9:25am Wednesday 8th September 2010
By Mike Didymus
Croydon has become the battleground for the next London mayoral election as candidates repeatedly court the capital’s biggest borough for votes.
Heavyweight Labour hopeful Ken Livingstone chose Croydon to announce his candidacy back in June and has been a regular visitor since, returning last week to launch his transport policies at East Croydon station.
His Labour competitor Oona King was last in the borough just a few days earlier as she tried to convince Croydon South party members she was the best person to take on the Tories in 2012.
And Mayor Boris Johnson visited in August to campaign against possible Government cuts to police schemes such as Croydon’s transport knife arches.
Mr Johnson has made frequent references to Croydon being one of the economic powerhouses of London, and has vociferously backed the council’s campaign to see it named London’s third city.
The Conservative incumbent famously swept to power in 2008 at the expense of Mr Livingstone after courting the outer boroughs – a mistake no candidate seems to be willing to make this time.
More than 50,000 people in Croydon voted for Mr Johnson as their first choice in the 2008 election, compared with just over 35,000 who plumped for Mr Livingstone.
In an exclusive interview with the Croydon Guardian last week, Mr Livingstone said Croydon’s success was vital to the capital as it attempted to recover from the recession.
He said he would work to persuade Chinese companies to invest in the borough if elected, to make up for the “neglect” it had suffered under a Conservative council.
His rival Mrs King has also hailed the borough as the capital’s most important location for financial services outside the City, and has vowed to give every young Londoner a paid work placement to help boost their chances of employment.
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