Somewhat less affluent than its
West London neighbour
Chelsea, Fulham nevertheless was predominantly a safe Conservative seat in its first incarnation between 1885-1918, aside from a brief period of Liberal representation between 1906-1910. Fulham was then divided into two constituencies (East and West), which were initially Conservative until Labour started gradually reducing the majorities in both seats, firstly gaining Fulham East in a by-election in 1933, then Fulham West in another by-election in 1938, eventually holding both seats from 1945 until Fulham became a single constituency again in 1955. The Labour Party held the seat until 1979, when the Conservative Party gained Fulham in
Margaret Thatcher's first administration, the first time they had represented the area since the
Second World War, as the area became increasingly gentrified and more inclined to the Conservatives, although Labour gained the seat in a 1986 by-election. The Conservatives regained the seat in the following year's General Election and held the seat until 1997, when the Fulham constituency was abolished, becoming part of the new
Hammersmith and Fulham constituency, gained by Labour in their landslide victory under
Tony Blair. == Boundaries ==