Brent Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Brent Central was a constituency[n 1] in Greater London, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2010 until its abolition for the 2024 general election by Dawn Butler of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Brent Central
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Brent Central in Greater London
CountyGreater London
Population137,438 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate80,499 (June 2017)[2]
Major settlementsWillesden, Harlesden, Dollis Hill, Neasden, Kingsbury Green (part), Park Royal, Tokyngton
Current constituency
Created2010
Member of ParliamentNone
SeatsOne
Created fromBrent East, Brent South, Brent North

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the majority of the constituency was incorporated into the re-established seat of Brent East, with some areas being included in the new constituencies of Brent West and Queen's Park and Maida Vale.[3]

History

The seat was created in the London review of seats of the Boundary Commission before the 2010 general election from parts of predecessors Brent East, Brent South and Brent North – the first two of which no longer exist.

Sarah Teather was the constituency's first MP until 2015, when she stood down; she had previously represented the old Brent East constituency since a 2003 by-election. Dawn Butler, previously Labour MP for Brent South lost to Teather in 2010 and gained the seat in 2015 with a majority of over 40% over the Conservative candidate, whilst the Liberal Democrat share of the vote fell by 35.8%, the sharpest fall in the party's vote share in that election.

Constituency profile

The Brent Central constituency formed the central portion of the London Borough of Brent. Since the early 1990s the Conservative party has had a small minority of councillors but been without wards in the constituency; a plurality of the voters in each ward have been in favour of the Labour Party and/or the Liberal Democrats. It is mostly in the postal district of NW10, but also partly falls under NW2, NW9 and HA9.

Districts and ethnicity

Kensal Green lay at the southeast of the constituency, neighbouring Stonebridge and Harlesden, which have a high concentration of black residents and severe deprivation. The southwest corner is dominated by the Park Royal industrial estate, the largest in Europe.[citation needed] To the west is the 21st century-built Wembley Stadium; the north takes in Dollis Hill including part of the Welsh Harp Reservoir. Other than Harlesden and Stonebridge, pockets prominent in the Index of Multiple Deprivation are in smallest areas (Output Areas of censuses) within Willesden Green and Neasden, which has Britain's largest Hindu temple. Although there is a mixed income established Asian minority, the proportion of the borough's residents who describe themselves as being of Asian ethnicity is the fourth-highest in London, the highest proportion of Asian backgrounds being the London Borough of Newham.[4] The proportion of social housing and rented housing is close to the average of Greater London; this increased by 66% in the ten years to 2011 to 30%.[5]

Boundaries

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

Brent Central was made up of nine electoral wards from the London Borough of Brent:

Boundary review

Under its 2007 review of parliamentary representation in North London, the Boundary Commission for England reduced Brent and Camden's constituencies from five to four. To create the new Brent Central constituency, Dollis Hill ward, Dudden Hill ward, Mapesbury ward, and parts of Welsh Harp ward, Willesden Green ward, Kensal Green ward, and Stonebridge ward were taken from the former Brent East constituency; Harlesden ward. Parts of Stonebridge ward, Willesden Green ward, Kensal Green ward, Tokyngton ward, and Welsh Harp ward were taken from the former Brent South constituency; and part of Welsh Harp ward was taken from the reconstituted Brent North constituency.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
2010Sarah TeatherLiberal Democrat
2015Dawn ButlerLabour

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Brent Central[6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDawn Butler 31,779 64.7 -8.4
ConservativeDavid Brescia10,90922.2+2.7
Liberal DemocratsDeborah Unger4,8449.9+5.0
GreenWilliam Relton1,6003.3+1.7
Majority20,87042.5-11.1
Turnout49,13258.3-6.6
Labour holdSwing-5.5
General election 2017: Brent Central[7][8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDawn Butler 38,208 73.1 +10.9
ConservativeRahoul Bhansali10,21119.5-0.8
Liberal DemocratsAnton Georgiou2,5194.8-3.6
GreenShaka Lish8021.5-2.6
UKIPJanice North5561.1-2.9
Majority27,99753.5+11.8
Turnout52,29665.0+3.9
Registered electors80,499
Labour holdSwing+5.85
General election 2015: Brent Central[9][10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDawn Butler 29,216 62.1 +20.9
ConservativeAlan Mendoza9,56720.3+9.1
Liberal DemocratsLauren Keith3,9378.4-35.8
GreenShahrar Ali1,9124.1+2.6
UKIPStephen Priestley1,8503.9N/A
TUSCJohn Boyle2350.5N/A
Communities UnitedKamran Malik1700.4N/A
IndependentNoel Coonan1450.3N/A
Majority19,64941.8N/A
Turnout47,03261.1-0.1
Registered electors77,038
Labour gain from Liberal DemocratsSwing-28.3
General election 2010: Brent Central[11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal DemocratsSarah Teather* 20,026 44.2 +13.1
LabourDawn Butler**18,68141.2-8.9
ConservativeSachin Rajput5,06811.2-1.9
GreenShahrar Ali6681.5-2.2
ChristianErrol Williams4881.1N/A
RespectAbdi Duale2300.5N/A
IndependentDean McCastree1630.4N/A
Majority1,3453.0N/A
Turnout45,32461.2+5.7
Registered electors74,046
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
* Served as MP for Brent East in the 2005–2010 Parliament
** Served as MP for Brent South in the 2005–2010 Parliament

See also

Notes

References

51°33′N 0°15′W / 51.55°N 0.25°W / 51.55; -0.25