The northernmost of Liverpool’s seats, Labour first took Walton in 1964 when Eric Heffer ousted the Conservative Sir Kenneth Thompson. A staunch left-winger, he represented the constituency until his death in 1991. Heffer's legacy should gain some of the credit for Peter Kilfoyle’s impressive majority of 27,038 over the Tories in the 1997 general election. Walton’s progress to the left of the political spectrum over recent decades is yet another local manifestation of a city-wide trend.
The wards of Warbreck, Melrose, County, Fazakerley, Breckfield and Anfield all have differing housing types. The constituency is also home to both Liverpool FC and Everton FC whose homegrounds are Anfield and Goodison Park respectively.
With unemployment standing at 8.9% in December 2000, constituents’ concerns tend to centre on the associated problems of long-term unemployment, law and order and poverty.