George Osborne today claimed Croydon "would not get a look-in" under a Labour government.

Speaking on a visit to Ruskin Square, the Chancellor suggested toppling the Conservative-led government and ousting Gavin Barwell would derail the borough's progress. 

Mr Osborne became the latest senior Conservative to throw his weight behind Croydon Central MP this morning after the election campaign entered its final week.

After touring the construction site for the first phase of the £500m development, he pointed to Ruskin Square as evidence Croydon was "one of the fastest-growing, most-prosperous communities in London".

But he claimed a Labour government would put the brakes on the area's growth. 

He told the Croydon Guardian: "This is a crucial seat and people have got to face up to the choice in just a week's time. It's very clear what's on the ballot paper. 

"You can either have a hard-working local MP with a great track record, supported by an economic plan that has created jobs here, or - and this is now the only alternative - it is Ed Miliband propped up by the Scottish nationalists. 

"If you think Croydon will get a look-in under that government, you can forget it. You'd have a weak Prime Minister and the Scottish Nationalists would have the decisive say and they are not interested in Croydon."

During his tour of Ruskin Square, on which work began last year, Mr Osborne was shown how to rivet in a concrete column and spoke to a Croydon College apprentice working on the site. 

He said: "It's a real visible demonstration of what you get when you have a strong MP who can deliver the goods.

"This site was vacant for many, many years all during the long period of when there was a Labour MP and during the short few years of there being a Conservative MP here and David Cameron being in Downing Street, the plot is being developed, the jobs are coming, the homes are coming, so just think in another five years what more we can do to really make sure that Croydon is what it has the potential to be, which is one of the fastest-growing, most-prosperous communities in London with the homes for local people, the jobs for local people, the transport for local people."

Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking at Fairfield Halls on Saturday, said it would be "very difficult" to form a government with the Croydon Central seat.

Labour's Sarah Jones is tipped by bookies' to win the seat.