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UK Parliament constituency (since 1974)

Leicester East
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary within the East Midlands
CountyLeicestershire
Electorate76,465 (2023)[1]
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentShivani Raja (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromLeicester South East
Leicester North East
1918–1950
SeatsOne
Created fromLeicester
Replaced byLeicester South East
Leicester North East

Leicester East is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since July 2024 by Shivani Raja of the Conservative Party.

Constituency profile

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Leicester East is an urban constituency in Leicestershire. It covers the eastern neighbourhoods of the city of Leicester, including Humberstone, Hamilton, Belgrave, Rushey Mead, North Evington and Thurncourt. Leicester is one of England's oldest cities with a history dating back to at least the Roman era when it was known as Ratae Corieltauvorum.[2] Leicester has a strong association with the textile, clothing and shoemaking industries, which – having suffered a devastating slump in the early 1980s – survived in the city in a vestigial form until recently but mostly collapsed during the 2020s.[3][4] The Leicester East constituency has high levels of deprivation, particularly in the areas close to the city centre with dense terraced housing, such as Belgrave.[5] House prices in the constituency are similar to those in the rest of the East Midlands and lower than the national average.[6]

In general, residents of the constituency are young and have low levels of education, income and professional employment.[6] A high proportion work in the manufacturing and retail sectors.[7] Leicester East has the highest percentage of Asian residents of any constituency in the United Kingdom; they made up 69% of the population at the 2021 census and most are of Indian origin.[8] A majority of the Asian population are Hindu but there are also many Muslims and Sikhs.[9] The Asian community mostly arrived in Leicester during the 1960s and 1970s, with many coming from Uganda as refugees following their expulsion from the country.[10] White people made up 20% of residents in 2021, most of whom live on the city's outskirts in and around Thurncourt.[8] On Leicester City Council, the more central, densely-populated areas of this constituency are represented by Conservatives while the outer, more suburban areas elected Labour Party councillors. An estimated 51% of voters in Leicester East supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, similar to the nationwide figure of 52%.[6]

History

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First creation

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The seat was created in 1918 and for the next four years was served by Sir Gordon Hewart KC, who resigned to become Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. In 1950 the area was divided between Leicester North East and Leicester South East.

Second (current) creation

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The constituency was re-created in 1974.

Summary of results

Leicester East has been won by the Labour Party's candidate in 12 of the 14 elections since it was re-created. Its MP from 1987 to 2019, Keith Vaz, won an absolute majority of votes from the 1992 general election onward. It had been narrowly won by Conservative Party candidate Peter Bruinvels (a lay canon) at the height of his party's popularity in 1983. The following election saw Vaz regain the seat for Labour; he held it at every election thereafter, from 1997 onward always winning by margins of over 29% and 13,000 votes, until he stood down at the 2019 general election. The result in 2015 made the constituency the 37th-safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage majority.[11] Vaz won his highest majority, 22,428 votes (42.8%), in 2017. In 2019 Labour held the seat with a substantially reduced majority of 6,019, down from 22,428 – a swing of 15%.

The constituency was the sole gain by the Conservatives at the 2024 general election, when Shivani Raja was elected with 31.1% of the vote.

Opposition parties

The Conservative Party candidate has been runner-up in every election save for Bruinvels' win in 1983 and Raja's victory in 2024. The candidate of UKIP took third place in 2015, for the first time; her 2010 counterpart had won 1.5% of the vote, the party not having previously stood in the constituency. The pro-UKIP swing between the 2010 and 2015 elections, of 7.4%, was less than the national average of 9.5%. Susan Cooper was 1.8% away from second place in 2005, giving the best result of a Liberal Democrat to date, attracting just under a fifth of the vote.

Turnout

Turnout in the recreated seat has ranged between 78.7% in 1992 and 61.0% in 2024.

Boundaries

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1918–1950: The County Borough of Leicester wards of Belgrave, Latimer, Spinney Hill, and West Humberstone.

1974–1983: The County Borough of Leicester wards of Belgrave, Charnwood, Evington, Humberstone, and Latimer.

1983–2010: The City of Leicester wards of Belgrave, Charnwood, Coleman, Evington, Humberstone, Latimer, Rushey Mead, Thurncourt, and West Humberstone.

2010–2024: The City of Leicester wards of Belgrave, Charnwood, Coleman, Evington, Humberstone & Hamilton, Latimer, Rushey Mead, and Thurncourt.

2024–present: The City of Leicester wards of Belgrave, Evington, Humberstone & Hamilton, North Evington, Rushey Mead, Thurncourt and Troon – except that polling district EVF in Evington ward was transferred to Leicester South.[12]

Members of Parliament

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MPs 1918–1950

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Leicester prior to 1918

YearMember[13]Party
1918 Sir Gordon Hewart Coalition Liberal
Jan 1922 National Liberal
Mar 1922 by-electionGeorge Banton Labour
Nov 1922 Arthur Evans National Liberal
Aug 1923 Unionist
Dec 1923 George Banton Labour
1924John Loder Unionist
1929Frank Wise Labour
1931Abraham Lyons Conservative
1945Terence Donovan Labour
1950 Constituency abolished

MPs since 1974

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Leicester South East and Leicester North East prior to 1974

YearMemberParty
Feb 1974 Tom Bradley Labour
1981 SDP
1983Peter Bruinvels Conservative
1987 Keith Vaz Labour
2019 Claudia Webbe Labour
2020 Independent
2024Shivani Raja Conservative

Elections

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Leicester East vote share as a percentage since the seat's formation in 1918 and reformation in 1974.

Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Leicester East[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Shivani Raja 14,526 31.1 –7.4
Labour Rajesh Agrawal 10,100 21.6 –29.3
Liberal Democrats Zuffar Haq 6,329 13.5 +7.9
Independent[n 2] Claudia Webbe[15] 5,532 11.8 N/A
One Leicester Keith Vaz[16] 3,681 7.9 N/A
Reform Raj Solanki 2,611 5.6 +3.1
Green Mags Lewis 2,143 4.6 +2.8
Independent Malihah Adam 974 2.1 N/A
Independent Nagarjun Agath 703 1.5 N/A
Independent Khandu Patel 115 0.2 N/A
Majority 4,426 9.5 N/A
Turnout 46,714 61.0 –2.1
Registered electors 76,560
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +11.0

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Leicester East[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Claudia Webbe 25,090 50.8 –16.2
Conservative Bhupendra Dave 19,071 38.6 +14.4
Liberal Democrats Nitesh Dave 2,800 5.7 +3.1
Brexit Party Tara Baldwin 1,243 2.5 N/A
Green Melanie Wakley 888 1.8 −0.2
Independent Sanjay Gogia 329 0.7 N/A
Majority 6,019 12.2 –30.6
Turnout 49,421 63.0 –4.4
Labour hold Swing –15.3

In November 2021 Webbe was given a 10-week suspended sentence for making threatening phone calls to a friend of her partner. Webbe, who since September 2020 had been suspended from the Labour Party and was sitting as an independent MP, was then expelled from the party and continued to sit as an independent until Parliament was dissolved.[18][19]

General election 2017: Leicester East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Vaz 35,116 67.0 +5.9
Conservative Edward Yi He 12,688 24.2 +1.2
Independent Sujata Barot 1,753 3.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Nitesh Dave 1,343 2.6 0.0
Green Melanie Wakley 1,070 2.0 –1.1
Independent Ian Fox 454 0.9 N/A
Majority 22,428 42.8 +4.6
Turnout 52,424 67.4 +3.7
Labour hold Swing +2.3
General election 2015: Leicester East[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Vaz 29,386 61.1 +7.4
Conservative Kishan Devani 11,034 23.0 –1.5
UKIP Susanna Steptoe 4,290 8.9 +7.4
Green Nimit Jethwa 1,468 3.1 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Dave Raval 1,233 2.6 –11.6
TUSC Michael Barker 540 1.1 N/A
Independent Tom Darwood 117 0.2 N/A
Majority 18,352 38.2 +8.9
Turnout 48,068 63.7 –2.1
Labour hold Swing +4.5
General election 2010: Leicester East[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Vaz 25,804 53.8 −5.0
Conservative Jane Hunt 11,722 24.4 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Ali Asghar 6,817 14.2 −2.3
BNP Colin Gilmore[22] 1,700 3.5 N/A
Green Mo Taylor[23] 733 1.5 N/A
UKIP Felicity Ransome 725 1.5 N/A
Unity For Peace And Socialism Avtar Sadiq 494 1.0 N/A
Majority 14,082 29.3 –9.6
Turnout 47,995 65.8 +3.9
Labour hold Swing −4.8

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Leicester East[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Vaz 24,015 58.1 +0.5
Conservative Suella Fernandes 8,139 19.7 −4.8
Liberal Democrats Susan Cooper 7,052 17.1 +4.8
Veritas Colin Brown 1,666 4.0 N/A
Socialist Labour Valerie Smalley 434 1.1 −1.0
Majority 15,876 38.4 +5.3
Turnout 41,306 62.2 +0.1
Labour hold Swing +2.6

In 2005 this seat bucked the national trend as there was a swing to Labour whereas the national swing was 2.5% to the Conservatives.

General election 2001: Leicester East[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Vaz 23,402 57.6 −7.9
Conservative John Mugglestone 9,960 24.5 +0.5
Liberal Democrats Harpinder Athwal 4,989 12.3 +5.3
Socialist Labour David Roberts 837 2.1 +1.1
BNP Clive Potter 772 1.9 N/A
Independent Shirley Bennett 701 1.7 +1.5
Majority 13,442 33.1 –8.4
Turnout 40,661 62.1 −7.0
Labour hold Swing –4.2

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Leicester East[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Vaz 29,083 65.5 +9.2
Conservative Simon Milton 10,661 24.01 –9.7
Liberal Democrats Jay Matabudul 3,105 6.99 −1.1
Referendum Philip Iwaniw 1,015 2.29 N/A
Socialist Labour Sohan Singh Sidhu 436 0.98 N/A
Independent Neil Slack 102 0.23 N/A
Majority 18,422 41.49 +18.9
Turnout 44,402 69.11
Labour hold Swing +9.4
General election 1992: Leicester East[27][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Vaz 28,123 56.3 +10.1
Conservative Jeffery C. Stevens 16,807 33.7 −8.8
Liberal Democrats Sheila A. Mitchell 4,043 8.1 −3.3
Green Murray R. Frankland 453 0.9 N/A
Independent Dennis J. Taylor 308 0.6 N/A
Natural Law ASK Mahaldar 186 0.4 N/A
Majority 11,316 22.6 +18.9
Turnout 49,920 78.7 +0.1
Labour hold Swing +9.5

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Leicester East[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Vaz 24,074 46.2 +9.2
Conservative Peter Bruinvels 22,150 42.5 +3.6
SDP (Liberal) Aileen Ayres 5,935 11.4 –9.7
Majority 1,924 3.7 N/A
Turnout 52,159 78.59
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1983: Leicester East[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bruinvels 19,117 38.9 –2.3
Labour Patricia Hewitt 18,184 37.0 –9.9
SDP (Liberal) Tom Bradley 10,362 21.1 +12.0
Independent RV Ganatra 970 2.0 N/A
BNP RL Sutton 459 0.9 N/A
Majority 933 1.9 N/A
Turnout 49,092 73.2 –2.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +3.8

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Leicester East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Bradley 23,844 46.9 +2.1
Conservative M Waterhouse 20,988 41.3 +4.8
Liberal B Andrews 4,623 9.1 –3.2
National Front BJ Calver 1,385 2.7 –3.7
Majority 2,856 5.6 –2.6
Turnout 50,840 75.6 +3.3
Labour hold Swing +1.4
General election October 1974: Leicester East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Bradley 20,688 44.8 +0.1
Conservative KG Reeves 16,877 36.5 –8.3
Liberal W Capstick 5,668 12.3 N/A
National Front A Reed-Herbert 2,967 6.4 −1.1
Majority 3,811 8.3 +5.4
Turnout 46,200 72.3 –5.5
Labour hold Swing +4.2
General election February 1974: Leicester East31
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Bradley 23,474 47.7
Conservative K.G. Reeves 22,061 44.8
National Front K. Sanders 3,662 7.5
Majority 1,413 2.9
Turnout 49,199 77.8
Labour win (new seat)

Election in the 1910s

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General election 1918: Leicester East[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
C National Liberal Gordon Hewart 18,024 72.9
Labour George Banton 6,697 27.1
Majority 11,327 45.8
Turnout 24,721 65.6
Registered electors 37,687
National Liberal win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer).
  2. ↑ Webbe contested the election as an Independent, but received endorsement by the Workers Party of Britain.

References

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  1. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  2. ↑ Hoskins, W.G. "Leicester", History Today, 1#9 (September 1951), pp. 48–56
  3. ↑ Butler, Sarah (30 August 2020). "Revealed: 'shocking' lack of regulation at Leicester garment factories". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Conway, Ed (28 May 2025). "'Leicester is embargoed': City's clothing industry in crisis". Sky News. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  5. ↑ "Seat Details – Leicester East". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Seat Details – Leicester East". Electoral Calculus. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  8. 1 2 "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". House of Commons Library. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "2021 census results: Religion in your constituency". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "From Kampala to Leicester". Leicester City Council. Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
  13. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 2)
  14. ↑ "Leicester East – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  15. ↑ "Leicester MP Claudia Webbe will fight again for her seat in Westminster". Leicestershire Live. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  16. ↑ Patel, Asha (7 June 2024). "Keith Vaz to stand as MP for Leicester East". BBC News. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "Leicester East Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  18. ↑ "Claudia Webbe: MP convicted of harassment gets suspended sentence". BBC News. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  19. ↑ Mack, Tom (4 November 2021). "MP Claudia Webbe expelled from Labour Party after being handed suspended prison sentence". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  20. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Full slate in Leicestershire as BNP candidate nominated in Leicester East". BNP. March 2010. Archived from the original on 30 March 2010.
  23. ↑ "Green Candidate Mo Taylor for Leicester East". Green Party. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  24. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. ↑ "General Election 1992". Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  29. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  30. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. ↑ "UK General Election results: February 1974 [Archive]". Politics Resources. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Craig, F.W.S. (1969). British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949. Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 978-0-900178-01-6.
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52°38′N 1°05′W / 52.64°N 1.08°W / 52.64; -1.08

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