Post by greenhert on Apr 18, 2020 10:21:59 GMT
The Orpington constituency was created in 1945 from parts of Chislehurst and Dartford, and was technically in Kent until its unwilling incorporation into Greater London in 1965. Its boundaries have changed often during that period but it has always been the eastern constituency of the London Borough of Bromley. The most crucial boundary changes came in 1997 when Biggin Hill and Darwin were added from the abolished Ravensbourne constituency.
Orpington is one of the least urbanised constituencies in the Greater London area. As well as the eponymous town on the border with Kent of which it was once part, it also contains the villages of Biggin Hill (one of the smallest places to have an airport), Darwin, St Mary Cray, Farnborough (not to be confused with the one in Hampshire), and Chelsfield. Orpington mainly consists of stereotypical Outer London suburbia-desirable detached and semi-detached houses. With an owner occupation rate of nearly 80%, Orpington has one of the highest levels of owner occupation amongst UK Parliament constituencies and its proportion of private renters and social renters are both less than half the Greater London average. Its profile resembles more that of a constituency in Kent than in London; on 2011 census statistics, level 1 and 2 qualification levels are higher than average and the proportion of graduates is considerably lower than the Greater London average, its population is 90% white, and almost half the population is over the age of 45.
Psephologically, Orpington is most famous for the 1962 by-election won by Eric Lubbock, which started an important revival for the Liberals. Eric Lubbock held the seat for the next 8 years until his defeat in 1970 by the Conservatives' Ivor Stanbrook; he quoted that "in 1962, the wise, far-seeking people of Orpington elected me as their Member; in 1970 the fools threw me out". The following year, upon the death of his cousin Mr Lubbock (as he was then) became the 4th Baron Avebury, and thus Lord Avebury from that point on until his death in 2016. In February 1974 it was unsurprisingly a top Liberal target but in the end it was one of only two seats where the Liberal vote actually fell. Lord Avebury's wife fared no better in trying to capture the seat in October that year. Mr Stanbrook retired in 1992 and was succeeded by John Horam, who unusually had been a Labour then SDP MP for Gateshead West from 1970-83. Liberal Democrat attempts to unseat him throughout the Blair years were valiant but ultimately unsuccessful; the closest they came was in 2001 when Chris Maines missed out by only 269 votes. In 2010, Jo Johnson, brother of then Mayor of London and now Prime Minister Boris Johnson was elected and managed a 12.2% swing against the Liberal Democrats; that year Mr Maines, a well-known councillor in the area, did not contest the seat. The Liberal Democrats subsequently lost all their council seats in this constituency and endured a collapse to a humiliating 4th place in 2015. They made some recovery in 2019 when this constituency's current MP, Gareth Bacon, first stood but they still finished third behind Labour. This is now the safest Conservative seat in Greater London.
Orpington is one of the least urbanised constituencies in the Greater London area. As well as the eponymous town on the border with Kent of which it was once part, it also contains the villages of Biggin Hill (one of the smallest places to have an airport), Darwin, St Mary Cray, Farnborough (not to be confused with the one in Hampshire), and Chelsfield. Orpington mainly consists of stereotypical Outer London suburbia-desirable detached and semi-detached houses. With an owner occupation rate of nearly 80%, Orpington has one of the highest levels of owner occupation amongst UK Parliament constituencies and its proportion of private renters and social renters are both less than half the Greater London average. Its profile resembles more that of a constituency in Kent than in London; on 2011 census statistics, level 1 and 2 qualification levels are higher than average and the proportion of graduates is considerably lower than the Greater London average, its population is 90% white, and almost half the population is over the age of 45.
Psephologically, Orpington is most famous for the 1962 by-election won by Eric Lubbock, which started an important revival for the Liberals. Eric Lubbock held the seat for the next 8 years until his defeat in 1970 by the Conservatives' Ivor Stanbrook; he quoted that "in 1962, the wise, far-seeking people of Orpington elected me as their Member; in 1970 the fools threw me out". The following year, upon the death of his cousin Mr Lubbock (as he was then) became the 4th Baron Avebury, and thus Lord Avebury from that point on until his death in 2016. In February 1974 it was unsurprisingly a top Liberal target but in the end it was one of only two seats where the Liberal vote actually fell. Lord Avebury's wife fared no better in trying to capture the seat in October that year. Mr Stanbrook retired in 1992 and was succeeded by John Horam, who unusually had been a Labour then SDP MP for Gateshead West from 1970-83. Liberal Democrat attempts to unseat him throughout the Blair years were valiant but ultimately unsuccessful; the closest they came was in 2001 when Chris Maines missed out by only 269 votes. In 2010, Jo Johnson, brother of then Mayor of London and now Prime Minister Boris Johnson was elected and managed a 12.2% swing against the Liberal Democrats; that year Mr Maines, a well-known councillor in the area, did not contest the seat. The Liberal Democrats subsequently lost all their council seats in this constituency and endured a collapse to a humiliating 4th place in 2015. They made some recovery in 2019 when this constituency's current MP, Gareth Bacon, first stood but they still finished third behind Labour. This is now the safest Conservative seat in Greater London.
