News | Elections
From left, Labour candidate Allen Simpson, Conservative Helen Whately, Lib Dems’ Jasper Gerrard and the Greens’ Tim Valentine It is all to play for at national poll
AS Britain enters the final month in the run-up to the 2015 general election on May 7 the gloves are off, with everything to fight for.
Never in the history of British politics has the field been so wide open. Even in Maidstone, which has historically had a strong Lib Dem contingent vying with the Conser- vatives on the borough council, challenges are coming in on all sides – from Labour, Ukip, the Greens, even from a retired GP, Dr Paul Hobday who is fighting for the National Health Action Party. Helen Grant is facing a fierce
battle for her seat in Maidstone and theWeald, which she won five years ago after the retirement of Tory stalwart AnnWiddecombe. The Lib Dems’ Jasper Gerard
quit his day job almost two years ago to campaign relentlessly for the seat, uprooting his family to live in the borough, while Labour likewise has played its ace card by
Allington: Barry Ginley (Con); Marianna Poliszczuk (Lab); Eddie Powell (Ukip); Cynthia Robertson* (LD)
Bearsted: Jim Grogan (Lab and Co- op); Ciaron Oliver (Green); Sarah Petit (Ukip); Geoff Samme (LD);Val Springett* (Con) Boxley: Malcolm Greer* (Con); Michelle Hastie (LD); Richard Mor- gans (Lab); Jacqui Wardle (Ukip) Coxheath & Hunton: Angela Austin (Ukip); Patrick Coates (Lab); Fred Lawrence (Con); Mike Summersgill (Green); Richard Webb (LD) Detling & Thurnham: Geoff Harvey (Lab); Peter Horler (Ukip); John Wat- son (LD); Nick de Wiggondene* (Con)
Downswood & Otham: Matt Boughton (Con); Elaine Boylett (Green); Audrey Gardner (Lab); Michael Harris (Ukip); Gordon New- ton* (Ind) East: Richard Coates (Lab); Sarah Hodge (Left Unity); Gareth Kendall (Ukip); Joe Mamo (Con); Dave Naghi* (LD); Hannah Patton (Green) Fant: Alistair Black* (Con); Elliot Dean (Lab); Rosaline Janko (LD); Ian
20 Maidstone Town May 2015
McDonald (Green); Colin Taylor (Ukip)
Harrietsham & Lenham: Steve Cod- drington-Clarke (LD); Patrik Garten (Con); Tom Sams* (Ind); Peter Un- derwood (Lab); Mike Williams (Ukip) High Street: Jackie Hemsted (Ukip); Gareth Phillips (Green); Stella Ran-
dall (Lab); Sam Watkin (Con); Fran Wilson* (LD) Leeds: Georgia Dallas (LD); Gillian Fort (Con); Darrel McGuirk (Lab); Daniel Williams (Ukip) Loose: Sue Grigg* (LD); Abigail Hogg (Con); Anthony Richie (Ukip) Marden & Yalding: Annabelle
fielding a former Maidstone Gram- mar School pupil, politics graduate Allen Simpson. Ukip’s Eddie Powell, elected to Maidstone Council for the first time last year, has already made a name for himself fighting for the electorate, particularly on the thorny topic of the borough’s draft local plan, and now hopes his sup- porters will act as a launch pad to- wards a career in parliament. Meanwhile, Dr Hobday hopes
the many residents who complain relentlessly about the state of the health service will join him in fighting against the Government’s NHS reforms and a return to Nye Bevan’s founding principles. Youth worker Hannah Patton
(28) hopes to win the youth vote for the Greens, campaigning on en- vironmental issues such as anti-
FULL LIST OF BOROUGH COUNCIL CANDIDATES
Blackmore* (Con); Edith Davis (Lab); Rachel Hill (LD); Robert Millar (Green); Pam Watts (Ukip) North: Keith Adkinson (Lab); Charles Elliott (Ukip); Donna Greenan (Green); Mike Hemsley (Con); Tommy Long* (LD) Park Wood: Alex Barwick (Lab); Peter Edwards-Daem; (Ukip); Geoff Licence (Ind); Sam Roach (LD); Jade Webster (Con); Paul Wooding (Ind). Shepway North: Gary Butler (Eng Dem); Milden Choongo (LD); Theresa Lyons (Lab); Steve Mug- geridge (Green); Marion Ring* (Con); Mike Wardle (Ukip) South: John Barned (Ukip); Brian Clark (LD); Mike Hogg* (Con); Wendy Hollands (Lab); Guy Tanner (Green) Staplehurst: Louise Brice (Con); David George (Green); Nick Goddard (Ukip); Paul Kelly (Ind); Samuel Lain- Rose (Ind); John Randall (Lab); An- drew Watson (LD) Sutton Valence & Langley: Derek Eagle (Green); Emily Fermor (LD); Jean Harvey (Lab); Paulina Stockell* (Con)
* denotes sitting councillor
fracking while Robin Kinrade is hoping to take the Independent vote. In Faversham & Mid Kent,
Helen Whately is campaigning to take over the Conservative strong- hold previously held by Sir Hugh Robertson. Considered a safe Tory seat, with a majority of more than 17,000, Liberal Democrat Dave Naghi is hoping to be a serious contender in his third bid to get elected in the constituency. Maidstone borough Cllr Naghi nudged the party into second place in 2010, 1,500 votes ahead of the Labour candidate and 7,500 votes ahead of UKIP. Ukip has never posed a serious
threat but this year, with its new- found popularity, the party expects to increase its support, fielding can- didate Peter Edwards-Daem.
For Labour, Hackney borough councillor Michael Desmond is hoping to catch the commuter vote by calling for reduced rail fares. He is also opposed to commercial de- velopment at M20 J8 and wants to see increased funding for schools. Flying the flag for the Greens is
TimValentine. Forensic psycholo- gist and expert witness Tim pas- sionately wants to save local NHS services, make the minimumwage a living wage and protect local people from the fracking industry. Faversham and Mid Kent has al-
ways attracted a candidate from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party – Norman Davidson, while Gary butler is standing for English Democrats Putting England First.
NINETEEN borough council seats are also up on May 7. See below and right for details.
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