The area’s population grew rapidly after the Second World War, due to the resettlement of many families from east and north London looking for more pleasant surroundings outside London.

Now the constituency boasts one of the highest rates of home ownership and dependency on the private motor car in the country.

It can be defined primarily as a commuting area. Many travel into London on a daily basis on the infamous London-Tilbury-Southend line.

It has no large-scale industry or commerce, although the Shell and BP oil refineries dominate Canvey Island.

The River Thames also plays a significant role, with container vessels and barges trading in the Port of London, as well as providing a base for the defiant remains of the beleaguered local fishing industry.