The constituency is very ethnically diverse, and has the highest proportion of black/African/Afro-Caribbean residents – 37.4%, of all the constituencies in England and Wales, according to ONS 2011 Census figures. This includes 22.4% being African, 9.3% being Caribbean and 5.7% being of any other black background. 40.8% of residents were born outside of the UK. With 50.6% of all residential properties being social housing, it also has the highest proportion of social housing of any parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom. More than three in 10 residents are single parents. The area is also socially diverse with fine Georgian houses in parts of Camberwell, while Nunhead to the east has experienced considerable regeneration in recent years. At least two conservation area groupings exist containing pockets of upmarket housing stock, principally Camberwell Grove and Camberwell Green. The housing stock has expanded in the early-21st century due to major increases in Central London property prices, which has led to new private sector funded housing initiatives. As such rents across the private rented sector have multiplied, affecting its long-term communities who have entrenched high reliance overall on the rented sector, pushing residents away by eviction or further away from owning their own homes near to their communities. King's College Hospital, one of London's largest teaching hospitals, and the Maudsley Hospital are major employers in the constituency. One in seven residents are employed in human health and social work.
Boundaries
1997–2010: The London Borough of Southwark wards of Barset, Brunswick, Consort, Faraday, Friary, Liddle, St Giles, The Lane, and Waverley. 2010–present: The London Borough of Southwark wards of Brunswick Park, Camberwell Green, Faraday, Livesey, Nunhead, Peckham, Peckham Rye, South Camberwell, and The Lane. The constituency incorporates the areas of Camberwell, Peckham and Nunhead in the London Borough of Southwark, together with parts of its other districts of Walworth, East Dulwich, South Bermondsey and Rotherhithe.
Political history
The constituency was created in 1997. All results since 1997 have been strong Labour Party majorities of 36.8% of the vote or greater. As the predecessor seats were Labour and council wards tend to have strong majorities for the party, the seat has the three main hallmarks of a safe seat. Its MP to date is Harriet Harman, the former Deputy Leader of the party and former Shadow Culture Secretary, who has been the MP for the preceding constituency of Peckham since a by-election in 1982.
