Croydon South

Parliamentary candidate - Simon Rix

Simon Rix, candidate for Croydon South

On 2nd December 2009, Croydon South members voted unanimously to select Simon Rix to take on the embattled Croydon South MP Richard Ottaway at the coming general election.

Simon, 38, is a book publisher who lives in Croydon with his wife and two young children.

A fresh start for Croydon South

Projections of the latest national opinion polls already put the Lib Dems up to second place in Croydon South. This makes Simon Rix the main challenger to Richard Ottaway, who has been widely criticised for his expenses claims. Mr Ottaway owns two properties in Westminster, but has claimed over £85,000 for an additional "constituency" house (which is not actually in the constituency) despite Westminster being just 30 minutes train commute from Croydon South.

At the lively selection meeting in Coulsdon, Simon discussed the road works and shops in Coulsdon, carers' rights, parking in Old Coulsdon, global warming, the NHS, government IT spending, unemployment and the recession.

After the meeting Simon Rix said: "People are very angry at the way Mr Ottaway has wasted £85,000 of tax payers' money just to avoid a 30-minute commute. I believe he should pay back the £85,000 and he should pay at the ballot box next year. Polls already put Lib Dems second here, so if people want a new MP they should support me."

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Constituency Profile

Croydon South lies on the London/Surrey border and contains the areas of Coulsdon, Old Coulsdon, Purley, Kenley, Selsdon, Sanderstead, South Croydon and Waddon.

Whilst the Conservatives are the traditionally dominant party here, the Liberal Democrats have been making a come back in recent years.

The Liberal Democrats pushed Labour into third place in the 2002 local elections in this seat. The Liberal Democrats improved their vote in the key ward of Coulsdon East (with Lib Dem Councillor Ian Atkins being returned at the top of the poll) as well as making significant progress in areas like Croham.

Labour's support is mainly in the Waddon area and with the popularlity of Gordon Brown in decline, many of their supporters are expected to switch to the Liberal Democrats.