Epping Forest (UK Parliament constituency)

Situated immediately to the north-east of the Greater London administrative boundary, the constituency is named after, and contains most of, Epping Forest, the ancient woodland owned by the City of London Corporation that forms a green corridor along London's northeastern fringe.

The constituency is largely suburban in character, containing towns in the north-east of the urban area of London, as well as extensive areas of the Metropolitan Green Belt, including the majority of Epping Forest itself. It is served by several stations on the Central line of the London Underground.

Its largest town is Loughton, which has a population of around 33,000.^[2] Much of Loughton was developed after the Second World War to accommodate the London overspill. The constituency's other major towns include Waltham Abbey, Chigwell, Epping and Buckhurst Hill.

The constituency is generally affluent and house prices are higher than national averages.^[3][4] Residents of Epping Forest have average levels of education, high rates of household income and are more likely to work in professional occupations compared to the rest of the country.^[4]

White people made up 81% of the population at the 2021 census. Asians (primarily Indians) were the largest ethnic minority group at 9%, concentrated mainly in Chigwell.^[5]

Voters in Epping Forest strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 62% voted in favour of Brexit compared to 52% nationwide.^[4]

Most of the constituency is represented by Conservatives at the local council level, although Loughton is mostly represented by a local residents' association.

The seat was created for the February 1974 general election, primarily from part of the abolished constituency of Chigwell, together with parts of the abolished constituency of Epping, which was notably the seat held by Winston Churchill from 29 October 1924 – 15 June 1945.

When Epping Forest was first created, it was more favourable to the Conservatives than the old Epping seat, as it lost the new town of Harlow (part of the old Epping Rural District) and gained the more Conservative Chigwell Urban District. During the Thatcher period the Labour Party's vote was crushed. Even though the Liberals managed to move into second place, their vote did little more than follow national trends and as soon as 1987 their votes dropped away as well.

Two former candidates in the Epping Forest constituency have also stood for election as Mayor of London: Steve Norris (Conservative; MP 1988–97) and Julian Leppert (British National Party).

The constituency comprises Loughton, Epping, Waltham Abbey, Chigwell, Buckhurst Hill, Theydon Bois, part of North Weald, small intermediate villages and almost the whole of the ancient Forest itself, except those parts which were transferred to Greater London in 1965.

• The Urban Districts of Chigwell, Epping, and Waltham Holy Cross; and
• The Rural District of Epping and Ongar parishes of Epping Upland, Theydon Bois, and Theydon Garnon.^[6]

The majority of the new constituency, comprising the Urban District of Chigwell (incorporating Buckhurst Hill and Loughton), had previously been part of the abolished constituency of Chigwell. Remaining parts had previously been in the abolished constituency of Epping.

• The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadway, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Debden Green, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey, Grange Hill, High Beach, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John's, Loughton St Mary's, Paternoster, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey East, and Waltham Abbey West.^[7]

Minor loss to Brentwood and Ongar.

• The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadway, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Debden Green, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey, Grange Hill, High Beach, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John's, Loughton St Mary's, North Weald Bassett, Paternoster, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey East, and Waltham Abbey West.^[8]

North Weald Bassett transferred from Harlow.

• The District of Epping Forest wards of Broadley Common, Epping Upland and Nazeing, Buckhurst Hill East, Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell Row, Chigwell Village, Epping Hemnall, Epping Lindsey and Thornwood Common, Grange Hill, Loughton Alderton, Loughton Broadway, Loughton Fairmead, Loughton Forest, Loughton Roding, Loughton St John's, Loughton St Mary's, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey High Beach, Waltham Abbey Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey North East, Waltham Abbey Paternoster, and Waltham Abbey South West.^[9]

The North Weald Bassett ward was transferred to Brentwood and Ongar. Other marginal changes due to redistribution of local authority wards.

The 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place on 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.^[10] However, following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2024,^[11] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The District of Epping Forest wards or part wards of: Buckhurst Hill East & Whitebridge; Buckhurst Hill West, Chigwell with Lambourne (except Lambourne parish); Epping East; Epping West & Rural; Grange Hill; Loughton Fairmead; Loughton Forest; Loughton Roding; Loughton St John's; Theydon Bois with Passingford (Theydon Bois parish); Waltham Abbey North; Waltham Abbey South & Rural; Waltham Abbey West; and small parts of North Weald Bassett and Roydon & Lower Nazeing.^[12]

The constituency was created in 1974 from the seats of Epping and Chigwell — both of these (then one constituency, Epping) were represented by Winston Churchill throughout his tenure as Prime Minister during World War II. The Conservative Party has won in Epping Forest in every election since the creation of the constituency. The previous MP Eleanor Laing, was Deputy Speaker of the House from October 2013 and Chairman of Ways and Means from 2020 until 2024.

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Essex