# Belsize (ward)

Belsize (/ˈbɛlsaɪz/) is a ward in the London Borough of Camden, in the United Kingdom. The ward covers most of Belsize Park, between Haverstock Hill, Swiss Cottage, and Primrose Hill.
The ward has existed since the creation of the borough on 1 April 1965 and was first used in the 1964 elections. The ward was redrawn in May 1978, May 2002, and May 2022. From 2010, the ward was in the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency, having previously been in Hampstead and Highgate from 1983 until 2010, and Hampstead prior to 1983. In 2018, the ward had an electorate of 8,999. The Boundary Commission projects the electorate to rise to 9,097 by 2025.
The ward currently returns three councillors to Camden Council, with an election every four years. At the last election in May 2022, all three candidates from the Liberal Democrats were elected to represent the ward.

## History

The ward underwent boundary changes for the 2022 election. A significant portion of the ward was transferred to the newly created Primrose Hill ward, and significant portions of the existing Hampstead Town and Frognal and Fitzjohns wards were transferred to Belsize.
At the 2022 election, leader of the Conservative group on Camden London Borough Council Oliver Cooper stood as a candidate in Belsize, having previously represented Hampstead Town. Hampstead Town had been a safe Conservative ward, while Belsize had been marginal between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. Leader of the Liberal Democrat group Luisa Porritt, who represented Belsize, stood down at the 2022 election, citing work commitments, while the Camden New Journal suggested that the new ward boundaries would favour the Conservatives.

## Councillors

Notable former councillors include Opposition Leaders Claire-Louise Leyland (2010–18), Piers Wauchope (2002–06), Judith Barnes (1986–98), and Tony Kerpel (1978–86); MEP Luisa Porritt (2018–22); future Council Leader Richard Arthur (1974–78); and former Leader Martin Morton (1976–78).

### 1978–2022

Three councillors have represented Belsize ward since 1978. Currently, all three councillors from the Liberal Democrats represent the ward.
| Term | Councillor | Party |
| 2018–present | Tom Simon | Liberal Democrats |
| 2022–present | Judy Dixey | Liberal Democrats |
| 2022–present | Matthew Kirk | Liberal Democrats |

### 1964–1978

Four councillors represented Belsize ward, from its creation in 1964, until 1978.

## Election results

The last election was held in May 2022. Candidates seeking re-election are marked with an asterisk (*). Councillors seeking re-election for a different ward are marked with a cross (†).

### 2002–2018
#### 2022 election

2022 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Simon* | 1,494 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judy Dixey | 1,445 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Kirk | 1,317 | | |
| | Conservative | Oliver Cooper† | 1,124 | | |
| | Conservative | Steve Adams* | 1,106 | | |
| | Conservative | Aarti Joshi | 953 | | |
| | Labour | Issy Waite | 705 | | |
| | Labour | Shaheen Ahmed Chowdhury | 692 | | |
| | Labour | Peter Ptashko | 644 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

#### 2018 election

2018 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Simon | 1,250 | 11.6 | 0.9 |
| | Conservative | Steve Adams | 1,201 | 11.2 | 2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Luisa Porritt | 1,179 | 11.0 | 2.8 |
| | Conservative | Leila Roy* | 1,170 | 10.9 | 1.6 |
| | Conservative | Kirsty Roberts | 1,162 | 10.8 | 0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benjamin Samuel Newman | 1,127 | 10.5 | 3.2 |
| | Labour | James Jordan Calmus | 1,067 | 10.0 | 0.2 |
| | Labour | Sucharita Sethi | 996 | 9.3 | 0.8 |
| | Labour | Momota Khatoon | 971 | 9.1 | 1.4 |
| | Green | Sara Katchi | 238 | 2.2 | 0.8 |
| | Green | Phyl Eyres | 223 | 2.1 | 0.8 |
| | Independent | Nigel Rumble | 123 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.08 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,707 | 42.5 | 4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

#### 2014 election

2014 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Jonny Bucknell* | 1,219 | 13.2 |
| | Conservative | Claire-Louise Leyland* | 1,157 | 12.5 |
| | Conservative | Leila Roy | 1,016 | 11.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Simon* | 992 | 10.7 |
| | Labour | Madeleine Jennings | 939 | 10.2 |
| | Labour | James McGowan | 782 | 8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bradley Hillier-Smith | 760 | 8.2 |
| | Labour | Harunur Rashid | 709 | 7.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lawrence Joseph Nicholson | 678 | 7.3 |
| | Green | Rowan St Clair | 275 | 3.0 |
| | Green | Darren Robert Murphy | 269 | 2.9 |
| | Green | Stuart Temple Taylor | 243 | 2.6 |
| | Independent | Nigel Rumble | 199 | 2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,238 | 38.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |

#### 2010 election

2010 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jonny Bucknell | 1,969 | 36.1 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | Claire-Louise Leyland | 1,969 | 36.1 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Simon* | 1,949 | 35.7 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Rumble | 1,897 | 34.8 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Ward | 1,746 | 32.0 | −8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Perkins | 1,727 | 31.7 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Samantha Gunasekera | 1,094 | 20.1 | +6.2 |
| | Labour | Sada Deshmukh | 1,051 | 19.3 | +5.1 |
| | Labour | Luca Salice | 1,027 | 18.8 | +6.5 |
| | Green | Anya Courts | 410 | 7.5 | −0.3 |
| | Green | Sophie North | 372 | 6.8 | −1.6 |
| | Green | Francesca Richards-Spiller | 325 | 6.0 | −0.2 |
| | BNP | Derek Collins | 90 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,454 | 62.3 | +24.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

#### 2009 by-election

Belsize by-election, 2 April 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Simon | 1,136 | 46.0 | +5.4 |
| | Conservative | Gary Bernadout | 952 | 38.6 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Sean Birch | 270 | 10.9 | −3.2 |
| | Green | Naomi Aptowitzer | 109 | 4.4 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 184 | 7.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,467 | 29.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr Christopher J. Basson.

#### 2006 election

2006 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alexis Rowell | 1,358 | 40.8 | +22.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Basson | 1,349 | 40.5 | +24.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Arthur Graves | 1,268 | 38.1 | +21.8 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Bucknell* | 1,233 | 37.1 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Piers Wauchope* | 1,205 | 36.2 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Sheila Gunn* | 1,187 | 35.7 | −3.4 |
| | Labour | Sadashivrao Deshmukh | 471 | 14.2 | −13.4 |
| | Labour | Matthew McGregor | 462 | 13.9 | −15.8 |
| | Labour | Jenny Westaway | 410 | 12.3 | −14.3 |
| | Green | Jane Ennis | 278 | 8.4 | −2.2 |
| | Green | Anya Courts | 260 | 7.8 | −1.3 |
| | Green | Adam Spanier | 207 | 6.2 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,688 | 38.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

#### 2002 election

2002 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Jonny Bucknell | 1,041 | 40.1 |
| | Conservative | Sheila Gunn | 1,016 | 39.1 |
| | Conservative | Piers Wauchope | 1,005 | 38.7 |
| | Labour | Aileen Hammond* | 770 | 29.7 |
| | Labour | Sadashivrao Deshmukh | 716 | 27.6 |
| | Labour | Patricia Nightingale | 691 | 26.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pauline Marriott | 469 | 18.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ardon Lyon | 429 | 16.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dudley Miles | 423 | 16.3 |
| | Green | Phyllis Eyres | 274 | 10.6 |
| | Green | Jack Price | 236 | 9.1 |
| | Green | Maeve Tornero | 219 | 8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,289 | |

### 1978–2002

The last election on 7 May 1998 was held under the original ward boundaries.

#### 1998 election

1998 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ewan Cameron | 760 | |
| | Conservative | Huntly Spence | 731 | |
| | Labour | Aileen Hammond | 711 | |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Bucknell | 705 | |
| | Labour | David Taggart | 650 | |
| | Labour | Jake Sumner | 624 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pauline Marriott | 587 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dudley Miles | 522 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ronald Watts | 455 | |
| | Green | Phyllis Eyres | 290 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,035 | 35.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

#### 1994 election

1994 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Judith Barnes* | 920 | |
| | Labour | Judith Pattison | 884 | |
| | Conservative | Joy Silver | 859 | |
| | Conservative | Huntly Spence* | 840 | |
| | Labour | Peter Singer | 804 | |
| | Labour | John Saynor | 797 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pauline Marriott | 544 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diana Brown | 511 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Iddon-Bowen | 481 | |
| | Green | Kamal Al-Moosa | 262 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.8% |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

#### 1990 election

1990 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Judith Barnes* | 1,159 |
| | Conservative | Cathleen Mainds | 1,124 |
| | Conservative | Huntly Spence* | 1,109 |
| | Labour | Judith Pattison | 971 |
| | Labour | Michael Rice | 952 |
| | Labour | Deborah Sacks | 928 |
| | Green | Conchita Vasey | 393 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Box | 329 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pauline Marriott | 324 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ardon Lyon | 310 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

#### 1986 election

1986 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Colin Glover | 1,055 |
| | Conservative | Huntly Spence* | 1,039 |
| | Conservative | Judith Barnes | 1,005 |
| | Labour | Margaret McPhee | 888 |
| | Labour | Malcolm Bull | 875 |
| | Labour | Ramendra Bhattacharyya | 841 |
| | Alliance | David Davies | 818 |
| | Alliance | Pauline Marriott | 788 |
| | Alliance | Dudley Miles | 756 |
| | Green | Philippa Draper | 236 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

#### 1982 election

1982 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Tony Kerpel* | 1,411 |
| | Conservative | Huntly Spence | 1,381 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Swyer | 1,335 |
| | Alliance | Margaret Little | 761 |
| | Alliance | Robert Heyland | 751 |
| | Alliance | Clive Agran | 730 |
| | Labour | Alan Griffiths | 703 |
| | Labour | Anthea Muir | 678 |
| | Labour | Roy Mathias | 670 |
| | Ecology | Lesley Sargent | 102 |
| | Ecology | Steven Margolis | 85 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

#### 1980 by-election

Belsize by-election, 17 April 1980 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Cathleen Mainds | 1,235 |
| | Labour | Allen Mathias | 785 |
| | Liberal | Andrew Bridgwater | 288 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr Anthony Beaton.

#### 1978 election

1978 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthony Beaton | 1,712 | | |
| | Conservative | Tony Kerpel | 1,667 | | |
| | Conservative | Michael Brahams | 1,641 | | |
| | Labour | Roy Mathias | 981 | | |
| | Labour | Arthur Soutter | 979 | | |
| | Labour | Verghese Varkki | 924 | | |
| | Liberal | Anne Box | 306 | | |
| | Liberal | Hilary Hawkins | 275 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Pre 1978

Before 1978, under different boundaries, the ward was represented by four councillors.

#### 1976 by-election

Belsize by-election, 25 March 1976 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Martin Morton | 2,196 | |
| | Labour | David F. Walker | 1,455 | |
| | Liberal | Mary E. De La Mahotiere | 251 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.5 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr Richard Arthur.

#### 1974 election

1974 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Richard Arthur | 2,010 | 43.1 |
| | Labour | David Mills | 1,951 | |
| | Labour | Richard Ford | 1,915 | |
| | Labour | Bernard Taylor* | 1,898 | |
| | Conservative | Julian Harrison | 1,847 | 39.6 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Roome | 1,815 | |
| | Conservative | Timothy Coghlan | 1,801 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Grosz | 1,773 | |
| | Liberal | Margaret Darvall | 539 | 11.6 |
| | Liberal | Richard Franklin | 465 | |
| | Communist | Hubert Bevan | 264 | 5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

#### 1971 election

1971 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Jill Gibson | 2,225 |
| | Labour | John Lipetz | 2,132 |
| | Labour | Bernard Taylor | 2,130 |
| | Labour | Irving Kuczynski | 2,128 |
| | Conservative | Norman Oatway* | 1,955 |
| | Conservative | Irene Burnett* | 1,943 |
| | Conservative | Julian Harrison* | 1,923 |
| | Conservative | Peter Hilton | 1,885 |
| | Liberal | Margaret Darvall | 352 |
| | Liberal | Mary De La Mahotiere | 313 |
| | Communist | Hubert Bevan | 292 |
| | Liberal | John Swain | 282 |
| | Association of Independents | John Davies | 92 |
| | Association of Independents | Anthony Cunnew | 74 |
| | Association of Independents | Mary Davies | 60 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |

#### 1968 election

1968 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Evans | 2,355 | 56.9 |
| | Conservative | Irene Burnett | 2,346 | |
| | Conservative | Norman Oatway* | 2,345 | |
| | Conservative | Julian Harrison | 2,328 | |
| | Labour | Edwin Lichtenstein | 1,330 | 31.8 |
| | Labour | Joseph Hughes | 1,322 | |
| | Labour | William Kellock | 1,308 | |
| | Labour | Arthur Soutter | 1,279 | |
| | Liberal | Tristram Adams | 488 | 11.3 |
| | Liberal | Margaret Darvall | 472 | |
| | Liberal | Angela Whitelegge | 448 | |
| | Liberal | Gerald Dowden | 445 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

#### 1964 election

1964 council election: Belsize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman Oatway | 2,045 | | |
| | Conservative | Stanley Duncan | 2,028 | | |
| | Conservative | Alexandrina Burnett | 2,015 | | |
| | Conservative | Leslie Room | 2,009 | | |
| | Labour | Lyndal Evans | 1,651 | | |
| | Labour | Sheila Oakes | 1,649 | | |
| | Labour | Bernard Taylor | 1,616 | | |
| | Labour | Arthur Soutter | 1,585 | | |
| | Liberal | Margaret Darvall | 585 | | |
| | Liberal | Percy Brian Anderson | 575 | | |
| | Liberal | G. H. Willett | 571 | | |
| | Liberal | Doris Watson | 564 | | |
| | Communist | Timothy Webb | 146 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,311 | 39.6 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |