Brent East (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids
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Brent East was a special area in north west London that elected one person to represent its people in the UK Parliament. This area was called a parliamentary constituency. It was created in 1974 and stopped being a separate constituency in 2010.
The person elected from Brent East was called a Member of Parliament (MP). They sat in the House of Commons, which is where laws are made for the country. MPs were chosen using a system called "first past the post," meaning the candidate with the most votes won.
Brent East was later replaced by a new area called Brent Central for the general election in 2010. However, it is planned to be brought back for the next general election, covering most of the current Brent Central area.
Contents
What Areas Did Brent East Cover?
Brent East was one of three areas that made up the London Borough of Brent in north-west London. It covered the south-east part of the borough.
Brent East's Changing Borders
- From 1974 to 1983: The constituency included parts of the London Borough of Brent called Brentwater, Brondesbury Park, Carlton, Church End, Cricklewood, Gladstone, Kilburn, Mapesbury, Queen's Park, and Willesden Green.
- From 1983 to 2010: The borders changed slightly to include Chamberlayne ward, but the main areas remained the same. Even when the borders were redrawn in 1997, the description of the area stayed mostly unchanged.
The main areas within Brent East included Brondesbury, Dollis Hill, Kilburn, and Neasden. It also covered parts of Willesden and Cricklewood.
Who Represented Brent East?
The Brent East constituency had a rich history with several important Members of Parliament. It was known for being a very diverse area.
Early Years: A Strong Labour Area
Brent East was created in 1974. For many years, it was considered a "safe seat" for the Labour Party. This means that Labour candidates usually won by a large number of votes.
- Reg Freeson was the first MP for Brent East, serving from 1974 to 1987.
- Ken Livingstone took over as MP in 1987. He was also famous for being the leader of the Greater London Council, which was a local government body for London.
A Shift in Representation
In 2000, Ken Livingstone left the Labour Party to run as an independent candidate for Mayor of London. He continued to represent Brent East as an independent MP until 2001, when he stepped down to focus on his role as Mayor.
- Paul Daisley from the Labour Party won the seat back in the 2001 general election. Sadly, he passed away two years later.
The 2003 By-election and a New Party
Because Paul Daisley passed away, a special election called a "by-election" was held in Brent East on 18 September 2003. This election happened during a time when many people were talking about the 2003 Invasion of Iraq.
- In a big surprise, the Labour Party lost the seat to Sarah Teather from the Liberal Democrats. She won with a huge "swing" of votes, meaning many people who had voted Labour before switched to the Liberal Democrats.
- Sarah Teather kept her seat in the 2005 general election, winning by 2,712 votes.
Members of Parliament for Brent East
This table shows the people who were elected to represent Brent East in Parliament:
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1974 | Reg Freeson | Labour | |
| 1987 | Ken Livingstone | Labour | |
| 2000 | Independent | ||
| 2001 | Paul Daisley | Labour | |
| 2003 by-election | Sarah Teather | Liberal Democrat | |
| 2010 | constituency abolished: see Brent Central & Hampstead and Kilburn | ||
See also
