Parties have been announcing their candidates for the Rainham Central by-election, amid suggestions the seat should have been left uncontested following the death of Cllr Mike O’Brien.

Voters in the ward will go to the polls on Thursday, November 3, exactly eight weeks after Cllr O’Brien lost his fight with cancer.

Former Ukip councillor Chris Irvine tweeted on Monday: “Given the sad circumstances, I’m surprised and disappointed other parties are fielding candidates for Cllr Mike O’Brien’s vacated seat.”

This was backed by former Labour activist Jon Primett, who left the party in 2014.

He tweeted: “Absolutely spot on. This should have been an uncontested seat out of respect for a great man and a great public servant.”

Rainham central councillor Barry Kemp (Con) said he was unsure if his late colleague and friend would have approved in similar circumstances, but said Cllr O’Brien loved an election.

He added: “He would have been ready for a fight. He was in his element during an election, he loved the cut and thrust of it.”

The Conservative candidate Janice Aldous has been chosen with the approval of Cllr O’Brien’s widow Sheila.

Mrs Aldous has lived in Rainham for 40 years and is a life-long Conservative supporter.

She said: “It is a great honour to be selected to follow Mike and continue with the excellent work he did in all his years on the council.”

Rainham Central councillor and MP Rehman Chishti said: “I’ve known Jan for many years.

“Mike and I had real pleasure in supporting Jan’s work in the community.”

Labour has selected Simon Allen, a freelance journalist from Gillingham with a background of working for the NHS, specialising in mental health for the prison service and in housing.

He has also worked for MPs and campaigned against fixed-odds betting terminals.

Medway Labour Group leader Cllr Vince Maple said:“Simon is an experienced community activist and that will serve him well as he represents Labour in this by-election.”

The Liberal Democrats have chosen Paul Chaplin, who ran as the party’s parliamentary candidate for Gillingham and Rainham in the 2015 election.

Paul was born in Gillingham and has lived in Medway all his life. He is on the governing body at Temple Mill part of the Howard Trust which includes Howard School. He has also been a governor at Robert Napier School for more than two years.

Mark Mencattelli is standing for Ukip. He was the candidate for Gillingham North in the 2015 local elections.

George Meegan will represent the Green Party. He previously stood as a Medway Independent Party candidate in the 2010 general election.

He said: “I am running for the Green Party for one reason: I recently became a grandfather and I want my granddaughter to experience the wonderful world that I have experienced. However I see a degraded and polluted planet."

Rainham is George’s current and childhood home, although he has travelled extensively during his life and career. He was educated at Meredale, Wakeley Road, and Orchard Street Schools.

Rainham Central is a Tory stronghold with all three candidates polling some of the highest number of votes in Medway Council’s 2015 elections.

It will be the second by-election in two weeks for council seats with voters in Strood South going to the polls on October 20 following the resignation of Ukip’s Catriona Brown-Reckless.