History
The seat was created in February 1974 from the former seat of Shoreditch and Finsbury, and has a history of members switching parties. Ronald Brown, former incumbent for Shoreditch and Finsbury, was elected in 1974 as a representative of the Labour Party, but joined the splinter Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1981. He held the seat as an SDP member until 1983, when he was defeated by Labour Party candidate Brian Sedgemore. Sedgemore announced his retirement from parliament at the 2005 election; but on 26 April 2005 defected to the Liberal Democrats, the successors to the SDP, shortly before the week of the election. The Liberal Democrats were unable to capitalise on the defection; and the seat was held for Labour by the current incumbent Meg Hillier.
Read more about this topic: Hackney South And Shoreditch (UK Parliament Constituency)
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