Barking
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 18049 (48.6%)
Conservative: 6691 (18%)
BNP: 5825 (15.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 4117 (11.1%)
Other: 2460 (6.6%)
Majority: 11358 (30.6%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 4943 (17.1%)
Labour: 13826 (47.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 3211 (11.1%)
BNP: 4916 (17%)
Green: 618 (2.1%)
UKIP: 803 (2.8%)
Other: 589 (2%)
Majority: 8883 (30.7%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 5768 (23%)
Labour: 15302 (60.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 2450 (9.8%)
BNP: 1606 (6.4%)
Majority: 9534 (37.9%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 5802 (17.6%)
Labour: 21698 (65.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 3128 (9.5%)
Referendum: 1283 (3.9%)
Other: 1053 (3.2%)
Majority: 15896 (48.2%)
Boundary changes: Barking significantly increases in size under the new boundaries, gaining the wards of Alibon, Parsloes and Valence on the Becontree estate while losing only a small part of River ward.
Profile: a traditional white-working class seat that now includes much of the Becontree council estate. The south of the constituency is earmarked for major redevelopment and will see large scale housing development as part of the Thames Riverside development over coming years. Barking is the BNP`s strongest seat in the country, they managed to come third at the last election and won 12 seats on Barking and Dagenham Borough Council in the 2006 local elections. While on paper the boundary changes appear to reduce the BNP`s support in the seat, the BNP returned councillors in all three of the new wards in 2006 and they are likely to prove fertile territory for the far-right.
Outgoing MP: Margaret Hodge(Labour) born 1944, Egypt. Educated at the LSE. Prior to her election to Parliament she was leader of Islington Council. First entered Parliament in a 1994 by-election. Prior to the 2006 local elections was criticised for giving the BNP the oxygen of publicity by claiming that up to 9 out of 10 of her white constituents would vote for them. Junior minister in the department of education 1998-2001, Minister of state 2001-2007 in the departments of education, work and trade and industry. Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport since 2007, taking a year out between 2008 and 2009 to care for her terminally ill husband (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Simon Marcus (Conservative) Born London. Educated at Kings College London. Runs the London Boxing Academy.Margaret Hodge(Labour) born 1944, Egypt. Educated at the LSE. Prior to her election to Parliament she was leader of Islington Council. First entered Parliament in a 1994 by-election. Prior to the 2006 local elections was criticised for giving the BNP the oxygen of publicity by claiming that up to 9 out of 10 of her white constituents would vote for them. Junior minister in the department of education 1998-2001, Minister of state 2001-2007 in the departments of education, work and trade and industry. Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport since 2007, taking a year out between 2008 and 2009 to care for her terminally ill husband (more information at They work for you)
Dominic Carman (Liberal Democrat) Son of George Carman QC. Journalist and author. Finalist in ITV’s political talent show “Vote for Me” in 2005.
Jayne Forbes (Green) Contested Hornsey and Wood Green 2001, 2005.
Frank Maloney (UKIP) born Peckham. Boxing manager and promoter, managed Lennox Lewis 1989-2001. Contested London mayoralty 2004.
Nick Griffin (BNP) born 1959, London. Educated at Woodbridge School and Cambridge University. Chairman of the BNP and MEP for North-West England. Former publicity officer and Parliamentary candidate for the National Front before leaving the party in 1989. Joined the BNP in 1995 and educated BNP magazines Spearhead and The Rune. In 1998 he was prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred in reation to an issue of The Rune that denied the holocaust. He was again arrested for incitement to racial hatred in 2004 in relation to a speech he made criticising Islam which was recorded by the BBC, he was subsequently found not guilty at trial. Chairman of the BNP since 1999 he has persued a strategy of giving the BNP a less overtly racist and extremist image. Contested North West Region 2004 European elections. MEP for North West England since 2009. Contested South Wales West in 2007 Welsh assembly elections. Contested Croydon North-West by-election 1981, Croydon North-West 1983 for the National Front. West Bromwich West by-election 2000, Oldham West & Royton 2001, Keighley 2005 for the BNP.
Crucial Chris Dowling (Official Monster Raving Loony) Musician
George Hargreaves (Christian) Born George Jackman in 1958. Educated at Woolverstone Hall School and Oxford University. Former songwriter, most famously penning Sinitta’s “So Macho”, now Pastor of the Hephizibah Christian Centre, Hackney. Contested Walthamstow for the Referendum Party in 1997. Contested 2004 Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election for Operation Christian Vote. Contested Scotland in 2004 European elections for Operation Christian Vote. Contested Na h-Eileanan an Lar 2005, Dunfermline and West Fife by-election 2006, Haltemprice and Howden by-election 2008, London in 2009 European elections.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 105316
Male: 47.6%
Female: 52.4%
Under 18: 26.3%
Over 60: 17.8%
Born outside UK: 12.9%
White: 83.1%
Black: 7.8%
Asian: 6.2%
Mixed: 2%
Other: 1%
Christian: 67.2%
Hindu: 1.2%
Muslim: 5.5%
Sikh: 1.2%
Full time students: 4.2%
Graduates 16-74: 10.8%
No Qualifications 16-74: 39.9%
Owner-Occupied: 52.3%
Social Housing: 40.6% (Council: 38.2%, Housing Ass.: 2.4%)
Privately Rented: 5.1%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 9.4%
1987 the Liberal Alliance candidate in Dundee East lost their deposit – the only major party lost deposit that year
Labour’s lost deposit in 1992 is Eastbourne. Which is the English seat where the LD lost it that year?
Knowsley North – vote was split with a Liberal
Thanks
Crucial Chris Dowling will stand for the Monster Raving Loony party.
Also, there is talk of former Labour councillors standing as independents in Barking and for the council elections in both Barking & Dagenham.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uKDPONFm1A
An interesting quote from a landlord of a local pub in Barking is that he reckons 2 out of 3 of his customers will be voting BNP.
Simon Marcus comes over as a very reasonable man.
He doesn’t come over as a Conservative.
(I wouldn’t like to conclude those two statements are connected.)
His concern for social housing is admirable. But how does this fit in with Conservative party policy?
I ask the question only; I don’t like to be partisan on this site
So thats 8 candidates for Barking so far – I bet there will be an Independant or two on top of that
Interesting article in the Guardian about the ‘Hodge V Griffin’ rivalry and the campaigning currently going on from both parties.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/mar/13/nick-griffin-margaret-hodge-barking-dagenham
Simon Marcus, the Tory boy, seems like a nice bloke. The fact that he’s a bit thick won’t make much difference in Barking – he’ll pick up a lot of support in the national swing to the tories and against Labour. But he won’t do enough to unseat the wily steely Margaret Hodge, who should keep her seat quite comfortably. Nor will the BNP triumph despite huge press interest on all sides. Nick Griffin will be given a very hard time in the next few weeks. Expect his murky past to catch up with him, maybe. The BNP will pick up a few councillors, but Labour should hold on, just, in the borough elections. Dominic Carman, who won’t pick up many votes, is a cunning operator. He probably has a few rabbits to pull out of the hat to rattle Griffin, who must be having some sleepless nights. Frank Maloney is the real joker – cockney boy, boxer, sense of humour, not an ounce of policy in his body, but does that matter?
Should all make for a great spectacle in the next few weeks. Enjoy.