Category Archives: 2024 General Election

Philp’s flop: Tory MP becomes national laughing stock (again)

Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, reports on a Croydon politician’s televised African problem There were genuine concerns among Croydon Tories last night, after the recording of this week’s episode of the BBC’s Question Time programme in north London, that Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Chris Philp MP, Croydon South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

LibDems cancel Sutton selection meeting after ‘complaints’

Campaigning in what ought to be a ‘winnable’ parliamentary seat has been dogged by controversies and challenges, reports BELLE MONT With a General Election getting ever closer, the Liberal Democrats, already in complete disarray over who should be their candidate … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, 2024 London elections, London-wide issues, Luke Taylor, Mayor of London, Outside Croydon, Paul Scully MP, Sutton Council, Tom Drummond | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Labour in Town Hall row over who gets to wear fancy dress

More squabbles among Croydon’s Labour councillors, but not over the cash-strapped council’s finances, library closures or the axing of other services to residents. The latest row was over who gets to wear the ridiculous robes and chain of the borough’s … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, 2026 council elections, Appu Srinivasan, Kola Agboola, New Addington, New Addington North, Norbury Park, Stella Nabukeera, Tony Pearson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tories relieved as LibDems opt for lightweights in Sutton

The Liberal Democrats may have managed to hand the hotly contested Sutton and Cheam parliamentary seat to the Conservatives already with their short-of-talent candidate shortlist, reports BELLE MONT Imagine the embarrassment for former BBC reporter John “Foghorn” Sweeney: all those … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, London-wide issues, Luke Taylor, Mayor of London, Outside Croydon, Paul Scully MP, Sutton Council, Tom Drummond | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ex-BBC broadcaster in running for Sutton LibDem selection

BELLE MONT, our Sutton political editor, on a selection race that might make the TV news Former BBC Panorama and Newsnight reporter John Sweeney – known, unaffectionately, as “Foghorn” by the wags at Private Eye – is among the applicants … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, London-wide issues, Paul Scully MP, Sutton Council, Tom Drummond | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Labour refuses to deny suspensions over Croydon East ‘fix’

LABOUR SELECTION SCANDAL: The interim chair of a new CLP will not be presiding over an important meeting to be held next month, members have been informed, as the party is accused of vote-rigging ‘on an industrial scale’.  EXCLUSIVE by … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, 2024 London elections, Carole Bonner, Croydon East, David Evans, Maddie Henson, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tories pick Drummond to defend Sutton and Cheam seat

By our Sutton political editor, BELLE MONT Councillor Tom Drummond, the leader of the Conservative opposition group on Sutton Council, was last night selected to replace MP Paul Scully as the Tories’ candidate in Sutton and Cheam in the upcoming … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, London-wide issues, Paul Burstow MP, Paul Scully MP, Sutton Council, Tom Drummond | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t panic! MP Philp could lose seat in Tory election wipe-out

By our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE Inside Croydon’s long-dormant mole inside Croydon Tories’ headquarters in Purley (it’s been an especially long winter, even for small furry creatures that don’t usually hibernate) reports having been rudely awoken by the sound of … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Andrew Pelling, Ben Taylor, Chris Philp MP, Croydon East, Croydon South, Croydon West, London-wide issues, Paul Scully MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

NUTS! Croydon Labour blunders into new cover-up shock

Embroiled in a series of controversies, the latest being the cover-up of the vote rigging for their own Croydon East parliamentary selection, the local Labour Party blundered into a cover-up of a different sort in Coulsdon on Saturday. And no, … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, 2024 London elections, Andrew Price, Ben Taylor, Carole Bonner, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Croydon Central, Croydon East, Croydon South, Croydon West, Jason Cummings, Jess Hammersley-Rich, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Natasha Irons, Park Hill and Whitgift, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Susan Hall, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Drummond heads three-strong Tory list for Sutton and Cheam

EXCLUSIVE: Our investigations editor CARL SHILTON on the race in the Tory Party to replace Paul Scully as MP Councillor Tom Drummond, the leader of the Conservatives on Sutton Council, heads a three-person selection shortlist for the constituency where his … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Chipstead, Elliot Colburn, Paul Scully MP, Reigate and Banstead Council, Surrey, Sutton Council, Tom Drummond | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Putting Croydon First: the reasons I am now a Liberal Democrat

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Yesterday we reported how a former Croydon MP is standing for election with his third political party. Here, ANDREW PELLING explains why his days as an independent candidate are over “All politics is local”. Tip O’Neill’s phrase has … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Andrew Pelling, Claire Bonham, Croydon Central, Croydon East, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Park Hill and Whitgift, Richard Howard, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Union leaders join calls for Labour to abandon Anonyvoter

LABOUR SELECTION SCANDAL: More allegations of rigged votes in dodgy Labour candidate selections trace the affair straight back to Croydon and the deal done between a ‘Newman Numpty’ councillor and party General Secretary David Evans, reports STEVEN DOWNES Momentum, the … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, 2024 London elections, Addiscombe East, Business, Croydon East, David Evans, Maddie Henson, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Party animal Pelling looks to run in Croydon East – for LibDems

ELECTIONS 2024: The former MP is hoping to stage a comeback in the new parliamentary seat by joining his third political party. EXCLUSIVE by our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE Andrew Pelling, a former Conservative MP and Labour councillor in Croydon, … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Andrew Pelling, Croydon Central, Croydon East, Gavin Barwell, Inside Croydon, Jason Cummings, Natasha Irons, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Before you next vote, you must read this from The New Yorker

By STEVEN DOWNES If you live in an old country, it can be easy to succumb to a narrative of decline. The state withers. The charlatans take over. You give up on progress, to some extent, and simply pray that … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, 2024 London elections, Inside Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

In Croydon’s numbers game, selectorate is denied a vital detail

SELECTION SKETCH: Finally, Labour members in the new Parliamentary constituency of Croydon East have been allowed to have their say. KEN TOWL, right, went behind the scenes of this secretive process to choose someone who very likely will soon become … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Carole Bonner, Croydon Central, Croydon East, Ken Towl, Natasha Irons, Sarah Jones MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Irons picked by Labour amid Croydon East police investigation

CROYDON EAST SELECTION: After more than six months of scandal and voter fraud, grassroots party members finally got to have their say this morning over who their parliamentary candidate will be. By STEVEN DOWNES Natasha Irons was this morning selected … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Croydon East, David Evans, Natasha Irons, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Finally Labour members will have a say in Croydon East saga

Columnist ANDREW FISHER looks forward to a rare moment of internal democracy in Croydon Labour this Saturday, as ordinary members in one scandal-hit CLP finally get the chance to choose their parliamentary candidate Being a Labour Party member in Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Andrew Fisher, Croydon Central, Croydon East, Croydon North, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Yes We Cans! Brewers stage Snappy Hours to help voters

South London brewery is doing more to encourage the electorate to vote, and comply with new photo ID rules, than the Tory Government that introduced the changes It used to be said that some people drank to forget. Now an … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, 2024 London elections, Business | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scotland Yard’s cyber crime unit investigating Croydon Labour

LABOUR SELECTION SCANDAL: ‘Day of shame’ as Information Commissioner and Met Police confirm investigations into allegations of vote-rigging in Croydon East selection. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Labour is subject to a criminal investigation over allegations of vote-rigging in a … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Croydon East, David Evans, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Actor Ainslie is Greens’ pick for Streatham and Croydon North

The Green Party has named Scott Ainslie as their parliamentary candidate for the new seat of Streatham and Croydon North. Ainslie is a former MEP (remember them?) and has been a councillor in Lambeth since 2014 for St Leonard’s ward, … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Anthony Boutall, Claire Bonham, Croydon North, Lambeth Council, Scott Ainslie, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bodger busted as Labour’s Croydon East selection resumes

LABOUR SELECTION SCANDAL: Controversial figure dropped from contest to be Starmer’s party’s nominee for safe seat. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Joel “Bodger” Bodmer, a political ally of MP Steve Reed, has been eliminated from Labour’s selection for the new Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Croydon East, David Evans, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Croydon peer Barwell calls for ex-PM Truss to lose party whip

Get the pop corn, there’s another row in the Tories over ‘PopCon’, as right-whingers reveal themselves once more as ‘the Nasty Party’. By our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE Gavin Barwell, the former Croydon MP and now a semi-detached member of … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Gavin Barwell, Mario Creatura | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

MPs told decision ‘imminent’ over Croydon’s rigged selection

EXCLUSIVE: Who would choose between the Archangel Gabriel and Harold Shipman? That could be the kind of no-choice ‘choice’ imposed on Labour’s grassroots members in Croydon after a suspiciously lengthy ‘investigation’ into allegations of vote rigging. By STEVEN DOWNES After … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Croydon Central, Croydon East, Croydon South, Inside Croydon, Steve Reed MP, Under The Flyover | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

‘Appalling’ and ‘a disgrace’: Crick’s verdict on Labour selection

The Labour Party’s parliamentary candidate selection process as conducted in Croydon East has been “appalling” and “a disgrace”. That’s according to veteran political journalist Michael Crick, the person behind the @TomorrowsMPs Twitter account that has been keeping a close track … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Croydon East, Croydon North, Inside Croydon, Steve Reed MP, Under The Flyover | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Politics teacher Boutall is Tories’ ‘Lambeth South’ candidate

The Tories have picked Anthony Boutall, an assistant head at an Orpington grammar school, as their General Election candidate in the re-jigged constituency of Streatham and Croydon North. In his 20s, Boutall served as a councillor but in Bedford, not … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Anthony Boutall, Claire Bonham, Croydon North, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Lambeth Council, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments