Kentish Express Ashford & District
Change is in the air, says Ukip election candidate
Ukip’s Ashford branch has selected a former BT worker as its candidate for next year’s general election.
Gerald O’Brien was chosen out of five competitors at a packed meeting of local party members at the Queen’s Head in Kingsnorth.
Mr O’Brien, 65, worked in the City for BT over 20 years in marketing and business development before becoming director of communications for an international charity.
Crosslinks does relief in development work in areas such as East Africa.
Mr O’Brien has lived in Kent for over 20 years and he and his wife Gina have four grown-up children.
He said: “I am delighted that Ukip members in Ashford and Tenterden have chosen me to be the standard bearer for the forthcoming election campaign.
“I will work hard to ensure that their confidence in me is well placed.
“Ashford is a vibrant and thriving community and I am looking forward to meeting many of the people who live and work here in the coming months. Change is in the air throughout the the country and these are exciting times for Ukip.
“Next year, Ashford residents will have the opportunity to go out and vote for a credible alternative to the status quo.”
Norman Taylor, chairman of Ukip Ashford, said: “We had five excellent candidates at our hustings, underlining the depth and strength of the party today. “The choice was difficult but we have ended the process with a strong candidate who will win here in Ashford in the May general election.”
Ukip has had runaway success lately, becoming the official opposition at Kent County Council last year, coming first in the British section of last May’s Euro Elections and gaining its first UK Parliamentary seat last month.
But Mr O’Brien is up against the incumbent Ashford MP, Conservative Damian Green, who has consistently won crushing majorities in general elections since 1997.
He was re-elected for the fourth time in 2010 with his highest ever mandate, a majority of 17,297.