Ahead of a general election later in 2024, the political map will be redrawn by The Boundary Commission, as well as adding a new one, which happens once every three years on average, and can happen anywhere across the country.
The new constituency comprises of “the majority of the rural area of the Ashford local authority, as well as areas in the south of the Maidstone local authority, and in the east of the Tunbridge Wells local authority, to be called Weald of Kent.”
According to the Boundary Commission themselves:
“In formulating patterns of constituencies across England, we inevitably have to make choices. Parliament has set out a number of factors that we may take into account when formulating our recommendations. These are outlined in more detail in the first chapter, but include geographical considerations, boundaries of existing constituencies and local ties. As you would expect, we received many differing views on these factors.”
Kent is known to be a Conservative stronghold, with Labour only winning the Canterbury constituency twice in the last four years. It’s extremely likely the Weald, with the way the boundaries have been drawn, will follow suit and be another conservative landslide.
The Weald of Kent also changes surrounding electoral areas, such as making the Maidstone and Malling constituency much smaller, other redraws absorb the Chatham and Aylesford from the Medway electoral zone.
Ashford may not be a safe seat for the Conservatives however, despite being blue since its boundaries were redrawn in 1974.
Thanet is set to change its boundaries as well, much to the despair of Craig Mackinlay and Sir Roger Gale, the two existing MPs. Herne Bay and Sandwich will consist of a larger North Thanet, whilst East Thanet will contain Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate.