Richmond Park
2015 Result:
Conservative: 34404 (58.2%)
Labour: 7296 (12.3%)
Lib Dem: 11389 (19.3%)
Green: 3548 (6%)
UKIP: 2464 (4.2%)
MAJORITY: 23015 (38.9%)
Category: Safe Conservative seat
Geography: Greater London. Part of Richmond upon Thames council area and part of Kingston upon Thames council area.
Main population centres: East Sheen, Mortlake, Richmond, Ham, Kew, Barnes, Petersham, Coombe.
Profile: Richmond Park is a large royal park in south-west London, home to a herd of over 600 deer. The electorate of the Richmond Park consituency consists of the residential areas bordering it - Richmond itself, the riverside communities of Kew and Barnes and, to the south of the park, Kingston upon Thames. It is an affluent, middle-class suburban seat, characterised by desirable period houses, large gardens and huge property prices. The seat also contains Kew Gardens, the National Archives and Kingston University. The majority of planes landing at Heathrow airport descend over Barnes and Kew and the potential expansion of Heathrow airport is an important local issue.
Politics: The Richmond Park seat was created in 1997 from the merger of Richmond and Barnes and part of Kingston upon Thames, leaving the Kingston MP and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Norman Lamont to go on his doomed run up to Harrogate. Along with Twickenham and Kingston and Surbiton it formed part of a wedge of Liberal Democrat strength in South-West London until falling to Zac Goldsmith in 2010.
| Con: | 29461 (50%) |
| Lab: | 2979 (5%) |
| LDem: | 25370 (43%) |
| UKIP: | 669 (1%) |
| Oth: | 789 (1%) |
| MAJ: | 4091 (7%) |
| Con: | 20280 (39%) |
| Lab: | 4768 (9%) |
| LDem: | 24011 (47%) |
| GRN: | 1379 (3%) |
| Oth: | 936 (2%) |
| MAJ: | 3731 (7%) |
| Con: | 18480 (38%) |
| Lab: | 5541 (11%) |
| LDem: | 23444 (48%) |
| GRN: | 1223 (2%) |
| Oth: | 463 (1%) |
| MAJ: | 4964 (10%) |
| Con: | 22442 (39%) |
| Lab: | 7172 (13%) |
| LDem: | 25393 (45%) |
| Oth: | 379 (1%) |
| MAJ: | 2951 (5%) |
*There were boundary changes after 2005
This was always likely to happen, mainly a reversion to 2006.
The interesting thing here being how well the alliance worked with the Greens.
Lib Dems probably narrow favourites to win this seat back next time.
Kingston Upon Thames was an ever larger victory for the LDs.
I’m worried about this seat at the next election, hopefully Zac Goldsmith can hang on
Prior to 2010 this seat seemed almost tailor-made for a Tory like Zak Goldsmith – and that’s because people mistook him for a liberal Tory with sound green credentials
Since then it’s become quite obvious that’s he’s nothing of the sort and holds similar right-wing views to his father – Brexit, tax cuts, anti immigration etc
He;’ll have a hard job hanging on here after Brexit
He’s a weird mix, certainly, but the mayoral campaign he chose to run turned me right off him. The worst thing is I still don’t think he believed in any of those dogwhistles himself, but he was prepared to run with them anyway. Genuine racists are deplorable but misguided. But those who know racism is wrong but are nonetheless prepared to fan the flames… that’s utterly shameful.
The Real Joe James B –
Not my post above.
Suspect the Dalek post is the same person aswell.
I understand that an alumnus of these pages, BARNABY MARDER, has resigned from the Labour Party today.
This is bad news for Labout especially in London as he’s a well known and popular activist.
I wonder what prompted him to leave the party.
He is appalled by McDonnell who said the abuse that Jackie Walker gets on social media is vile. See McDs twitter acct.
BM says it’s ” defence of Jackie Walker”.
I guess there must be other reasons.
He says he feels unwelcome in the party through his ethnicity.
Yes, of course. I should have guessed that this would be related to the ongoing anti semitism row. Thanks.
I chatted with Barnaby on Facebook today and it seems he’s decided not to resign after all.
Leaving aside the anti semitism row (which is very important and definitely a big deal), it would be curious for Barnaby to quit the party at this particular point in time. Corbyn is surely the best leader (in terms of representing his views) in his lifetime.
Barnaby is taking a break from all political activity while remaining a member I believe.
I’m certain all of us here wish him. One of the very best UKPR contributors here. Sadly not seen here recently.
Taking a break from politics at this time is entirely understandable.
This. He’s brilliant – knowledgeable, non-judgemental, and while he has strong and passionate beliefs, they never prevented him getting along with those who don’t share them.
IIRC he also had a personal tragedy relatively recently, which caused him to withdraw his candidacy for the Cities of London & Westminster seat. Maybe that was a factor in the decision.
‘it would be curious for Barnaby to quit the party at this particular point in time. Corbyn is surely the best leader (in terms of representing his views) in his lifetime.’
i was thinking that – Barnaby was an Abbott supporter during the 2010 leadership contest – and if people like him are thinking of quitting the party, Corbyn is in serious trouble indeed, and today’s finding in The Times that the hapless May – arguably the weakest PM the UK has ever had – would actually win a majority, should serve as a very belated wake up call to the Labour Party
Walter Wolfgang has died aged 95.
Zac Goldsmith has been made a Defra minister.