In this week’s Kent Politics Podcast we discuss Rosie Duffield’s resignation from the Labour Party and whether she should be calling a by-election.

The Canterbury MP announced she was leaving the government benches due to the “hypocrisy” of Sir Keir Starmer and his inner circle accepting freebies while cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance for some pensioners.

Our reporters discuss her motivations, what this will mean for the people of Canterbury being represented in parliament, and why she doesn’t have to face a public vote if she doesn’t want to.

They also discuss how this affects the new Labour government’s first 100 days in charge, and reporter Simon Finlay tells us how people in Folkestone, which flipped to Labour in a shock result, feel about it.

We’re also joined by the new Dartford MP, Labour’s Jim Dickson, who tells us about his background, his fight to represent the area, and key issues for Dartford, such as whether the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) will go ahead.

He tells us how important the project is to alleviate pressure on Dartford’s road network and also says planning policy needs to change in order for initiatives like the LTC to avoid getting bogged down in delays and rising costs.

Our reporters also discuss the biggest stories from across the county this week, including a successful NHS recruitment drive in Medway which has seen unintended pressure on school places.

They also talk a decision by Canterbury City Council to waive littering fines after people ditched cigarette butts and rubbish in planters on the High Street.

And they discuss opposition from the cabinet member for education at Kent County Council about the change to Ofsted’s rating system from a headline rating of “good” or “requires improvement”.

The weekly podcast, which launched earlier this year, brings together local democracy reporters, Simon Finlay, Robert Boddy, and Dan Esson.

Simon covers Kent County Council while Robert reports on Medway Council and Dan specialises in borough and district councils.

You can listen to the podcast at IM Listening, or download it from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and TuneIn – just search for Kent Politics Podcast.

Readers can also keep up-to-date with the latest political news on our dedicated Kent Politics page.

New episodes are available each Friday.