Word reaches Guido that Croydon MP Andrew Pelling is to be charged imminently. The local Tory executive committee meets tomorrow night for an emergency meeting. They will wait until he is charged before formally deselecting him.

Candidates are already being sounded out to replace him in this ultra-marginal (the Tories have only a 75 vote majority). Guido would bet on the winning candidate being a woman. Note that Gavin Barwell, who runs Lord Ashcroft’s targets seats operation, is the Conservative whip on Croydon council. He has been spending a lot of time in Croydon recently…

Andrew Pelling signed a few relevant motions in the last year;

EDM 1793 VIOLENCE AND INEQUALITY 27.06.2007
That this House notes the establishment of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) due in October; recognises that violence and abuse is a violation of human rights and often both a consequence and perpetuator of inequality; further notes, for example, the higher levels of sexual abuse in women and girls with learning difficulties… and therefore supports the End Violence Against Women Coalition in their call for the CEHR to address the relationship between violence and inequality as a priority when it begins work later this year.

EDM 650 NATIONAL CENTRE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 16.01.2007
That this House welcomes the launch of the National Centre for Domestic Violence in the North East…

EDM 282 INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 23.11.2006
That this House notes that 25th November is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women; further notes the newly published report of the End Violence Against Women campaign…