Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing Kensington.
Recorded crime is 166% above the national average.
MP News Approval i
+70
Joe Powell
Labour PartyJoe Powell is the Labour MP for Kensington and Bayswater, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Kensington and Bayswater has been mixed for Joe across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Inside the iconic London Tube station's £120 million upgrade” — Metro
“Re-development to transform nationally important South Kensington Tube station gathers pace | Transport for London” — WiredGov
A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review. Won by Lab in its first election in 2024 by 6.9%. Covers Kensington and Chelsea and City of Westminster. Population 136,177, highly educated (60% degree-holders). Recorded crime is 166% above the national average. Median income £46K (above average), 11,970 businesses.
Mansion tax to hit 165,000 homeowners
CityAM · 3 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£46,200
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£181,000
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
11,970
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
59
20 primary, 4 secondary, 35 other
Total Income Tax▼
£4,160m
from 67,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£6,080
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£62,300
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
57.7
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
81.2%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
2 citys — 132,291 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
43 councillors across 16 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abingdon | Conservative and Unionist Party | Anne Cyron | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | James Husband | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Sarah Addenbrooke | May 2022 | |
| Bayswater | Labour Party | James Small-Edwards | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Maggie Carman | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Max Sullivan | May 2022 | |
| Brompton Hans Town | Conservative and Unionist Party | Mary Weale | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Sof McVeigh | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Walaa Idris | May 2022 | |
| Campden | Conservative and Unionist Party | Catherine Faulks | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Lloyd Lewis North | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Preety Manhar Pancholi Hudd | May 2022 | |
| Colville | Labour Party | Dahabo Haji Isse | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Mo Bakhtiar | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Toby James Benton | May 2022 | |
| Courtfield | Conservative and Unionist Party | Greg Hammond | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Janet Evans | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Quentin Marshall | May 2022 | |
| Dalgarno | Labour Party | Eva Jedut | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Kasim Mohamed Ali | May 2022 | |
| Earls Court | Conservative and Unionist Party | Hamish Adourian | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Linda Anne Wade | May 2022 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Tim Verboven | May 2022 | |
| Golborne | Labour Party | Abdullahi Nur | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Mona Adam | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Sina Lari | May 2022 | |
| Holland | Conservative and Unionist Party | Aarien Areti | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Johnny Thalassites | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Lucy Knight | May 2022 | |
| Lancaster Gate | Labour Party | Ellie Ormsby | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Laila Cunningham | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Ryan Jude | May 2022 | |
| Norland | Conservative and Unionist Party | Stephanie Petit | May 2024 |
| Notting Dale | Labour Party | Claire Louise Simmons | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Marwan Elnaghi | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Mona Kamal Ahmed | May 2022 | |
| Pembridge | Conservative and Unionist Party | Dori Schmetterling | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Joanna Mary Gardner | May 2022 | |
| Queens Gate | Conservative and Unionist Party | Roberto Weeden-Sanz | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Sam Mackover | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Will Lane | May 2022 | |
| St Helens | Labour Party | Emma Dent Coad | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Portia Thaxter | May 2022 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab | 17,025 | 40.6% | |
Won 2019 GE | Con | 14,122 | 33.7% |
| LD | 2,910 | 6.9% | |
| Green | 2,732 | 6.5% | |
| Ref | 2,514 | 6.0% | |
Won 2017 GE | Ind | 1,824 | 4.3% |
| Ind | 486 | 1.2% | |
| Ind | 116 | 0.3% | |
| Ind | 114 | 0.3% | |
| Ind | 65 | 0.2% |
Joe Powell has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
6 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
The ONS reports that housing affordability has improved nationally in 2025, with earnings rising faster than house prices. However, Kensington and Chelsea remains the least affordable area in the UK with a ratio of 25.2, significantly worse than the national average, highlighting a severe affordability crisis in this central London constituency.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan awarded Notting Hill Carnival an extra £4.66 million to enhance safety and security for the 60th anniversary event, including additional security guards, crowd control measures, and infrastructure. The funding has sparked criticism from Conservative politicians who argue the money could have been used to keep police stations and counters open in Kensington and Chelsea, where the carnival takes place.
Notting Hill Carnival organisers have received a £4.66 million grant from the Mayor of London to fund extra security for the 2026 event, following safety concerns and over 500 arrests at last year's carnival. The funding will enable organisers to take over crowd control from the Metropolitan Police, though opposition councillors argue the money should have been spent on local police services instead.
Albert Bridge, connecting Chelsea and Battersea, will remain closed to vehicles until 2027 due to structural damage discovered during repairs. Kensington and Chelsea Council is undertaking £8.5 million in repairs to address cracked cast iron components and instability in the bridge's structural joint, with the closure also allowing for preventative measures and improvements.
Bianca Jagger and Kensington and Chelsea Councillor Linda Wade are objecting to Silvertime Amusements' plans to relocate a gambling arcade to a larger, more visible site on Earl's Court Road and operate it 24/7. The objections cite concerns about increased visibility, saturation of betting venues in the area, proximity to vulnerable populations, and impact on the high street.
A serial thief and machete-wielder from west London pleaded guilty to armed robbery attempts in Bayswater and Kensington, including targeting TV presenter Aled Jones and Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour. The case highlights serious street crime affecting the constituency, with the judge criticizing delays in prosecution and noting the offender deliberately targeted wealthy areas including Kensington High Street and Bayswater.
The article examines new 'residential PEEPs' (personal emergency evacuation plans) regulations coming into force on 6 April 2025, which will require landlords in high-rise buildings to identify vulnerable residents and develop evacuation plans for them. The reform follows the Grenfell Tower inquiry's findings that 21 victims had disabilities but were not properly identified as vulnerable by the housing management, leading to preventable deaths.
Nationwide Building Society analysis reveals Kensington and Chelsea as the least affordable area in the UK for first-time buyers, with homes costing 13.9 times average local wages. While some regions show improving affordability, the constituency faces severe housing affordability challenges alongside rising mortgage rates.
Albert Bridge in Kensington and Chelsea is closing for up to a year for £8.5m repairs after inspections found structural cracks. The closure is part of a wider London infrastructure crisis, with multiple bridges shut due to aging infrastructure and council funding shortages, raising questions about national versus local responsibility for maintaining these vital assets.
Kensington and Chelsea Council has approved an £8.5 million repair programme for Albert Bridge, which was closed to traffic in February after damage was discovered. The council aims to reopen the bridge within 12 months and has stressed its commitment to avoiding a prolonged closure like Hammersmith Bridge, which remained shut for seven years.
UK house price and rental cost analysis showing London experiencing a 1.2% decline while northern regions outpace the national average. Kensington and Chelsea is identified as the UK's most expensive area for private rentals, with significant affordability pressures on tenants.
Official statistics show England's housing has become more affordable for the first time since 2015, with the median home costing 7.6 times average earnings, down from 9.1 in 2021. However, London remains the least affordable region at 10.6 times earnings, with Kensington and Chelsea the least affordable local authority at 25.2 times earnings, though this represents significant improvement from a 2018 peak of 44.
A study ranking English local authorities by traffic congestion reveals Kensington and Chelsea ranks seventh most congested, with drivers experiencing average delays of 2 minutes 55 seconds per mile (29 minutes 10 seconds on a 10-mile journey). The article highlights London boroughs dominating the most congested areas, contrasting with rural regions like Rutland which see minimal delays.
Kensington and Chelsea Council has revealed that residents affected by a November 2025 cyber attack may not be notified of data theft until summer 2026 or later. The attack also disrupted council services including council tax collection, with residents now receiving backdated bills covering the affected period.
ONS data shows housing affordability improved marginally in 2025 as wage growth outpaced house price increases, with England's ratio falling to 7.6 times earnings—the lowest since 2015. However, Kensington and Chelsea remains the least affordable local authority in England and Wales at 25.2 times earnings, though this represents improvement from 28.2 in 2024.
A headteacher at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Primary School in Kensington and Chelsea has been banned from teaching indefinitely after a panel found he dishonestly used the school credit card for personal expenses totaling over £56,000 between 2020 and 2023, with poor record-keeping and safeguarding failures. The headteacher cannot reapply to lift the ban until 2031.
London house prices have fallen for six consecutive months at the fastest pace in nearly two years, with the capital experiencing a 1.7% annual decline to £556,000 as of January. Kensington and Chelsea is specifically named among the most expensive boroughs seeing double-digit price drops, driven by affordability pressures, rising mortgage rates, and economic weakness including high unemployment and weak rental growth.
The government has reformed local authority funding formulas, creating significant variations in council tax rises across England. Kensington & Chelsea is identified as one of six inner London councils facing substantial funding cuts and permitted to raise council tax without limits from 2027/28, with the council leader criticising the settlement as unfair.
Residents of Guinness Trust Buildings on Cadogan Street in Chelsea are experiencing a persistent rat infestation, with burrows reappearing despite previous pest control efforts by the housing association. The issue has persisted for over 11 years, causing distress to residents in one of London's most affluent areas.
Kensington and Chelsea Council must decide how to fund an estimated £8.5m repair of the Grade II* listed Albert Bridge, which has been closed to traffic since February 2024 due to structural cracks. The council is seeking contributions from Transport for London and the Department for Transport, but faces delays in securing external funding while maintaining expensive monthly mitigations and aiming for swift reopening.
A City AM investigation reveals significant regional variation in London pub prices, with Kensington and Chelsea identified as the most expensive borough for a pint at £7.75 average, and experiencing one of the steepest price increases (75p) alongside Haringey since 2024. The article discusses how pint prices correlate with local property values and rising business costs facing pub landlords.
A Nationwide Building Society analysis ranks Burnley as England's most affordable town for first-time buyers, with property prices at 2.8 times average earnings. Kensington and Chelsea is identified as Britain's least affordable location at 13.9 times local earnings, presenting a significant barrier to first-time buyers in the constituency.
South Kensington Tube station will undergo a £120 million upgrade starting in December, with completion expected in 2029. The project focuses on accessibility and overcrowding, including a new step-free entrance, reopening of platform 1, and 50 new homes nearby, with MP Joe Powell praised for campaigning for these improvements.
Transport for London is progressing with a major redevelopment of South Kensington Tube station, including step-free access to all platforms, a new eastbound platform, and surrounding mixed-use development with 50 homes and offices. The project, designed by Stirling Prize-winning architects, has received planning permission and will begin detailed design work this year with implementation starting in 2026.
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