Poplar and Limehouse (UK Parliament constituency)


Poplar and Limehouse is a constituency created in 2010, currently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Apsana Begum. It was previously held by Jim Fitzpatrick, a member of the Labour Party, from the creation of the seat until his retirement at the 2019 general election.

History

;Political history
The predecessors to this constituency since 1992 have elected Labour Party representatives. In 2010, Jim Fitzpatrick had a majority of 12.9% over the runner-up Conservative Party candidate.
The 2015 re-election of Fitzpatrick made the seat the 66th safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.
In 2019, Apsana Begum beat the runner-up Conservative Party candidate by 28,904 votes. This was more than Jim Fitzpatrick’s 27,712 vote majority in the 2017 general election meaning that the Labour Party held the seat with an increased majority.

Boundaries

Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which proposed the seat's creation for the 2010 general election, since when it has consisted of the following electoral wards:
;Nomenclature
Alternative names, including "Tower Hamlets South" and "Poplar and Millwall" were rejected following public consultation.

Constituency profile

The constituency and its predecessor seats covering the Isle of Dogs have consistently been won by the Labour Party since the 1920s. The district has changed vastly over this time, and great wealth and considerable poverty now co-exist side by side.
Once home to shipping and heavy industry, the Docklands area was derelict for many years, before redevelopment began in the late 1980s. Now the area around Canary Wharf is one of the country's largest financial districts and has several landmark skyscrapers, such as One Canada Square.
The redevelopment of the Docklands has led to the construction of luxury housing in the constituency, which has somewhat altered the demographics. However, in parts of the Isle of Dogs and in the areas north, east and west of Poplar, there are still areas of high deprivation.
At the end of 2012, 6% of the population of the constituency were unemployment benefit claimants, ranking sixth among London seats, and above the London-wide average of 3.9%.
In the 2016 EU referendum, the constituency voted 65.79% for Remain.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2010s