London South East (European Parliament constituency)

London South East was a constituency that elected a single Member of the European Parliament (MEP) under the first-past-the post voting. The constituency was created in 1979 and abolished in 1999, when it was replaced by the multi-member London constituency, which covers the whole of Greater London and elects members under a system of proportional representation.

European constituencies were formed by the grouping of Westminster Parliament constituencies. When it was created in 1979, London South East consisted of nine UK constituencies: Beckenham, Bexleyheath, Chislehurst, Erith and Crayford, Orpington, Ravensbourne, Sidcup, Woolwich East and Woolwich West.

United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies were redrawn in 1983 and the European constituencies were altered to reflect this. The new seat comprised the following Westminster constituencies: Beckenham, Bexleyheath, Chislehurst, Eltham, Erith and Crayford, Greenwich, Old Bexley and Sidcup,   Orpington, Ravensbourne and Woolwich. These boundaries were used in 1984 and 1989. There was a minor boundary change for the 1994 European Parliament election.

The constituency was initially held by members of the Conservative Party: Brandon Rhys-Williams from 1979-1984 and Peter Price from 1984-1994. In 1994 there was a swing away from the Conservatives due to the unpopularity of the government led by John Major, and the seat was won by Shaun Spiers of the Labour Party.