Malcolm Wicks wins Croydon North with huge majority (From Croydon Guardian)

Malcolm Wicks wins Croydon North with huge majority

3:49am Friday 6th May 2005 in News

Labour safe seat Croydon North has been returned to Malcolm Wicks with 23,555 votes - more than a 50 per cent share.

The other candidates received: Tariq Ahmad (Con) 9,667; Adrian Gee-Turner (Lib Dem) 7,560; Shasha Khan (Green) 1,248; Henry Pearce (UKIP) 770; Peter Gibson (Croydon Pensions Alliance) 394; Winston McKenzie (Veritas) 324; Farhan Rasheed (Ind) 197; Michelle Chambers (The People's Choice!) 132.

After his victory was announced, Wicks said: "I am honoured and humbled to return as member of parliament for Croydon North."

Then he told the Croydon Guardian: "We have got a larger majority than I expected. Clearly anyone in two terms can expect a swing against their party particularly with the concerns about the Iraq war. It's clear there's still a great deal of confidence in the Labour government."

Tory Tariq Ahmad said: "I am proud of my party, proud of my country and proud of my father who came to this country with £5 in his pocket and the fact that I am standing here today is a testament to what can be achieved in this country."

Adrian Gee-Turner, whose Lib Dem party almost doubled the vote compared to 2001, said: "I would like to point out the change in percentage of our vote. This time round the fact that we have doubled our vote and gone from a poor third to almost challenging second position speaks volumes."

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