Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox alt2
Name = Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath
Map1 = BirminghamSparkbrookSmallHeath
Map2 = Birmingham
Type = Borough
Year = 1997
Entity = Birmingham
Entitylink = Birmingham
County = West Midlands
EP = West Midlands
MP = Roger Godsiff
Party = Labour

Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency is notable for having the largest percentage of Muslim voters of any UK constituency at 48.8% (based on 2001 census figures).

The seat is to be abolished following a review of parliamentary boundaries by the Boundary Commission for England.

Boundaries

This is an inner-city residential seat in the south-east of Birmingham which is noted for its large immigrant population.

In the first half of the last century, it was home to many Irish families. In more recent times it has attracted people of Asian origin, who now account for some 50% of residents - the highest proportion of any seat in the country.

Unemployment is high - well over 10%. There are hardly any white collar workers in the seat and it has the third highest proportion of only partly-skilled workers in the country.

However, it is a major site for urban regeneration and some £35m is to be invested in local redevelopment initiatives over the next five years.

The constituency has historically been safely held by Labour, but in 2005 their incumbent MP Roger Godsiff saw his majority slashed to just over 3,000 following a strong challenge from RESPECT. Labour have also lost many local council seats in the constituency, primarily to the Liberal Democrats but also to the now-defunct People's Justice Party and, most recently, to RESPECT's Salma Yaqoob in the Sparkbrook ward.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Birmingham and the West Midlands, the Boundary Commission for England have abolished the Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency.

The Sparkbrook electoral ward will form one part of a revised Birmingham Hall Green constituency. The incumbent MP Roger Godsiff has applied for selection for the new Hall Green seat.

Members of Parliament

*1997 – "present": Roger Godsiff, Labour

Election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Roger Godsiff
votes = 13,787
percentage = 36.1
change = -21.4Election box candidate with party link
party = RESPECT The Unity Coalition
candidate = Salma Yaqoob
votes = 10,498
percentage = 27.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Talib Hussain
votes = 7,727
percentage = 20.2
change = +7.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sameer Mirza
votes = 3,480
percentage = 9.1
change = -1.7Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Jennifer Brookes
votes = 1,342
percentage = 3.5
change = +1.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Ian Jamieson
votes = 855
percentage = 2.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Abdul Chaudhary
votes = 503
percentage = 1.3
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 3,289
percentage = 8.6
change =Election box turnout
votes = 38,192
percentage = 51.8
change = +2.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = -24.4%

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small HeathElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Roger Godsiff
votes = 21,087
percentage = 57.5
change = -6.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Qassim Afzal
votes = 4,841
percentage = 13.2
change = +3.9Election box candidate with party link
party = People's Justice Party (UK)
candidate = Shafaq Hussain
votes = 4,770
percentage = 13.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Iftkhar Hussain
votes = 3,948
percentage = 10.8
change = -6.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Gul Mahammed
votes = 662
percentage = 1.8
change = +0.5Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Wayne Vincent
votes = 634
percentage = 1.7
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Muslim Party
candidate = Abdul Aziz
votes = 401
percentage = 1.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Alliance (England)
candidate = Salman Mirza
votes = 304
percentage = 0.8
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 16,246
percentage = 44.3
change = Election box turnout
votes = 36,647
percentage = 49.3
change = -7.8Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1997: Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small HeathElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Roger Godsiff
votes = 26,841
percentage = 67.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Kenneth Hardeman
votes = 7,315
percentage = 17.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Roger Harmer
votes = 3,889
percentage = 9.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Alan Clawley
votes = 959
percentage = 2.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = Riaz Dooley
votes = 737
percentage = 1.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Pankaj Patel
votes = 538
percentage = 1.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Rashid Syed
votes = 513
percentage = 1.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Sajada Bi
votes = 490
percentage = 1.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Colin Wren
votes = 483
percentage = 1.2
change = Election box majority
votes = 19,526
percentage = 46.8
change = Election box turnout
votes = 41,765
percentage = 57.0
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

ee also

*List of Parliamentary constituencies in West Midlands