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.
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.[2]
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.
1983–1997
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.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5]
North Weald Bassett ward now transferred to Brentwood and Ongar. Other marginal changes due to redistribution of local authority wards.
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, and the present MP is the Conservative Dame
Eleanor Laing, who has been a Deputy Speaker of the House since October 2013 and Chairman of Ways and Means since 2020.
^"Electorate Figures". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from
the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.