Conservatives hold Canterbury in election win

By Sam Smith

On a very exciting election night, Tory MP Julian Brazier has retained his position as the incumbent MP for Canterbury. The Conservatives swept the board in regards to Kent, with every seat in the county now held by a Tory MP. Brazier, who has held his position since 1987, won the polls with 44% of the votes, gaining 22,050 in all. Although a larger overall number of votes than in 2005, it is also a smaller majority than last time.

Guy Voizey, the Lib Dem candidate, came second with 16,002 votes, an increase from the 10,059 they gained last time around. Coming last with a meagre 173 votes was Anne Belsey of the Money Reform Party.

After his victory, Brazier set out his priorities for the years ahead, saying "we need jobs here for young people, we have got to tackle anti-social behavior and social breakdown."

Julian Brazier was educated at Wellington College and won a scholarship in Mathematics to Oxford University. He worked for nine years with Charter Consolidated plc, doing economic research, corporate finance and as secretary to the executive directors. Brazier also served as an officer in the Territorial Army for thirteen years, six of them in Airborne forces. A practising Christian (R.C.), he is married to Katharine and they have three sons.

First elected as MP for Canterbury and Whitstable in 1987, Brazier's early campaigns ranged from woodland preservation to protecting intellectual property rights against government confiscation. Now, 23 years later, it is clear the people like having him as the man in charge of their county.

Click HERE to read more about Julian Brazier.