The constituency covers the part of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham that is south of the Goldhawk Road. The constituency is made up of the whole of the previous Fulham constituency and the five most southerly wards of what was previously the Hammersmith constituency.
It is a very mixed seat with the affluent and trendy Fulham Road and New King’s Road lying alongside more deprived areas. In 1997, Hammersmith and Fulham was the 16th poorest local authority in the United Kingdom, according to official statistics.
The area has a reputation as London’s most overpriced residential area. Some wards have recently increased their Tory support, bucking the general trend in the constituency. Sulivan ward has seen the Tory lead stretch from 5% in the 1986 borough elections, to around 34% in 1998. The northern wards, in contrast are typically Labour.
Only 44% of housing here is owner occupied, yet a fifth of housing is local authority owned. The constituency is home to Fulham and Chelsea football clubs.
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