# Epping Forest (UK Parliament constituency)

Epping Forest is a constituency in Essex, created for the February 1974 general election from parts of the abolished Epping and Chigwell constituencies. It has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Neil Hudson of the Conservative Party.

## Constituency profile

The constituency is largely suburban, containing towns in the north-east of the urban area of London, including Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Epping, Loughton, Theydon Bois and Waltham Abbey, as well as extensive areas of the Metropolitan Green Belt including the majority of Epping Forest itself. It is served by several stations on the Central line of the London Underground.

## History

The seat was created for the February 1974 general election, primarily from part of the abolished constituency of Chigwell, together with parts of the abolished constituency of Epping, which was notably the seat held by Winston Churchill from 29 October 1924 – 15 June 1945.
When Epping Forest was first created, it was more favourable to the Conservatives than the old Epping seat, as it lost the new town of Harlow (part of the old Epping Rural District) and gained the more Conservative Chigwell Urban District. During the Thatcher period the Labour Party's vote was crushed. Even though the Liberals managed to move into second place, their vote did little more than follow national trends and as soon as 1987 their votes dropped away as well.
Two former candidates in the Epping Forest constituency have also stood for election as Mayor of London: Steve Norris (Conservative; MP 1988–97) and Julian Leppert (British National Party).

## Boundaries and boundary changes

The constituency comprises Loughton, Epping, Waltham Abbey, Chigwell, Buckhurst Hill, Theydon Bois, part of North Weald, small intermediate villages and almost the whole of the ancient Forest itself, except those parts which were transferred to Greater London in 1965.

### 1974–1983

* The Urban Districts of Chigwell, Epping, and Waltham Holy Cross; and
* The Rural District of Epping and Ongar parishes of Epping Upland, Theydon Bois, and Theydon Garnon.
The majority of the new constituency, comprising the Urban District of Chigwell (incorporating Buckhurst Hill and Loughton), had previously been part of the abolished constituency of Chigwell. Remaining parts had previously been in the abolished constituency of Epping.

### 1983–1997

* The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadway, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Debden Green, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey, Grange Hill, High Beach, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John's, Loughton St Mary's, Paternoster, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey East, and Waltham Abbey West.
Minor loss to Brentwood and Ongar.

### 1997–2010

* The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadway, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Debden Green, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey, Grange Hill, High Beach, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John's, Loughton St Mary's, North Weald Bassett, Paternoster, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey East, and Waltham Abbey West.
North Weald Bassett transferred from Harlow.

### 2010–2024

* The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadley Common, Epping Upland and Nazeing, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey and Thornwood Common, Grange Hill, Loughton Alderton, Loughton Broadway, Loughton Fairmead, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John's, Loughton St Mary's, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey High Beach, Waltham Abbey Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey North East, Waltham Abbey Paternoster, and Waltham Abbey South West.
The North Weald Bassett ward was transferred to Brentwood and Ongar. Other marginal changes due to redistribution of local authority wards.

### 2024–present

The 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place on 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged. However, following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2024, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
* The District of Epping Forest wards or part wards of: Buckhurst Hill East & Whitebridge; Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell with Lambourne (except Lambourne parish); Epping East; Epping West & Rural; Grange Hill; Loughton Fairmead; Loughton Forest; Loughton Roding; Loughton St John's; Theydon Bois with Passingford (Theydon Bois parish); Waltham Abbey North; Waltham Abbey South & Rural; Waltham Abbey West; and small parts of North Weald Bassett and Roydon & Lower Nazeing.

## Members of Parliament

The constituency was created in 1974 from the seats of Epping and Chigwell — both of these (then one constituency, Epping) were represented by Winston Churchill throughout his tenure as Prime Minister during World War II. The Conservative Party has won in Epping Forest in every election since the creation of the constituency. The previous MP Eleanor Laing, was Deputy Speaker of the House from October 2013 and Chairman of Ways and Means from 2020 until 2024.
| Election | Member | Party |
| Feb 1974 | John Biggs-Davison | Conservative |
| 1988 by-election | Steve Norris | Conservative |
| 1997 | Eleanor Laing | Conservative |
| 2024 | Neil Hudson | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Neil Hudson | 18,038 | 43.2 | −21.2 |
| | Labour | Rosalind Doré | 12,356 | 29.6 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jon Whitehouse | 5,268 | 12.6 | +1.9 |
| | Independent | Ed Pond | 3,037 | 7.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Simon Heap | 2,486 | 6.0 | +2.1 |
| | Shared Ground | Thomas Hall | 568 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,682 | 13.6 | −30.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,753 | 57.8 | −9.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,229 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −15.3 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 32,364 | 64.4 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | Vicky te Velde | 10,191 | 20.3 | −5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jon Whitehouse | 5,387 | 10.7 | +5.0 |
| | Green | Steven Neville | 1,975 | 3.9 | +1.5 |
| | Young People's Party UK | Thomas Hall | 181 | 0.4 | +0.2 |
| | SDP | Jon Newham | 170 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,173 | 44.1 | +8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,268 | 67.7 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.1 | |
General election 2017: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 31,462 | 62.0 | +7.2 |
| | Labour | Liam Preston | 13,219 | 26.0 | +9.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jon Whitehouse | 2,884 | 5.7 | −1.3 |
| | UKIP | Patrick O'Flynn | 1,871 | 3.7 | −14.6 |
| | Green | Simon Heap | 1,233 | 2.4 | −1.2 |
| | Young People's Party UK | Thomas Hall | 110 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,243 | 36.0 | −0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,779 | 67.9 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.9 | |
General election 2015: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 27,027 | 54.8 | +0.8 |
| | UKIP | Andrew Smith | 9,049 | 18.3 | +14.3 |
| | Labour | Gareth Barrett | 7,962 | 16.1 | +1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jon Whitehouse | 3,448 | 7.0 | −14.5 |
| | Green | Anna Widdup | 1,782 | 3.6 | +2.2 |
| | Young People's Party UK | Mark Wadsworth | 80 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,978 | 36.5 | +4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,348 | 67.1 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 2010: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 25,148 | 54.0 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann Haigh | 10,017 | 21.5 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | Katie Curtis | 6,641 | 14.3 | −7.2 |
| | BNP | Patricia Richardson | 1,982 | 4.3 | +0.2 |
| | UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,852 | 4.0 | +1.7 |
| | Green | Simon Pepper | 659 | 1.4 | N/A |
| | English Democrat | Kim Sawyer | 285 | 0.6 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,131 | 32.5 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,584 | 64.5 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 23,783 | 53.0 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | Bambos Charalambous | 9,425 | 21.0 | −8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Heavens | 8,279 | 18.5 | −0.1 |
| | BNP | Julian Leppert | 1,728 | 3.9 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,014 | 2.2 | −0.8 |
| | English Democrat | Robin Tilbrook | 631 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,358 | 32.0 | +12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,860 | 61.6 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.1 | |
General election 2001: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 20,833 | 49.1 | +3.6 |
| | Labour | Christopher Naylor | 12,407 | 29.3 | −6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Heavens | 7,884 | 18.6 | +5.3 |
| | UKIP | Andrew Smith | 1,290 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,426 | 19.8 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,414 | 58.4 | −14.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Laing | 24,117 | 45.5 | −14.0 |
| | Labour | Stephen Murray | 18,865 | 35.6 | +12.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Robinson | 7,074 | 13.3 | −3.7 |
| | BNP | Paul Henderson | 743 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,252 | 9.9 | −26.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,750 | 72.9 | −7.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −13.3 | |
General election 1992: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steven Norris | 32,407 | 59.5 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | Stephen Murray | 12,219 | 22.4 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Beryl Austen | 9,265 | 17.0 | −2.4 |
| | Epping Forest Residents Association | Andrew O'Brien | 552 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,188 | 37.1 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,443 | 80.5 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.7 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

1988 Epping Forest by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steven Norris | 13,183 | 39.5 | −21.6 |
| | SLD | Andrew Thompson | 8,679 | 26.0 | +6.6 |
| | Labour | Stephen Murray | 6,261 | 18.7 | +0.3 |
| | SDP | Michael Pettman | 4,077 | 12.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Andrew Simms | 672 | 2.0 | +0.7 |
| | National Front | Tina Wingfield | 286 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 208 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | Rainbow Alliance – Change the World | Jackie Moore | 33 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | Vote no Belsen for South Africans | Brian Goodier | 16 | 0.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,504 | 13.5 | −28.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,415 | 49.1 | −27.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1987: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 31,536 | 60.9 | +4.4 |
| | SDP | Anthony Humphris | 10,023 | 19.4 | −5.4 |
| | Labour | Stephen Murray | 9,499 | 18.4 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Richard Denhard | 695 | 1.3 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,513 | 41.5 | +9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,753 | 76.3 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.9 | |
General election 1983: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 27,373 | 56.5 | −1.2 |
| | SDP | Michael Pettman | 11,995 | 24.8 | +12.0 |
| | Labour | Hilary Bryan | 8,289 | 17.1 | −10.3 |
| | Ecology | Robert Boenke | 452 | 0.9 | N/A |
| | BNP | Sydney Smith | 330 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,378 | 31.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,439 | 72.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −6.6 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 29,447 | 57.7 | +10.0 |
| | Labour | William David Shepherd | 13,994 | 27.4 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal | David Monro Kitching | 6,528 | 12.8 | −6.3 |
| | National Front | Brian Clive Wilkins | 1,110 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,453 | 30.3 | +15.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,079 | 76.6 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.0 | |
General election October 1974: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 22,392 | 47.7 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | Stanley James Palfreman | 15,618 | 33.3 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal | Derek Frederick John Wood | 8,952 | 19.1 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,774 | 14.4 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,962 | 73.3 | −8.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.7 | |
General election February 1974: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 24,290 | 46.8 | −7.5 |
| | Labour | William James Sheaff | 16,123 | 31.1 | −14.6 |
| | Liberal | Derek Frederick John Wood | 11,478 | 22.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,167 | 15.7 | −7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,891 | 81.8 | +8.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 | |

### Notional results (before 1974)

Notional General Election 1970: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Biggs-Davison | 35,010 | 54.3 | +9.2 |
| | Labour | | 29,506 | 45.7 | +4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,504 | 8.6 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,516 | 73.1 | −9.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.5 | |
Notional General Election 1966: Epping Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | | 21,834 | 44.1 |
| | Labour | | 20,504 | 41.4 |
| | Liberal | | 7,202 | 14.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,330 | 2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,540 | 82.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

## Graphical representation

February 1974 :
| 31.1% | 22.1% | 46.8% |
| Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
October 1974 :
| 33.3% | 19.1% | 47.7% |
| Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
1979 :
| 27.4% | 12.8% | 57.7% |
| Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
1983 :
| 17.1% | 24.8% | 56.5% |
| Labour | SDP | Conservative |
1987 :
| 18.4% | 19.4% | 60.9% |
| Labour | Liberal | Conservative |
1988 by-election :
| 18.7% | 12.2% | 26.0% | 39.5% |
| Labour | SDP | Social and Liberal Democrats | Conservative |
1992 :
| 22.4% | 17.0% | 59.5% |
| Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative |
1997 :
| 35.6% | 13.3% | 45.5% |
| Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative |
2001 :
| 29.3% | 18.6% | 49.1% | 3.0% |
| Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
2005 :
| 21.0% | 18.5% | 53.0% | 3.9% |
| Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | BNP |
2010 :
| 14.3% | 21.5% | 54.0% | 4.0% | 4.3% |
| Lab | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP | BNP |
2015 :
| 3.6% | 16.1% | 7.0% | 54.8% | 18.3% |
| Green | Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
2017 :
| 26.0% | 5.7% | 62.0% | 3.7% |
| Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | UKIP |
2019 :
| 3.9% | 20.3% | 10.7% | 64.4% |
| Green | Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative |
2024 :
| 6.0% | 29.6% | 12.6% | 43.2% | 7.3% |
| Green | Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | Ed Pond |