Croydon Central
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 18679 (41.1%)
Conservative: 18362 (40.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 5862 (12.9%)
Other: 2519 (5.5%)
Majority: 317 (0.7%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 19974 (40.8%)
Labour: 19899 (40.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 6384 (13%)
Green: 1036 (2.1%)
UKIP: 1066 (2.2%)
Other: 598 (1.2%)
Majority: 75 (0.2%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 17659 (38.5%)
Labour: 21643 (47.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 5156 (11.2%)
UKIP: 545 (1.2%)
BNP: 449 (1%)
Other: 408 (0.9%)
Majority: 3984 (8.7%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 21535 (38.6%)
Labour: 25432 (45.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 6061 (10.9%)
Referendum: 1886 (3.4%)
Other: 885 (1.6%)
Majority: 3897 (7%)
Boundary changes: Minor changes to bring the constituency in line with ward boundaries. Part of Selsdon & Ballards, Croham and Waddon to Croydon South and parts of Broad Green and South Norwood to Croydon North.
Profile: This is central Croydon in political term if not in geographical terms (while it contains the commercial and shopping centre of Croydon, it is really the eastern part of the borough). Politically though it is half way between the safe Conservative Croydon South and what must now be considered the safely Labour Croydon North.
Croydon Central itself has sharp contrasts within it. Most of the seat is semi-detached, middle-of-the-road suburbia, places like Shirley and Heathfield, although to the north of the constituency is more ethnically mixed. At the southern end of the constituency is the large council estate of New Addington, a somewhat isolated development on the very edge of London that that has traditionally provided Labour with the core of their support in this seat, although in the most recent council elections they saw some support drifitng to the BNP.
Croydon Central was won by the Conservatives in 2005 with only a wafer thin minority. The relatively minor boundary changes are enough to make it notionally a Labour seat at the next election, albeit still an ultra-marginal. The former Labour MP for the seat, Geraint Davies, who was defeated in 2005 has been selected to stand in Swansea West.
Outgoing MP: Andrew Pelling(Conservative) born 1959. Educated at Trinity School, Croydon and Oxford University. Former investment banker. Croydon councillor from 1982-2006, including 3 years as leader of the Conservative group. Member of the London Assembly for Sutton and Croydon since 2000 and will stand down in 2008. First elected as MP for Croydon Central in 2005. Was suspended from the Conservative party for two months following his arrest in Sept 2007 for assaulting his wife, he was subsequently released without charge and re-admitted to the Parliamentary Conservative party. In January 2008 it was announced he was suffering from clinical depression. He will step down at the next election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Gavin Barwell (Conservative) Educated at Cambridge University. Former Conservative party director of operations, now heading the party`s target seats campaign. Croydon councillor. Selected for Sutton and Cheam prior to the 2005 election, but withdrew due to family illness. 
Gerry Ryan (Labour) Telephone engineer. Croydon councillor. Contested Croydon South 2001.
Peter Lambell (Liberal Democrat)
Bernice Golberg (Green) Teaches at King`s College London. Contested Croydon Central 2005
Ralph Atkinson (UKIP) European Parliament researcher. Contested Dulwich and West Norwood 2005. Contested London region in 2004, 2009 European Parliamentary elections. Contested London list in 2008 Assembly elections.
Cliff Le May (BNP) Postal worker. Contested Londonwide list in 2004 GLA elections. Contested Uxbridge 2005. Contested Londonwide list in 2008 London elections.
Graham Dare (English Democrat) Medium and spiritualist healer. Croydon councillor 1998-2002, originally for the Conservative party but defected to the Liberal Democrats 2001. Contested Croydon South 2005 for Veritas, Barnet and Camden 2008 London elections for Veritas. Contested London in 2009 European elections.
John Cartwright (Official Monster Raving Loony) born 1968. Educated at Trinity School and Royal Holloway College. Perennial candidate in Croydon local elections and by-elections. Contested Ealing Southall by-election 2007, Bromley & Chislehurst by-election 2006, Croydon Central 2005, 2001. OMRLP shadow minister for chocolate. 
Michael Castle (Independent).
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 107320
Male: 48.2%
Female: 51.8%
Under 18: 25.4%
Over 60: 16.8%
Born outside UK: 17.7%
White: 77.5%
Black: 10.2%
Asian: 7.1%
Mixed: 3.7%
Other: 1.5%
Christian: 65.8%
Hindu: 3.1%
Muslim: 3.9%
Full time students: 3.4%
Graduates 16-74: 21.9%
No Qualifications 16-74: 25.3%
Owner-Occupied: 64.3%
Social Housing: 21.5% (Council: 13.5%, Housing Ass.: 7.9%)
Privately Rented: 11.9%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 8.4%
Which seats have included Addiscombe, Monks Orchard, and West Croydon?
Addiscombe and Monks Orchard are within Croydon Central. The boundary with Croydon North runs through West Croydon, athough most of the housing in that area comes under North.
The Lib Dems have a new candidate here – Peter Lambell
The LibDems do seem to be chopping and changing their candidates as seen in quite a few seats, any reason for this?
“The LibDems do seem to be chopping and changing their candidates as seen in quite a few seats, any reason for this?”
In any basically unwinnable seat for any party, it’s a bit more easy come easy go than for the main players. People get a promotion at work, or get pregnant, or move for a new job or whatever and just call it quits.
This is particularly the case in a long Parliament where most people would have expected the election to be done and dusted last year.
You’ll find the same, for example, for Labour candidates in SW no-hope seats.
My understanding is that Stephen Dering has moved away from the area.
JohnLoony – Is that the Loony Colour? Is there a Loony Logo?
It does look a touch sensible to me.
I assume UKIP will probably stand here. There are already 7 candidates.
It will be interesting to see how many seats have a full slate of Con/Lab/LD/Greens/UKIP/BNP candidates.
Maybe not that many because seats where the BNP tend to stand are not usually good areas for the Greens.
Any news as to whether Pelling is standing, following the defection of 2 Tory cllrs linked to Pelling?
What has made me think Pelling intends to stand is that he was out as MP organising a petition recently to reverse the decision of the Football League to deduct 10 points from Crystal Palace.
It’s a campaign with no meaningful prospect of success, designed purely to curry favour with local football fans and just isn’t something you’d bother doing if you were on your way out.
It’s a straw in the wind, but I just find it hard to explain if he didn’t remain ambitious.
The English Democrats are to stand here.
Ralph Atkinson is the UKIP candidate here. I am now of the opinion that Andrew Pelling probably will stand, although I think even he has not made a final decision yet. Andy JS says that there are already seven (prospective) candidates, but if the People’s Choice has a candidate and if Andrew Pelling stands then there could be as many as eleven.