# Harrow West (UK Parliament constituency)

Harrow West is a constituency in Greater London created in 1945 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Until 1997, it only returned Conservative MPs; since then, it has elected the Labour Co-operative MP Gareth Thomas on a fluctuating majority. Since 2010, this has been bolstered by the loss of Pinner from the seat and the gain of a favourable ward for Labour from Harrow East.

## Constituency profile

The area covers the largely Georgian conservation area on a stand-alone, partly park-lined hill which hosts the famous Harrow School; it also includes the urban Harrow town centre, as well as suburban streets of homes with good-sized gardens and well-kept small parklands. The seat has fast London Underground links to the city centre and rail services, few dual carriageways and few high speed roads.

## Political history
### Summary of results

The Labour Party have held the seat since 1997, with the Conservative Party second-placed in each election. The 2015 result made the seat the 215th safest of the party's 232 seats (by majority percentage), and thus the 18th most marginal seat. Thomas's majority has ranged from 2.3% in 1997 to 26.4% in 2017.
Unlike Harrow East, it had always been won by the Conservative Party until Labour's landslide in 1997, when a swing of 17.5% was the eighth-highest swing in that election; it was the safest Tory seat lost to Labour. Its electorate produced another better than average result for Labour in 2001, with a swing from the Conservatives to Labour of 5.4%, bettered in only four seats out of 650. The 2005 challenge by future Conservative MP Mike Freer produced a pro-Conservative swing of 4.5%.
The 2010 inceptive seat saw a notional swing to the Tories in line with that nationally of 5.7%; in overall outcome the incumbent Labour MP's swing increased. The Harrow West and East seats now present as less marginal than they were in previous decades.
After a 1.1% swing to the Tories in 2015, the seat swung to Labour in 2017 by around 11%, with a local record number of votes for their incumbent candidate. At 34.4%, the Conservative vote share was the lowest in the seat's history, but the party received more votes in 2017 than in 2001 and 2010.

### Other parties

UKIP, Liberal Democrat and Green Party candidates won less than 5% of the vote in 2015 and 2017, therefore forfeiting their deposits.

## Boundaries

The constituency was created for the 1945 general election when the Harrow constituency was split into the new seats of Harrow East and Harrow West. It was reduced in size for the 1950 general election, when a third Harrow seat, Harrow Central, was created. The Boundary Commission review before the 1983 general election saw the London Borough of Harrow contained in two seats, resulting in Harrow West gaining parts of the abolished Harrow Central.

### Historic

| Years | Local authority | Wards |
| 1945–1950 | Urban District of Harrow | Harrow-on-the-Hill and Greenhill, Headstone, Pinner North, Pinner South, Roxeth, West Harrow; part of Harrow Weald. |
| 1950–1955 | Urban District of Harrow | Pinner North and Hatch End, Pinner South, Roxbourne, Roxeth. |
| 1955–1983 | Municipal Borough of Harrow | Headstone, Pinner North and Hatch End, Pinner South, Roxbourne, Roxeth. |
| 1983–2010 | London Borough of Harrow | Harrow on the Hill, Hatch End, Headstone North, Headstone South, Pinner, Pinner West, Rayners Lane, Ridgeway, Roxbourne, Roxeth. |
| 2010–2024 | London Borough of Harrow | Greenhill, Harrow on the Hill, Headstone North, Headstone South, Marlborough (an easterly projection centred on Harrow and Wealdstone station and its compact urban hub), Rayners Lane, Roxbourne, Roxeth, West Harrow. |

### 2010 boundaries

Reviewing such representation in North London, the Boundary Commission for England (de facto), as is custom agreed by Parliament, altered the area's limits to avoid malapportionment, as London's housing and rates of occupancy have altered. The western border district, town or neighbourhood of Pinner went to a new cross-Borough seat, Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, making its source, based on a ward breakdown of the last result, and mirrored by local election results, a stronger seat for Labour; this was coupled with the inclusion of Marlborough ward which had returned many Labour councillors since World War II.

### Current

Following the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following wards of the London Borough of Harrow:
* Greenhill, Harrow on the Hill, Headstone, Marlborough, North Harrow, Rayners Lane, Roxbourne, Roxeth, Wealdstone North, Wealdstone South, and West Harrow.
Wealdstone was transferred in from Harrow East. Other minor changes to align boundaries with new ward structure.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1945 | Norman Bower | Conservative |
| 1951 by-election | Sir Albert Braithwaite | Conservative |
| 1960 by-election | Sir John Page | Conservative |
| 1987 | Robert Hughes | Conservative |
| 1997 | Gareth Thomas | Labour, then Labour Co-op |

## Election results
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Gareth Thomas | 19,833 | 43.8 | –9.3 |
| | Conservative | Abbas Merali | 13,191 | 29.2 | –5.6 |
| | Independent | Pamela Fitzpatrick | 4,120 | 9.1 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Michael Beavis | 2,639 | 5.8 | +4.0 |
| | Green | Rupert George | 2,438 | 5.4 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Noyce | 2,404 | 5.3 | –2.9 |
| | Independent | Bharatkumar Patel | 616 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,642 | 14.6 | –8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,241 | 56.6 | –10.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 79,902 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.9 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Labour | 26,437 | 53.1 |
| | Conservative | 17,339 | 34.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 4,107 | 8.2 |
| | Green | 1,028 | 2.1 |
| | Brexit Party | 882 | 1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 49,793 | 67.2 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 74,060 |
General election 2019: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Gareth Thomas | 25,132 | 52.4 | 8.4 |
| | Conservative | Anwara Ali | 16,440 | 34.3 | 0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lisa-Maria Bornemann | 4,310 | 9.0 | 6.5 |
| | Green | Rowan Langley | 1,109 | 2.3 | 1.0 |
| | Brexit Party | Richard Jones | 931 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,692 | 18.1 | 8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,922 | 66.1 | 6.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,477 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | 4.2 | |
General election 2017: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Gareth Thomas | 30,640 | 60.8 | +13.8 |
| | Conservative | Hannah David | 17,326 | 34.4 | –7.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Noyce | 1,267 | 2.5 | –0.8 |
| | Green | Rowan Langley | 652 | 1.3 | –1.5 |
| | UKIP | Rathy Alagaratnam | 470 | 0.9 | –3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,314 | 26.4 | +21.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,355 | 72.1 | +5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68,797 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +10.8 | |
General election 2015: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Gareth Thomas | 21,885 | 47.0 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Hannah David | 19,677 | 42.2 | +5.4 |
| | UKIP | Ali Bhatti | 2,047 | 4.3 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Noyce | 1,567 | 3.3 | –12.9 |
| | Green | Rowan Langley | 1,310 | 2.8 | +1.4 |
| | Independent | Kailash Trivedi | 117 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,208 | 4.8 | –2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,603 | 66.9 | –0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,644 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | –1.1 | |
Note: From 2010 historically Conservative-strong Pinner formed part of the new seat Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner. The 2010 changes are not based on the 2005 result as the constituency underwent major changes.
General election 2010: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Gareth Thomas | 20,111 | 43.6 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | Rachel Joyce | 16,968 | 36.8 | +6.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Noyce | 7,458 | 16.2 | −2.5 |
| | UKIP | Herbert Crossman | 954 | 2.1 | +0.8 |
| | Green | Rowan Langley | 625 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,143 | 6.8 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,116 | 67.6 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68,554 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −5.7 (nominal, instead +seen, on new definition) | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Gareth Thomas | 20,298 | 42.5 | −7.1 |
| | Conservative | Mike Freer | 18,270 | 38.3 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Noyce | 8,188 | 17.1 | +4.2 |
| | UKIP | Janice Cronin | 576 | 1.2 | +0.1 |
| | Independent | Berjis Daver | 427 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,028 | 4.2 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,759 | 64.3 | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,133 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −4.5 | |
General election 2001: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Gareth Thomas | 23,142 | 49.6 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | Daniel Finkelstein | 16,986 | 36.4 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Noyce | 5,995 | 12.9 | −2.6 |
| | UKIP | Peter Kefford | 525 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,156 | 13.2 | +10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,648 | 63.0 | −9.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,083 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +5.4 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gareth Thomas | 21,811 | 41.5 | +19.0 |
| | Conservative | Robert Hughes | 20,571 | 39.2 | −16.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pash Nandhra | 8,127 | 15.5 | −4.67 |
| | Referendum | Herbert Crossman | 1997 | 3.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,240 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,506 | 72.8 | −5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,146 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -17.5 | |
General election 1992: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Hughes | 30,240 | 55.2 | 0 |
| | Labour | Claude Moraes | 12,343 | 22.5 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. Noyce | 11,050 | 20.2 | −7.0 |
| | Liberal | G. Aitman | 845 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Natural Law | J. Argyle | 306 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,897 | 32.7 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,784 | 78.7 | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,616 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Hughes | 30,456 | 55.2 | +2.2 |
| | SDP | Stuart Bayliss | 15,012 | 27.2 | −5.0 |
| | Labour | Colin Bastin | 9,665 | 17.5 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,444 | 28.0 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,133 | 74.5 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,041 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 | |
General election 1983: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Page | 28,056 | 53.0 | −5.0 |
| | SDP | Stuart Bayliss | 17,035 | 32.2 | N/A |
| | Labour | Albert Toms | 7,811 | 14.8 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,021 | 20.8 | −13.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,902 | 72.3 | −6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 73,151 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Page | 26,007 | 58.06 | +6.07 |
| | Labour | Marie Catterson | 10,794 | 24.10 | −0.43 |
| | Liberal | Ronald Dick | 7,350 | 16.41 | −7.07 |
| | National Front | Timothy Bennett | 646 | 1.44 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,213 | 33.96 | +6.49 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,797 | 78.72 | +4.27 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,907 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Page | 21,924 | 51.99 | +0.44 |
| | Labour | M.P. Reynolds | 10,342 | 24.53 | +2.08 |
| | Liberal | R.E. Bell | 9,903 | 23.48 | −2.52 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,582 | 27.46 | +1.91 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,169 | 74.45 | −8.34 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,641 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Page | 23,950 | 51.55 | −7.98 |
| | Liberal | R.E. Bell | 12,081 | 26.00 | +12.98 |
| | Labour | L. Wagner | 10,430 | 22.45 | −4.99 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,869 | 25.55 | −6.54 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,461 | 82.79 | +10.04 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,122 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Page | 24,867 | 59.53 | +6.40 |
| | Labour | Timothy P C Daniel | 11,462 | 27.44 | −1.43 |
| | Liberal | Jeffrey F Smith | 5,440 | 13.02 | −4.98 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,405 | 32.09 | +7.83 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,769 | 72.75 | −7.40 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,418 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Page | 22,660 | 53.13 | −0.78 |
| | Labour | Christopher Hubert Beaumont | 12,313 | 28.87 | +3.88 |
| | Liberal | Harry Charles Seigal | 7,676 | 18.00 | −3.10 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,347 | 24.26 | −4.65 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,649 | 80.15 | +0.32 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 53,210 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Page | 23,132 | 53.91 | −17.01 |
| | Labour | Kenneth W Childerhouse | 10,725 | 24.99 | −4.09 |
| | Liberal | Arnold E. Bender | 9,055 | 21.10 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,407 | 28.92 | −12.93 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,912 | 79.83 | +0.59 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 53,756 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1960 Harrow West by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Page | 18,526 | 55.77 | −15.15 |
| | Liberal | John M. Wallbridge | 7,100 | 21.38 | N/A |
| | Labour | Philip J. Jenkins | 6,030 | 18.15 | −10.93 |
| | New Conservative | John E. Dayton | 1,560 | 4.70 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,426 | 34.39 | −7.45 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,216 | 61.60 | −17.64 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 53,756 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Albert Braithwaite | 30,512 | 70.92 | +0.29 |
| | Labour | Philip J. Jenkins | 12,512 | 29.08 | −0.29 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,000 | 41.84 | +0.58 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,024 | 79.24 | −1.95 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,295 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Albert Braithwaite | 31,321 | 70.63 | +3.16 |
| | Labour | Richard Leonard | 13,024 | 29.37 | −3.16 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,297 | 41.26 | +6.33 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,345 | 81.19 | −2.57 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,616 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Albert Braithwaite | 26,549 | 67.47 | +8.93 |
| | Labour | Leslie Littlewood | 12,802 | 32.53 | +3.02 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,747 | 34.93 | +5.90 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,351 | 83.76 | −2.94 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,979 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1951 Harrow West by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Albert Braithwaite | 22,826 | 72.00 | +13.46 |
| | Labour | Leslie Littlewood | 8,877 | 28.00 | −13.46 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,949 | 44.00 | +14.97 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,703 | 68.00 | −18.70 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,599 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman Bower | 23,744 | 58.54 | +8.69 |
| | Labour | Leslie Littlewood | 11,971 | 29.51 | −3.52 |
| | Liberal | Philip Montague Syrett | 4,846 | 11.95 | −0.88 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,773 | 29.03 | +12.21 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,561 | 86.70 | +8.09 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,781 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Harrow West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman Bower | 28,617 | 49.85 | |
| | Labour | Joan Thompson | 18,961 | 33.03 | |
| | Liberal | Hubert Winthrop Young | 7,364 | 12.83 | |
| | Common Wealth | Hugh Lawson | 2,462 | 4.29 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,656 | 16.82 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,404 | 78.61 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 73,024 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |