Richmond Park
2010 Results:
Conservative: 29461 (49.71%)
Labour: 2979 (5.03%)
Liberal Democrat: 25370 (42.81%)
UKIP: 669 (1.13%)
Green: 572 (0.97%)
Independent: 84 (0.14%)
Others: 133 (0.22%)
Majority: 4091 (6.9%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Liberal Democrat: 23801 (46.7%)
Conservative: 20152 (39.5%)
Labour: 4728 (9.3%)
Other: 2297 (4.5%)
Majority: 3649 (7.2%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 20280 (39.5%)
Labour: 4768 (9.3%)
Liberal Democrat: 24011 (46.7%)
Green: 1379 (2.7%)
UKIP: 458 (0.9%)
Other: 478 (0.9%)
Majority: 3731 (7.3%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 18480 (37.6%)
Labour: 5541 (11.3%)
Liberal Democrat: 23444 (47.7%)
UKIP: 348 (0.7%)
Green: 1223 (2.5%)
Other: 115 (0.2%)
Majority: 4964 (10.1%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 22442 (39.5%)
Labour: 7172 (12.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 25393 (44.7%)
Referendum: 1467 (2.6%)
Other: 379 (0.7%)
Majority: 2951 (5.2%)
Boundary changes: : Minor changes to bring constituency boundaries in line with ward boundaries. Boundary changes transfer part of the Beveley Ward from Richmond Park to Kingston & Surbiton of around 2000 electors to the North of New Malden station.
Profile: An affluent, middle-class suburban seat, characterised by desirable period houses, large gardens and huge property prices. The seat includes East Sheen, Mortlake, Richmond, Ham, Kew, Barnes. Petersham as well as the vast Richmond Park itself, and part of Kingston upon Thames and Coombe to the South of it.
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.
Current MP: Zac Goldsmith (Conservative) born 1975, Westminster. Son of Sir James Goldsmith, the billionaire financier and founder of the Referendum Party. Educated at Eton. Environmental activist and editor of The Ecologist.
Zac Goldsmith (Conservative) born 1975, Westminster. Son of Sir James Goldsmith, the billionaire financier and founder of the Referendum Party. Educated at Eton. Environmental activist and editor of The Ecologist. First elected as MP for Richmond Park 2010.
Eleanor Tunnicliffe (Labour) Educated at Cambridge University. Backed Jon Cruddas in 2007 deputy leadership election.
Susan Kramer(Liberal Democrat) born 1950, London. Educated at St Paul`s and Oxford University. Former Vice-President of Citibank and Director of International Capital Partners, a company advising on infrastructure in Eastern Europe. Stood for London Mayor in 2000. Contested London in 1999 European elections. Contested Dulwich and West Norwood 1997. First elected as MP for Richmond Park in 2005. Liberal Democrat trade and industry spokesman 2006-7, transport 2007, families and cabinet office since 2007 (more information at They work for you)
James Page (Green) Contested Richmond Park 2001, 2005.
Peter Dul (UKIP) Claims executive for an indemnity association. Contested Richmond Park 2005, South West in 2008 London assembly elections.
Susan May (CPA) Works for a housing association. GLA candidate 2000, 2004, 2008. Contested London region 2009 European election.
Charles Hill (Independent)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 106256
Male: 48.1%
Female: 51.9%
Under 18: 21.2%
Over 60: 17.4%
Born outside UK: 24.5%
White: 88.2%
Black: 1.2%
Asian: 4.9%
Mixed: 2.5%
Other: 3.1%
Christian: 64.4%
Hindu: 2%
Jewish: 1.3%
Muslim: 3.4%
Full time students: 5.9%
Graduates 16-74: 48.4%
No Qualifications 16-74: 12.3%
Owner-Occupied: 66.6%
Social Housing: 12.2% (Council: 5.2%, Housing Ass.: 6.9%)
Privately Rented: 17.2%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 7.4%
In any case young graduates have always moved to London.
There might well be fewer such people moving there now than in previous generations because of the increased differential in cost of living in London compared to anywhere else.
The much larger demographic change in London during recent years is because of immigration.
On the list of most affluent wards in London the contrast between the south-west block and the traditional middle class north London block is striking.
Only one rich ward in Ealing and one in Barnet (Garden suburb I presume) and none in Brent, Enfield Harrow and Hillingdon.
But also a big cluster in Haringay – City people now moving there perhaps?
Where would the richest and poorest wards in London have been a generation ago?
Next thing you know we will be blogging about Archway in islington, now that is a drug baron waste land.
I would love to move to richmond, but alas that will never happen
Mick
I happen to spend a fair amount of time in London for work reasons and know some parts fairly well.
How about we use the examples of Clapham, Balham and Hackney as areas that have become more gentrified?
Flatsharing is common practice in London even amongst MPs – Flatsharing renters can still be high earners and still spend in local bars, shops and restaurants. Property is developed for investors to let to such flatsharers often at far higher standards than existing housing – gyms and pools in the building are increasingly common practice.
I agree with you about Clapham and Balham but has Hackney really gentrified all that much? There certainly hasn’t been the sort of political impact there that’s been seen in the aforementioned places. A reflection of different types of gentrification in certain areas?
I have a friend who lives alone in Knightsbridge aged 24.
HH was spot on upthread. The non-metropolitan parts of the West Midlands are trending Conservative while London is trending Labour. I don’t doubt that the Tories are strengthening in inner west London- north of the Thames in Kensington, and Fulham, south of the Thames in places like Putney and Battersea. But that is small beer when you consider what is happening in Enfield, Brent, Redbridge, and Croydon, and the rate at which it is happening.
Census results, white British, 2001 / 2011:
Barnes: 70.9% / 65.6%
East Sheen: 78.5% / 74.9%
Ham, Petersham & Richmond Riverside: 75.3% / 64.8%
Kew: 76.3% / 66.2%
Mortlake & Barnes Common: 79.1% / 72.2%
North Richmond: 74.4% / 67.1%
South Richmond: 70.9% / 65.7%
Canbury: 77.7% / 65.0%
Coombe Hill: 59.7% / 47.9%
Coombe Vale: 70.2% / 55.2%
Tudor: 78.6% / 68.8%
Richmond Park: 73.6% / 64.9%
White overall, Richmond Park:
2001: 88.2%
2011: 81.6%
The numerical white British population increased in four wards:
East Sheen: 7,649 to 7,749
Kew: 7,209 to 7,570
Mortlake & Barnes Common: 7,854 to 7,881
Canbury: 7,467 to 8,042
Coombe Hill as non-majority-white-British surprises me a little bit. There must be quite a lot of non-whites in the Kingsnympton estate & the bit of social housing around the hospital, but I can only assume that there are a lot of wealthy foreign whites in the huge mansions which abound in that ward. And, believe me, you’s need to be seriously wealthy to live in the vast majority of that ward, apart from its 2 aberrant council estates.
Full figures for Coombe Hill:
Total: 10,357
White British: 4,964
White Other: 1,520
Asian Other: 961
Indian: 571
Arab: 487
Mixed: 482
Pakistani: 306
Black African: 264
Other: 219
Chinese: 204
White Irish: 191
Black Caribbean: 88
Bangladeshi: 63
Black Other: 32
White Gypsy/Traveller: 5
The total white population is 64.4%. There is a non-neglible South Asian population of about 9% but a slightly larger (9.3%) proportion of ‘Asian Other’ which I suspect might be at least partly accounted for by the large Korean community which is centred on New Malden. IN addition there is a 4.7% Arab population which is one of the highest figures outside of West Central London and 2% Chinese. Even the Black population (predominantly African) is significantly higher than in any of the other wards in this seat
Andy – Please could you do Brentford and Isleworth too.
Thanks Andy.
Again, there is some presence of
SA/NZ/Australia/German/Chinese/
Korean here,
and various well off people of the various types who settle in central London.
Lib Dems getting pushed out.
In the constituency as a whole that’s clearly true. In Coombe Hill the Tories were always dominant though, as you’d expect.
A question for JJB and maybe Barnaby.
In a choice between Richmond RFC and Rosslyn Park RFC which would he recommend for a ‘lads day out’.
Key issues being ease of travel from central London, overall matchday experience and availability and quality of local pubs.
Richmond – I prefer. Used to play there. It’s nice locastion. (Ake care crossing the byass road. Lots of pubs and near station. Rosslyn Park is ok but not near anything much and some way from stations.
I happen to think that most of Richmond’s pubs are overrated, but as Joe says there is a dearth of pubs near Rosslyn Park – only one called the Halfway House is anywhere near nowadays. A trip to Putney would however take you to the brilliant Bricklayers’ Arms which is near to some other serviceable boozers, and it wouldn’t be difficult to do that from Rosslyn Park. I haven’t been to a rugby match since childhood so couldn’t comment on the relative merits of the 2 sides though I understand neither is particularly clever right now.
My thanks to JJB and Barnaby.
Both Richmond and Rosslyn Park are now in the third tier on English rugby which is one of their attractions to me.
Top level rugby is too similar to football for my liking whereas a couple of divisions down it has more the feel of county cricket.
Not least the ability to stand at the touchline with a pint in your hands.
Which makes it an ideal centrepoint for a lads day out.
I prefer sport which has ‘authenticity’ both among the players and the fans. Or at least the echoes of ‘authenticity’.
The miner fresh from the pit appearing on the playing field with his workmates cheering him on so to speak.
Nick Hornby wrote some interesting things on this aspect in ‘Fever Pitch’.
London Scottish in the 2nd tier is a great little club nearby.
I cover the Newcastle Falcons games for the Press Ass. and am absolutely loving our season in the 2nd tier, real rugby fans and real rugby clubs, almost be sorry to be back in the prem next season.
My local club isn’t either London Scottish or Richmond, but London Welsh who are only about 6 minutes walk away from my house. I haven’t been in donkeys’ years but when I was a boy I got an autograph from John Dawes.
London Welsh … Boo! Hiss!
Relegation can sometimes work very well indeed – although not quite like a spell in opposition.
Richmond could do better.
A season in the championship with Dean Richards certainly didn’t do your lot any harm. At least we haven’t sunk like Leeds or to a lesser extent Bristol.
Robin Meltzer has been selected as LD candidate for Richmond Park.
Now there’s a surprise – I haven’t even heard of it, except perhaps very vaguely. Normally that party relentlessly promotes its candidates even before they are officially announced.
I’m terribly sorry, I meant I haven’t heard of HIM.