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Epping in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1918 to 1945.Epping in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1945 to 1950.File:Epping 1955 in Essex.PNGThe Epping constituency from 1955 - 1970 in Essex
Its most prominent MP was Winston Churchill, who served as Prime Minister during the Second World War for the latter part of his tenure in the seat. In the 1955 and 1959 general elections, the celebrated cricket commentator and journalist John Arlott stood as the Liberal Party candidate.
Areas covered
Area
1918
1945
1950
1955
1974
Chingford
Epping
Epping
Epping
Epping
Chingford
Harlow
Harlow
Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois and Epping
Epping Forest
Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, and Chigwell
Woodford
Chigwell
Wanstead and Woodford
Woodford
Woodford
Wanstead and Woodford
Political Landscape
Churchill 1950-1951: Under Churchill's leadership, who himself had won this seat all the time from 1924 to 1945, the Conservatives did very well in Epping, making it under most circumstances a safe seat. During this period, the national vote was equal between Labour and Conservatives, but the Conservatives would still get a 10%-11% majority in Epping.
Eden 1955: Eden's leadership did little for Conservative chances in Epping, despite a national swing to the Conservatives, there was a swing to Labour in Epping (probably down to Liberal intervention). The national vote was equal between Labour and Conservatives, but the Conservatives would get a 4% majority in Epping.
Macmillan 1959: Macmillan seemed to turn off potential Conservative voters in 1959, as a less than average swing to the Conservatives showed a 'natural' shift to the left in Epping. The national vote was equal between Labour and Conservatives, but the Conservatives would get a 2% majority in Epping.
Wilson 1964-1970: Wilson's leadership saw a huge 'natural' shift to the left in Epping in 1964. The swing to Labour was on a par with the national results in 1966, but there was a 'natural' shift to the Conservatives in 1970 as a 'broken in' Heath revived Conservative chances and regained Epping. The national vote was equal between Labour and Conservatives in 1964, but Labour would get a 4% majority in Epping in 1964, increasing to 9% in 1966 as Labour's national share also increased, although the Conservatives reversed this to get a 3% lead in 1970 when they won the General Election by a similar margin. Norman Tebbit was elected that year.
