Central are conservative neighbouring seats.