Tories in part of the county are confident of winning their seat back despite having no candidate in place after the shock defection of former Dover MP Natalie Elphicke to Labour.

In a defiant statement, the local association’s chairman Keith Single admits the task of trying to retain the seat will be a challenge.

He said: “We are currently going through the process of selecting a new candidate for the General Election.

“Once we have a definite list in place we can move quickly. The Executive Council will choose a short list and the final candidate will be chosen by the members at an Extraordinary General Meeting.

“I am confident we will have an excellent candidate worthy of your support and capable of winning. Don’t write us off – in Theresa May’s snap election in 2017 an unbelievable number of Conservative MPs lost their seats. Here in Dover, we increased our majority. Don’t judge us by the rest of the country.”

The statement continues: “I am not suggesting this will be easy and I am putting you on notice I shall need your help in our new campaign. This really is the time to come to the aid of your candidate and party. The more supporters we get the lighter the load becomes for everyone.”

He also takes a sideswipe at their former MP, saying she now has to back a policy on boats crossing the Channel that she was diametrically opposed to.

“Now Natalie has to support Labour’s amnesty on Illegal Immigrants and open borders which has been directly opposite to her own previously expressed views.”

The snap summer poll has left the association trying to find a candidate with election day looming in less than five weeks.It will be defending a majority of 12,278 and Labour considers it a key target.