From 1950 to the 1983 general election, this constituency was known as Southgate. The prefix of the seat's London Borough was added in 1974. The seat gained national attention in the 1997 general election when Michael Portillo, Secretary of State for Defence was unexpectedly defeated on a massive swing - the 'Portillo moment'. Portillo had been widely expected to contest the Conservative leadership and his defeat the media took to epitomise the Labourlandslide victory. The victorious candidate, Stephen Twigg, increased his majority at the following election. In the 2005 general election, Twigg's majority was the largest overturned, with a swing of 8.7% to the Conservative candidate David Burrowes. The 2015 result gave the seat the 60th most marginal majority of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority, with Labour gaining the seat in the 2017 general election on a substantial 9.7% swing. Enfield Southgate is one of five constituencies, the others being Croydon Central, Leeds North West, Peterborough and Reading East, which elected Labour MPs in 2017 having not done so since 2001. Bambos Charalambous in 2019 became the first Labour MP in Enfield Southgate to be re-elected with a reduced share of the vote.
Constituency profile
The constituency is in the west of the London Borough of Enfield and generally more affluent than other parts of the borough. It is more cosmopolitan than many other London suburban constituencies which are or have been Conservative-held, including sizeable Jewish, Muslim and Cypriot communities. In recent years, the south-eastern and southern wards of the constituency including Bowes and Palmers Green always return Labour local councillors, with some councillors also in Southgate Green and Winchmore Hill. These wards tend to give the bulk of the Labour vote. However, the remaining wards generally elect Conservative councillors. To the north, the seat becomes semi-rural as it takes in Trent Park and the former campus of Middlesex University, and the Cockfosters terminus of the Piccadilly line, stretching into the wealthy Hadley Wood area. Some areas in the south of the constituency have middle rankings of deprivation when placed in a complete list of wards, however all other output areas lack any significant deprivation.
Boundaries
1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of Southgate. 1974–1983: The London Borough of Enfield wards of Arnos, Bowes, Cockfosters, Grange, Highfield, Oakwood, Palmers Green, Southgate Green, West, and Winchmore Hill. 1983–2010: The London Borough of Enfield wards of Arnos, Bowes, Grange, Grovelands, Highfield, Merryhills, Oakwood, Palmers Green, Southgate Green, Trent, and Winchmore Hill. 2010–present: The London Borough of Enfield wards of Bowes, Cockfosters, Grange, Palmers Green, Southgate, Southgate Green, and Winchmore Hill.
Boundary review
5th Boundary review 2000–2007
Following its review of parliamentary representation in North London, the Boundary Commission for England made some changes to Enfield, Southgate. Part of Highlands ward was transferred to the constituency of Enfield North, and part of Grange ward was transferred from Enfield North to Enfield, Southgate. Parts of Grange ward, Bowes ward and Palmers Green ward were transferred to Enfield, Southgate from Edmonton. Part of Bush Hill Park ward and a tiny part of Upper Edmonton ward were transferred to Edmonton.
6th Boundary review 2015–2018
In the first draft proposal of the Review, the Constituency would be broken up, with Cockfosters Ward joining an enlarged Chipping Barnet, Grange Ward joining Enfield North, Palmers Green returning to Edmonton, and the remainder joining parts of Finchley in a new Southgate and Finchley Constituency.
