This seat was represented for decades by the Former Conservative Cabinet Minister Paul (now Lord) Channon, but was taken on at the 1997 election by David Amess, who had served as MP for Basildon from 1983. He sought a safer haven elsewhere in Essex and won the nomination for this historically solid Tory seat.
The town of Southend is now a major office and retailing centre and this plus the effect of London commuters is reflected in the high level of skilled non-manual groups in the constituency. There is also a large number of pensioners - approximately a quarter of the population - and a high level of owner occupation.
The town centre and main offices are actually located in the neighbouring constituency of Rochford and Southend East. This seat is a more up-market tourist area with some attractive residential suburbs. Particularly picturesque is Leigh-on-Sea: originally a small fishing village surrounded by farmland, it has expanded over the years to become a thriving community of about 25,000 people. Today the active cockling fleet and boat building industry are balanced with tourism.