Barnet (UK Parliament constituency)

Barnet (UK Parliament constituency) was a parliamentary constituency in the London Borough of Barnet, within the wider region of Greater London. It existed for just over two decades, returning one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons from the February 1974 general election until its abolition for the 1997 general election. Throughout its history, it was a bellwether seat, consistently won by the party that formed the national government.

History

The constituency was created in the 1973 redistribution of seats that took effect at the snap February 1974 United Kingdom general election. It was formed from parts of the former Hendon North and Finchley constituencies. The seat was immediately won for the Conservative Party by Reginald Maudling, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary under Harold Macmillan and Alec Douglas-Home. Following Maudling's death in 1979, the subsequent 1979 general election saw a high-profile contest where the Labour candidate was Tony Benn, a leading figure on the party's left wing; however, the seat was retained for the Conservatives by John Marshall. The constituency was abolished in the 1994–1997 review of parliamentary constituencies,

Boundaries

The constituency comprised electoral wards from the London Borough of Barnet. As defined for the 1983 general election, these wards were Brunswick Park, East Barnet, Friern Barnet, Oakleigh, and Totteridge. These areas were largely suburban and residential, encompassing neighbourhoods such as New Barnet, Friern Barnet, and parts of Whetstone. The boundary review preceding the 1997 election saw the area divided between the newly created constituencies of Chipping Barnet and Finchley and Golders Green, with a smaller portion going to Hendon.

Members of Parliament

The constituency had only two MPs during its existence, both from the Conservative Party. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Election ! Member ! Party |- | Feb 1974 | Reginald Maudling | rowspan="2" | Conservative |- | 1979 | John Marshall |} Reginald Maudling served until his death in February 1979. He had held several senior cabinet posts, including Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary, and was a contender for the leadership of the Conservative Party in 1965. John Marshall succeeded him, holding the seat until its abolition in 1997; he later served as a Member of the European Parliament for London.

Elections

Elections in Barnet were generally contested between the Conservative and Labour parties, with the Liberal and later Liberal Democrat candidates also polling significantly. The 1979 election was particularly notable due to the high-profile Labour candidate, Tony Benn. The 1983 and 1987 elections saw strong Conservative majorities, reflecting the national swing during the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. The majority narrowed considerably in the 1992 election, mirroring the national political climate under John Major.

See also

* Chipping Barnet (UK Parliament constituency) * Finchley and Golders Green (UK Parliament constituency) * Hendon (UK Parliament constituency) * London Borough of Barnet * List of parliamentary constituencies in Greater London

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Greater London (historic)