A former special advisor to David Cameron has been selected as the parliamentary election candidate for Sevenoaks - one of the safest seats in the country.

Laura Trott was selected from a shortlist of three, which included the former Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson and local councillor Graham Clack.

Michael Fallon announced his intention to stand down last month opening the door to what is regarded as a true blue Tory heartland seat.

Until July 2016 she was a political adviser to the Prime Minister Theresa May.

Prior to that she was a political adviser to David Cameron on women, education and childcare.

She now works as a consultant for the Portland Group, political consultancy which was set up by former Blair aide Tim Allan and also employs Alastair Campbell.

There had been speculation at one point that both David Cameron and Boris Johnson were eyeing up the seat; the former reportedly because he wanted to return to politics, the latter because his current seat of Uxbridge is seen as vulnerable, with a majority of just over 5,000.

In other selection news, the Liberal Democrats have formally adopted candidate Ben Chapelard, a teacher and a borough councillor to contest Tunbridge Wells.

Despite coming third in 2017, the party believes it has an outside chance of causing an upset in the constituency on the basis of its position on scrapping Brexit if it was to form the next government.

Tunbridge Wells was the only area in Kent to back remain in the referendum of 2016.

The Conservative Party has reselected Greg Clark as its candidate but only after lifting his suspension and restoring the party whip.

Ben Chapelard, 42, said: "This election is a defining moment in our country’s history and I believe the Liberal Democrats can win in Tunbridge Wells.

"With our joint announcement with the Green Party last week that they will be standing aside we are now the only party in Tunbridge Wells, which has consistently and unequivocally supported Remain."

Labour has selected Antonio Weiss, a councillor in Harrow, as its candidate.

He is a director at 2020 Delivery, one of the UK's leading public service consultancies.

The seat has been held by the Conservative candidate since 2005 and in the last election won with a majority of 16, 465.

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