Croydon South (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Croydon South
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Croydon South (UK Parliament constituency)
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Croydon South 2023 Constituency.svg
Boundary within Greater London
County Greater London
Electorate 71,541 (2023) [1]
Major settlements Coulsdon, Purley, South Croydon
Current constituency
Created 1974 (1974)
Member of Parliament Chris Philp (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created from East Surrey

Croydon South is a constituency [n 1] recreated in 1974 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Chris Philp, a Conservative. [n 2] Croydon South was originally created in 1918.

Contents

Political history

It was created for the 1918 general election when the County Borough of Croydon had grown so the Croydon seat was split into two seats. The first MP was Ian Malcolm, who had been the MP for all of Croydon. H.T. Muggeridge, father of Malcolm Muggeridge, fought the seat for Labour four times from 1918, later becoming MP for Romford. The seat saw a by-election in 1932, won by Herbert Williams.

From 1950 until 1955 the seat was divided into east and west, represented by Conservatives Herbert Williams and Richard Thompson respectively.

Croydon South had twice seen Croydon's only Labour MPs before the 1990s. David Rees-Williams held the seat from the 1945 Labour landslide until unfavourable boundary changes in 1950. David Winnick won the seat in 1966 before losing in 1970. Otherwise the seat, and indeed the rest of Croydon, had always been firm Conservative territory.

In 1974 a fresh seat of Croydon South was created to the south predominantly from the northwestern part of East Surrey, covering Purley and Coulsdon, which had become parts of Greater London in 1965, rather than from the historic Croydon South.

Since its recreation, the constituency has been represented by three Conservative MPs. Sir William Clark, who had represented East Surrey since 1970, won the new seat in February 1974, and held it until his retirement in 1992. His successor, Sir Richard Ottaway, then held the seat until 2015, when he stood down and was succeeded by Chris Philp. [2] [3] Boundary changes have been minor and the 2015 result made the seat the 145th safest of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority. [4] At the 2015 general election, it was one of the Conservatives' safest seats in Greater London. [5] Philp held the seat at the 2024 general election on a substantially reduced majority of just over 2,000, the lowest majority since the seat was created.

Constituency profile

Croydon South consists of affluent suburbia, including a significant minority of large houses with gardens on the North Downs escarpment. It has many well-to-do commuters taking advantage of the fast trains to the City and Gatwick Airport, plus a significant proportion of retired people. Included are the suburbs of Purley and Kenley, home to the Kenley Aerodrome

The village-like Selsdon – one of the few places in the seat where transport links are poor – has a place on the political map having spawned the phrase 'Selsdon Man',[ citation needed ] its swing and voters first seen as an ideal bellwether for the national swing by the Conservative Party. The Purley Way, which runs mainly through Waddon, has become home to large retail estates for out-of-town shopping and leisure. Prior to 2018 Waddon was the sole Labour ward in the constituency – one of its councillors, Andrew Pelling, the former Conservative MP for Croydon Central, defected to the Labour Party.

Boundary changes before the 2024 election removed both Selsdon and Waddon from the seat and added the Park Hill & Whitgift ward, close to Croydon Town centre.

At the southern end of the constituency, Coulsdon has much in common with the residual county of Surrey of which it was a more intrinsically associated part until 1965 as it was excluded from Croydon County Borough on the county borough's creation in 1889.

Boundaries

Pre-1974:

DatesLocal authorityMaps Wards
1918-1950 County Borough of Croydon Croydon South 1945 Constituency.svg Central, East, South, and West.
1955-1974 Croydon South 1955 Constituency.svg Addington, Broad Green, Central, Shirley, South, and Waddon.

In 1965, local government in Greater London was re-organised. This constituency was contained entirely within the new London Borough of Croydon from 1965, but new Constituency Boundaries would not take effect until 1974.

Post-1974:

DatesLocal authorityMaps Wards
1974–1983London Borough of Croydon Croydon South 1974 Constituency.svg Coulsdon East, Purley, Sanderstead and Selsdon, Sanderstead North, Woodcote and Coulsdon West
1983–1997 Coulsdon East, Croham, Kenley, Purley, Sanderstead, Selsdon, Woodcote and Coulsdon West
1997–2010 Croydon South 1997 Constituency.svg Coulsdon East, Croham, Kenley, Purley, Sanderstead, Selsdon, Waddon, Woodcote and Coulsdon West
2010–2024 CroydonSouth2007Constituency.svg Coulsdon East, Coulsdon West, Croham, Kenley, Purley, Sanderstead, Selsdon and Ballards, Waddon
2024–present Croydon South 2023 Constituency.svg Coulsdon Town, Kenley, Old Coulsdon, Park Hill & Whitgift, Purley & Woodcote, Purley Oaks & Riddlesdown, Sanderstead, South Croydon [6]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1918–1950

ElectionNamePartyNotes
1918 Ian Malcolm Conservative previously MP for Croydon
1919 by-election Allan Smith Conservative
1923 William Mitchell-Thomson Conservative
1932 by-election Herbert Williams Conservative
1945 David Rees-Williams Labour
1950 constituency abolished

From 1950 to 1955 the seat was divided into Croydon East and Croydon West.

MPs 1955–1974

ElectionNameParty
1955 Richard Thompson Conservative
1966 David Winnick Labour
1970 Richard Thompson Conservative
Feb 1974 constituency abolished

MPs 1974–

ElectionMemberParty
February 1974 Sir William Clark Conservative
1992 Sir Richard Ottaway Conservative
2015 Chris Philp Conservative

Election results

Election results 1974-2024 Croy S Election Results.png
Election results 1974–2024

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Croydon South [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Philp 19,757 40.0 −14.5
Labour Ben Taylor17,44435.3+7.2
Liberal Democrats Richard Howard4,3848.9−4.6
Reform UK Bob Bromley4,1498.4+8.3
Green Elaine Garrod2,8595.8+2.9
Workers Party Kulsum Hussin6121.2New
Independent Mark Samuel1730.4New
Majority 2,3134.7−21.7
Turnout 49,37865.9−5.2
Registered electors 74,968
Conservative hold Swing −10.9

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [8]
PartyVote %
Conservative 27,72554.5
Labour 14,31728.1
Liberal Democrats 6,88513.5
Green 1,4662.9
Others4420.9
Brexit Party 590.1
Turnout50,89471.1
Electorate71,541
General election 2019: Croydon South [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Philp 30,985 52.2 −2.2
Labour Olga FitzRoy 18,64631.4−4.4
Liberal Democrats Anna Jones7,50312.6+6.8
Green Peter Underwood1,7823.0+1.2
UKIP Kathleen Garner4420.7−1.1
Majority 12,33920.8+2.2
Turnout 59,35870.7−2.6
Registered electors 83,977
Conservative hold Swing +1.1
General election 2017: Croydon South [11] [12] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Philp 33,334 54.4 −0.1
Labour Jennifer Brathwaite21,92835.8+11.0
Liberal Democrats Anna Jones3,5415.8−0.2
Green Catherine Shelley1,1251.8−1.9
UKIP Kathleen Garner1,1161.8−8.7
CPA David Omamogho2130.3New
Majority 11,40618.6−11.1
Turnout 61,24773.3+2.9
Registered electors 83,518
Conservative hold Swing −5.5
General election 2015: Croydon South [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Philp 31,448 54.5 +3.6
Labour Emily Benn 14,30824.8+4.8
UKIP Kathleen Garner6,06810.5+6.1
Liberal Democrats Gill Hickson3,4486.0−16.8
Green Peter Underwood2,1543.7+2.0
Independent Mark Samuel2210.4New
Class War Jon Bigger [15] 650.1New
Majority 17,14029.7+1.6
Turnout 57,71270.4+1.1
Registered electors 82,010
Conservative hold Swing −0.6
General election 2010: Croydon South [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Ottaway 28,684 50.9 −0.9
Liberal Democrats Simon Rix12,86622.8+2.3
Labour Jane Avis11,28720.0−4.1
UKIP Jeffrey Bolter2,5044.4+2.3
Green Gordon Ross9811.7New
Majority 15,81828.1+1.4
Turnout 56,32269.3+5.8
Registered electors 81,303
Conservative hold Swing +1.6

Elections in the 2000s

2005 notional result
PartyVote %
Conservative 26,35551.8
Labour 12,27424.1
Liberal Democrats 10,45820.6
Others1,7953.5
Turnout50,88263.5
Electorate80,151
General election 2005: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Ottaway 25,320 51.8 +2.6
Labour Paul Smith11,79224.1−5.8
Liberal Democrats Sandra Lawman10,04920.6+2.3
UKIP James Feisenberger1,0542.20.0
Veritas Graham Dare4971.0New
Independent Mark Samuel1850.40.0
Majority 13,52827.7+8.4
Turnout 48,89763.6+2.2
Registered electors 75,812
Conservative hold Swing +4.2
General election 2001: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Ottaway 22,169 49.2 +1.9
Labour Gerry Ryan13,47229.9+4.6
Liberal Democrats Anna-Nicolett Gallop8,22618.3−2.8
UKIP Kathleen Garner9982.2New
Independent Mark Samuel1950.4+0.2
Majority 8,69719.3−2.7
Turnout 45,06061.4−12.1
Registered electors 73,372
Conservative hold Swing −1.3

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Ottaway 25,649 47.3 −14.3
Labour Charlie Burling13,71925.3+9.0
Liberal Democrats Steven Gauge11,44121.1−0.5
Referendum Tony Barber2,6314.9New
BNP Paul Ferguson3540.7New
Independent A.G. Harker3090.6New
Independent Mark Samuel960.2−0.3
Majority 11,93022.0−18.7
Turnout 54,19973.5−4.1
Registered electors 73,787
Conservative hold Swing −11.7
1992 notional result
PartyVote %
Conservative 35,93761.7
Liberal Democrats 12,59921.6
Labour 9,51316.3
Others2420.4
Turnout58,29178.0
Electorate74,777
General election 1992: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Ottaway 31,993 63.7 −0.4
Liberal Democrats Peter Billenness11,56823.0−1.3
Labour Helen Salmon6,44412.8+3.0
Independent Mark Samuel2390.5New
Majority 20,42540.7+0.9
Turnout 50,24477.6+3.9
Registered electors 64,768
Conservative hold Swing +0.5

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Clark 30,732 64.1 −1.0
Liberal George Morrison11,66924.3−2.8
Labour Geraint Davies 4,6799.8+2.0
Green Paul Baldwin9001.9New
Majority 19,06339.8+1.8
Turnout 47,98073.7+2.6
Registered electors 65,085
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General election 1983: Croydon South [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Clark 29,842 65.1 +0.3
Liberal James Forrest [18] 12,40227.1+6.2
Labour Robert C E Brooks [18] 3,5687.8−5.5
Majority 17,44038.0−5.9
Turnout 46,70271.1−5.7
Registered electors 64,482
Conservative hold Swing −2.9

Elections in the 1970s

1979 notional result [19]
PartyVote %
Conservative 31,55964.9
Liberal 10,16820.9
Labour 6,45013.3
Others4761.0
Turnout48,653
Electorate
General election 1979: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Clark [20] 30,874 64.9 +7.0
Liberal Peter Billenness [20] 10,00621.0−4.9
Labour John Bloom [20] 6,24913.1−3.1
National Front Roland Dummer [20] 4691.0New
Majority 20,86843.9+11.9
Turnout 47,59876.7+2.8
Registered electors 62,022
Conservative hold Swing +5.9
General election October 1974: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Clark 25,703 57.9 −1.2
Liberal D Nunneley11,51425.9−0.8
Labour DW Keene7,20316.2+2.0
Majority 14,18932.0−0.4
Turnout 44,42073.9−8.4
Registered electors 60,090
Conservative hold Swing −0.2
General election February 1974: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Clark 28,915 59.1 −5.5
Liberal Jean Coleman13,04826.7+7.8
Labour Henry Hodge 6,96514.2−2.3
Majority 15,86732.4
Turnout 48,92882.3+10.0
Registered electors 59,447
Conservative hold Swing −6.7
1970 notional result [21]
PartyVote %
Conservative 28,50064.6
Liberal 8,30018.8
Labour 7,30016.6
Turnout44,10072.4
Electorate60,952
General election 1970: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Thompson 25,986 49.74 +5.18
Labour David Winnick 22,28342.65−2.08
Liberal Michael R Lane3,6737.03−3.68
Independent C Thornton3030.58New
Majority 3,7037.09N/A
Turnout 52,24571.29−4.81
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +3.63

Elections in 1960s

General election 1966: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour David Winnick 21,496 44.73 −2.52
Conservative Richard Thompson 21,41544.56−8.19
Liberal W Edward P Babbs5,14610.71New
Majority 810.17N/A
Turnout 48,05776.10+1.83
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +2.84
General election 1964: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Thompson 24,854 52.75 −5.41
Labour Tyrell Burgess22,26547.25+5.41
Majority 2,5895.50−10.82
Turnout 47,11974.27−4.86
Conservative hold Swing −5.41

Elections in 1950s

General election 1959: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Thompson 29,284 58.16 +1.18
Labour Frederic A Messer22,06941.84−1.18
Majority 8,21516.32+2.36
Turnout 51,35379.13+1.90
Conservative hold Swing +1.18
General election 1955: Croydon South [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Thompson 27,359 56.98
Labour Arthur Carr20,65943.02
Majority 6,70013.96
Turnout 48,01877.23
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in 1940s

General election 1945: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour David Rees-Williams 27,650 53.4 +24.4
Conservative Herbert Williams 24,14746.6−15.7
Majority 3,5036.8N/A
Turnout 51,79770.1+4.9
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +20.1

Elections in 1930s

General election 1935: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Williams 31,971 62.3 −18.0
Labour T Crawford14,90029.0+9.3
Liberal David William Alun Llewellyn4,4408.7New
Majority 17,07133.3−27.6
Turnout 45,86065.2−3.1
Conservative hold Swing
1932 Croydon South by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Herbert Williams 19,126 67.5 −12.8
Labour Rudolph Putnam Messel 9,18932.5+12.8
Majority 9,93735.0−25.7
Turnout 28,31538.2−30.1
Conservative hold Swing −12.8
General election 1931: Croydon South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Mitchell-Thomson 40,672 80.34 +31.14
Labour T. Crawford9,95019.66−9.52
Majority 30,72260.69+40.67
Turnout 50,62268.33+0.91
Conservative hold Swing +20.33

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Croydon South [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist William Mitchell-Thomson 23,258 49.2 −15.4
Labour E.W. Wilton13,79329.2−6.2
Liberal Albert Sigismund Elwell-Sutton10,21821.6New
Majority 9,46520.0−9.2
Turnout 47,26967.4−4.6
Registered electors 70,107
Unionist hold Swing −4.6
General election 1924: Croydon South [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist William Mitchell-Thomson 23,734 64.6 +19.1
Labour H.T. Muggeridge 12,97935.4+3.8
Majority 10,75529.2+15.3
Turnout 36,71372.0+8.6
Registered electors 50,964
Unionist hold Swing +7.7
General election 1923: Croydon South [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist William Mitchell-Thomson 14,310 45.5 −1.8
Labour H.T. Muggeridge 9,92631.6+4.1
Liberal Wynne Cemlyn-Jones 7,20822.9−2.3
Majority 4,38413.9−5.9
Turnout 31,44463.4−3.0
Registered electors 49,634
Unionist hold Swing −3.0
General election 1922: Croydon South [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Allan Smith 15,356 47.3 −24.5
Labour H.T. Muggeridge 8,94227.5−0.7
Liberal Thomas Dobson 8,18325.2N/A
Majority 6,41419.8−23.8
Turnout 32,48166.4+11.4
Registered electors 48,904
Unionist hold Swing −11.9

Elections in the 1910s

1919 Croydon South by-election [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Allan Smith 11,77755.2−16.6
Liberal Howard Houlder9,57344.8New
Majority 2,20410.4−33.2
Turnout 21,35045.5−9.5
Registered electors 46,900
Unionist hold Swing N/A
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 1918: Croydon South [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Ian Malcolm 17,81371.8
Labour H.T. Muggeridge [29] 7,00628.2
Majority 10,80743.6
Turnout 24,81955.0
Registered electors 45,115
Unionist win (new seat)
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ↑ As with all constituencies, Croydon South elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

  1. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – London". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Conservative MP Richard Ottaway to step down at election". BBC News. 27 October 2012. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  3. ↑ "DECLARATION OF RESULT OF POLL" (PDF). 2011 Electorate Figures. London Borough of Croydon. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Conservative Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Election 2015: Croydon South". BBC News. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 3 London region.
  7. ↑ "Candidate information". Croydon Council. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament . Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  9. ↑ https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Statement%20of%20Persons%20Nominated%20and%20Notice%20of%20Poll%20Croydon%20South.pdf [ dead link ]
  10. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF). Croydon London Borough Council . 11 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  12. ↑ "Croydon South parliamentary constituency". BBC News . Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Jon Bigger – Croydon South". Class War. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. ↑ "UK General Election results June 1983:Croydon South". PoliticalResources.net. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  18. 1 2 "Election '86 – the candidates". Croydon Advertiser. 2 May 1986. p. 5.
  19. ↑ "BBC/ITN NOTIONAL ELECTION 1979". election.demon.co.uk. BBC/ITN. Archived from the original on 28 May 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Return of the Expenses of each candidate at the general election of May, 1979, in the United Kingdom (HC 374). Parliament of the United Kingdom. p. 11.
  21. ↑ Michael Stead. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  22. ↑ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
  23. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  24. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  25. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  26. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  27. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  28. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  29. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons 1922

Sources

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