Ilford North (UK Parliament constituency)

Ilford North is a constituency^{[n 1]} in Greater London that was created in 1945. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by Wes Streeting of the Labour Party since 2015.^{[n 2]} Streeting currently serves as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the government of Keir Starmer.

Ilford North
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Location within Greater London
County	Greater London
Electorate	74,684 (2023) [1]
Major settlements	Woodford Bridge, Barkingside, Fairlop, Hainault
Current constituency
Created	1945
Member of Parliament	Wes Streeting (Labour)
Seats	One
Created from	Ilford

History

The seat was created for the 1945 general election, from the northern part of the former Ilford seat.

Constituency profile

Incomes and house prices are above average for the UK.^[2] All districts are suburban but interspersed with many parks and a few small nature reserves and are connected to Central London by the Central line which forms an end loop around Hainault tube station. Most residents live in terraced or semi-detached houses with small and narrow gardens. As at the 2011 census, mid-rise apartments in modest landscaped grounds form the bulk of the type of flats in the seat as opposed to tower blocks.^[3]

Political history

The seat has fluctuated since 1945 between Labour and Conservative representation in the House of Commons. The 2015 result made the seat the 8th narrowest win of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority, and in first past the post a 1.2% majority would be considered marginal.^[4] The 2017 election saw an 8.5% swing to Labour, increasing their margin in the seat to 9,639 votes (18.2%), the largest majority for a Labour MP in the seat's history. Labour's majority was almost halved during the 2019 general election.

In 2024, Ilford North became the focus of press attention as independent candidate Leanne Mohamad sought to oust incumbent Wes Streeting. One of several independents running primarily on the issue of the Gaza genocide,^[5] Whilst Mohamad ended up not winning the seat, she reduced Streeting's majority from 5,198 (10.4%) to 528 (1.2%), making it one of the country's most marginal constituencies.^[6]

Boundaries

Ilford North in Essex, 1945–50

Map of boundaries 1997–2024

1945–1950: The Municipal Borough of Ilford wards of Barkingside, North Hainault, Seven Kings, and South Hainault.

1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of Ilford wards of Barkingside, Clayhall, Fairlop, North Hainault, Seven Kings, and South Hainault.

1974–1983: The London Borough of Redbridge wards of Aldborough, Barkingside, Chadwell, Fairlop, Hainault, and Seven Kings.

1983–1997: As above plus Fullwell

1997–2024: The London Borough of Redbridge wards of Aldborough, Barkingside, Bridge, Clayhall, Fairlop, Fullwell, Hainault, and Roding.

2024–present: The London Borough of Redbridge wards of Aldborough, Barkingside, Clayhall, Cranbrook, Fairlop, Fullwell, Hainault, and Valentines.^[7]

The Bridge ward and the part of Churchfields ward were transferred to Chingford and Woodford Green, with the part of South Woodford ward going to Leyton and Wanstead. To compensate, the Cranbrook and Valentines wards were transferred from Ilford South.

Members of Parliament

Election		Member[8]	Party
	1945	Mabel Ridealgh	Labour Co-operative
	1950	Geoffrey Hutchinson	Conservative
	1954 by-election	Tom Iremonger	Conservative
	October 1974	Millie Miller	Labour
	1978 by-election	Vivian Bendall	Conservative
	1997	Linda Perham	Labour
	2005	Lee Scott	Conservative
	2015	Wes Streeting	Labour

Election results

Election results 1945–2024

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Ilford North^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Wes Streeting	15,647	33.4	–20.7
	Independent	Leanne Mohamad	15,119	32.2	N/A
	Conservative	Kaz Rizvi	9,619	20.5	–16.2
	Reform UK	Alex Wilson	3,621	7.7	+5.8
	Green	Rachel Collinson	1,794	3.8	+2.4
	Liberal Democrats	Fraser Coppin	1,088	2.3	–1.7
Majority			528	1.2	–16.2
Turnout			46,888	60.2	–9.1
Registered electors			77,835
	Labour hold

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[10]
Party		Vote	%
	Labour	28,024	54.1
	Conservative	18,994	36.7
	Liberal Democrats	2,056	4.0
	Others	1,010	2.0
	Brexit Party	968	1.9
	Green	709	1.4
Turnout		51,761	69.3
Electorate		74,684

General election 2019: Ilford North ^[11][12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Wes Streeting	25,323	50.5	−7.3
	Conservative	Howard Berlin	20,105	40.1	+0.5
	Liberal Democrats	Mark Johnson	2,680	5.4	+3.5
	Brexit Party	Neil Anderson	960	1.9	N/A
	Green	David Reynolds	845	1.7	N/A
	CPA	Donald Akhigbe	201	0.4	N/A
Majority			5,198	10.4	−7.8
Turnout			50,134	68.7	−6.1
Registered electors			72,963
	Labour hold		Swing	−3.9

General election 2017: Ilford North^[13][14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Wes Streeting	30,589	57.8	+13.9
	Conservative	Lee Scott	20,950	39.6	−3.1
	Liberal Democrats	Richard Clare	1,034	2.0	−0.4
	Independent	Doris Osen	368	0.7	+0.5
Majority			9,639	18.2	+17.0
Turnout			52,941	74.8	+9.8
Registered electors			70,791
	Labour hold		Swing	+8.5

General election 2015: Ilford North^[15][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Wes Streeting	21,463	43.9	+9.6
	Conservative	Lee Scott	20,874	42.7	−3.1
	UKIP	Philip Hyde	4,355	8.9	+7.0
	Liberal Democrats	Richard Clare	1,130	2.3	−10.4
	Green	David Reynolds	1,023	2.1	+0.9
	Independent	Doris Osen	87	0.2	N/A
Majority			589	1.2	N/A
Turnout			48,932	65.0	−0.2
Registered electors			75,294
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.4

General election 2010: Ilford North^[17][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Lee Scott	21,506	45.8	+2.0
	Labour	Sonia Klein	16,102	34.3	−5.4
	Liberal Democrats	Alex Berhanu	5,924	12.6	−1.2
	BNP	Danny Warville	1,545	3.3	N/A
	UKIP	Henri van der Stighelen	871	1.9	−0.3
	Green	Caroline Allen	572	1.2	N/A
	CPA	Robert Hampson	456	1.0	N/A
Majority			5,404	11.5	+7.7
Turnout			46,976	65.2	+4.1
Registered electors			72,372
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.7

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Ilford North^[19][20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Lee Scott	18,781	43.7	+3.2
	Labour	Linda Perham	17,128	39.8	−6.0
	Liberal Democrats	Mark Gayler	5,896	13.7	+2.0
	UKIP	Andrew Cross	902	2.1	+0.2
	Independent	Martin Levin	293	0.7	N/A
Majority			1,653	3.8	N/A
Turnout			43,000	60.8	+2.4
Registered electors			70,721
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+4.6

General election 2001: Ilford North^[21][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Linda Perham	18,428	45.8	−1.6
	Conservative	Vivian Bendall	16,313	40.5	−0.2
	Liberal Democrats	Gavin Stollar	4,717	11.7	+1.4
	UKIP	Martin Levin	776	1.9	N/A
Majority			2,115	5.3	−1.3
Turnout			40,234	58.4	−14.3
Registered electors			68,893
	Labour hold		Swing	−0.7

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Ilford North^[23][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Linda Perham	23,135	47.4	+13.3
	Conservative	Vivian Bendall	19,911	40.8	−13.2
	Liberal Democrats	Alan Dean	5,049	10.3	−1.6
	BNP	Paul Wilson	755	1.5	N/A
Majority			3,224	6.6	N/A
Turnout			48,850	72.7	−5.2
Registered electors			67,151
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	−17.3

General election 1992: Ilford North^[24][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Vivian Bendall	24,678	54.0	−0.9
	Labour	Lesley Hilton	15,627	34.1	+6.7
	Liberal Democrats	Ralph Scott	5,430	11.9	−5.8
Majority			9,051	19.9	−7.6
Turnout			45,735	77.9	+5.3
Registered electors			58,670
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Ilford North^[26][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Vivian Bendall	24,110	54.9	+3.6
	Labour	Paul Jeater	12,020	27.4	+2.1
	SDP	Graham Tobbell	7,757	17.7	−5.7
Majority			12,090	27.5	+1.5
Turnout			43,887	72.6	+1.3
Registered electors			60,433
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1983: Ilford North^[27][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Vivian Bendall	22,042	51.3	0.0
	Labour	Mike Gapes	10,841	25.3	−10.0
	SDP	Ian Roxburgh	10,052	23.4	+14.3
Majority			11,201	26.0	+12.0
Turnout			42,935	71.3	−7.7
Registered electors			60,248
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Ilford North^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Vivian Bendall	26,381	51.33	+10.45
	Labour	Tessa Jowell	19,186	37.33	−5.15
	Liberal	John Freeman	4,568	8.89	−7.75
	National Front	John Hughes	804	1.56	N/A
	Ind. Conservative	Tom Iremonger	452	0.88	N/A
Majority			7,195	14.0	N/A
Turnout			51,391	79.0	−4.54
Registered electors			65,052
	Conservative hold		Swing

1978 Ilford North by-election^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Vivian Bendall	22,548	50.31	+9.43
	Labour	Tessa Jowell	17,051	38.04	–4.44
	Liberal	John Freeman	2,248	5.02	–11.62
	National Front	John Hughes	2,126	4.74	N/A
	Conservative Independent Democrat	Tom Iremonger	671	1.50	N/A
	East London People's Front	Carole Rowe	89	0.20	N/A
	New Britain	Alfred Burr	48	0.11	N/A
	Democratic Monarchist, Public Safety, White Resident	Bill Boaks	38	0.08	N/A
Majority			5,497	12.3	N/A
Turnout			44,819	69.1	−5.36
Registered electors
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

General election October 1974: Ilford North^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Millie Miller	20,621	42.48	+4.48
	Conservative	Tom Iremonger	19,843	40.88	+2.32
	Liberal	Gareth Wilson	8,080	16.64	−6.80
Majority			778	1.60	N/A
Turnout			48,544	74.46	−5.15
Registered electors			65,195
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

General election February 1974: Ilford North^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Iremonger	19,843	38.56	−13.91
	Labour	Millie Miller	19,558	38.00	+1.79
	Liberal	Gareth Wilson	12,063	23.44	+12.12
Majority			285	0.56	−15.71
Turnout			51,464	79.61	+11.01
Registered electors			64,649
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1970: Ilford North^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Iremonger	25,142	52.47	+6.0
	Labour Co-op	Christopher Sewell	17,352	36.21	−3.71
	Liberal	Gareth Wilson	5,425	11.32	−2.29
Majority			7,790	16.26	+9.71
Turnout			47,919	68.60	−8.13
Registered electors			69,852
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Ilford North^[33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Iremonger	23,736	46.47	−0.45
	Labour	John Punshon	20,392	39.92	+7.67
	Liberal	Jack A. Harris	6,953	13.61	−7.21
Majority			3,344	6.55	−8.12
Turnout			51,081	76.73	−0.18
Registered electors			66,569
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1964: Ilford North^[34][35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Iremonger	24,096	46.92	−8.44
	Labour	John Anthony Punshon	16,563	32.25	+2.41
	Liberal	David Kincaid Mills	10,692	20.82	+6.02
Majority			7,533	14.67	−10.85
Turnout			51,351	76.91	−2.67
Registered electors			66,769
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Ilford North^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Iremonger	29,609	55.36	−0.25
	Labour	C.F.H. Green	15,962	29.84	−5.46
	Liberal	David Kincaid Mills	7,915	14.80	+5.71
Majority			13,647	25.52	+5.21
Turnout			53,486	79.58	+2.98
Registered electors			67,208
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1955: Ilford North^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Iremonger	28,749	55.61	+0.10
	Labour	Reginald Groves	18,248	35.30	−2.74
	Liberal	Paul Rose	4,702	9.09	+2.64
Majority			10,501	20.31	+2.84
Turnout			51,699	76.60	−8.18
Registered electors			67,496
	Conservative hold		Swing

1954 Ilford North by-election^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Iremonger	18,354	59.76	+4.25
	Labour	Thomas W Richardson	9,927	32.32	−5.72
	Liberal	George E Thornton	2,430	7.91	+1.46
Majority			8,427	27.44	+9.97
Turnout			30,711	45.40	−39.38
Registered electors			67,689
	Conservative hold		Swing	5.00

General election 1951: Ilford North^[39][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Geoffrey Hutchinson	31,905	55.51	+3.28
	Labour Co-op	Mabel Ridealgh	21,865	38.04	+0.75
	Liberal	Henry Eric Pollard	3,709	6.45	−4.03
Majority			10,040	17.47	+2.53
Turnout			57,479	84.78	−1.17
Registered electors			67,796
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1950: Ilford North^[41][42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Geoffrey Hutchinson	29,950	52.23	+15.82
	Labour Co-op	Mabel Ridealgh	21,385	37.29	−5.54
	Liberal	S. W. Alexander	6,009	10.48	−10.28
Majority			8,565	14.94	N/A
Turnout			57,334	85.95	+14.43
Registered electors			66,720
	Conservative gain from Labour Co-op		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Ilford North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Mabel Ridealgh	18,833	42.83
	Conservative	Geoffrey Hutchinson	16,013	36.41
	Liberal	Juliet Rhys-Williams	9,128	20.76
Majority			2,820	6.42
Turnout			43,974	71.52
Registered electors			61,486
	Labour Co-op win (new seat)

See also

• Ilford South
• Parliamentary constituencies in London

Notes

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.