Croydon Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Croydon Central is a constituency created in 1974 and is represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Labour MP Sarah Jones.[n 1][n 2] The seat bucked the national results in 2005, 2017 and 2019 leaning to right and left respectively being in other results a bellwether, its winner belonging to the winning party nationally since 1979.

Croydon Central
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Croydon Central in Greater London
CountyGreater London
Electorate76,980 (December 2010)[1]
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentSarah Jones (Labour)
Number of membersOne
Created fromCroydon South

Constituency profile

Croydon Central covers a wedge of the London Borough of Croydon to the east of central Croydon and is much more marginal than the other selected two parliamentary divisions constrained to the borough itself; Croydon South (which is safely Conservative) and Croydon North (which is safely Labour).

The northern parts are characterised by terraced houses and urban areas, with small council estates. Labour gains much support from in particular Addiscombe, Fieldway, Woodside and Ashburton. The southern area, largely Conservative, consists of suburban semi-detached houses, populated by commuters, surrounded by golf courses and parkland. The wards of Shirley, Heathfield and Fairfield give large Conservative votes.

In the south-east corner is a large former council estate, New Addington; home to more than 10,000 people. The estate is largely white and has comprised the whole or vast bulk of one or two wards of the United Kingdom in its history.

The New Addington wards saw one of the highest turnouts of British National Party supporters during the 2002 and 2006 council elections, which the BNP described as their "heyday decade," however it never elected a local councillor from the party – its slate of councillors has been consistently Labour. Except on one occasion in 2010, where a Conservative councillor was elected for the first time since 1968. Historically, Labour's strength in the area had been on the council estates, particularly New Addington, but in 2014, Labour support was reduced by UKIP, gauging 24% of the overall vote.

The two major-stop railway stations on the national network,[n 3] most office buildings, businesses and shopping centres of Croydon are in the seat. A wide range of flats forms a major part of the housing sector unlike neighbouring seats, from upmarket expensively-built apartments with dedicated gym and restaurant facilities to ex-local authority brutalist architecture tower blocks, most of which had been replaced by the 2010s decade.

Political history

The constituency that preceded Croydon Central, Croydon South (1918-1950) and (1955-1974) had the modern borough area's two periods of brief Labour Party parliamentary representation — David Rees-Williams held the forerunner from the 1945 Labour landslide until unfavourable boundary changes in 1950. David Winnick was MP 1966-1970.[n 4]. Otherwise, the area at parliamentary level has elected, since 1918, Conservative MPs.

In 1997, Croydon's seats were reduced from four to three and the displaced Conservative members had to face one another for the right to stand in the new Croydon Central seat (Croydon North by then a Labour-held seat). The MP for Croydon North East, David Congdon was chosen over Sir Paul Beresford, the MP for the former Croydon Central seat. However, three years after Labour had taken control of Croydon Council, Labour's Geraint Davies saw off Congdon with a majority of 4,000 votes. He retained the seat with a similar majority in 2001, but lost by just 75 votes to Conservative Andrew Pelling in 2005, with the Liberal Democrats and Green Party gaining a local record of 7,000 votes between them.

The 2015 general election result, gave the seat the third-most marginal majority of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.[2] In 2017, Labour's Sarah Jones gained the seat with a majority of 5,652 votes, the largest in the seat for any party since 1992. Croydon Central is one of five constituencies, the others being Enfield Southgate, Leeds North West, Peterborough and Reading East; which elected Labour MPs in 2017 having not done so since 2001.

Boundaries
Central Croydon's main shopping area
Croydon Central Constituency map of constituent parts which are currently entire local government wards
DatesLocal authority/authoritiesWards
1974–1983London Borough of CroydonBroad Green, Central, New Addington, Shirley, and Waddon.
1983–1997London Borough of CroydonFairfield, Fieldway, Heathfield, New Addington, Spring Park, and Waddon.
1997–2010London Borough of CroydonAddiscombe, Ashburton, Fairfield, Fieldway, Heathfield, Monks Orchard, New Addington, Rylands, Spring Park, and Woodside.
2010–presentLondon Borough of CroydonAddiscombe, Ashburton, Fairfield, Fieldway, Heathfield, New Addington, Shirley, and Woodside.

Croydon Central covers the central and eastern parts of the London Borough of Croydon, one of the Borough's three seats. It is bordered by Croydon North and Croydon South, as well as Beckenham to the east.

The seat was redrawn in the 1997 redistribution, taking in territory from most of the pre-1997 Croydon Central constituency (losing Waddon ward to the redrawn Croydon South) and part of the abolished Croydon North East constituency. It covers an area that was Croydon South constituency until 1974 when part of Surrey East was incorporated into a new Croydon South constituency, following the creation of the London Borough of Croydon in 1965.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember[3]PartyNotes
February 1974 John Moore Conservative
1992 Sir Paul Beresford Conservative
1997 Geraint Davies Labour
2005 Andrew Pelling Conservative
2007 Independent
2010 Gavin Barwell Conservative
2017 Sarah Jones Labour

Election results
Results of UK House of Commons seat Croydon Central, created in 1974, since 2001.

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Croydon Central[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Sarah Jones 27,124 50.2 -2.1
Conservative Mario Creatura 21,175 39.2 -3.2
Liberal Democrats Simon Sprague 3,532 6.5 +4.6
Green Esther Sutton 1,215 2.2 +1.2
Brexit Party Peter Sonnex 999 1.8 N/A
Majority 5,949 11.0 +1.1
Turnout 54,045 66.4 -4.9
Registered electors 81,410
Labour hold Swing +0.6
General election 2017: Croydon Central[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Sarah Jones 29,873 52.3 +9.6
Conservative Gavin Barwell[7] 24,221 42.4 -0.6
Liberal Democrats Gill Hickson 1,083 1.9 -0.3
UKIP Peter Staveley 1,040 1.8 -7.3
Green Tracey Hague 626 1.1 -1.6
Christian Peoples Alliance John Boadu 177 0.3 N/A
Independent Don Locke 71 0.1 N/A
Majority 5,652 9.9 N/A
Turnout 57,091 71.3 +3.6
Registered electors 80,045
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.1
General election 2015: Croydon Central[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Gavin Barwell 22,753 43.0 +3.6
Labour Sarah Jones 22,588 42.7 +9.1
UKIP Peter Staveley 4,810 9.1 +7.1
Green Esther Sutton[10] 1,454 2.7 +1.6
Liberal Democrats James Fearnley 1,152 2.2 -11.0
TUSC April Ashley 127 0.2 N/A
Progressive Democracy Martin Camden 57 0.1 N/A
Majority 165 0.3 -5.5
Turnout 52,941 67.7 +2.2
Registered electors 78,171
Conservative hold Swing -2.8
General election 2010: Croydon Central[11][12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Gavin Barwell 19,567 39.4 -1.0
Labour Co-op Gerry Ryan 16,688 33.6 -7.5
Liberal Democrats Peter Lambell 6,553 13.2 +0.4
Independent Andrew Pelling 3,239 6.5 -34.3 [n 5]
BNP Cliff le May 1,448 2.9 N/A
UKIP Ralph Atkinson 997 2.0 -0.2
Green Bernice Golberg 581 1.2 -1.0
Christian James Gitau 264 0.5 N/A
Monster Raving Loony John Cartwright 192 0.4 +0.0
Independent Michael Castle 138 0.3 N/A
Majority 2,879 5.8 +5.6
Turnout 49,667 65.1 +4.9
Registered electors 76,349
Conservative hold Swing +3.3

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Croydon Central[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Andrew Pelling 19,974 40.8 +2.3
Labour Geraint Davies 19,899 40.6 −6.6
Liberal Democrats Jeremy Hargreaves 6,384 13.0 +1.8
UKIP Ian Edwards 1,066 2.2 +1.0
Green Bernice Golberg 1,036 2.1 +2.1
Veritas Marianne Bowness 304 0.6 +0.6
Monster Raving Loony John Cartwright 193 0.4 –0.5
The People's Choice! Exclusively For All Janet Stears 101 0.2 +0.2
Majority 75 0.2 N/A
Turnout 48,957 60.6 +1.5
Registered electors 81,149
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +4.4
General election 2001: Croydon Central[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Geraint Davies 21,643 47.2 +1.6
Conservative David Congdon 17,659 38.5 –0.1
Liberal Democrats Paul Booth 5,156 11.2 +0.4
UKIP James Feisenberger 545 1.2 +0.7
BNP Linda Miller 449 1.0 +1.0
Monster Raving Loony John Cartwright 408 0.9 +0.9
Majority 3,984 8.7 +1.7
Turnout 45,860 59.1 –10.5
Registered electors 77,568
Labour hold Swing +0.8

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Croydon Central[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Geraint Davies 25,432 45.6 +10.1
Conservative David Congdon 21,535 38.6 −16.8
Liberal Democrats George W. Schlich 6,061 10.9 –2.4
Referendum Charles E. Cook 1,886 3.3 +3.3
Green Mario−Simon Barnsley 595 1.1 +1.1
UKIP John L.A. Woollcott 290 0.5 +0.5
Majority 3,897 7.0 N/A
Turnout 55,799 69.6 -1.9
Registered electors 80,152
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +15.5
General election 1992: Croydon Central[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Paul Beresford 22,168 55.4 −1.2
Labour Geraint Davies 12,518 31.3 +6.9
Liberal Democrats Deborah J. Richardson 5,342 13.3 −5.7
Majority 9,650 24.1 −8.2
Turnout 40,028 71.5 +1.0
Registered electors 55,798
Conservative hold Swing −4.1

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Croydon Central[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Moore 22,133 56.60 +2.79
Labour Bridget Prentice 9,516 24.35 +1.02
SDP Tyrell Burgess 7,435 19.02 -3.84
Majority 12,617 32.28 +1.79
Turnout 39,084 70.54 +1.95
Registered electors 55,410
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Croydon Central[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Moore 20,866 53.81 +3.34
Labour Andrew MacKinlay 9,045 23.33 -13.36
SDP Tyrell Burgess 8,864 22.86 N/A
Majority 11,821 30.49 +14.71
Turnout 38,775 68.59 -7.09
Registered electors 56,531
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Croydon Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Moore 26,457 52.47 +10.39
Labour D.F. White 18,499 36.69 -5.06
Liberal J.P. Johnson 5,112 10.14 -6.03
Ind. Conservative M.J. Soper 238 0.47 N/A
Workers Revolutionary P. Gibson 116 0.23 N/A
Majority 7,958 15.78 +15.44
Turnout 50,422 75.68 +3.09
Registered electors 66,629
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Croydon Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Moore 20,390 42.08 +1.59
Labour David Winnick 20,226 41.75 +3.75
Liberal Ian Henry Maxwell 7,834 16.17 -5.34
Majority 164 0.34 -2.15
Turnout 48,450 72.59 -7.15
Registered electors 66,746
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Croydon Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Moore 21,353 40.49 N/A
Labour Richard Rosser 20,039 38.00 N/A
Liberal Ian Henry Maxwell 11,346 21.51 N/A
Majority 1,314 2.49 N/A
Turnout 62,745 79.74 N/A
Registered electors 66,140
Conservative win (new seat)
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See also
  • List of Parliamentary constituencies in Greater London

Notes and references
References
  1. "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. List of Conservative MPs elected in 2015 by % majority UK Political.info. Retrieved 2017-01-29
  3. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 6)
  4. https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Statement%20of%20Persons%20Nominated%20and%20Notice%20of%20Poll%20Croydon%20Central.pdf
  5. https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/articles/downloads/SPN.NOP_.Central.pdf
  6. http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf
  7. "Gavin Barwell announces he'll stand again for Croydon Central". croydonadvertiser.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  8. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/articles/downloads/Croydon-Central-election-results_1.pdf
  10. "Croydon Green Party – Croydon Green Party Announces Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". greenparty.org.uk. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014.
  11. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. General Election 2010 – Croydon Central BBC News
  13. Croydon Council Archived 4 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  14. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Croydon Central (Archive)". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 20 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  18. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  20. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
Notes
  1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
  3. East Croydon station operates as a regional-level stop; West Croydon station has stopping and semi-fast services.
  4. Winnick was returned to the House of Commons (1979-2017) for Walsall North in Staffordshire
  5. Compared to his vote share as a Conservative candidate at the previous election.

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