Billericay’s recent representatives in Parliament have had more than their fair share of headlines and controversy.
Harvey Proctor was the Tory MP between 1983 and 1987. His views were notoriously right wing on race and immigration issues and he eventually had to stand down after allegations of underage sex with rent boys.
His replacement was Teresa Gorman. She has become well known for her hardline views on many issues - particularly Europe - and lost the Tory whip along with seven others after voting against the Major government on a three line whip. In November 1999 she announced that she was standing down at this election.
The constituency is relatively middle-class, containing many owner-occupiers. It takes in the communities of Billericay, Wickford, Pitsea, Burstead and part of Laindon, and its social profile can certainly be regarded as pretty affluent.
At the 1997 General Election, Mrs Gorman suffered one of the biggest swings against any sitting MP - 17.6% from the Tories to Labour - and her majority fell to a mere 2.4%. This can partly be accounted for by the presence of an anti-Gorman Conservative candidate, who took over 3,000 votes.