Ilford is a town most would say was in Essex but is in fact part of the outer London Borough of Redbridge. Ilford Northís proximity on the London/Essex border means it is home to many commuters, who enjoy the expanse of rural area in the seat which includes two large country parks.
There is a smaller percentage of non-white residents here than in Ilford South. The seat has one of the largest Jewish populations in the country. Housing tends to be owner-occupied, and inhabited by lower middle-class skilled non-manual workers. Unemployment is below the national average. There is an area of council housing to the north, in Hainault ward where Labour has traditionally found its strongest support, but other pockets of historical Labour strength are few.
North has always tended to be the more Conservative of the two Ilford constituencies and in fact before 1997, Labour had only won the seat once - in October 1974. Conservative MP Vivian Bendall held the seat from 1978 to 1997 when he lost it to Labourís Linda Perham on a 17% swing.