A long-standing council figure has been selected as a party's candidate for the next general election.

Mike Baldock will stand for the Swale Independents (SIA) in a bid to become the next MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey following the forthcoming departure of longstanding Tory incumbent Gordon Henderson.

Currently Swale council deputy leader and representative for the Borden and Grove Park ward, cllr Baldock is also the Swale West representative on Kent County Council (KCC).

A spokesman for the SIA said "many people" approached the party to become the candidate but members voted "unanimously" for Cllr Baldock to be the chosen contender.

When asked how he felt about being selected, he said: "I am hugely honoured to have been asked to stand in this election by so many people.

"With the Tories having truly broken Britain since they took over in 2010, and with Keir Starmer offering no prospect of repairing it in any meaningful way, the people of Sittingbourne and Sheppey need a representative who will not get embroiled in party politics and petty power games, but who will focus on getting the best for local residents.

"That means no more housing targets foist upon Swale or indeed the rest of Kent.

"[Plus] proper infrastructure funding provided for the population we already have, including tackling the appalling shortage of doctors, proper skills training locally, and the recognition Kent is the Garden of England, not just the concrete backyard."

Cllr Baldock's time in office at Swale council has not been without its fair share of twists and turns.

Since first becoming elected for the borough in 2015, he served as leader for both the SIA and Swale council.

He became boss of the latter in 2022 when he took over from Roger Truelove under its rainbow coalition.

However, following another hung election result in May last year, where the SIA won the third most seats behind Labour and the Tories, Baldock was replaced by Cllr Tim Gibson (Lab, Roman) as council boss.

He instead took over the role of deputy council leader, where he remained until standing down on December 7.

However, just two weeks later, and in a sudden twist, he returned to the role.

Baldock insisted the Labour Group's position of "demanding complete control” of decision-making left him with no choice but to quit – before reneging on that decision.

The Wises Lane resident also remains chairman of the borough's planning committee.

The former UKIP representative has said more funding needs to be given to youth services in a bid to address a "constant undercurrent" of anti-social behaviour across Sittingbourne.

The SIA's selection of Baldock means the party is the sixth to announce its candidate for the Sittingbourne and Sheppey constituency.

In August, Frances Kneller, a 69-year-old managing director of a housing consultancy and property management company, was chosen to stand for the Liberal Democrats.

This was followed two months later by the Tories revealing former British and international swimmer, and existing Bromley councillor, Aisha Cuthbert, to be their choice.

Meanwhile, the Greens has revealed Rich Lehmann as their candidate, Reform has selected William Fotheringham-Bray, with Mad Mike Young standing again for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.

The current MP for the area is Gordon Henderson, who, having been in the role since 2010, is to step down once his term finishes.

Sittingbourne and Sheppey is one of 650 constituencies in the UK.

The UK’s next general election is scheduled to be held no later than January 24 2025.