Dear Resident,
Since being elected seven years ago I have tried to be an active and energetic local MP, and I hope you have seen this. I aim to deliver real results for our neighbourhood, as the box on this page shows.
Before being elected, I set up and ran my own businesses. I set my first business up when I was 24, starting off driving the delivery van myself and growing it to employing hundreds of people. Since then I’ve founded businesses in finance, travel, and one which helped to rebuild housing in the former Yugoslavia in the aftermath of its civil war. This kind of real-world experience means I know how to get things done.
In 2009 I set up a charity, Next Big Thing. I wanted to give young people the same opportunities to fulfil their potential that I have had. The charity worked with hundreds of youngsters across London, giving them mentoring from successful businessmen and helping them to create their own business plans. The project has now been handed over to The Mercer’s Company, who are continuing the charity’s work with my full support.
The NHS is particularly close to my heart. In 2013, my twins were born very prematurely at 25 weeks. The NHS saved their lives. That is why helping the NHS in Croydon is one of my priorities.
I grew up not far from here, and I still remember going to my first Palace game at Selhurst Park in 1991. Although I was offered a place at Trinity school here in Croydon, my parents in the end couldn’t afford the fees and instead I went to a Grammar school in a next-door Borough. Ensuring that the state education system can provide the very best education for all our children is vital.
I will continue to be an active and energetic local MP for our area and deliver results for our community.
With best wishes,
Chris Philp
Member of Parliament for Croydon South
What has Chris achieved for our area?
We need an energetic MP who can get things done for our local community. Chris has a track record that shows he can do this. As our MP, Chris has:
- Obtained £350 million to improve the Brighton mainline, which runs through our area
- Successfully campaigned to get a brand new A&E at Croydon University Hospital (Mayday), which opened earlier this year
- Successfully campaigned to get the hours at the Purley Hospital GP Hub extended to 12 hours a day
- Stood up to the Labour council’s terrible indiscriminate planning policies – including getting the appalling Purley Skyscraper “Called In,” which has put the project on hold for now
- Secured a one third cut in Business Rates for small shops across the country, which was prompted due to a campaign by Purley shopkeepers
- Lobbied successfully for a 7% increase in funding for Croydon schools next year
- Supported plans for 20,000 extra Police Officers, of which it is estimated over 100 will come to Croydon. Chris has also developed plans to keep serious offenders in jail for more of their sentence
- In Parliament, introduced a new draft Clean Air Bill, secured and led debates on ending the persecution of Christians in various countries around the world, and campaigned successfully for a higher minimum wage
