The general election is little over a month away. Last week we introduced you to the key battle ground that is Croydon Central.
This week chief reporter ROBERT FISK gives the lowdown on Croydon North and Croydon South.
It would be rude to declare the results before a single vote has been cast and counted at Fairfield Halls on May 7.
But if you are planning on putting a few quid on the general election there are few safer seats to focus on than Croydon North and Croydon South.
Richard Ottaway comfortably won every election he fought for the Conservative Party in the Croydon South constituency for almost 20 years.
Sir Richard has announced he is stepping down from the seat he has held since 1992, and Chris Philp will be looking to continue his success.
In 2010 Sir Richard polled 50.9 per cent of the vote and there is little to suggest Mr Philp will not get a similar share this time.
The seat, created in 1974, has always been Conservative held.
The fight for second place could be far more interesting, with the Liberal Democrats pipping Labour into second in 2010.
Just as Croydon South has traditionally been a safe seat for the Conservatives, Croydon North is a bastion for Labour.
Steve Reed looks set to retain the seat for Labour he won in the 2012 byelection, called after the death of Malcolm Wicks, who had held the position since 1997 when the constituency was created.
The 2010 result in Croydon South
That byelection attracted a number of fringe parties to come forward, including the Young People’s Party and 9/11 was an Inside Job Party.
The result from Croydon North in 2012
One colourful character who has thrown his hat into the ring is Winston McKenzie, who will be trying to take Croydon North for UKIP.
Mr McKenzie famously called Croydon a dump at the UKIP carnival before last year’s local elections and has consistently courted controversy throughout his varied political career.
The former amateur boxer, hairdresser and publican has contested several seats across London: the Brent East byelection in 2003 as an independent, Croydon North in 2005 for Veritas, the London mayoral election in 2008 as an independent candidate, for UKIP in Tottenham in 2010, before standing again for the party in the 2012 byelection where he came in third.
What are the odds? (According to Ladbrokes)
Croydon North
Labour 1/100
Conservative 20/1
UKIP 100/1
Green 100/1
Lib Dem 100/1
TUSC 100/1
Croydon South
Conservative 1/50
Labour 25/1
UKIP 50/1
Lib Dem 50/1
Green 100/1
Class War 100/1
For more on the general election visit www.croydonguardian.co.uk/generalelection2015
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