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> United Kingdom > England > London > London
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| Alternate Names | Southgate |
| Established | February 23, 1950 |
| Disbanded | Still Active |
| Contributor | RP |
| Last Modified | RBH May 28, 2021 10:25pm |
| Description |
'Were You Still Up for Portillo?', the title of a book about the 1997 Election results, reflected the drama of that night as new Labour swept to power, ejecting ' among others ' the prominent Tory Cabinet Minister Michael Portillo from Enfield Southgate. This was a seat which, by any normal measure, Stephen Twigg should not have been able to win. Yet the openly-gay Labour candidate, who was at that time general secretary of the Fabian Society, took the seat on a 17.4% swing. Historically and demographically, Enfield Southgate has been a Tory story. It had never had a Labour occupant. For 20 years it was held by Sir Anthony Berry who was killed in the bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton during the Conservative Party conference in 1984. Mr Portillo won it at the subsequent by-election and, in 1992, commanded a majority of 15,500. Enfield Southgate is the only truly middle-class, suburban seat in the London Borough of Enfield, with 76% owner-occupation and only 7% local authority rented. Eighty per cent are white and 60% Christian, though the area is becoming more racially mixed. There is a growing Indian population and inward migration of Cypriots from Tottenham and Edmonton. It encompasses urban Palmers Green, adjacent to the North Circular road, and the rural tranquillity of Hadley Wood, Trent Park and the green belt. In between lie a collection of villages ' Old Southgate, Arnos Grove, Oakwood, Grange Park and Winchmore Hill. Mr Twigg is a popular and assiduous local MP who increased his majority to 5,546 with a further 5% swing in 2001. He is currently schools minister with special responsibility for London and primary schools.
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