Constituency Profile
The seat takes in Lewisham's northern tip - a short stretch alongside the river Thames - along with the Deptford and New Cross areas, and the centre of Lewisham itself. These are historically some of the more deprived in London with high crime rates and social problems, though some more upmarket housing developments are springing up as former industrial sites are cleared away as part of an ongoing rejuvenation process.
The area is relatively affordable, given the short commuting distance to both central London and Canary Wharf, via the Docklands Light Railway. Goldsmiths, University of London is within the seat and there is a substantial student population here.
Lewisham Deptford has been one of Labour's safest London seats for many years - it was the party's 25th safest in the entire country at the 2001 election - though social change in the last decade has seen things become a little more competitive, with an active Liberal Democrat party in the area.
Read more about this topic: Lewisham Deptford (UK Parliament Constituency)
Famous quotes containing the words constituency and/or profile:
“Social Security is a government program with a constituency made up of the old, the near old and those who hope or fear to grow old. After 215 years of trying, we have finally discovered a special interest that includes 100 percent of the population. Now we can vote ourselves rich.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)
“Expecting rain, the profile of a day
Wears its soul like a hat....”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)