Croydon Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Croydon Central
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Croydon Central in Greater London for the 2019 general election
CountyGreater London
Electorate76,980 (December 2010)[1]
1974 (1974)–2024
SeatsOne
Created fromCroydon South
Replaced byCroydon East, Croydon West

Croydon Central was a constituency created in 1974 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2017 until its abolition for the 2024 general election by Labour MP Sarah Jones.[n 1][n 2] The seat bucked the trend in national results in 2019, with Labour holding the seat with a slightly increased majority.

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the majority of the constituency was incorporated into the re-established seat of Croydon East. Croydon town centre was included in the re-established seat of Croydon West.[2]

Constituency profile

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

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

In the south-east corner was a large former council estate, New Addington; home to more than 10,000 people. The estate is largely White and has included 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 from the Labour Party. 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 were within the constituency. A wide range of flats formed 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.

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.[3] 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 was 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

Dates Local authority Maps Wards
1974–1983 London Borough of Croydon Broad Green, Central, New Addington, Shirley, and Waddon.
1983–1997 Fairfield, Fieldway, Heathfield, New Addington, Spring Park, and Waddon.
1997–2010 Addiscombe, Ashburton, Fairfield, Fieldway, Heathfield, Monks Orchard, New Addington, Rylands, Spring Park, and Woodside.
2010–2024 Addiscombe, 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 covered 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

Election Member[4] Party Notes
February 1974 John Moore Conservative
1992 Sir Paul Beresford Conservative Lost preselection following redistribution
1997 Geraint Davies Labour
2005 Andrew Pelling Conservative
2007 Independent
2010 Gavin Barwell Conservative
2017 Sarah Jones Labour

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Croydon Central[5][6]
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 New
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[7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sarah Jones 29,873 52.3 +9.6
Conservative Gavin Barwell[9] 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 –1.7
CPA John Boadu 177 0.3 New
Independent Don Locke 71 0.1 New
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[10][11]
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[12] 1,454 2.7 +1.6
Liberal Democrats James Fearnley 1,152 2.2 –11.0
TUSC April Ashley 127 0.2 New
Progressive Democracy Martin Camden 57 0.1 New
Majority 165 0.3 –5.5
Turnout 52,941 67.7 +2.7
Registered electors 78,171
Conservative hold Swing –2.7
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Croydon Central
General election 2010: Croydon Central[13][14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gavin Barwell 19,567 39.4 –1.2
Labour Co-op Gerry Ryan 16,688 33.6 –7.5
Liberal Democrats Peter Lambell 6,553 13.2 +0.6
Independent Andrew Pelling 3,239 6.5 New
BNP Cliff le May 1,448 2.9 New
UKIP Ralph Atkinson 997 2.0 –0.2
Green Bernice Golberg 581 1.2 –1.0
Christian James Gitau 264 0.5 New
Monster Raving Loony John Cartwright 192 0.4 ±0.0
Independent Michael Castle 138 0.3 New
Majority 2,879 5.8 N/A
Turnout 49,667 65.1 +4.5
Registered electors 76,349
Conservative gain from Labour (Notional.) Swing +3.1

Elections in the 2000s

2005 notional result
Party Vote %
Labour 18,711 41.1
Conservative 18,490 40.6
Liberal Democrats 5,744 12.6
Others 2,585 5.7
Turnout 45,530 60.6
Electorate 75,166
General election 2005: Croydon Central[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Pelling 19,974 40.8 +2.3
Labour Geraint Davies 19,899 40.6 −6.5
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 New
Veritas Marianne Bowness 304 0.6 New
Monster Raving Loony John Cartwright 193 0.4 –0.5
The People's Choice! Exclusively For All Janet Stears 101 0.2 New
Majority 75 0.2 N/A
Turnout 48,957 60.6 +1.2
Registered electors 81,149
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +4.4
General election 2001: Croydon Central[17]
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 New
Monster Raving Loony John Cartwright 408 0.9 New
Majority 3,984 8.7 +1.7
Turnout 45,860 59.1 –10.5
Registered electors 77,568
Labour hold Swing +0.9

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Croydon Central[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Geraint Davies 25,432 45.6 +14.1
Conservative David Congdon 21,535 38.6 –16.9
Liberal Democrats George W. Schlich 6,061 10.9 –2.1
Referendum Charles Cook 1,886 3.4 New
Green Mario−Simon Barnsley 595 1.1 New
UKIP John Woollcott 290 0.5 New
Majority 3,897 7.0 N/A
Turnout 55,799 69.6 –5.2
Registered electors 80,152
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +15.5
1992 notional result
Party Vote %
Conservative 33,940 55.5
Labour 19,279 31.5
Liberal Democrats 7,934 13.0
Turnout 61,153 74.8
Electorate 81,757
General election 1992: Croydon Central[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Beresford 22,168 55.4 −1.2
Labour Geraint Davies 12,518 31.3 +6.9
Liberal Democrats Deborah Richardson 5,342 13.3 −5.7
Majority 9,650 24.1 −8.2
Turnout 40,028 71.7 +1.2
Registered electors 55,798
Conservative hold Swing −4.1

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Croydon Central[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Moore 22,133 56.6 +2.8
Labour Bridget Prentice 9,516 24.4 +1.0
SDP Tyrell Burgess 7,435 19.0 –3.8
Majority 12,617 32.2 +1.8
Turnout 39,084 70.5 +1.9
Registered electors 55,410
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General election 1983: Croydon Central[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Moore 20,866 53.8 –1.4
Labour Andrew MacKinlay 9,045 23.3 –11.2
SDP Tyrell Burgess 8,864 22.9 +13.3
Majority 11,821 30.5 +14.7
Turnout 38,775 68.6 –7.1
Registered electors 56,531
Conservative hold Swing +4.9

Elections in the 1970s

1979 notional result[24]
Party Vote %
Conservative 23,592 55.2
Labour 14,781 34.6
Liberal 4,093 9.6
Others 301 0.7
Turnout 42,767
Electorate
General election 1979: Croydon Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Moore 26,457 52.5 +10.4
Labour David White[25] 18,499 36.7 –5.1
Liberal John Johnson[25] 5,112 10.1 –6.0
Ind. Conservative Michael Soper[25] 238 0.5 New
Workers Revolutionary Peter Gibson[25] 116 0.2 New
Majority 7,958 15.8 +15.4
Turnout 50,422 75.7 +3.09
Registered electors 66,629
Conservative hold Swing +7.7
General election October 1974: Croydon Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Moore 20,390 42.1 +1.6
Labour David Winnick 20,226 41.7 +3.7
Liberal Ian Maxwell 7,834 16.2 –5.3
Majority 164 0.3 –2.2
Turnout 48,450 72.6 –7.1
Registered electors 66,746
Conservative hold Swing –1.1
General election February 1974: Croydon Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Moore 21,353 40.5 –6.8
Labour Richard Rosser 20,039 38.0 –7.1
Liberal Ian Maxwell 11,346 21.5 +14.5
Majority 1,314 2.5 +0.4
Turnout 52,738 79.7 +8.4
Registered electors 66,140
Conservative win (new seat)
1970 notional result[26]
Party Vote %
Conservative 22,300 47.2
Labour 21,300 45.1
Liberal 3,300 7.0
Others 300 0.6
Turnout 47,200 71.4
Electorate 66,138

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elected 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

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. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – London | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Conservative Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 6)
  5. ^ https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Statement%20of%20Persons%20Nominated%20and%20Notice%20of%20Poll%20Croydon%20Central.pdf
  6. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ "Croydon Green Party – Croydon Green Party Announces Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". greenparty.org.uk. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ^ General Election 2010 – Croydon Central Archived 23 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine BBC News
  15. ^ Croydon CouncilArchived 4 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Croydon Central (Archive)". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 20 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  20. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  22. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "BBC/ITN NOTIONAL ELECTION 1979". election.demon.co.uk. BBC/ITN. Archived from the original on 28 May 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  25. ^ a b c d Return of the expenses of each candidate at the general election of May, 1979, in the United Kingdom, as transmitted to the returning officers pursuant to the Representation of the People Act 1949, and of the number of votes polled by each candidate, the description of each candidate, the number of polling districts and stations, the number of electors, the number of postal voters and the number of rejected ballot papers., House of Commons Papers HC 374, 1980, p.11
  26. ^ Michael Stead. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2025.

51°22′08″N 0°03′14″W / 51.369°N 0.054°W / 51.369; -0.054

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