One of three seats that lies within Croydon Borough Council, the most populous borough in London, and the only one to vote Conservative in 1997.
This is one of the most middle class seats in the country and has much more in common with the adjacent Surrey seats than with other London seats; over three-quarters of its residents are in non-manual jobs. Owner occupation is high here, and stands at 82%.
The seat includes the Selsdon Park Hotel, where Edward Heath held the conference that defined a turning point in Conservative economic policy, and coined the phrase ‘Selsdon man’.
Conservative parliamentary success here has been mirrored in local elections. Of the 18 councillors that fall within the seat, all but two are Conservative, with one Labour councillor in Waddon ward, and a Lib Dem councillor in Coulsdon East.
The borough's main employment sectors are in financial and business services, public administration, retail and distribution, transport and communications, manufacturing and construction. Many national and international companies have based their headquarters in the area.