West Ham
2010 Results:
Conservative: 6888 (14.67%)
Labour: 29422 (62.67%)
Liberal Democrat: 5392 (11.48%)
UKIP: 766 (1.63%)
Green: 645 (1.37%)
Independent: 1422 (3.03%)
Others: 2416 (5.15%)
Majority: 22534 (48%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 20426 (52.9%)
Respect: 6549 (17.0%)
Conservative: 4807 (12.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 3955 (10.3%)
Other: 2846 (7.4%)
Majority: 13877 (36%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 3618 (11.7%)
Labour: 15840 (51.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 3364 (10.9%)
Green: 894 (2.9%)
UKIP: 409 (1.3%)
Other: 6841 (22.1%)
Majority: 9801 (31.7%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 4804 (16.4%)
Labour: 20449 (69.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 2166 (7.4%)
UKIP: 657 (2.2%)
Green: 1197 (4.1%)
Majority: 15645 (53.4%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 5037 (15%)
Labour: 24531 (72.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 2479 (7.4%)
Other: 1614 (4.8%)
Majority: 19494 (57.9%)
Boundary changes: the Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets are no longer considered together in the lastest boundary review, and as such West Ham gains the Canning Town and Custom House wards that were previously in Poplar & Canning Town.
Profile: West Ham is deeply deprived seat in the London Borough of Newham. It has one of the highest proportions of ethnic minorities of any seat in the country, and is one of the few where white people form a minority – in the 2001 census only 44% gave their ethnicity as white. Around a fifth of the population are Muslim.
The seat covers the areas of Forest Gate, Upton Park, Plaistow, West Ham, Canning Town and Stratford. The area is currently undergoing unprecedented revelopment, especially Stratford where the a huge Stratford City project will include large scale residential and commerical development, a new international railway station on the channel tunnel rail link and, most significantly, the Olympic Village and Stadium for the 2012 Olympics. The planned Abbey Mills Islamic Centre next to the Olympic Village, funded by Tablighi Jamaat, will include the largest Mosque in Europe, large enoug hto accommodate 10,000 worshippers.
Politically Newham is normally a one party state, until 2006 all but one councillor in Newham was from the Labour party. The large Muslims population has allowed Respect to gain some support in the area, particularly in Green Street West ward which is almost 50% Muslim, and they secured second place in the 2005 general election, albeit a long way from victory. At the last local elections the Christian People`s Alliance also took three council seats in Canning Town.
Current MP: Lyn Brown(Labour) born 1960. Educated at Whitelands College, Putney. Newham Councillor since 1988. Contested Wanstead and Woodford in 1992. First elected as MP for Newham in 2005, replacing former Sports minister Tony Banks (more information at They work for you)
Virginia Morris (Conservative) Richmond councillor. Contested Oxford East 2005.Lyn Brown(Labour) born 1960. Educated at Whitelands College, Putney. Newham Councillor since 1988. Contested Wanstead and Woodford in 1992. First elected as MP for Newham in 2005, replacing former Sports minister Tony Banks (more information at They work for you)
Martin Pierce (Liberal Democrat)Jane Lithgow (Green) Kim Gandy (UKIP) 
Stan Gain (CPA) Born 1947. Educated at Roan Boys Grammar School. Pastor and missionary. Contested Greenwich and Woolwich 2001, 2005 for UKIPMichael Davidson (National Front)Grace Agbogun-Toko (Independent)Kamran Malik (Independent)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 124720
Male: 48.6%
Female: 51.4%
Under 18: 28.6%
Over 60: 12.7%
Born outside UK: 35.3%
White: 44.1%
Black: 25.1%
Asian: 23.4%
Mixed: 3.7%
Other: 3.7%
Christian: 52.6%
Hindu: 4%
Muslim: 19.8%
Sikh: 1.7%
Full time students: 8.7%
Graduates 16-74: 22.1%
No Qualifications 16-74: 34%
Owner-Occupied: 39.3%
Social Housing: 42.2% (Council: 30%, Housing Ass.: 12.2%)
Privately Rented: 15.5%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 9.5%
I worked in Newham for many years (as well as being born there) and it had a BAME majority by the time I started in 1985. Politics is surprisingly interesting with the CPA representing the large African population as posted above. The census shows large Tamil and Pilipino populations here as well – London is a fascinating place.
The BNP could have won council seats here in the 1990s if they had tried – they came very close in Canning Town without seriously trying.
I don’t LIKE the new Chingford seat. I simply agreed with the Boundary Commission that you have to cross the Lea somewhere, and it is usually better to do so upstream where there are more bridges and better communication. My own original proposals crossed between Hackney Wick and Leyton. However I agree that linking Leyton with Stratford makes a good deal of sense in community terms and this isn’t an area where I’m thinking of commenting in the Commission’s consultation.
It was reported this week that 80% of children in Newham of secondary school age are from ethnic minorities. The highest number in London. It will be interesting to see the census figures here in the next few decades to see what all the new residents of the developments that will follow the olympics will do to the ethnic make up of the borough.
I have also noticed that although there is a great deal of building going on around the old docks in the south of the borough many flats seem to be linked to housing associations which helps to explain why the Tories are still lagging behind Labour in this particular part of Newham.
Where was this report?
There was something in the Standard about over 50% of all children in state schools in London are non-white and it highlighted Newham has the most non-white borough on this measure.
Such a statistic demonstrates why the demographic trend in London is going to be devastating for the Tories unless they can start to win a decent chunk of the ethnic minority vote.
In the Evening Standard Pete….Interesting reading on the journey home.
I would imagine it’s on their website. It was compiled by a Kings College professor I believe between 2000-2009.
It made light of the fact that now for the first time over 50% of secondary school age children in London are not White British with massive divides across the capital.
“Such a statistic demonstrates why the demographic trend in London is going to be devastating for the Tories unless they can start to win a decent chunk of the ethnic minority vote”
Thats why I was wondering what effect developments in this part of London will have on demographics here. I would imagine many white families send their children to schools outside the capital or in neighbouring, more suburban boroughs, so many White British families living in Newham probably send their children to schools in Havering for example.
“In the Evening Standard Pete….
It made light of the fact that now for the first time over 50% of secondary school age children in London are not White British”
Thanks – i’ll have a look on their website.
I assume you mean that they brought this fact to light rather than that they made light of it, which would imply they trivialised it or made it a source of amusement. Perhaps they did both. Personally I find the fact neither trivial or amusing
They brought it to the attention of Londoners. It was interesting to read and they did not make light of it at all. They reported it in a way that even the most politically correct idiot couldn’t find it offensive. It does show just how diverse London is, but also highlights that in some schools in Tower Hamlets 95% of pupils (secondary age) were Asian which is not ‘diverse’ at all.