Kentish Express Ashford & District
Amongst the blue
that. People were also worried about the hard Brexit that Sir Julian supported.”
She added: “This seat has been Conservative for so long. It’s still a shock though and I’m trying to understand it.”
Elsewhere in Kent, Michael Fallon and Charlie Elphicke held Sevenoaks and Dover respectively for the Conservatives.
Greg Clark has been reelected as Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells while Adam Holloway held Gravesham for the Tories. Gordon Henderson did likewise in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.
Gareth Johnson held Dartford for the Tories, colleague Tom Tugendhat held Tonbridge and Malling.
Helen Grant won comfortably in Maidstone and the Weald for the Tories, Helen Whately did likewise in Faversham and Mid Kent.
Kelly Tolhurst retained Rochester and Strood for the Conservatives while Tracey Crouch retained Chatham and Aylesford. Rehman Chishti held Gillingham and Rainham for the Conservatives.
Craig Mackinlay – facing a criminal trial relating to the last election – retained South Thanet for the Conservatives while Sir Roger Gale retained North Thanet.
Turnout ranged from 73.6% in Tonbridge and Malling to 62.98% in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.
Ukip looks like a spent force in the county where it first planted its purple flag. Hard to see where it goes from here after its vote in the county dropped like a stone – by a staggering 62% – on 2015. That followed the loss of all 17 of its county councillors in May. On the other hand, there’s always the ‘Farage factor’ to consider.
The Liberal Democrats’ much-vaunted resurgence in Kent failed to materialise. It had hoped to benefit by positioning itself as the proEuropean centre ground party – which Labour and the Conservatives have vacated. It failed.
The impact of younger voters was underestimated by all the parties – again, with the exception of Labour in Canterbury – and the fact that they had been energised by Jeremy Corbyn. From being disinterested in 2015, they became engaged in 2017 in a way nobody really grasped. It won’t be a mistake they will make again.
Social media was not decisive in the results but it was used less effectively by the Conservatives, despite the huge sums the party spent nationally on Facebook.
Kent has always been critical in determining who gets the keys to Downing Street but was bypassed by all the main parties’ battle buses and big hitters. VIP visits don’t on their own change results but on the other hand, to ignore the 17 seats completely was a mistake.