Making history in Rochester and Strood

Those who know me or read my blog regularly will know I am a passionate advocate of opening the democratic process and allowing the widest possible public participation in candidate selections. I have championed Open Primaries and Open Selections for many years and was delighted to be instrumental in securing agreement for one to be held on Tonbridge & Malling. I have also lead the campaign to allow Open Primaries for Local Government selections, testing the method last year with a pledges-only primary and again this year with a full postal primary of all registered voters to select a LG candidate in Chatham & Aylesford. See HERE 

I was therefore delighted when Rochester & Strood Association agreed to hold a full Postal Primary to select their by-election candidate for the 20 November poll. My delight is two fold. Firstly as I believe it is the right thing to do. Secondly because I actually live in the constituency and will have a vote myself. It is super to be involved in choosing who will be my local Conservative candidate and hopefully my next MP. Obviously I will be working on the campaign whichever candidate is selected so I will not be divulging which candidate I am supporting, but either would make an outstanding MP for this constituency.

Our local Campaign HQ have been decked out promoting our Postal Primary and the final candidates - the photo below is of our Chatham Maritime Campaign HQ in the Dockside Outlet Centre.

Best of luck to both candidates - you can visit their websites here: KELLY and ANNA.

And if you would like a trip to sunny Rochester & Strood, please call in and say hello. We have canvassing, we have leaflets and you might even bump into someone famous signing his name on the wall!