Hammersmith & Fulham: West London's Swing Vote

0:00On April 7th, Hammersmith and Fulham sits in West London, bordered by spots like Kensington and Chelsea, Brent, Ealing, Houndslow and the River, Teams. It's got those classic tree line residential streets, some of the city's top restaurants and buzzing riverside neighborhoods. With local elections hitting on Thursday, May 7th, this burrows in the spotlight home to areas like Fulham, Hammersmith, Shepherd's Bush, and White City. You'll find gyms here like Fulham Palace, the old BBC Television Center, Ravens Court Park, Westfield London, and Shepherd's Bush Market. Fun fact for your next Pope quiz is the only place packing three pro football clubs, Chelsea, Fulham, and Queen's Park Rangers, all in one burrow. Demographics from the 2021 census show about 63% white residents, 12% black, 10% Asian, 7% mixed, and 7% other ethnic groups. Housing's pricey two average home hit, 730,000 pounds last December, with monthly rents around 2,700 pounds.

1:06In January, the areas got deep roots from neolithic settlers 5,000 years back along the river, through farmland and fancy villas for the rich in the 17 and 1800s to the last farm closing early 20th century. Electorally, it's flipped between conservatives and labor six times since 1965, but labor's held majority since 2014. In 2022, they grabbed 40 seats to conservatives 10, on 33% turnout, though boundary changes bump seats to 50. And a couple counselors jumped to greens or went independent. Experts like Professor Tony Travers from the London School of Economics figure labor's dug and solid here so they'll likely hold on come election. Tonight, keeping that West London swing steady.