Poplar and Canning Town (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

Poplar and Canning Town was an area in London, England, that used to have its own special representative in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This representative was called a Member of Parliament (MP). People living in Poplar and Canning Town voted for one MP to speak for them in the House of Commons. This system is called "first past the post." It means the candidate with the most votes wins the election.

History of the Constituency

This special voting area, or constituency, was created for the 1997 general election. It was formed from parts of two older constituencies: Bow and Poplar and Newham South.

The Poplar and Canning Town constituency existed for 13 years. It was changed again before the 2010 general election. Its areas were then split between two new constituencies: Poplar and Limehouse and West Ham. The Labour Party held this seat for its entire existence. This means a Labour Party MP always represented the area.

Where Was Poplar and Canning Town?

The name of the constituency tells you which main areas it covered. It included Poplar and Canning Town. It also included other nearby places like Limehouse and the Isle of Dogs.

Here are some of the smaller areas, called wards, that were part of this constituency:

• In the London Borough of Newham: Beckton, Canning Town and Grange, Custom House and Silvertown, Ordnance.
• In the London Borough of Tower Hamlets: Blackwall, Bromley, East India, Lansbury, Limehouse, Millwall, Shadwell.

Changes to the Boundaries

The Boundary Commission for England is a group that reviews how voting areas are drawn. They looked at the parliamentary areas in North London. They suggested creating a new constituency called Poplar and Limehouse. This new area was used for the 2010 general election.

Members of Parliament (MPs)

A Member of Parliament (MP) is a person elected to represent a constituency in the House of Commons. They speak for the people in their area.

Here is the MP who represented Poplar and Canning Town:

Elections in Poplar and Canning Town

Elections are how people choose their representatives. In the UK, general elections happen every few years. People vote for the candidate they want to represent them in Parliament.

1997 General Election

In 1997, Jim Fitzpatrick won with a large number of votes. The "majority" shows how many more votes the winner got than the second-place candidate. "Turnout" is the percentage of people who voted.

2001 General Election

Jim Fitzpatrick was re-elected in 2001. The turnout was lower this year, meaning fewer people voted compared to 1997.

2005 General Election

Jim Fitzpatrick won again in 2005. The percentage of votes he received was lower than in previous elections. The turnout increased slightly from 2001. After this election, the constituency was changed and no longer existed for the next general election.