Kent general election: The Weald of Kent constituency and the candidates standing
12:25, 05 June 2024
updated: 15:33, 19 June 2024
Weald of Kent is the newest and by far the biggest constituency in the county. Created to reflect a growing population it is, on paper, one of the most rural and affluent areas in the country.
It was formed from huge chunks of rural Ashford and Maidstone and the Weald as well as smaller parts of Faversham and Mid Kent and Folkestone and Hythe.
It occupies much of the centre of Kent, including the small towns of Tenterden, and Cranbrook as well the larger villages of Headcorn, Coxheath and Staplehurst.
The stunning countryside with its chocolate box villages is one of the reasons Kent is often referred to as the Garden of England.
Weald of Kent, which has little over 70,000 electors, is also thought to be one of the county’s easier seats to win for the Conservative Party.
The favourite to be victor is Conservative’s parliamentary candidate Katie Lam, in a constituency where the average age, household income and house prices are significantly higher than the rest of the country.
The Weald of Kent resident profile is predominantly white, car-owning and Christian with a significant leaning towards “strong right”.
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Pollsters see Labour (candidate Lenny Rolles) as the Conservative Party’s natural rival, while the threat of Reform UK remains low.
The Reform UK share may prove pivotal to Mr Rolles’ chance of success.
Early polls also suggest The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party will have little success, but if they coalesce behind Labour, the result may be tighter than previously imagined.
In such a large constituency, local concerns vary greatly. But common themes are over house-building and the lack of infrastructure to support such rapid growth.
People are worried the roads cannot cope with the volume of traffic now using them while unrepaired potholes and road work closures are other major sources of anger.
Immigration, legal and illegal, may also prove to be pivotal as will school transport.
Rural crime - particularly thefts of farm equipment and livestock - and the performance of Kent Police are also in sharp relief on July 4.
The candidates
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