The Green Party has announced it will not be fielding a candidate in Canterbury in the coming General Election.

Canterbury District Green Party originally lined up Faversham schoolteacher Henry Stanton as parliamentary candidate for the hotly contested seat.

But the party has announced this evening that, following a decision made by members at a meeting last night, it will not be fielding a candidate "in the current political circumstances".

Mr Stanton has previously expressed his admiration for Labour candidate Rosie Duffield, calling her a "fantastic MP" and "real breath of fresh air".

But a statement released by Canterbury District Green Party says it "will not be entering into any kind of deal, pact or alliance with any other party, and does not endorse any other party".

In the statement, released on Twitter, Mr Stanton added: "The Green Party - unlike other political parties places local democracy and local parties at the heart of its operations.

"In this instance, members voted not to stand a General Election candidate.

"The local party will instead be focussing efforts on campaigning to save the Wincheap wet woodlands and water meadows, improve public transport and clean up Canterbury and Whitstable's dirty air."

The move comes just days after Lib Dem candidate Tim Walker announced he will not be standing for the seat, a former Tory stronghold that was won by a narrow majority of just 187 votes by Rosie Duffield in 2017.

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