Croydon North by-election Labour nominations

Pic: Mary Honeyball MEP ‘Val Shawcross’

Nominations for the Labour candidate for the Croydon-North by-election closed at noon on Monday and the shortlist will be decided on Wednesday.

Lambeth and Southwark Assembly Member Val Shawcross and council leader Councillor Steve Reed are amongst those that have applied to stand as Labour candidate.

The by-election follows the death of MP Malcolm Wicks, 65, who had served the constituency since 1997.

Shawcross, who lives in Upper Norwood, decided to apply for the seat as she feels she has a strong connection with the area.

She said: “It’s a seat where I am deeply connected with the community.

“I would really like to use some of the experience that I have gained on a regional level to do some work for a London community on a national level.”

Shawcross was a Croydon Councillor between 1994 and 2000 and served as council leader in 1997 to 2000.

She tells how Croydon North is in need for “some very strong advocacy.”

Shawcross said that if elected she would resign from the London Assembly following a short transitional period.

She said: “You should only have one job in political life, I think.”

But she added: “That is all very theoretical.

“I have really loved serving Lambeth and Southwark on the London Assembly and I have done that now for 12 years.”

Councillor Steve Reed said: “I have applied, but I can’t say too much because there’s not a shortlist yet.”

Regional director of the London Labour Party, Alan Olive said: “I genuinely don’t know who applied. It could be quite a long list.”

Marisha Ray will be standing as the Liberal Democrat candidate in the by-election.

The former IT professional said: “I would like to pay tribute to Malcolm Wicks who was a tireless advocate for people in Croydon North.

“His sad death offers the voters the opportunity to choose a champion who will continue Malcolm’s great work of putting Croydon residents first.”

Conservatives name Andy Stranack as candidate for Croydon Northby-election.

Born in Croydon, Stranack said: “I am passionate about Croydon and its wonderful, diverse communities and I know that by working together we can make the area an even better place to live and work.”

The Green Party has announced that Sasha Khan, a community campaigner, is their candidate in the Croydon North by-election.

Labour Party members in Croydon North will vote on November 3 to choose the Labour candidate to stand for the by-election.

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