History
The constituency was created in 1983, replacing the former seat of Birmingham Stechford.
Hodge Hill is a traditionally Labour area, normally seeing large majorities for the party. However in 2004 the appointment of the sitting Member of Parliament (MP), Terry Davis, as secretary general of the Council of Europe resulted in a fiercely contested by-election. Along with a by-election in Leicester South held on the same day, the seat saw a fierce challenge by the Liberal Democrats, hoping to build on their previous by-election gain at Brent East, as well as competition for the anti-war vote from RESPECT The Unity Coalition. On a low turnout Labour's Liam Byrne held the seat by a margin of just 460 votes over the Liberal Democrats, with RESPECT taking over 1000 votes.
Read more about this topic: Birmingham Hodge Hill (UK Parliament Constituency)
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