It has been four years and five months since the nation went to the polling stations, bringing back Boris Johnson to Number 10 Downing Street.
It was the first general election in December since 1923, arriving at the end of a campaign dominated by Brexit – on the Conservative Party slogan of ‘Break the gridlock. Get Brexit done’, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
Election polls were hard to read back then – as they are now – with some voters admitting they were ‘picking the least worst’ candidate.
Rather uninspiring, it made voting appear more like a race to the bottom then to the top.
In London though – characterised by demographic diversity, economic structure, and strong pro-Remain sentiment – voting patterns differed significantly from the rest of the country.
As Rishi Sunak announced the next general election, a 2019 map shows what the political temperature in the capital was.
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The result of the 2019 general election was a decisive victory for the Conservative Party.
They won 365 seats, gaining a majority of 80 seats in the House of Commons. This was also an increase of 48 seats from the previous election in 2017.
The election was called primarily to break the Brexit deadlock in Parliament, and the result gave the incumbent PM a strong mandate to proceed with his plans.
Spearheaded by Jeremy Corbyn, Labour secured 202 seats, a loss of 60 seats from two years before that. This was the party’s worst performance since 1935.
The loss also resulted in the leader stepping down, as promised, and eventually the rise of Sir Keir Starmer.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, led by Jo Swinson, won 11 seats, a net gain of one seat.
There was a lot at stake for Londoners. The capital stood as a beacon of Labour support amidst a sea of Tory blue that swept across much of the country.
Metro.co.uk’s map shows the then Corbyn’s party dominance in the inner city and many suburban areas.
Labour secured 49 out of 73 seats, with strongholds including constituencies like Islington North, held by Corbyn, and Tottenham, represented by David Lammy.
Notable gains included Putney in the – an area that voted strongly for Remain in the 2016 referendum – from the Conservatives.
Meanwhile, the Tories won the key London seat of Kensington by only 150 votes.
Other closely-watched contests included Uxbridge and South Ruislip – Johnson’s constituency, which he kept by a small majority.
The results contrasted with the Conservative’s national success, where the party secured a large majority.
London’s diverse and younger population had a huge impact on voting behaviors.
Turnout varied widely but included some of the highest in the country. Islington North for example had a turnout of 73.6%, while other areas had much lower participation.
Political analysts suggest that similar patterns could once again play a pivotal role in the forthcoming election.
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