This constituency occupies a middle band of the London Borough of Croydon, from the town centre eastwards (Croydon East might be a better name). The centre of Croydon has a striking skyline of office towers and flyovers, and boasts a large shopping centre that serves a wide area of south London, Surrey and even Sussex but there are few voters here. Croydon's new tramlines weave through the constituency, uniting its disparate parts. Furthest is New Addington, a massive council estate housing 14,000 electors on a hill overlooking London, surrounded by fields and even farms. It was the council base of the Labour MP Geraint Davies. On the way to New Addington the tram meanders through the Conservative Fairfield and Heathfield wards, with northern branches to the more mixed areas of Addiscombe and Woodside. It is a large seat, and despite its name 46% of the voters come from the abolished Croydon NE seat, not the old Central. The new territory is more marginal than the polarised wards of the old seat.

Labour's victory in 1997 was surprising. It was based on a solid vote in New Addington, plus a lead in most of the wards formerly in Croydon NE, and a respectable showing in the most upmarket areas of the seat. Of these, persuading New Addington to turn out again may be the hardest part. In the 1998 borough elections the Tories led by 48-40%, and in the Euro elections by 40-29%. A rough estimate of the 2000 GLA result would have the Tories ahead by perhaps 7 points. It seems that Labour has lost a little support since 1997 but has not slumped as it has in some marginals. The Conservative MP for Croydon NE in 1992-97, David Congdon, tries again to win Central.

Parliamentary Statistics pre-Election 2001

Labour majority 3,897 (7.0%)  Conservative target 53
MP Geraint Davies
1997 (Turnout 69.6%)
Labour	25,432	45.6%
Conservative	21,535	38.6%
Liberal Democrat	6,061	10.9%
Referendum	1,886	3.4%
Green	595	1.1%
UK Independence	290	0.5%

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For Croydon Central 2001 Election result - click here.