Kent general election: The Chatham and Aylesford constituency and the candidates standing

Published: 05:00, 11 June 2024 | Updated: 10:02, 11 June 2024

The Chatham and Aylesford seat was first created in 1997, straddling both the Tonbridge and Malling borough and Medway.

During its 27 year life span, the constituency has been almost equally split between Labour and Conservatives, with Jonathan Shaw holding the seat from 1997 to 2010 for Labour, and Dame Tracey Crouch holding it between 2010 until she stepped down ahead of this election.

Covering areas including parts of Chatham (though not the High Street and Brompton), Walderslade, Eccles, Aylesford, and Snodland, the constituency has a mix of parties at the local level.

For Medway Council, residents have elected 11 Labour councillors and seven Tories, while for Tonbridge and Malling council the constituency covers the wards of five Tory councillors, three Labour, and three Lib Dems.

Dame Tracey Crouch, who held the seat from 2010, announced in February she would not be seeking re-election.

She has been held in high-regard by supporters and opponents alike and polls suggested, because of this, her seat was safer than the neighbouring Rochester and Strood and Gillingham and Rainham constituencies.

However the latest Electoral Calculus estimation puts the chances of a Labour victory four times more likely than that of a Conservative win.

The constituency boundaries for the Chatham and Aylesford constituency at the 2024 general election.

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Key issues within the Chatham and Aylesford seat are the pressure on Medway Maritime Hospital and the need for it to expand, public transport, social inequalities, and crime.

At the last election the Liberal Democrat candidate placed third with 2,866 votes, while Labour managed 10,316, 18,540 votes behind Dame Crouch’s 28,856 - therefore a swing from the Tories to Labour will be necessary this time around, rather than purely tactical voting.

While not a target seat for the Labour party, it is possible it could flip to Labour and, if so, signals Sir Keir Starmer is on his way to 10 Downing Street.

The candidates