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Ilford South

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ilford South
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Location within Greater London
CountyGreater London
Electorate74,065 (March 2020)[1]
Major settlementsIlford
Current constituency
Created1945
Member of ParliamentJas Athwal (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromIlford

Ilford South is a constituency[n 1] created in 1945, and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Jas Athwal of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Constituency profile

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Ilford South is a mostly suburban constituency in Greater London, located around 10 miles (16 km) north-east of the centre of London. It covers the southern part of the town of Ilford, including the town centre and the neighbourhoods of Seven Kings, Newbury Park, Little Heath, Marks Gate and parts of Chadwell Heath. The area was traditionally rural but developed rapidly along with much of suburban London during the early 20th century. Today the constituency is suburban in character, interspersed with parks, and is connected to central London by the Elizabeth and Central lines. The constituency has high levels of deprivation, especially in the centre of Ilford.[2] House prices are higher than the national average but considerably lower than the rest of London.[3]

As of the 2021 census, a majority (58%) of Ilford South residents were ethnically Asian, split between large Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities. White people made up 22% of residents, just under half of whom are of non-British origin; the constituency has a large Romanian population.[4] Black people made up 11% of residents.[5] The constituency is religiously diverse, with considerably higher proportions of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs than the rest of the country.[6]

Residents of Ilford South are young and have low levels of education and income compared to the rest of London.[3] Few residents work in scientific and professional occupations, and a high proportion work in healthcare and retail.[7] At the local borough council, all seats within the constituency are represented by Labour Party councillors. An estimated 52% of voters in Ilford South supported remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 48% but lower than the rest of London.[3]

Political history

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This constituency was created in 1945. The previous MP since 1992, Mike Gapes, who before defecting to Change UK, was the fourth Labour Party MP, each of whose tenures was interspersed or preceded by one of a Conservative MP serving the area. Regarded as a key marginal seat for decades, under Gapes's tenure Ilford South became a very safe seat for the Labour Party; in every election since 1997 it has been won by a majority of over 20% by Labour, and in 2017 they secured over 75% of the vote in the constituency.

The 2015 result made the seat the 38th safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.[8] The narrowest result since 1997 (inclusive) was in 2005 at a majority of 21.6%; the 2017 majority is the greatest ever achieved in the seat, at 54.9%.

Boundaries

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Ilford South in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1945 to 1950
Map
Map of boundaries 2010–2024

Historic

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1945–1950: The Borough of Ilford wards of Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Loxford, and Park.

1950–1974: The Borough of Ilford wards of Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Loxford, Mayfield, and Park.

1974–1983: The London Borough of Redbridge wards of Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Ilford, Mayfield, and Park.

1983–1997: As above substituting Ilford and Park with reshaped wards Loxford, Newbury, and Valentines.

1997–2017: As above plus Chadwell and Seven Kings wards.

2017–2024: Following a review of ward boundaries which did not effect the parliamentary boundaries, from May 2017 the constituency comprised the following wards:

  • Chadwell, Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Ilford Town, Loxford, Mayfield, Newbury, Seven Kings, Valentines, and a small part of Wanstead Park ward.

Current

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Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of:

The Cranbrook and Valentines wards were transferred to Ilford North, with the small part of Wanstead Park ward going to Leyton and Wanstead. To partly compensate, the Chadwell Heath ward was transferred from Dagenham and Rainham.

Members of Parliament

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ElectionMember[10] Party
1945Jim RangerLabour
1950Albert CooperConservative
1966Arnold ShawLabour
1970Albert CooperConservative
February 1974Arnold ShawLabour
1979Neil ThorneConservative
1992Mike GapesLabour
February 2019The Independent Group for Change
2019Sam TarryLabour
2024Jas AthwalLabour

Election results

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Election results 1945-2024

Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Ilford South [11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jas Athwal 16,537 40.2 –25.4
Independent Noor Begum 9,643 23.4 N/A
Conservative Sayeed Syduzzaman 6,142 14.9 –5.6
Green Syed Siddiqi 3,437 8.3 +7.0
Reform Raj Forhad 2,329 5.7 +3.8
Workers Party Golam Tipu 1,366 3.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Richard Clare 1,340 3.3 –0.1
TUSC Andy Walker 376 0.9 N/A
Majority 6,896 16.8 –27.2
Turnout 41,170 50.8 –11.8
Registered electors 80,993
Labour hold

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[13]
Party Vote %
Labour30,24665.2
Conservative9,83721.2
Others3,0826.6
Liberal Democrats1,5463.3
Brexit Party1,0342.2
Green6231.3
Turnout 46,368 62.6
Electorate 74,065
General election 2019: Ilford South[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sam Tarry 35,085 65.6 –10.2
Conservative Ali Azeem 10,984 20.5 –0.4
The Independent Group for Change Mike Gapes 3,891 7.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Ashburn Holder 1,795 3.4 +2.1
Brexit Party Munish Sharma 1,008 1.9 N/A
Green Rosemary Warrington 714 1.3 +0.4
Majority 24,101 45.1 –9.8
Turnout 53,477 62.9 –7.0
Labour hold Swing –4.9
General election 2017: Ilford South[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mike Gapes 43,724 75.8 +11.8
Conservative Christopher Chapman 12,077 20.9 –5.0
Liberal Democrats Farid Ahmed 772 1.3 –0.7
Green Rosemary Warrington 542 0.9 –2.0
UKIP Tariq Saeed 477 0.8 –4.4
Friends Party Kane Khan 65 0.1 N/A
Majority 31,647 54.9 +16.8
Turnout 57,657 69.9 +13.5
Registered electors 82,487
Labour Co-op hold Swing +8.4
General election 2015: Ilford South[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mike Gapes[19] 33,232 64.0 +14.6
Conservative Christopher Chapman 13,455 25.9 −1.5
UKIP Amjad Khan[20] 2,705 5.2 +3.0
Green Rosemary Warrington[21] 1,506 2.9 +0.3
Liberal Democrats Ashburn Holder 1,014 2.0 −15.0
Majority 19,777 38.1 +16.1
Turnout 51,912 56.4 −1.6
Registered electors 91,987
Labour Co-op hold Swing +8.1

[22]

General election 2010: Ilford South[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mike Gapes 25,311 49.4 +0.5
Conservative Toby Boutle 14,014 27.4 +0.2
Liberal Democrats Anood Al-Samerai 8,679 17.0 −3.5
Green Wilson Chowdhry 1,319 2.6 N/A
UKIP Terry Murray 1,132 2.2 +0.6
Save King George Hospital John Jestico 746 1.5 N/A
Majority 11,297 22.0 +0.3
Turnout 51,201 58.0 +4.4
Registered electors 86,220
Labour Co-op hold Swing +0.2

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mike Gapes 20,856 48.9 −10.7
Conservative Stephen Metcalfe 11,628 27.2 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Matthew E. Lake 8,761 20.5 +9.2
British Public Party Kashif Rana 763 1.8 N/A
UKIP Colin H. Taylor 685 1.6 −1.8
Majority 9,228 21.7 −12.2
Turnout 42,693 53.6 −0.7
Registered electors 79,646
Labour Co-op hold Swing −6.1
General election 2001: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mike Gapes 24,619 59.6 +1.1
Conservative Suresh Kumar 10,622 25.7 −4.4
Liberal Democrats Ralph Scott 4,647 11.3 +5.0
UKIP Harun Khan 1,407 3.4 N/A
Majority 13,997 33.9 +5.5
Turnout 41,295 54.3 −15.9
Registered electors 76,025
Labour Co-op hold Swing +2.7

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mike Gapes 29,273 58.5 +13.5
Conservative Neil Thorne 15,073 30.1 −14.3
Liberal Democrats Aina Khan 3,152 6.3 −3.3
Referendum David Hodges 1,073 2.1 N/A
Socialist Labour Bruce G. Ramsey 868 1.7 N/A
BNP Aron Owens 580 1.2 N/A
Majority 14,200 28.4 +27.4
Turnout 50,019 70.2 −6.5
Registered electors 71,202
Labour Co-op hold Swing +16.6
General election 1992: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mike Gapes 19,418 45.4 +7.9
Conservative Neil Thorne 19,016 44.4 −4.0
Liberal Democrats George G. Hogarth 4,126 9.6 −4.5
Natural Law Nandkishore Bramachari 269 0.6 N/A
Majority 402 1.0 N/A
Turnout 42,829 76.7 +4.9
Registered electors 55,741
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative Swing +6.0

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Thorne 20,351 48.4 +2.9
Labour Kenneth Jones 15,779 37.5 +3.1
Liberal Ralph Scott 5,928 14.1 −5.4
Majority 4,572 10.9 −0.2
Turnout 42,058 71.8 +1.2
Registered electors 58,572
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Thorne 18,672 45.5 −1.3
Labour John Hogben 14,106 34.4 −8.3
Liberal Ralph Scott 7,999 19.5 +10.6
BNP R.A. Martin 235 0.6 −0.9
Majority 4,566 11.1 +7.0
Turnout 41,012 70.6 −5.3
Registered electors 58,208
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Thorne 19,290 46.8 +6.6
Labour Arnold Shaw 17,602 42.7 −2.0
Liberal Ralph Scott 3,664 8.9 −5.72
National Front Terence Fitzgerald[24] 636 1.5 N/A
Majority 1,688 4.1 N/A
Turnout 39,230 75.9 +6.17
Registered electors 54,295
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election October 1974: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arnold Shaw 17,538 44.71 +4.64
Conservative Neil Thorne 15,789 40.25 +2.84
Liberal E. Yates 5,734 14.62 −7.90
More Prosperous Britain Tom Keen 169 0.43 N/A
Majority 1,749 4.46 +1.80
Turnout 39,230 69.73 −7.20
Registered electors 56,257
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arnold Shaw 17,201 40.07 −2.96
Conservative Albert Cooper 16,058 37.41 −8.84
Liberal Gareth Wilson 9,666 22.52 +14.11
Majority 1,143 2.66 N/A
Turnout 42,925 76.93 +8.8
Registered electors 55,799
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1970: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Cooper 18,369 46.25 +4.48
Labour Arnold Shaw 17,087 43.03 −4.56
Liberal Gerald Leslie Wilson 3,341 8.41 −2.22
National Front Malcolm Eric Leslie Skeggs 727 1.83 N/A
Independent Michael Joseph Marks 190 0.48 N/A
Majority 1,282 3.22 N/A
Turnout 39,714 68.13 −8.80
Registered electors 58,292
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arnold Shaw 20,613 47.59 +9.52
Conservative Albert Cooper 18,093 41.77 −0.36
Liberal Irene Watson 4,606 10.63 −8.99
Majority 2,520 5.82 N/A
Turnout 43,312 76.93 +1.92
Registered electors 56,302
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1964: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Cooper 18,352 42.13 −8.37
Labour Arnold Shaw 16,659 38.25 +3.20
Liberal Peter McGregor 8,547 19.62 +5.17
Majority 1,693 3.88 −11.57
Turnout 43,558 75.01 −2.90
Registered electors 58,066
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Cooper 23,876 50.50 −6.23
Labour Gordon Borrie 16,569 35.05 −8.22
Liberal Raymond V Netherclift 6,832 14.45 N/A
Majority 7,307 15.45 +1.99
Turnout 47,277 77.91 +2.59
Registered electors 60,678
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Cooper 27,292 56.73 +1.98
Labour James Ranger 20,814 43.27 −1.98
Majority 6,478 13.46 +3.96
Turnout 48,106 75.32 −7.34
Registered electors 63,866
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Cooper 30,177 54.75 +5.24
Labour James Ranger 24,938 45.25 +3.72
Majority 5,239 9.50 +1.52
Turnout 54,115 82.66 −2.71
Registered electors 66,678
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Cooper 28,087 49.51 +13.21
Labour James Ranger 23,558 41.53 −6.47
Liberal Ronald Acott Hall 4,170 7.35 −8.35
Communist Dave Kelly[25] 913 1.61 N/A
Majority 4,529 7.98 N/A
Turnout 56,728 85.37 +14.27
Registered electors 66,720
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Ilford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Ranger 19,339 48.0
Conservative Edward Boulton 14,633 36.3
Liberal Eric Arthur Holloway 6,322 15.7
Majority 4,706 11.7
Turnout 40,294 71.1
Registered electors 56,669
Labour win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ↑ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

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  1. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – London". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Seat Details - Ilford South". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Country of birth - Census Maps, ONS". ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "2021 census results: Religion in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 3 London region.
  10. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "I"
  11. ↑ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED, NOTICE OF POLL AND SITUATION OF POLLING STATIONS" (PDF). Redbridge Council. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "Ilford South – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  13. ↑ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "Ilford South Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  15. ↑ Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll Archived 15 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine London Borough of Redbridge
  16. ↑ "Ilford South parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  17. ↑ "General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  18. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "UK ELECTION RESULTS: ILFORD SOUTH 2015".
  20. ↑ "Election 2015 – Ilford Recorder". Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  21. ↑ "Prospective General Election Candidates | Green Party". Green Party Members' Website.
  22. ↑ "General Election Results from the Electoral Commission".
  23. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. ↑ Election Expenses. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 1980. p. 19. ISBN 0102374805.
  25. ↑ Stevenson, Graham. "Dave Kelly". Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
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51°33′50″N 0°05′10″E / 51.564°N 0.086°E / 51.564; 0.086

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