Ashford

Boundary changes: as the largest seat in Kent there was pressure to reduce the size of Ashford, with provisional proposals to remove three wards. Eventually just one ward, Saxon Shore, was moved to

Profile: Ashford is a large and rapidly growing Kentish town. Originally a market town, in the nineteenth century it became a railway hub and the site of the South Eastern Railway Company`s Railway works. The railway industry has remained important to the town since then – while the railworks finally closed in 1981, the town is now part of the High Speed Rail link to the Channel tunnel and the site of Ashford International Station.

The seat consists of the town of Ashford itself, the town of Tenterden and the small villages surrounding them. While there are areas of Labour strength around Ashford itself, the seat is reliably Conservative. For 24 years it was represented by the veteran journalist Bill Deedes.

Current MP: Damian Green(Conservative) born 1956, Barry. Educated at Reading School and Balliol College, Oxford. Married with 2 daughters. Former journalist and TV presenter prior to working in the Number 10 policy unit under John Major. Contested Brent East in 1992 before being elected to Ashford in 1997.Green is a leading figure on the left of the Conservative party, Chairman of Parliamentary Mainstream, and a Vice-President of the Tory Reform Group. Green served as shadow secretary of state for education under Iain Duncan Smith, but was demoted and resigned under Michael Howard. He was a surprising early backer of David Davis in the 2005 leadership contest and was appointed shadow minister for immigration by David Cameron (more information at They work for you)

2010 election candidates:
Damian Green(Conservative) born 1956, Barry. Educated at Reading School and Balliol College, Oxford. Married with 2 daughters. Former journalist and TV presenter prior to working in the Number 10 policy unit under John Major. Contested Brent East in 1992 before being elected to Ashford in 1997.Green is a leading figure on the left of the Conservative party, Chairman of Parliamentary Mainstream, and a Vice-President of the Tory Reform Group. Green served as shadow secretary of state for education under Iain Duncan Smith, but was demoted and resigned under Michael Howard. He was a surprising early backer of David Davis in the 2005 leadership contest and was appointed shadow minister for immigration by David Cameron (more information at They work for you)
Chris Clark (Labour) Born Maidstone. Educated at Maidstone Grammar and Kings College London. Works in the rail industry.
Chris Took (Liberal Democrat) born 1980, south Wales. Educated at University of Kent. Telesales supervisor. Canterbury councillor from 2003-2007. Contested Ashford in 2005.
Steve Campkin (Green) Born 1977, Ashford. Line runner.
Jeffrey Elenor (UKIP)