Finchley (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1918–1997

Finchley

Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
County| 1918–1965 Middlesex
1965–1997 Greater London
1950–1997
Seats| One
Replaced by| Finchley & Golders Green (newly created seat)
Chipping Barnet (in part)
1918–1950
Seats| One
Type of constituency| County constituency
Created from| Hornsey (bulk of seat formed former western part of)
Enfield (as to the Friern Barnet part)
Finchley within the parliamentary county of Middlesex, boundaries used 1918–1945 Finchley within the parliamentary county of Middlesex, boundaries used 1945–1950 Map that gives each named seat and any constant electoral success for national (Westminster) elections for Middlesex, 1955 to 1974.

Finchley was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by first-past-the-post voting; its longest-serving and best-known MP was Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.

Although boundary changes meant that she never again attained the large majority by which she won in 1959, her constituents nonetheless returned her by comfortable (9,000) majorities at general elections throughout her premiership.

The seat was abolished in 1997 and split between the Finchley and Golders Green and Chipping Barnet constituencies.

## Boundaries

[edit]

* 1918–1945: The Urban Districts of Finchley and Friern Barnet.
* 1945–1950: The Municipal Borough of Finchley, part of the Municipal Borough of Hornsey, and part of the Urban District of Friern Barnet.
* 1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of Finchley, and the Urban District of Friern Barnet.
* 1974–1997: The London Borough of Barnet wards of East Finchley, Finchley, Friern Barnet, St Paul's, and Woodhouse.

In 1918 the constituency was created as a county division of Middlesex, centred on the town of Finchley, which before 1918 had been located in the Hornsey constituency. In 1934 the Finchley district became a Municipal Borough.

In 1945 there was an interim redistribution of parliamentary constituencies to split those with more than 100,000 electors, prior to the general redistribution of 1950. Middlesex was significantly affected by the interim changes.

In 1950 the seat was re-classified as a borough constituency, with the boundaries reverting to those of 1918.

In 1965 the area of the constituency changed counties from Middlesex to London. Specifically its areas joined with others to form the London Borough of Barnet of Greater London.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Event | Member | Party

|
|

| 1918 | John Newman | Unionist
| 1923 | Atholl Robertson | Liberal
| 1924 | Edward Cadogan | Unionist
| 1935 | John Crowder | Conservative
1959 | Margaret Thatcher
1992 | Hartley Booth
| 1997 | constituency abolished

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

General election 1918: Finchley[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

C | Unionist | John Pretyman Newman | 11,849 | 68.9 |
| Labour | John Leslie | 3,140  | 18.2  |
| Liberal | Walter Edwin Martin  | 2,221  | 12.9  |
Majority | 8,709  | 50.7  |
Turnout | 17,210  | 59.7  |
Registered electors | 28,848  |  |
| Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

General election 1922: Finchley[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | John Pretyman Newman | 11,883  | 53.2  | −15.7
| Liberal | T. Atholl Robertson | 10,440  | 46.8  | +33.9
Majority | 1,443  | 6.4  | −44.3
Turnout | 22,323  | 72.4  | +12.7
Registered electors | 30,843  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | −24.8  |
General election 1923: Finchley[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | T. Atholl Robertson | 13,159  | 54.7  | +7.9
| Unionist | John Pretyman Newman | 10,883  | 45.3  | −7.9
Majority | 2,276  | 9.4  | N/A
Turnout | 24,042  | 76.0  | +3.6
Registered electors | 31,650  |  |
| Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +7.9  |
General election 1924: Finchley[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Edward Cadogan | 15,277  | 58.3  | +13.0
| Liberal | T. Atholl Robertson | 10,942  | 41.7  | −13.0
Majority | 4,335  | 16.6  | N/A
Turnout | 26,219  | 79.5  | +3.5
Registered electors | 32,984  |  |
| Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +13.0  |
General election 1929: Finchley[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Edward Cadogan | 18,920  | 48.8  | −9.5
| Liberal | T. Atholl Robertson | 14,065  | 36.2  | −5.5
| Labour | J. George Stone  | 5,824  | 15.0  | New
Majority | 4,855  | 12.6  | −4.0
Turnout | 38,809  | 77.2  | −2.3
Registered electors | 50,243  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | −2.0  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

General election 1931: Finchley[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Cadogan | 34,286  | 84.2  | +35.4
| Labour | J. George Stone  | 6,440  | 15.8  | +0.8
Majority | 27,846  | 68.4  | +55.8
Turnout | 40,726  | 74.3  | −2.9
| Conservative hold | Swing | +17.3  |

Liberal candidate Lady Domini Crosfield withdrew following the formation of the National Government.

General election 1935: Finchley[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Crowder | 26,960  | 63.6  | −20.6
| Liberal | T. Atholl Robertson | 8,920  | 21.0  | New
| Labour | Cyril G Lacey  | 6,533  | 15.4  | −0.4
Majority | 18,040  | 42.6  | −31.8
Turnout | 42,413  | 70.2  | −4.1
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

General Election 1939–40 Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940, but it was postponed after the outbreak of World War II. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939, and by the end of that year the following candidates had been selected:

* Conservative: John Crowder
* Liberal: Humphrey Razzall
* Labour: Cyril Lacey

### Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

General election 1945: Finchley[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Crowder | 24,256  | 48.5  | −15.1
| Labour | Cyril G Lacey  | 18,611  | 37.2  | +21.8
| Liberal | David Goldblatt  | 7,164  | 14.3  | −6.7
Majority | 5,645  | 11.28  | −31.3
Turnout | 50,031  | 74.2  | +4.0
| Conservative hold | Swing | +18.4  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1950: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Crowder | 32,262  | 52.9  | +4.4
| Labour | Dorothy Pickles | 19,683  | 32.3  | −5.0
| Liberal | Andrew McFadyean | 9,094  | 14.9  | +0.6
Majority | 12,579  | 20.6  | +9.3
Turnout | 60,999  | 84.9  | +10.7
| Conservative hold | Swing | +4.2  |
General election 1951: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Crowder | 33,308  | 54.9  | +2.0
| Labour | Jack Ashley | 20,520  | 33.8  | +1.6
| Liberal | Walter John Done  | 6,853  | 11.3  | −3.6
Majority | 12,788  | 21.1  | +0.5
Turnout | 60,411  | 84.0  | −0.9
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.3  |
General election 1955: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Crowder | 30,233  | 54.5  | −0.4
| Labour | Terence Lancaster | 17,408  | 31.4  | −2.4
| Liberal | Manuela Sykes | 7,775  | 14.0  | +2.7
Majority | 12,825  | 23.1  | +2.0
Turnout | 55,416  | 78.3  | −5.7
| Conservative hold | Swing | −1.0  |

General election 1959: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 29,697  | 53.2  | −1.3
| Labour | Eric Deakins | 13,437  | 24.1  | −7.3
| Liberal | Henry Ivan Spence  | 12,701  | 22.7  | +8.7
Majority | 16,260  | 29.1  | +6.0
Turnout | 55,835  | 80.8  | +2.5
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1964: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 24,591  | 46.6  | −6.6
| Liberal | John Pardoe | 15,789  | 29.9  | +7.2
| Labour | Albert Edward Tomlinson  | 12,408  | 23.5  | −0.6
Majority | 8,802  | 16.7  | −12.4
Turnout | 52,788  | 78.2  | −2.6
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

General election 1966: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 23,968  | 46.5  | −0.1
| Labour | Yvonne Sieve  | 14,504  | 28.1  | +4.6
| Liberal | Frank Davis  | 13,070  | 25.4  | −4.5
Majority | 9,464  | 18.4  | +1.7
Turnout | 51,542  | 75.3  | −2.9
| Conservative hold | Swing | −2.4  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1970: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 25,480  | 53.8  | +7.3
| Labour | Michael Freeman  | 14,295  | 30.2  | +2.1
| Liberal | Graham Mitchell  | 7,614  | 16.1  | −9.3
Majority | 11,185  | 23.6  | +5.2
Turnout | 47,389  | 65.6  | −9.7
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.6  |

General election February 1974: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 18,180  | 43.7  | −8.6
| Labour | Martin O'Connor  | 12,202  | 29.3  | −2.3
| Liberal | Laurence Brass  | 11,221  | 27.0  | +10.9
Majority | 5,978  | 14.4  |
Turnout | 41,603  | 78.0  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −3.1  |

General election October 1974: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 16,498  | 44.0  | +0.3
| Labour | Martin O'Connor  | 12,587  | 33.6  | +4.3
| Liberal | Laurence Brass  | 7,384  | 19.7  | −7.3
| National Front | Janet Godfrey  | 993  | 2.7  | New
Majority | 3,911  | 10.4  | −4.0
Turnout | 37,462  | 69.5  | −8.5
| Conservative hold | Swing | −2.0  |

General election 1979: Finchley  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 20,918  | 52.5  | +8.5
| Labour | Richard May | 13,040  | 32.7  | −0.9
| Liberal | Anthony Paterson  | 5,254  | 13.2  | −6.5
| National Front | William Verity  | 534  | 1.3  | −1.4
| Independent Democrat  | Elizabeth Lloyd  | 86  | 0.2  | New
Majority | 7,878  | 19.8  | +9.4
Turnout | 39,832  | 72.5  | +3.0
| Conservative hold | Swing | +4.7  |

### Elections in the 1980s

[edit]

General election 1983: Finchley[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 19,616  | 51.1  | −1.4
| Labour | Laurence Spigel  | 10,302  | 26.8  | −5.9
| Liberal | Margaret Joachim | 7,763  | 20.2  | +7.0
| Ecology | Simone Wilkinson  | 279  | 0.7  | New
| Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 235  | 0.6  | New
| Ban Every Licensing Law Society  | Anthony Noonan  | 75  | 0.2  | New
| Rail Not Motorway  | Helen Anscomb  | 42  | 0.1  | New
| Law and Order in Gotham City  | Anthony Whitehead  | 37  | 0.1  | New
| Anti-Censorship  | David Webb | 28  | 0.1  | New
| Party of Associates with Licensees  | Brian Wareham  | 27  | 0.1  | New
| Belgrano Blood-Hunger  | Benjamin Wedmore  | 13  | 0.0  | New
Majority | 9,314  | 24.3  | +4.5
Turnout | 38,417  | 69.0  | −3.5
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2  |

General election 1987: Finchley[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | 21,603  | 53.9  | +2.8
| Labour | John Davies  | 12,690  | 31.7  | +4.9
| Liberal | David Howarth  | 5,580  | 13.9  | −7.3
| Gremloid Party  | Lord Buckethead | 131  | 0.3  | New
| Gold Party  | Michaelle St Vincent  | 59  | 0.2  | New
Majority | 8,913  | 22.2  | −2.1
Turnout | 40,063  | 69.4  | +0.4
| Conservative hold | Swing | −1.0  |

### Elections in the 1990s

[edit]

General election 1992: Finchley[4][5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Hartley Booth | 21,039  | 51.2  | −2.7
| Labour | Ann Marjoram  | 14,651  | 35.7  | +4.0
| Liberal Democrats | Hilary Leighter  | 4,568  | 11.1  | −2.8
| Green | Ashley Gunstock | 564  | 1.4  | New
| Monster Raving Loony | Sally Johnson  | 130  | 0.3  | New
| Natural Law | James Macrae  | 129  | 0.3  | New
Majority | 6,388  | 15.5  | −6.7
Turnout | 41,081  | 77.6  | +8.2
| Conservative hold | Swing | −3.3  |

## Notes and references

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
2. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
3. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
4. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
5. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.

## Sources

[edit]

* Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)

Parliament of the United Kingdom

New constituency |  UK Parliament constituency
1918–1997 | Succeeded by

Finchley and Golders Green (newly created seat)

Succeeded by

Chipping Barnet (in part)

Preceded by

Sidcup

|  Constituency represented by the leader of the opposition
1975–1979  | Succeeded by

Cardiff South East

Preceded by

Cardiff South East

|  Constituency represented by the prime minister
1979–1990  | Succeeded by

Huntingdon

* v
* t
* e

Historic constituencies in London

Outer London, 1965|

* Acton
* Barnet
* Barking
* Beckenham
* Bexley
* Brentford and Chiswick
* Bromley
* Carshalton
* Chingford
* Chislehurst
* Croydon North East
* Croydon North West
* Croydon South
* Dagenham
* Ealing North
* Ealing South
* East Ham North
* East Ham South
* Edmonton
* Enfield East
* Enfield West
* Erith and Crayford
* Feltham
* Finchley
* Harrow Central
* Harrow East
* Harrow West
* Hayes and Harlington
* Hendon North
* Hendon South
* Heston and Isleworth
* Hornchurch
* Hornsey
* Ilford North
* Ilford South
* Kingston-upon-Thames
* Leyton
* Merton and Morden
* Mitcham
* Orpington
* Richmond
* Romford
* Ruislip-Northwood
* Southall
* Southgate
* Surbiton
* Sutton and Cheam
* Tottenham
* Twickenham
* Uxbridge
* Walthamstow East
* Walthamstow West
* Wanstead and Woodford
* Wembley North
* Wembley South
* West Ham North
* West Ham South
* Wimbledon
* Willeseden East
* Willeseden West
* Wood Green

1974|

* Acton
* Barking
* Battersea North
* Battersea South
* Beckenham
* Bermondsey
* Bethnal Green and Bow
* Bexleyheath
* Brent East
* Brent North
* Brent South
* Brentford and Isleworth
* Carshalton
* Chelsea
* Chingford
* Chipping Barnet
* Chislehurst
* City of London and Westminster South
* Croydon Central
* Croydon North East
* Croydon North West
* Croydon South
* Dagenham
* Dulwich
* Ealing North
* Edmonton
* Enfield North
* Enfield Southgate
* Erith and Crayford
* Feltham and Heston
* Finchley
* Fulham
* Greenwich
* Hackney Central
* Hackney North and Stoke Newington
* Hackney South and Shoreditch
* Hammersmith North
* Hampstead
* Harrow Central
* Harrow East
* Harrow West
* Hayes and Harlington
* Hendon North
* Hendon South
* Holborn and St Pancras South
* Hornchurch
* Hornsey
* Ilford North
* Ilford South
* Islington Central
* Islington North
* Islington South and Finsbury
* Kensington
* Kingston-upon-Thames
* Lambeth Central
* Lewisham Deptford
* Lewisham East
* Lewisham West
* Leyton
* Mitcham and Morden
* Newham North East
* Newham North West
* Newham South
* Norwood
* Orpington
* Paddington
* Peckham
* Putney
* Ravensbourne
* Richmond
* Romford
* Ruislip-Northwood
* St Marylebone
* St Pancras North
* Sidcup
* Southall
* Stepney and Poplar
* Streatham
* Surbiton
* Sutton and Cheam
* Tooting
* Tottenham
* Twickenham
* Upminster
* Uxbridge
* Vauxhall
* Walthamstow
* Wanstead and Woodford
* Wimbledon
* Wood Green
* Woolwich East
* Woolwich West

1983|

* Barking
* Battersea
* Beckenham
* Bethnal Green and Stepney
* Bexleyheath
* Bow and Poplar
* Brent East
* Brent North
* Brent South
* Brentford and Isleworth
* Carshalton and Wallington
* Chelsea
* Chingford
* Chipping Barnet
* Chislehurst
* City of London and Westminster South
* Croydon Central
* Croydon North East
* Croydon North West
* Croydon South
* Dagenham
* Dulwich
* Ealing Acton
* Ealing North
* Ealing Southall
* Edmonton
* Eltham
* Enfield North
* Enfield Southgate
* Erith and Crayford
* Feltham and Heston
* Finchley
* Fulham
* Greenwich
* Hackney North and Stoke Newington
* Hackney South and Shoreditch
* Hammersmith
* Hampstead and Highgate
* Harrow East
* Harrow West
* Hayes and Harlington
* Hendon North
* Hendon South
* Holborn and St Pancras
* Hornchurch
* Hornsey and Wood Green
* Ilford North
* Ilford South
* Islington North
* Islington South and Finsbury
* Kensington
* Kingston-upon-Thames
* Lewisham Deptford
* Lewisham East
* Lewisham West
* Leyton
* Mitcham and Morden
* Newham North East
* Newham North West
* Newham South
* Norwood
* Old Bexley and Sidcup
* Orpington
* Peckham
* Putney
* Ravensbourne
* Richmond and Barnes
* Romford
* Ruislip-Northwood
* Southwark and Bermondsey
* Streatham
* Surbiton
* Sutton and Cheam
* Tooting
* Tottenham
* Twickenham
* Upminster
* Uxbridge
* Vauxhall
* Walthamstow
* Wanstead and Woodford
* Westminster North
* Wimbledon
* Woolwich

* v
* t
* e

Margaret Thatcher

* Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1979–1990)
* Leader of the Conservative Party (1975–1990)
* MP for Finchley (1959–1992)

Member of Parliament|

* Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act (1960)
* Circular 10/70 (1970)
* Shadow Cabinet
* "Britain Awake" (1976)
* Vote of no confidence in the Callaghan ministry (1979)

Ideology|

* Thatcherism
* Conservatism
* Free market
* Union democracy

Premiership|

* Ministers
* wets and dries
* Cold War
* 1st term
* 2nd–3rd term

| 1st ministry
(1979–1983)|

* Budget (1979)
* Budget (1980)
* "The lady's not for turning" (1980)
* Budget (1981)
* Gang of 25
* Irish hunger strike (1981)
* Budget (1982)
* Falklands War (1982)
* "Rejoice"
* sinking of the ARA General Belgrano
* Diana Gould exchange
* "White flags over Port Stanley"
* Budget (1983)

|

2nd ministry
(1983–1987)|

* Budget (1984)
* Brighton hotel bombing (1984)
* GCHQ trade union ban (1984)
* CCSU case
* Miners' strike (1984–85)
* Budget (1985)
* Anglo-Irish Agreement (1985)
* Local Government Act (1985)
* rate-capping rebellion
* Westland affair (1986)
* Budget (1986)
* Budget (1987)

3rd ministry
(1987–1990)|

* Budget (1988)
* Broadcasting restrictions (1988)
* "Sermon on the Mound" (1988)
* Bruges speech (1988)
* Budget (1989)
* Community Charge (1989–90)
* Poll tax riots
* Budget (1990)
* Gulf War (1990)
* "No. No. No." (1990)
* Resignation Honours (1990)

Party elections|

* 1975
* 1989
* 1990

General elections|

* 1979
* 1983
* 1987

Books|

* The Downing Street Years (1993 autobiography)
* The Path to Power (1995 memoir)
* Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World (2003)

Family|

* Denis Thatcher (husband)
* baronetcy
* Mark Thatcher (son)
* Carol Thatcher (daughter)
* Alfred Roberts (father)
* "We have become a grandmother" (1989)

Cultural depictions|

| Film and
television|

* Anyone for Denis? (1982 TV play)
* Spitting Image (1984–1996 & 2020 TV series)
* The New Statesman (1987–1991 TV series)
* Thatcher: The Final Days (1991 film)
* The Falklands Play (2002 play)
* Jeffrey Archer: The Truth (2002 TV film)
* The Alan Clark Diaries (2004 TV series)
* Pinochet in Suburbia (2006 docudrama)
* The Long Walk to Finchley (2008 film)
* Margaret (2009 film)
* The Queen (2009 TV serial)
* The Iron Lady (2011 film)
* The Hunt for Tony Blair (2011 episode)
* In Search of La Che (2011 film)
* The Crown (2020 TV series)
* Reagan (2024 film)

|

Plays|

* Handbagged (2010, 2013)
* The Audience (2013)

Statues|

* London Guildhall (1998)
* Palace of Westminster (2007)
* Grantham (2022)

Paintings|

* Richard Stone portrait

Related|

* Blatcherism
* Death and funeral
* Honours
* Thatchergate

* ← James Callaghan
* John Major →

*  Category

*[v]: View this template
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