Paddington (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

Paddington was a special area in London that elected one person to the House of Commons. This is where Members of Parliament (MPs) work to represent their local areas. The Paddington area became a parliamentary constituency for the first time in the February 1974 election. It took the place of two older areas called Paddington North and Paddington South. This constituency stopped existing in the 1983 election.

How Paddington Became a Constituency

Early Ideas for Paddington's Boundaries

Back in 1947, a group called the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England suggested that the whole area of Metropolitan Borough of Paddington should become one constituency. This new area would elect just one MP. At that time, Paddington had many voters, more than most other areas.

The government planned to follow this idea. However, some local councils wanted more MPs for their towns. Paddington was one of the areas with a very large number of voters. So, in 1948, the government decided that Paddington should have two MPs instead of one. This led to the creation of two separate areas: Paddington North and Paddington South.

Changes in the 1960s

By 1965, the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington became part of the City of Westminster. This meant changes were needed for the election areas. The City of Westminster was given three MPs in total, which was one less than before.

At first, the Boundary Commission suggested moving a part of Paddington North (called Maida Vale ward) to a different constituency. They also suggested combining the rest of Paddington North with all of Paddington South to create a new Paddington constituency.

Revising the Boundaries

People living in the area had concerns about these plans. After listening to their feedback, the Commission changed its mind. They decided to keep Maida Vale ward in the new Paddington constituency. They also moved another area, Hyde Park ward, into the Paddington constituency.

So, the new Paddington constituency was made up of several parts of the City of Westminster. These included Harrow Road, Hyde Park, Lancaster Gate, Maida Vale, Queen's Park, and Westbourne. This new area was exactly the same as combining the two old Paddington North and Paddington South constituencies.

Paddington's Elections and MPs

The First Elections in Paddington

Before the new constituency was formed, Paddington North usually voted for the Labour Party. Paddington South usually voted for the Conservative Party. When these two areas were combined, people expected the new Paddington constituency to be a very close race. This means it could be won by either party.

In the 1970 election, the Labour Party was slightly ahead. When the first election for the new Paddington constituency happened in February 1974, both MPs from the old areas ran. Arthur Latham from Labour won the seat by a small number of votes.

For the next election in October 1974, the Conservatives saw Paddington as a very important seat to win. Arthur Latham won again, and this time with a larger lead.

The Close Election of 1979

The 1979 election was another very close contest in Paddington. The Conservative Party hoped to win this time. John Wheeler was the Conservative candidate. He talked about letting people who lived in council homes manage their own flats.

The election was so close that the votes had to be counted four times! The final result was announced the next morning. John Wheeler was declared the winner by only 106 votes. This shows how important every single vote can be in an election.

Paddington's Last Years

Later, the Boundary Commission looked at the election areas in London again. The City of Westminster was given only two constituencies instead of three. The Commission suggested making a larger Paddington constituency. This new area would include parts of the old St Marylebone constituency.

However, after more discussions, people decided that the new constituency should not be called Paddington. Instead, they thought Westminster North would be a better name. This was because the new area included parts that were not traditionally considered Paddington.

In 2011, there was another idea to create a Paddington constituency. This plan included parts of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. But these ideas were changed again in 2012, and the Paddington constituency was not brought back.

Members of Parliament for Paddington

This table shows who represented Paddington in the House of Commons:

Election Results

Here are the results from the elections held in the Paddington constituency: