# Bethnal Green and Bow (electoral division)

Bethnal Green and Bow was an electoral division for the purposes of elections to the Greater London Council. The constituency elected one councillor for a four-year term in 1973, 1977 and 1981, with the final term extended for an extra year ahead of the abolition of the Greater London Council.

## History

It was planned to use the same boundaries as the Westminster Parliament constituencies for election of councillors to the Greater London Council (GLC), as had been the practice for elections to the predecessor London County Council, but those that existed in 1965 crossed the Greater London boundary. Until new constituencies could be settled, the 32 London boroughs were used as electoral areas. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets formed the Tower Hamlets electoral division. This was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1964, 1967 and 1970.
The new constituencies were settled following the Second Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and the new electoral division matched the boundaries of the Bethnal Green and Bow parliamentary constituency.
The area was in a long-term period of population decline that was yet to reverse. The electorate reduced from 55,242 in 1973 to 51,159 in 1981. It covered an area of 810 hectares (8.1 km$^2$).

## Elections

The Bethnal Green and Bow constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981. One councillor was elected at each election using first-past-the-post voting.

### 1973 election

The fourth election to the GLC (and first using revised boundaries) was held on 12 April 1973. The electorate was 55,242 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 22.0%. The councillor was elected for a three-year term. This was extended for an extra year in 1976 when the electoral cycle was switched to four-yearly.
1973 Greater London Council election: Bethnal Green and Bow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernest Ashley Bramall | 10,802 | | |
| | Conservative | L. E. Smith | 899 | | |
| | Independent | J. P. Collins | 467 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### 1977 election

The fifth election to the GLC (and second using revised boundaries) was held on 5 May 1977. The electorate was 51,172 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 28.7%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term.
1977 Greater London Council election: Bethnal Green and Bow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Ernest Ashley Bramall | 8,064 |
| | Conservative | John O'Beirne Ranelagh | 3,090 |
| | National Front | W. E. Castleton | 2,811 |
| | International Marxist | C. M. B. Weingarten | 354 |
| | GLC Abolitionist Campaign | G. Lewis | 345 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### 1981 election

The sixth and final election to the GLC (and third using revised boundaries) was held on 7 May 1981. The electorate was 51,159 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 37.9%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term, extended by an extra year by the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984, ahead of the abolition of the council.
1981 Greater London Council election: Bethnal Green and Bow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Ernest Ashley Bramall | 9,162 |
| | Liberal | Brian Williams | 7,591 |
| | Conservative | Christopher W. Nolan | 1,230 |
| | National Front | Victor J. Clark | 755 |
| | NFCM | Alan J. Wilkens | 257 |
| | East London Workers Against Racism | Fran Eden | 211 |
| | Workers Revolutionary | Angela Mitchell | 185 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |