More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
The Liberal Democrats have selected their candidate to take on sitting Conservative MP Helen Whately for the Faversham and Mid Kent constituency at the next General Election.
The constituency includes around half of Maidstone.
She is 34-year-old Hannah Perkin, a mother of two, and since May of this year, a councillor for Abbey Ward with Swale Borough Council where she is deputy cabinet member for Health and Well-being.
Mrs Perkin runs her own catering business.
She said: “I am delighted that local Liberal Democrats have put their trust in me to become their Parliamentary candidate for the anticipated early general election.
"As a Liberal Democrat everyone knows that I will work to ensure we can stop Brexit.
"We need Parliament to agree a proposal for Brexit and then hold a second referendum with the option to Remain on the ballot paper. "
"Thousands of young people who could not vote in 2016 should be given the chance to decide and we all know much more now about the serious damage leaving the EU will do to the UK economy. A second referendum is absolutely essential.”
Mrs Perkin said: “But the coming election is not just about Brexit. This Conservative government is not working for ordinary people. To make matters worse, in kicking out 21 moderate MPs their right wing has alienated many would be supporters.
"We are in the middle of a climate and biodiversity emergency, the NHS is in crisis, education of our young people is underfunded, crime is out of control, we are being saddled locally with substantial unaffordable housing development without the infrastructure to sustain our community. I am pledging right now to work positively for the whole local community on both local and national issues, to bring empathy , fairness and transparency into politics."
Mrs Perkin from Fielding Street, Faversham, said: “It is time for change. Two-party politics is broken and lets people down.
"I believe the Liberal Democrats can rescue our local community in Faversham and Mid-Kent and work for fairness and equality nationally. whenever the election comes.”
