A Look @: Lambeth & Southwark

Labour made gains in both Lambeth and Southwark council elections in 2006. Labour control Lambeth Borough with 39 seats to Lib Dems 17; whilst Southwark Borough remains in limbo between the lib Dems and Labour, with 28 seats apiece.

Constituency	Incumbent	Notional Majority	Swing Needed	Favourite	Prediction
Bermondsey & Old S'wark	Simon Hughes	5,769	8%	1/25	LD Hold
Camberwell & Pekcham	Harriet Harman	16,608	21.4%	1/100	LAB Hold
Dulwich & West Norwood	Tessa Jowell	7,853	9.9%	1/5	LAB Hold
Streatham	Keith Hill	6,584	8.7%	2/7	LAB Hold
Vauxhall	Kate Hoey	8,503	12.3%	1/33	LAB Hold

Bermondsey & Old Southwark BC is Lib Dem seat held by Simon Hughes. If the Boundary Commission really went to work here, he would certainly be out of a job after the election. But as it is, R&T say his five and a half thousand-vote notional majority remains in tact. You can put your faith in Hughes holding this one. LD Hold.

Camberwell & Peckham
BC is the seat of the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Harriet Harman. A boundary alteration of one third still leaves her with a very large notional majority, sixteen and a half thousand-votes. She has put forward a few controversial and unpopular bills, been just plane rude to other motorists and the Tories love laying into her, but she'll be back. LAB Hold.

Tessa Jowell's seat straddles Lambeth and Southwark. Dulwich & West Northwood BC was altered by two fifths in the latest round of boundary changes; according to R&T. Jowell is seemingly Minister for everything! She's Minister for the Cabinet Office, The Olympics, London and Paymaster General! She used to be Minister for Women and Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport. Not only is she some kind of super woman, but she's also getting some rather positive press, which I'll talk about below. This is pretty much a safe seat. LAB Hold.

The London Borough of Streatham BC sits Labour MP Keith Hill. Hill will be standing down at the election. So Labour's Chuka Umunna will be fighting against the Lib Dem's Chris Nicolson to hold this for Labour. Both PPCs are in with a chance here, but there are some interesting developments within the Lambeth council where Streatham Borough Constituency (BC) resides. Labour are tipped to champion Lambeth as the "John Lewis Council", both Hoey, Jowell and Umunna are likely to benefit from the press the idea has received
locally. R&T say the Boundary Commission haven't altered the constituency much, so Labour have a decent notional majority to play with. Hill remained unscathed through the Telegraph's expenses scandal, so if he can get out on the doorstep with his replacement, Umunna will take this. LAB Hold.

Kate Hoey is a Backbencher and sits in a safe Labour seat. She seems pretty blasé about the forthcoming election. She has an eight and a half thousand-vote notional majority and we'll see her again in May. LAB Hold.

 

Michael Turner