Tories choose Tunbridge Wells election candidate

Businessman Mr Mahapatra was born and brought up in Kent

The Conservatives have chosen their candidate to defend the Tunbridge Wells seat at the general election.

Kent-born Neil Mahapatra, 44, was one of three on a final shortlist.

Greg Clark has stood down from the seat after 19 years.

On Friday, broadcaster Iain Dale dropped his bid to become the new MP after comments he made about the town emerged.

The three shortlisted hopefuls went before about 100 members of the local Conservative association in Paddock Wood on Saturday, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Treasury adviser Simon Finkelstein and former Maidstone borough councillor Louise Brice were unsuccessful.

Businessman Mr Mahapatra was born and brought up in Leeds village, near Maidstone.

The Oxford graduate, who was president of the Oxford Union, received more than the required 50% of members’ votes to secure the candidacy.

Mr Mahapatra has said he is the son of two immigrant Kent doctors who believed education was the “platform for opportunity”.

The candidates so far for Tunbridge Wells are Neil Mahapatra (Conservative), Hugo Pound (Labour), Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat), John Gager (Reform UK), Hassan Kassan (Independent) and John Hurst (Green Party).