23 FEBRUARY 1974, Page 10

Carshalton

A local correspondent The demi-richs.area of Surrey is not a Place,. where one would expect to find Michael FoO: campaigning enthusiastically against tha' most moderate of men, Robert Carr, the Honle Secretary. Yet it was thus last week; though, when Foot was in the constituency, Mr Car' was away in the West Country, explaining Y3' in the folk there that he had no pigs Carshalton. It is a funny place, Mr Carr's marginal neWt. constituency. It has a large population °II nouveaux-riches, most of whom are niticd harder Tories than the essentially humane all liberal minister who now seeks their favoyr..: But it has two other elements in its popuiatio; ed as well: one is the section of older and poor inhabitants who live just twelve miles beyori'2e the London border and fear the future; ts other is the thrusting upper working cll., population which has recently been spilling from the metropolis. Robert Carr whose local party is divided, since some ails peared not to want him as candidate for t new seat — strives to unite all these tracting interests. Michael Foot, last .vveeto swept down on the constituency trying „e excite rather than unite; tried to encourab all electors to agree with him on the apocalyptic message he thundered forth in Church halls, rather than unite behind Mr Carr's more soporific message. The electorate of Carshalton seem confused and troubled. No Tory candidate could he stronger than the tireless, polite, highPrincipled, Plantaganet Palliser-type figure of 'obert Carr. Certainly, his polite and decent message seemed preferred to Michael Foot's rage; and his essential decency appeared to get over to those to whom he talked. But his linage, if not the man himself, appeared to fl'ack impact, if not conviction. The Home ecretary is in serious trouble here.