Eltham (/ˈɛltəm/ EL-təm) is a constituency^{[n 1]} in Greater London created in 1983 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Clive Efford of the Labour Party.^{[n 2]}

The seat approximately covers the southern half of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.^[3][4]

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be subject to boundary changes which will incorporate the Borough of Bromley communities of Chislehurst and Mottingham. As a consequence, it will be renamed Eltham and Chislehurst, to be first contested at the next general election.^[5]

1983–1997: The London Borough of Greenwich wards of Avery Hill, Coldharbour, Deansfield, Eltham Park, Herbert, Middle Park, New Eltham, Nightingale, Palace, Sherard, Sutcliffe, Tarn, and Well Hall.

1997–2010: As above less Nightingale, plus Plumstead Common, Shrewsbury, and Slade.

2010–present: The London Borough of Greenwich wards of Coldharbour and New Eltham, Eltham North, Eltham South, Eltham West, Kidbrooke with Hornfair, Middle Park and Sutcliffe, and Shooters Hill.

The constituency is in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south-east London. Before 1983, a constituency with similar boundaries was called Woolwich West.

The seat is bordered by the constituencies of:

• Bromley and Chislehurst
• Erith and Thamesmead
• Greenwich and Woolwich
• Lewisham East
• Old Bexley and Sidcup

The constituency is centred on Eltham which has a typical High Street shopping area, surrounded by 20th century suburbs such as Mottingham and New Eltham. There are two railway lines in the seat and many residents commute to Central London. Residents' health and wealth are around average for the UK.^[6]

Most central and southern wards have tended in local elections since 1997 to elect Conservative councillors whereas the other wards are inclined to Labour such as West Eltham. The former areas have more owner-occupied houses and are more middle-class. Labour has fared well in the same period in the northern areas of the constituency towards Greenwich, and in areas such as Shooters Hill and Well Hall with the exception of the conservation area parts of Blackheath adding to one ward.^[7]

Summary of results

The 2015 result gave the seat the 28th-smallest majority of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.^[8]

The seat was held by high-profile Tory Peter Bottomley from its inception in 1983. Bottomley had been the MP for abolished Woolwich West before 1983. Labour's Clive Efford gained the seat in 1997, the first Eltham election in which Bottomley did not stand. Bottomley was standing instead for Worthing West, where he has remained the MP ever since. After a further absolute majority in 2001, Efford's majority decreased in 2005; he resisted some national swing against the party in 2010 to hold the seat.

Opposition since 1997

Conservative and UKIP candidates won more than 5% of the vote in 2015 therefore kept their deposits. Conservative Drury fell 6.2% short of winning the seat in 2015; in 2017, however, Efford more than doubled his margin to 6,296, Labour's largest majority in the seat since 1997.

First use of open primaries in London

In 2006, the Eltham Conservative Association became the first in London to select a prospective parliamentary candidate by means of an open primary election, where any voter on the electoral roll was entitled to attend and vote. David Gold (PPC Brighton Pavilion 2001) defeated Jackie Doyle-Price (PPC Sheffield Hillsborough 2005) and Eric Ollerenshaw (former London Assembly member), by winning more than 50% of the ballot in the first round at a meeting chaired by Michael Portillo on 31 July 2006 at the Bob Hope Theatre. Approximately 140 people attended the open primary.^[9][10] Ironically while Gold was defeated in Eltham at the 2010 General Election, both Doyle-Price and Ollerenshaw won seats elsewhere.

• List of parliamentary constituencies in London
• Politics of Greenwich
• Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Greenwich London Borough Council