Harlow is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Chris Vince, of the Labour and Co-operative Party.
Constituency profile
The Harlow constituency is located in Essex. It covers the large town of Harlow and the rural areas and villages surrounding it, including Lower Nazeing, Sheering and Hatfield Heath. Harlow was a small town until 1947, when it was designated as a new town to accommodate the London overspill. There is some deprivation in Harlow whilst the rural parts of the constituency are wealthier. House prices are similar to the rest of the East of England and higher than the national average.
In general, residents of Harlow have low levels of education, and household income is similar to the national average. They are less likely to work in professional occupations compared to the rest of the country, White people made up 84% of the population at the 2021 census, a similar proportion to the country as a whole. At the local council level, the centre of Harlow is mostly represented by the Labour Party whilst the suburban and rural areas primarily elected Conservatives. Voters in Harlow showed strong support for leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 67% voted in favour of Brexit, making Harlow one of the top 50 most Brexit-supporting constituencies out of 650 nationwide.
History
This seat was created for the February 1974 general election from the abolished seat of Epping, and has been subject only to minor changes since.
Boundaries
Historic
1974–1983: Harlow Urban District, and Epping and Ongar Rural District parishes of Magdalen Laver, Matching, Nazeing, North Weald Bassett, Roydon, and Sheering.
1983–1997: The District of Harlow, and the District of Epping Forest wards of Nazeing, North Weald Bassett, Roydon, and Sheering.
:Minor loss to Brentwood and Ongar.
1997–2010: The District of Harlow, and the District of Epping Forest wards of Nazeing, Roydon, and Sheering.
:North Weald Bassett transferred to Epping Forest.
2010–2024: The District of Harlow, and the District of Epping Forest wards of Hastingwood, Matching and Sheering Village, Lower Nazeing, Lower Sheering, and Roydon.
:Marginal changes due to redistribution of local authority wards.
Current
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was expanded northwards to meet the electorate size requirements, with the transfer in from Saffron Walden of the two District of Uttlesford wards of Broad Oak & the Hallingburys, and Hatfield Heath.
Following a local government boundary review in Epping Forest which came into effect in May 2024, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
- The District of Epping Forest part wards of: North Weald Bassett (small part); Roydon & Lower Nazeing (bulk); Rural East (parishes of Matching and Sheering).
- The District of Harlow.
- The District of Uttlesford wards of: Broad Oak & the Hallingburys; Hatfield Heath.
Members of Parliament
Epping prior to 1974
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Election!!Member
!Party
|-
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| Feb 1974
| Stan Newens
| Labour Co-op
|-
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| 1983
| Jerry Hayes
| Conservative
|-
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| 1997
| Bill Rammell
| Labour
|-
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| 2010
| Robert Halfon
| Conservative
|-
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|2024
|Chris Vince
|Labour Co-op
|}
Elections
thumb|centre|upright=2.5|Harlow election results 1983-2024
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="4" | 2019 notional result
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | %
|-
|
| Conservative ||align=right| 30,573 ||align=right| 64.6
|-
|
| Labour ||align=right| 13,879 ||align=right| 29.3
|-
|
| Liberal Democrats ||align=right| 2,783 ||align=right| 5.9
|-
|
| Green ||align=right| 125 ||align=right| 0.3
|-
|colspan="4" bgcolor="#EAECF0"|
|-
|colspan="2"|Turnout
|align=right|47,360
|align=right|64.5
|-
|colspan="2"|Electorate
|align=right|73,479
|}
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="4" | 1970 notional result
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | %
|-
|
| Labour ||align=right| 29,453 ||align=right| 60.9
|-
|
| Conservative ||align=right| 18,880 ||align=right| 39.1
|-
|colspan="4" bgcolor="#EAECF0"|
|-
|colspan="2"|Turnout
|align=right|48,333
|align=right|72.9
|-
|colspan="2"|Electorate
|align=right|58,512
|}
Graphical representation
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+February 1974 New Seat
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:49.5%;" | 49.5%
| style="background:; width:25.5%;" | 25.5%
| style="background:; width:25.0%;" | 25.0%
|-
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+October 1974
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:52.7%;" | 52.7%
| style="background:; width:23.0%;" | 23.0%
| style="background:; width:24.3%;" | 24.3%
|-
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+1979
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:42.7%;" | 42.7%
| style="background:; width:15.7%;" | 15.7%
| style="background:; width:40.1%;" | 40.1%
|-
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+1983
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:34.2%;" | 34.2%
| style="background:; width:24.2%;" | 24.2%
| style="background:; width:0.5%;" |
| style="background:; width:41.1%;" | 41.1%
|-
|
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+1987
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:36.6%;" | 36.6%
| style="background:; width:16.2%;" | 16.2%
| style="background:; width:47.2%;" | 47.2%
|-
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+1992
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:41.8%;" | 41.8%
| style="background:; width:11.3%;" | 11.3%
| style="background:; width:47.0%;" | 47.0%
|-
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+1997
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:54.1%;" | 54.1%
| style="background:; width:9.5%;" | 9.5%
| style="background:; width:32.1%;" | 32.1%
| style="background:; width:3.0%;" | 3.0%
| style="background:; width:0.7%;" |
| style="background:; width:0.7%;" |
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+2001
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:1.0%;" |
| style="background:; width:47.8%;" | 47.8%
| style="background:; width:13.4%;" | 13.4%
| style="background:; width:34.8%;" | 34.8%
| style="background:; width:3.0%;" | 3.0%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+2005
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:41.4%;" | 41.4%
| style="background:; width:12.6%;" | 12.6%
| style="background:; width:41.2%;" | 41.2%
| style="background:; width:2.5%;" |
| style="background:; width:2.4%;" |
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+2010
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:33.7%;" | 33.7%
| style="background:; width:13.7%;" | 13.7%
| style="background:; width:0.2%;" |
| style="background:; width:44.9%;" | 44.9%
| style="background:; width:3.6%;" | 3.6%
| style="background:; width:4.0%;" | 4.0%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+2015
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:0.4%;" |
| style="background:; width:2.2%;" |
| style="background:; width:30.0%;" | 30.0%
| style="background:; width:2.0%;" |
| style="background:; width:48.9%;" | 48.9%
| style="background:; width:16.3%;" | 16.3%
| style="background:; width:0.3%;" |
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+2017
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:1.5%;" |
| style="background:; width:38.4%;" | 38.4%
| style="background:; width:2.2%;" |
| style="background:; width:54.0%;" | 54.0%
| style="background:; width:4.0%;" | 4.0%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+2019
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:31.0%;" | 31.0%
| style="background:; width:5.5%;" | 5.5%
| style="background:; width:63.5%;" | 63.5%
|-
|
|
|
|}
{| style="width:1000px; text-align:center;"
|+2024
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:; width:5.2%;" | 5.2%
| style="background:; width:37.6%;" | 37.6%
| style="background:; width:3.1%;" |
| style="background:; width:31.9%;" | 31.9%
| style="background:; width:21.8%;" | 21.8%
| style="background:; width:0.4%;" |
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}
See also
- List of parliamentary constituencies in Essex
Notes
References
External links
- BBC News coverage
- Harlow UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
- Harlow UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Harlow UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK