With 100 days to go until Croydon’s local elections on May 22, UKIP has revealed the names of 17 candidates for wards in Croydon Central and South.
UKIP has never had a councillor elected to Croydon Council, but 2014 may be Nigel Farage’s party’s best chance yet, with the Tory-led Government still struggling to be taken seriously on European issues, and with elections to the European Parliament also due to be held on the fourth Thursday in May.
Peter Staveley, the leader of UKIP in Croydon Central and South, tonight told Inside Croydon: “These are the candidates who have been approved. We expect to announce several other candidates in wards across the borough in the coming days and weeks.” That includes in Waddon, the one Croydon South ward not included on the UKIP list so far.
Also missing are the eight wards of Croydon North. A split in UKIP’s local party between Staveley and the somewhat eccentric Winston McKenzie, the party’s candidate in the 2012 Croydon North parliamentary by-election, sees the groups operate separately.
As he declared some time ago, Staveley will stand in Addiscombe, one of the key battlegrounds for control of Croydon Town Hall. Staveley says that in some wards where UKIP believes it has its strongest hopes of being elected, they may opt for single candidates to help focus the electorate’s attention, asking their supporters to not use their other votes for other parties.
For florid-faced Mike Fisher, the beleagured leader of Croydon Conservatives, the UKIP list will provide modest relief that it does not include any former Tory councillors or activists. At least, not so far.
Nor does it include any former Crystal Palace managers: the Alan Smith standing in Coulsdon East in fact runs a funeral business rather than a football team.
Addiscombe: Peter Staveley
Ashburton: Robert Ball, David Aston
Coulsdon East: Alan Smith
Coulsdon West: Danny Fullilove
Croham: Kathleen Garner
Fairfield: Daniel Heaton
Fieldway: William Eastoe
Heathfield: Crispin Williams
Kenley: David Hooper, Paul Manton
New Addington: Roger Barnett
Purley: Laura Stringer
Sanderstead: Claire Smith
Selsdon and Ballards: John Bailey
Shirley: Eamon Patrick Connolly
Woodside: Ancellam Nnorom
Coming to Croydon
- Mark Steel at Ashcroft Theatre, Feb 12
- Purley Swimathon: Feb 13
- Croydon Arts Network meeting, Feb 15
- Chinese New Year children’s event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 18
- This War! St Gertrude’s Theatre group, Feb 19-22
- Welsh myths children’s event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Mr Pooter comes to Croydon, Feb 20-22
- Warm and Well event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 22
- Stop the Incinerator fund-raiser, Feb 24
- Fairtrade Film night, Antenna Cafe, Haynes Lane, Feb 27
- Fairtrade event, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 1
- Coulsdon and Purley Debating Society, Mar 3
- Patchwork and quilting workshop, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 3
- Fairtrade stall at Food Market, Haynes Lane, Mar 8
- Upper Norwood Library Book Club, Mar 15
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 20
- Croydon Half-marathon, Mar 30
If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
Even UKIP selecting before the Tories….
What, no UKIP candidate in Waddon?
Ah, just spotted that they will field a candidate in *the* key marginal ward of Waddon. Should be interesting to see who benefits from that. Will it split the right wing bloc or will Labour be the victims?
Reblogged this on wheelsofpoliticalsteel and commented:
Full cards for vast majority of West Midlands too, not all areas have local elections in May BUT we do have European Parliament Elections so dig deep UKIPpers & do all you can to support everyone flying the UKIP Flag!
Good luck to all #UKIP candidates!