All Eyes on Ealing Central and Acton

Who will be the new MP in our key marginal seat?

On May 6th we go to the polls to vote for both local and parliamentary representatives.

Our constituency, Ealing Central and Acton, is new. This new seat succeeds Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush. With significant boundary changes, Ealing Central and Acton will also inherit the east of the Ealing Southall constituency.

Labour took Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush in 1997 and held it in 2001 with the current MP, Andrew Slaughter, being elected for Labour in 2005.

The website www.politics.co.uk says: "The new seat is more suburban and Conservative with most of Labour's support drawn largely from the South Acton council estate. The constituency extends northwards into the Park Royal industrial areas. The Ealing part includes Thames Valley University and Ealing studios.

"Notional figures indicate Ealing Central and Acton will be one of the closest three way marginals in the 2010 general election.

"In Rallings and Thrasher's notional figures Ealing Central and Acton has a notional Labour majority. As such the mainstream media will categorise it a Labour seat in terms of whether it is a gain or a hold on election night.

"The Conservatives will expect to gain this constituency in 2010, unless Labour put in a better than expected performance. There is only a slim chance this seat will become a Liberal Democrat gain.

Labour will be hoping any support they lose here will be split between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, as this could be the main factor allowing them to hold this seat."

Candidates are currently: Jon Ball: Liberal Democrat, Angie Bray: Conservative, Tim Carpenter: Libertarian, Sarah Edwards: Green , Bassam Mahfouz: Labour, Sam Akaki: Independent

The final list of parties and independent candidates will be available from midday on 12 April at www.ealing.gov.uk/elections2010.

This is Conservative target seat number 18 and Liberal Democrat target seat number 10.

April 8, 2010