Lewisham East
Labour hold

On an even larger swing than average in inner London, Bridget Prentice increased Labour's majority to over 30pc (that is, requiring a swing of over 15pc to be beaten) in 1997. This was within living memory a marginal, held by the Conservatives from 1983 to 1992, but it now looks safely Labour, with large blocs of support in the council estates of Downham and Grove Park and more inner city housing in Hither Green. The Conservatives returned just a single councillor in St Mildred ward (Lee) in 1994 and 1998 Lewisham Borough elections, of which the results were reminiscent of a one party state.

Bridget Prentice, a Blair-discarded Whip who was demoted to the ranks of PPS, currently to the Blair-linked Lord Chancellor, is the more Blairite half of a political couple, though she is now separated from husband, Gordon Prentice, who entered the House at the same time in 1992. Scots-born in 1952 and Catholic-educated before attending Glasgow University, she taught in Catholic schools - including the Blairs’ London Oratory. As a Whip she helped quell the big rebellion on lone parent benefits, keeping most of the uneasy sisters in line, and as the Lord Chancellor’s PPS she has backed curbs on jury trials in the face of backbench civil libertarian resistance.

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   Thriving Wealthy Achievers, Suburban Areas 2.08% 14.99% 13.88 Affluent Greys, Rural Communities 0.00% 2.13% 0.00 Prosperous Pensioners, Retirement Areas 0.12% 2.49% 4.84 Expanding Affluent Executives, Family Areas 0.00% 4.43% 0.00 Well-Off Workers, Family Areas 0.47% 7.27% 6.42 Rising Affluent Urbanites, Town & City Areas 2.02% 2.56% 78.90 Prosperous Professionals, Metropolitan Areas 23.97% 2.04% 1,174.35 Better-Off Executives, Inner City Areas 9.12% 3.94% 231.14 Settling Comfortable Middle Agers, Mature Home Owning Areas 6.38% 13.04% 48.89 Skilled Workers, Home Owning Areas 3.67% 12.70% 28.92 Aspiring New Home Owners, Mature Communities 4.35% 8.14% 53.44 White Collar Workers, Better-Off Multi Ethnic Areas 12.38% 4.02% 307.86 Striving Older People, Less Prosperous Areas 2.24% 3.19% 70.24 Council Estate Residents, Better-Off Homes 19.11% 11.31% 169.00 Council Estate Residents, High Unemployment 8.94% 3.06% 291.81 Council Estate Residents, Greatest Hardship 0.06% 2.52% 2.36 People in Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Areas 5.09% 2.10% 242.57 Unclassified Unclassified 0.00% 0.06% 0.00

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   £0-5K 7.95% 9.41% 84.41 £5-10K 13.85% 16.63% 83.28 £10-15K 14.72% 16.58% 88.77 £15-20K 12.94% 13.58% 95.23 £20-25K 10.54% 10.39% 101.42 £25-30K 8.32% 7.77% 107.02 £30-35K 6.49% 5.79% 112.00 £35-40K 5.04% 4.33% 116.40 £40-45K 3.93% 3.27% 120.30 £45-50K 3.07% 2.48% 123.79 £50-55K 2.42% 1.90% 126.94 £55-60K 1.91% 1.47% 129.80 £60-65K 1.52% 1.15% 132.44 £65-70K 1.22% 0.91% 134.89 £70-75K 0.99% 0.72% 137.19 £75-80K 0.80% 0.57% 139.37 £80-85K 0.65% 0.46% 141.45 £85-90K 0.54% 0.37% 143.45 £90-95K 0.44% 0.31% 145.39 £95-100K 0.37% 0.25% 147.28 £100K + 2.16% 1.34% 160.81