# Barking (UK Parliament constituency)

Barking is a constituency in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.

## Political history

The area has elected Labour MPs since its creation in 1945, on strong majorities of 20.4% of the vote or greater, except for the results in 1983 and 1987.
The rise in support for the British National Party since the turn of the 21st century saw the party attain 17% of the vote at the 2005 general election. Party members and supporters were optimistic that the party would soon make a breakthrough into the UK parliament, and party leader Nick Griffin stood in Barking for the 2010 general election. However, his performance in Barking was poor, as he polled 14.8% of the vote (which actually represented a decline in percentage terms compared to 2005), and Margaret Hodge retained the seat with more than half of the vote, therefore doubling her majority.
During the run-up to the 2010 election, filmmaker Laura Fairrie had access to the British National Party and Labour Party campaigns, and later produced a documentary The Battle for Barking, which premiered on More 4 on 30 November 2010.

## Constituency profile

Set in the east of Greater London, the Barking constituency is one of the areas identified for London's planned expansion in housing. The Barking Riverside regeneration project aims to create new homes, jobs and services on the site of the former power station.
Having returned Labour MPs since 1945, Margaret Hodge has served as the MP for the seat since 1994. A challenge from the BNP in 2005 saw the Labour vote reduced by over 13% from the 2001 general election. The BNP, with 16.9% of the vote, out-polled the Liberal Democrats for third place and were 27 votes behind the Conservatives.
According to 2011 United Kingdom census data, the seat had the 21st highest proportion of unemployed people amongst constituencies in England and Wales, at 7.4%. It also has the third-highest proportion of people from Africa, while one in six identifies as Asian/Asian British. In 2010, Labour won with 54.3% of the vote, Conservatives 17.8%, BNP 14.6%.
In 2015, the UKIP vote increased to almost 23%, this was predicted as they came the runners up in every ward in the 2014 Barking and Dagenham Council election, they came within 200 votes of winning 4 seats on the council.
In 2017, the UKIP vote collapsed, and Labour and the Conservatives both increased their share of the vote, although Labour's increase of 10.1% saw them claim 67.8% of the vote overall (their largest share in Barking at any election since the 1994 by-election and the greatest at a general election since 1970), increasing their majority from 35.5% to 45.3%.
The constituency has benefited from the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and its districts include a larger than average proportion of social housing and earners on low incomes.

## Demographics

Ethnicity 2021 Census
White – 42.3
Asian – 28.0
Black – 21.6
Mixed – 4.3
Other – 3.6
Religion 2021 Census
Christian – 43.7
Muslim – 27.6
Hindu – 2.8
Sikh – 1.8

## Boundaries

| Dates | Areas | Notes |
| 1945–1974 | The Municipal Borough of Barking. | Barking in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1945 to 1950. |
| 1974–1983 | The London Borough of Barking wards of Abbey, Cambell, Gascoigne, Longbridge, and Manor. | |
| 1983–1997 | The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham wards of Abbey, Cambell, Eastbury, Gascoigne, Goresbrook, Longbridge, Manor, Parsloes, and Thames. | |
| 1997–2010 | The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham wards of Abbey, Becontree, Cambell, Eastbury, Gascoigne, Goresbrook, Longbridge, Manor, Parsloes, and Thames. | |
| 2010–2024 | The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (2010) wards of Abbey, Alibon, Becontree, Eastbury, Gascoigne, Goresbrook, Longbridge, Mayesbrook, Parsloes, Thames, and Valence. Note that the ward boundaries and some ward names changed in 2022. | |
| 2024–present | The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (2020) wards of Abbey; Alibon (majority); Barking Riverside; Becontree; Eastbury; Gascoigne; Goresbrook (most); Longbridge; Mayesbrook; Northbury; Parsloes (most); Thames View; Valence (part) | 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies |

### 2010 boundary changes

Following their review of parliamentary representation the Boundary Commission for England recommended that the wards of Alibon, Parsloes and Valence be transferred from the old Dagenham constituency to Barking, and that following a review of ward boundaries a small part of River ward be transferred from Barking to help form the new Dagenham and Rainham constituency. These boundaries were first contested for the 2010 general election.

### 2023 boundary review

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election and was based on the ward boundaries in place at 1 December 2020, the Valence ward was moved to Dagenham and Rainham in order to bring the electorate within the permitted range.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1945 | Somerville Hastings | Labour |
| 1959 | Tom Driberg | Labour |
| Feb 1974 | Jo Richardson | Labour |
| 1994 by-election | Margaret Hodge | Labour |
| 2024 | Nesil Caliskan | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nesil Caliskan | 16,227 | 44.5 | −16.4 |
| | Reform UK | Clive Peacock | 5,173 | 14.2 | +7.1 |
| | Green | Simon Anthony | 4,988 | 13.7 | +11.9 |
| | Conservative | Julie Redmond | 4,294 | 11.8 | −15.0 |
| | Workers Party | Muhammad Asim | 3,578 | 9.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charley Hasted | 1,015 | 2.8 | −0.5 |
| | Independent | Dee Dias | 753 | 2.1 | N/A |
| | CPA | Lucy Baiye-Gaman | 449 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,054 | 30.3 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,477 | 45.7 | −11.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 79,825 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −11.8 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Labour | 24,996 | 60.9 |
| | Conservative | 11,003 | 26.8 |
| | Brexit Party | 2,914 | 7.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1,356 | 3.3 |
| | Green | 750 | 1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 41,019 | 57.1 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 71,822 |
General election 2019: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Hodge | 27,219 | 61.2 | −6.6 |
| | Conservative | Tamkeen Shaikh | 11,792 | 26.5 | +4.0 |
| | Brexit Party | Karen Batley | 3,186 | 7.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann Haigh | 1,482 | 3.3 | +2.0 |
| | Green | Shannon Butterfield | 820 | 1.8 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,427 | 34.7 | −10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,499 | 57.1 | −4.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 77,946 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −5.3 | |
General election 2017: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Hodge | 32,319 | 67.8 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | Minesh Talati | 10,711 | 22.5 | +6.2 |
| | UKIP | Roger Gravett | 3,031 | 6.4 | −15.8 |
| | Green | Shannon Butterfield | 724 | 1.5 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pauline Pearce | 599 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| | Independent | Noel Falvey | 295 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,608 | 45.3 | +9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,679 | 61.9 | +3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 77,022 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.0 | |
General election 2015: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Hodge | 24,826 | 57.7 | +3.4 |
| | UKIP | Roger Gravett | 9,554 | 22.2 | +19.3 |
| | Conservative | Mina Rahman | 7,019 | 16.3 | −1.5 |
| | Green | Tony Rablen | 879 | 2.0 | +1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Wilcock | 562 | 1.3 | −6.9 |
| | TUSC | Joseph Mambuliya | 183 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,272 | 35.5 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,023 | 58.2 | −3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 73,977 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.0 | |
General election 2010: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Hodge | 24,628 | 54.3 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | Simon Marcus | 8,073 | 17.8 | +1.2 |
| | BNP | Nick Griffin | 6,620 | 14.8 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dominic Carman | 3,719 | 8.2 | −2.6 |
| | UKIP | Kellie Maloney | 1,300 | 2.9 | −0.6 |
| | Christian | George Hargreaves | 482 | 1.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Jayne Forbes | 317 | 0.7 | −1.0 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Crucial Chris Dowling | 82 | 0.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Thomas Darwood | 77 | 0.2 | N/A |
| | Restoration Party | Dapo Sijuwola | 45 | 0.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,555 | 36.5 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,343 | 61.4 | +13.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 73,868 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.7 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Hodge | 13,826 | 47.8 | −13.1 |
| | Conservative | Keith Prince | 4,943 | 17.1 | −5.9 |
| | BNP | Richard Barnbrook | 4,916 | 16.9 | +10.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Toby Wickenden | 3,211 | 11.1 | +1.3 |
| | UKIP | Terry Jones | 803 | 2.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Laurie Cleeland | 618 | 2.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Demetrious Panton | 530 | 1.8 | N/A |
| | Workers Revolutionary | Mick Saxby | 59 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,883 | 30.7 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,906 | 50.1 | +4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,658 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.6 | |
General election 2001: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Hodge | 15,302 | 60.9 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative | Mike Weatherley | 5,768 | 23.0 | +5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anura Keppetipola | 2,450 | 9.8 | +0.3 |
| | BNP | Mark C. Tolman | 1,606 | 6.4 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,534 | 37.9 | −10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,126 | 45.5 | −16.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,229 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −5.2 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Hodge | 21,698 | 65.8 | +14.2 |
| | Conservative | Keith Langford | 5,802 | 17.6 | −16.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Marsh | 3,128 | 9.5 | −5.0 |
| | Referendum | Colin Taylor | 1,283 | 3.9 | N/A |
| | BNP | Mark Tolman | 894 | 2.7 | N/A |
| | ProLife Alliance | Damien Mearns | 159 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,896 | 48.2 | +30.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,964 | 61.7 | −8.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 53,458 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +15.2 | |
* Changes are based on the 1992 election result, not the 1994 by-election.
1994 Barking by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Hodge | 13,704 | 72.1 | +20.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gary White | 2,290 | 12.0 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Theresa May | 1,976 | 10.4 | −23.5 |
| | National Front | Gary Needs | 551 | 2.9 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Gerard Batten | 406 | 2.1 | N/A |
| | Natural Law | Heather R. Butensky | 90 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,414 | 60.1 | +42.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,017 | 38.3 | −31.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,635 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1992: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jo Richardson | 18,224 | 51.6 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | John G. Kennedy | 11,956 | 33.9 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen W. Churchman | 5,133 | 14.5 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,268 | 17.7 | +7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,313 | 70.0 | +3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,454 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.9 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jo Richardson | 15,307 | 44.3 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | William Sharp | 11,898 | 34.5 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal | John Gibb | 7,366 | 21.2 | −4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,409 | 9.8 | −1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,541 | 66.9 | +1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 51,639 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −1.0 | |
General election 1983: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jo Richardson | 14,415 | 42.1 | −10.7 |
| | Conservative | Hugo Summerson | 10,389 | 30.4 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal | John Gibb | 8,770 | 25.6 | +14.9 |
| | National Front | Ian Newport | 646 | 1.9 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,026 | 11.7 | −8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,219 | 65.4 | −5.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 52,362 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −4.4 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jo Richardson | 18,111 | 52.8 | −11.1 |
| | Conservative | Marion Roe | 11,103 | 32.4 | +16.8 |
| | Liberal | Martin Taylor | 3,679 | 10.7 | −4.9 |
| | National Front | Ian Newport | 1,021 | 3.0 | −1.9 |
| | Independent Labour | John Barry | 400 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,008 | 20.4 | −27.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,314 | 71.1 | +3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,289 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −14.0 | |
General election October 1974: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jo Richardson | 21,546 | 63.9 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Eric Forth | 5,256 | 15.6 | −3.2 |
| | Liberal | M Taylor | 5,245 | 15.6 | −5.5 |
| | National Front | C. Bond | 1,661 | 4.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,290 | 48.3 | +9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,706 | 67.4 | −9.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,039 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
General election February 1974: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jo Richardson | 22,846 | 60.1 | −9.3 |
| | Liberal | M. Taylor | 8,012 | 21.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Eric Forth | 7,154 | 18.8 | −11.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,834 | 39.0 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,011 | 76.6 | +15.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,617 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Driberg | 21,097 | 69.4 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Pattie | 9,309 | 30.6 | +8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,788 | 38.8 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,406 | 61.6 | −10.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,363 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.8 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Driberg | 22,994 | 66.2 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Pattie | 7,584 | 21.8 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal | James T. Silvey | 4,181 | 12.0 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,410 | 44.4 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,281 | 72.0 | −1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,281 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
General election 1964: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Driberg | 23,055 | 62.6 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey C Waterer | 8,296 | 22.6 | −5.6 |
| | Liberal | Nicholas Henry Donahue | 5,463 | 14.8 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,759 | 40.0 | +10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,326 | 73.2 | −5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,326 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.2 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Driberg | 23,454 | 57.8 | −11.4 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth F Dibben | 11,454 | 28.2 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal | David E Evans | 5,648 | 13.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,000 | 29.6 | −8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,654 | 78.5 | +4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 51,654 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −4.4 | |
General election 1955: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Somerville Hastings | 27,129 | 69.2 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | Bernard Massey | 12,082 | 30.8 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,047 | 38.4 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,314 | 73.6 | −8.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 53,314 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.0 | |
General election 1951: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Somerville Hastings | 30,486 | 67.4 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | Michael Thomas Ben Underhill | 11,340 | 25.1 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal | Norman Henry Cork | 3,387 | 7.5 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,146 | 42.3 | −1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,219 | 81.9 | −1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,219 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −0.8 | |
General election 1950: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Somerville Hastings | 30,299 | 66.3 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Edward Boulton Glenny | 10,269 | 22.5 | +6.4 |
| | Liberal | Harry Willcock | 5,109 | 11.2 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,030 | 43.8 | −10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,627 | 83.6 | +10.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,627 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −5.3 | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Barking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Somerville Hastings | 24,504 | 70.5 | |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Edward Boulton Glenny | 5,593 | 16.1 | |
| | Liberal | Harry Willcock | 4,674 | 13.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,911 | 54.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,771 | 72.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 47,770 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |