Post by John Chanin on Aug 29, 2023 12:00:05 GMT
Edmonton stretches up the west bank of the River Lea to the north of Tottenham. South of the North Circular Road, it blends indistinguishably into Tottenham. The Edmonton wards proper are a third social housing, and a third black, similar to the Tottenham wards to the south, predominantly of African descent. Inland Haselbury ward, and Jubilee ward to the north, are a little up market, but not much, although they do have higher owner-occupation. This area is unusual for London in having a much higher percentage in routine rather than managerial occupations. There is a large development site (Meridian Water) where industry once stood alongside the Lea to the south of the North Circular Road, where 10,000 new homes are planned, which will substantially increase the population here in due course. Greater Edmonton east of the A10 amounts to 60% of the seat. All the Edmonton wards are safely Labour at local level.
The other 40% is very different, and is now recognized in the name. Bush Hill Park on the far side of the A10 was already in the seat. Enfield has new wards which complicate the picture, but basically three wards have been added to the seat, which can generally be described as Winchmore Hill. This is a suburban area of inter-war semis, including a golf course, similar to neighbouring Southgate and Enfield Town, and has very different demographics, with three-quarters owner-occupied, and less than half as many routine workers as in Edmonton. It is also 70% white, except in the slightly down market Highfield ward in the south, which borders Palmers Green. Like other suburban areas in London it is not as Conservative as it used to be, but all the wards except Highfield vote Conservative at local elections.
The old Edmonton was a very working class and little known residential area of London, down market even from neighbouring Tottenham, and nearly as cosmopolitan. Surprisingly it was held by the Conservatives from 1983 to 1997, who did very well in London in the 1980s, and unexpectedly held on by a 3 figure margin in 1992. Demographic change has been a major factor in changing it from a marginal. The latest boundary changes have considerably changed its character, with working class territory further north alongside the Lea being moved to Enfield North, as well as the influx of middle-class voters. However these days Labour have bigger majorities in Edmonton than the Conservatives do in Winchmore Hill, and Edmonton is larger, so the seat will remain securely Labour, albeit with a smaller majority. The 2024 election here was fairly uneventful with dissatisfaction with Labour and Conservative widely distributed. The MP here since 2015 is Kate Osamor, formerly an NHS adminstrator, who was a shadow minister before running into trouble over her son’s drug convictions.
Census data: Owner-occupied 51% (497/575 in England & Wales), private rented 30% (69th), social rented 19% (171st).
: White 46%(545th), Black 23%(13th), South Asian 7%(145th), Mixed 5%(55th), Other 19%(12th)
: Managerial & professional 35% (374th), Routine & Semi-routine 29% (247th)
: Degree 33% (249th), Minimal qualifications 35% (74th)
: Students 10% (103rd), Over 65: 14% (477th)
: Muslim 23%(31st)
Boundaries : The new seat is made up of 73% from Edmonton, and 27% from Southgate
83% of the old seat is in the new one, with 15% going to Enfield N, and 2% to Southgate & Wood Green
The other 40% is very different, and is now recognized in the name. Bush Hill Park on the far side of the A10 was already in the seat. Enfield has new wards which complicate the picture, but basically three wards have been added to the seat, which can generally be described as Winchmore Hill. This is a suburban area of inter-war semis, including a golf course, similar to neighbouring Southgate and Enfield Town, and has very different demographics, with three-quarters owner-occupied, and less than half as many routine workers as in Edmonton. It is also 70% white, except in the slightly down market Highfield ward in the south, which borders Palmers Green. Like other suburban areas in London it is not as Conservative as it used to be, but all the wards except Highfield vote Conservative at local elections.
The old Edmonton was a very working class and little known residential area of London, down market even from neighbouring Tottenham, and nearly as cosmopolitan. Surprisingly it was held by the Conservatives from 1983 to 1997, who did very well in London in the 1980s, and unexpectedly held on by a 3 figure margin in 1992. Demographic change has been a major factor in changing it from a marginal. The latest boundary changes have considerably changed its character, with working class territory further north alongside the Lea being moved to Enfield North, as well as the influx of middle-class voters. However these days Labour have bigger majorities in Edmonton than the Conservatives do in Winchmore Hill, and Edmonton is larger, so the seat will remain securely Labour, albeit with a smaller majority. The 2024 election here was fairly uneventful with dissatisfaction with Labour and Conservative widely distributed. The MP here since 2015 is Kate Osamor, formerly an NHS adminstrator, who was a shadow minister before running into trouble over her son’s drug convictions.
Census data: Owner-occupied 51% (497/575 in England & Wales), private rented 30% (69th), social rented 19% (171st).
: White 46%(545th), Black 23%(13th), South Asian 7%(145th), Mixed 5%(55th), Other 19%(12th)
: Managerial & professional 35% (374th), Routine & Semi-routine 29% (247th)
: Degree 33% (249th), Minimal qualifications 35% (74th)
: Students 10% (103rd), Over 65: 14% (477th)
: Muslim 23%(31st)
Boundaries : The new seat is made up of 73% from Edmonton, and 27% from Southgate
83% of the old seat is in the new one, with 15% going to Enfield N, and 2% to Southgate & Wood Green
| 2017 | % | 2019 | % | Notional | % | 2024 | % | |
| Labour | 31,211 | 71.5 | 26,217 | 65.0 | 28,075 | 58.2 | 20,520 | 50.0 |
| Conservative | 10,106 | 23.1 | 10,202 | 25.3 | 15,008 | 31.1 | 7,888 | 19.2 |
| Liberal Democrat | 858 | 2.0 | 2,145 | 5.3 | 3,249 | 6.7 | 2,721 | 6.6 |
| UKIP/Brexit/Reform | 860 | 2.0 | 840 | 2.1 | 846 | 1.8 | 3,501 | 8.5 |
| Green | 633 | 1.4 | 862 | 2.1 | 994 | 2.1 | 3,681 | 9.0 |
| Workers | 668 | 1.6 | ||||||
| Other | 75 | 0.2 | 75 | 0.2 | 2,066 | 5.0 | ||
| Majority | 21,105 | 48.3 | 16,015 | 39.7 | 13,067 | 27.1 | 12,632 | 30.8 |
