General Election 2024 London seats: Who will be my MP in....Orpington?
Millions of voters across London will go to the polls on July 4 to elect the new Government. The Standard is looking at key battleground seats in the capital. Here we turn the spotlight on:
Candidates for main parties (in alphabetical order):
Gareth Bacon - Conservatives
Graeme Casey - Liberal Democrats
Mark Bradley James - Reform UK
Seamus McCauley - Green Party
Ju Owens - Labour Party
Summary: This seat has been held by the Tories since its creation in 1945 apart from wins by Liberal Eric Lubbock in 1962, 1964 and 1966.
The affluent constituency, on the south eastern fringes of the capital, is largely made up of streets of detached and semi-detached homes.
It was won at the 2019 general election by Gareth Bacon with a majority of 22,378.
Mr Bacon has argued that the Government should consider withholding funding from Transport for London unless plans to extend the city’s ultra-low emission zone were dropped.
Area: Chelsfield and Pratts Bottom, Cray Valley East, Cray Valley West, Darwin (part of), Farnborough and Crofton, Orpington, Petts Wood and Knoll
I’m not sure if I’m in this constituency: Here’s how you can check
Boundary changes impact (Thrasher and Rallings analysis): Boundary changes make this less of a Tory constituency but it still remains overwhemlingly Blue. In 2019, the Tories won with 63.4 per cent of the vote, Labour on 17.5 per cent, and Lib Dems 15.5 per cent. Under the new boundaries it would have been 61.9 per cent Tory, 19.8 per cent Labour and 14.6 per cent Lib Dem.
YouGov MRP poll prediction: Tory hold - one of the four that this survey shows the Conservatives winning in the capital
Evening Standard view: The Conservatives are set to hold this seat and if they don’t they will be facing oblivion in London
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