Hackney North and Stoke Newington (UK Parliament constituency)

Hackney North and Stoke Newington is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom since 1987 by Diane Abbott, a member of the Labour Party who served as Shadow Home Secretary from 6 October 2016 to 5 April 2020. Abbott was one of the first three Black British MPs elected, and the first female Black British MP in the UK.

Hackney North and Stoke Newington
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Hackney North and Stoke Newington in Greater London
County	Greater London
Electorate	75,401 (2023)[1]
Current constituency
Created	1950
Member of Parliament	Diane Abbott (Labour)
Seats	One
Created from	Hackney North; Stoke Newington

The constituency has always elected Labour MPs since its creation in 1950. While well connected to Central London, including the City of London, the seat generally has moderate incomes rather than high, and a narrow majority of wards had a relatively high ranking when placed in the Index of Multiple Deprivation, compiled in 2000.^[2] In line with most of Greater London since 2000 many parts, especially Stamford Hill, Upper Clapton, Lower Clapton^[3] have become marginal in terms of local councillors and these districts, with to a lesser extent the eponymous Hackney and Stoke Newington, are in the process of becoming re-gentrified with ongoing increases in land value, proximity to the London 2012 venues and a council that successfully reduced the level of crime by about 30% within a four-year period.^[4] Demographically, almost 60% of households are singletons and households have a higher than average level of unemployment.^[4]

Through all these changes, under incumbent Diane Abbott, the seat has remained a safe seat for Labour.

The seat was created in 1950 and has gone through many changes: in January 2006 the boundary moved again, this time to correspond with the local government ward boundaries.

Following major electoral reform at the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, also known as the Third Reform Act, the seat of Hackney was divided into two and Hackney North was formed, this time to return only one Member of Parliament, commencing with the 1885 general election.

The Stoke Newington constituency was created at the 1918 general election by the division of the Hackney North constituency by the Representation of the People Act 1918, known generally as Fourth Reform Act; an Act most importantly remembered for the first time extending suffrage to women. The constituency was identical in area to the Metropolitan Borough of Stoke Newington.

Following a decrease in the population the two constituencies were merged by the Representation of the People Act 1948, retaining David Weitzman as MP and becoming the current constituency in the 1950 general election.

Political history

The seat's narrowest majority of 18.3% was in 1979 and its greatest, 62.4%, was in 2017. The 2015 result made the seat the 18th safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority and seventh safest in London.^[5]

In the 2016 referendum to leave the European Union, the constituency voted remain by 79.1%. This was the third highest support for remain for a constituency.^[6]

1950–1955: The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney wards of Leaside, Maury, Southwold, Springfield, and Stamford, and the Metropolitan Borough of Stoke Newington.

1955–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney wards of Northfield, Northwold, Rectory, and Springfield, and the Metropolitan Borough of Stoke Newington.

1974–1983: The London Borough of Hackney wards of Brownswood, Clissold, Defoe, New River, Northfield, Northwold, and Springfield.

1983–2010: The London Borough of Hackney wards of Brownswood, Clissold, Eastdown, Leabridge, New River, North Defoe, Northfield, Northwold, Rectory, South Defoe, and Springfield.

2010–2024: The London Borough of Hackney wards of Brownswood, Cazenove, Clissold, Dalston, Hackney Downs, Leabridge, Lordship, New River, Springfield, and Stoke Newington Central.

Following a local government boundary review which became effective in 2014,^[7] the contents of the seat were:

• The London Borough of Hackney wards of Brownswood, Cazenove, Clissold, Dalston, Hackney Downs, Lea Bridge (most), London Fields (small part), Shacklewell, Springfield, Stamford Hill West, Stoke Newington, and Woodberry Down.

2024-present:

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The London Borough of Hackney wards of Cazenove, Clissold, Hackney Downs, King's Park, Lea Bridge, Shacklewell, Springfield, Stamford Hill West, and Stoke Newington.^[8]

The Brownswood and Woodberry Down wards were transferred to Tottenham, and Dalston ward to Hackney South and Shoreditch, in exchange for the King's Park ward.

The constituency covers the northern part of the London Borough of Hackney.

The seat is bordered by the constituencies of Hackney South and Shoreditch, Islington North, Tottenham, and Walthamstow.

¹: After the close of nominations, the Liberal Democrats suspended their support for Mathis's candidacy over tweets he made.^[13]

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Hackney
• List of parliamentary constituencies in London

• Politics Resources (Election results from 1922 onwards)
• Electoral Calculus (Election results from 1955 onwards)
• Diane Abbott's website
• Hackney North and Stoke Newington UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Hackney North and Stoke Newington UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Hackney North and Stoke Newington UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

51°34′N 0°04′W / 51.56°N 0.07°W