Schools secretary Ed Balls has predicted that Labour will hold onto two of its three seats in Medway.

He was on the campaign trail on Monday visiting the Towns to support Labour's parliamentary candidates.

Mr Balls first joined Paul Clark, Labour candidate for Gillingham & Rainham, to speak to constituents at the Dockside Outlet Centre.

He then visited the home of former Labour councillor Bill Davis where he met parents of children from St John's school, which is earmarked for closure.

Jonathan Shaw, Labour candidate for Chatham and Aylesford, was unable to attend.

Mother of one Sam Whittington, whose five-year-old son Alfie goes to St John's, in New Street, Chatham, spoke to Mr Balls about the parents' campaign to keep the school open.

The council have said they are closing the school in light of central government policy to keep surplus places to a minimum.

But Mr Balls denied there was any instruction from central government to close local schools in order to do so.

Asked what he thought of bookmakers making the Tories odds on to win every seat in Kent, he said: "I think Jonathan Shaw is a brilliant MP, when I came here three years ago what was really clear from the head teachers and parents was what a great MP he is.

"Paul Clark is as well and I believe we will get a third seat in Dover." He did not mention prospects in Rochester and Strood which would nominally be a Labour gain due to boundary changes.

After the meeting, he visited St Peter's school in that constituency in Holcombe Road, Rochester.

There he met parents, staff and pupils as well as Labour candidate for Rochester and Strood, Teresa Murray.