Election 97

Eltham
Result 97 gain
from Conservative
Current MP 97 Peter Bottomley (Contesting different se
Majority 0 ( 0.0%)
Conservative 97 13,528 (31.2%)
Labour 97 23,710 (54.6%)
LibDem 97 3,701 ( 8.5%)
Nationalist 97 0 ( 0.0%)
Other 97 2,489 ( 5.7%)
Elected party 97
Electorate 97 57,358
Turnout 97 43,428 (75.7%)



1992 MP Peter Bottomley (Contesting different se
Old constituency name Eltham
Majority 92 1,780 ( 3.8%)
Conservative 92 20,384 (43.9%)
Labour 92 18,604 (40.1%)
LibDem 92 7,213 (15.5%)
Nationalist 92 0 ( 0.0%)
Other 92 198 ( 0.4%)
Elected party 92 Conservative
Electorate 92 60,650
Turnout 92 46,399 (76.5%)
Eltham



Tory change -12.8%
Labour change +14.5%
Lib Dem change -7.0%
Nationalist change +0.0%
Other change +5.3%
Electorate change -5.4%
Turnout Change -0.8%
Robert Waller wrote

Eltham, in south-east London, is one of Labour's highest priority target marginals, not only in the capital but in the nation as a whole. They must win such seats if they are to win their first general election for 23 years. The minor boundary changes appear to have had a politically neutral effect but, nevertheless, the sitting MP since 1975, Peter Bottomley, has taken the opportunity to up sticks and move to a safe seat on the south coast.

This is a classic marginal. There is a relatively low proportion of non-white residents for a London constituency, and a mixture of housing from comfortable middle-class (around New Eltham and Eltham Palace) to ex-council estate (Shooters Hill and Well Hall). Labour's Clive Efford, a taxi driver and local councillor, is to fight the seat again as he did in 1992. He is likely to be more successful this time.


Super Profiles

561 1.70 9.03 19
2,058 6.25 11.17 56
8,988 27.31 11.25 243
2,271 6.90 14.70 47
5,954 18.09 10.45 173
0 0.00 2.81 0
1,625 4.94 8.01 62
3,608 10.96 15.25 72
4,890 14.86 7.13 208
2,721 8.27 10.17 81