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1997 Result:
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Rammell, Bill
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Lab
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25,861
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54.10%
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Hayes, Jerry
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Con
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15,347
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32.10%
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Spenceley, Lorna
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LibDem
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4,523
|
9.50%
|
|
Wells, Mark
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Ref
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1,422
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3.00%
|
|
Batten, Gerard
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UKIP
|
340
|
0.70%
|
|
Bowles, John
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BNP
|
319
|
0.70%
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Majority
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10,514
|
|
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12.6% swing from Con to Lab
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1992 Notional
Result:
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Con
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24,568
|
45.96%
|
|
|
Lab
|
22,881
|
42.81%
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|
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LibDem
|
6,002
|
11.23%
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Notional Majority
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1,687
|
3.16%
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|
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Description:
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Like Basildon, this is another Essex New Town marginal. Nearly 90% of the constituency's voters live in the town of Harlow. The remainder reside in the outlying villages of Roydon, Nazeing and Sheering. Harlow itself consists mainly of large council estates formerly belonging to the local development corporation which built the town in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Although many local authority tenants have taken advantage of the "right to buy" since 1980, a high proportion of constituents (42%) still live in council houses. The new housing estate of Church Langley on the East side of the town is expected to provide homes for up to 8000 by the end of the decade and will boost the ratio of owner occupiers in area. Local employment has traditionally been in light industry, although in recent years the emphasis has switched more towards retailing and distribution. London's Liverpool Street station is 40 minutes away by train and many workers commute to jobs in the City.
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