More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
The Brexit Party has started campaigning in Maidstone ahead of the EU elections.
The party, recently created by former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, wants Britain to leave the EU as soon as possible.
Two of the candidates for the Brexit Party list in the South East region were in Maidstone on Saturday, supported by local activists.
Unlike UK Parliamentary elections, the EU elections are determined on a proportional vote basis.
Each party puts forward a slate of candidates for each electoral region. Voters cast their ballot for the party rather than the individual, and the proportion of the overall vote each party receives determines the number of seats allocated to it from the party list.
They were James Bartholomew and John Kennedy. Mr Bartholomew is a former leader writer for the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail, and the author of The Welfare of Nations.
He is the 5th candidate on the party's list - Nigel Farage is number 1.
Also chatting to Maidstone shoppers was John Kennedy - a businessman - who is 7th on the list.
Local organiser Pam Watts said: "Shoppers found it refreshing to see candidates selected from outside the political bubble - career politicians moulded to party lines seem to be no longer trusted by the public
"The Brexit Party has a diverse range of candidates from all walks and stages of life, and from across political ideals.
"From left to right, young to old, from business and academia, many from minority ethnic and religious backgrounds - stereo-typical career politicians they are not!"
Mrs Watts said: "To change politics and make our politicians truly represent the people who elect them, the old tribal parties need to go, as do career politicians who leave university and go straight into politics without any experience of the real world."
The South East regions will return a total of 10 MEPs to the European Parliament. At present those 10 comprise four Ukip, three Conservative, one Labour, one Liberal Democrat, and one Green.
Voting is on Thursday, May 23.
Other parties fielding candidates in the South East region are Change UK, the Conservative, the Greens, Labour, Liberal Democrats, the Socialist Party of Great Britain, UK European Union Party, Ukip, and there are three independent candidates.
