Conservative party chiefs in Canterbury are close to choosing a general election candidate in what is among the most marginal seats in the country.

Applications for the candidacy recently opened and there is reported to be a healthy interest in the seat where Labour's Rosie Duffield has a majority of 187, making it a key target.

Association chairman Grieg Baker said applications remained open with shortlisting expected in a matter of weeks.

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“It is probably one of the best seats in the country and we have already had a lot of high calibre people express an interest.”

The seat turned Labour in 2017 when the Conservative MP Julian Brazier was ousted in a shock defeat.

Mr Baker said while the constituency was a target, the party risked losing ground to Labour in Kent at the next election if it did not go "full throttle" to get a Brexit deal.

Jeremy Corbyn made his first visit to the county in his capacity as Labour leader last week.

WATCH: Labour leader launches EU manifesto in Kent

He launched his party's European election campaign at the Medway campus of the University of Kent, urging activists to be prepared for a snap election in the likely event talks between Labour and the Conservatives faltered.

Mr Baker said it had become clear that Labour intended to use Canterbury as the launchpad for its election challenge.

Writing for the website Conservative Home, he said there was no workable compromise over Brexit and the party was woefully misguided "in trying to win over imaginary individual voters who are 52% minded to leave and 48% minded to remain".

"They don’t exist. There is no popular centre ground on Brexit and we have to go full throttle for 'leave'."

He said the council election had given an insight into the campaign strategy Labour intended to deploy: “Labour is intent on using its breach in Canterbury to spread the cancer of Corbynism through the rest of Kent.

"The local Labour MP's former chief of staff will be standing in neighbouring Dover and Deal and, in a bid to bolster her ground operation, Labour sent some activists from Canterbury to Dover in the last 48 hours before polling day.”

Mr Baker is one of four chairmen of Kent Conservative constituency associations who are among 70 to have signed a petition seeking a vote of no confidence in Theresa May.

A special meeting is being held next month to debate the call for Mrs May to stand aside.

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