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The future of Dungeness nuclear power station, remembering WWI veterans and judging the local sloe gin all feature in a busy week for Damian Collins in Folkestone and Hythe

Each week a different PPC provides us with an insight into life as a candidate and gives us a flavour of their own campaign and interests. If you are a candidate and are keen to be featured, please email Jonathan Isaby.

This week’s diary is written by Damian Collins, who was selected in July 2006 for Folkestone and Hythe, where Michael Howard is standing down at the general election and bequeathing a notional Conservative majority of 12,446 to Damian. A former political officer of the Bow Group, he contested Northampton North in 2005 and has worked in the advertising and communications industry for over a decade. He is married with two children and you can read more about him and his campaign on his blog. Here's his diary of the last seven days...

This week we have been battling with the elements in East Kent, but a week which started with thick snow on the ground across Folkestone and Hythe ended with a warming debate in the BBC South East studios.

The previous weekend we had had heavy snow, which had closed roads and made it difficult to get out. At home in Elham the temperature one morning was as low as minus 6 degrees Celsius, and my daughter Claudia's snowman was enjoying a longer than expected life in the garden.

Snow disruptions, particularly when they affect the Channel Tunnel, the car and lorry entrance for which is just outside Folkestone, can cause lots of problems. Lorries are 'Stacked' on the M20 motorway leading to complete closures between junctions. We have an urgent need for investment in the general road and rail freight infrastructure around the Tunnel and also the Port of Dover. I have written about this issue before on my blog.

However, the bad weather hadn't been enough to deter the contestants for the annual Romney Marsh Sloe Gin Competition at the Ship Inn in Dymchurch. I had been asked once more to join the panel of judges and on a blind tasting. The winner's cup went again to our local County Councillor, Willie Richardson, and the funds raised from the event went to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Dungeness appeal.

Willie has also been closely involved with one of the major issues which has recently affected the constituency: the future of Dungeness and the prospects for a new nuclear power station there. The Dungeness 'B' power station is due to come to the end of its operating life in 2018 and the site had been on the Government's shortlist for a new generation station to be built. However, following some questions raised by Natural England on the environmental impact of the new station on the shingle beds that form the Dungeness peninsular, the plan was dropped. This decision is still part of a consultation process that will close on 22nd February and there is considerable local support for a new power station which could create up to 2,000 local jobs. It could also supply more than enough clean energy to power the the whole of Kent.

Damian Collins runs campaign to remember WWI

The Sunday Express (article not online) features a non-partisan campaign by Damian Collins - the Tory candidate for the seat currently held by Michael Howard - to restore the Road of Remembrance to Folkestone harbour used by hundreds of thousands of soldiers in WWI.

This from the Facebook Group that marks the campaign:

"Step Short is a Folkestone based campaign group named after the command given to the hundreds of thousands of men who during the First World War marched down the Road of Remembrance to Folkestone harbour. The ‘Step Short’ group would like to see this Road restored to its former glory, and to provide a fitting memorial for all service personnel who passed through Folkestone – many of whom never returned.

The Group is bringing together residents, local historians, councillors and members of the creative community, all of whom share an interest in marking this important piece of history, and telling its story to new generations of people.

This project has added significance with the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War coming up in 2014.

Please do let us know if you would like to be involved with the project in anyway.

Step Short holds regular meetings in Folkestone to update people on the progress of the campaign, and all are welcome.

Please also let us know if you have any items of interest relating to Folkestone during the First World War."

Damian Collins selected for Folkestone & Hythe

About 300 local Tories have chosen Damian Collins for Folkestone & Hythe to replace Michael Howard as the Conservative candidate.

Laura Sandys led at the executive stage but was eliminated first last night.  Harriet Baldwin gave a very impressive performance but "her undoing", according to my source, "was that she couldn't commit to move to the area full time initially - she offered 3 days a week, which many members saw as an open invitation to the Lib Dems to depict her as a Londoner visiting the constituency to get votes rather then because she cared".  Harriet now moves on to the final selection at West Worcestershire.

ConservativeHome congratulates Damian - an A-lister and employee of M&C Saatchi.  Thanks to the hard work of Michael Howard over recent years - in turning the tide on the LibDem threat in F&H - Damian inherits one of the party's safest seats.

This just in from the Bow Group (11am, 14 July):

"One ex-Bow Group Officer hands over to another in Folkestone:

Michael Howard MP ex Chairman in 1970 hands over to Damian Collins Political Officer (2003).  This continues a long tradition of Bow Group officers getting into parliament. There have been about 50 Bow Group officers who have made it into parliament in the last 30 years including, Justine Greening, Tobias Ellwood, John Penrose, Peter Lilley,  Cheryl Gillian, Lord Howe, Lord Lamont, Lord Heseltine.  The recent crop of Bow Group officers now being tipped for the future include: Sam Gyimah (A-lister), Kwasi Kwarteng, Chris Philp and Charlotte Leslie."

West Worcestershire closes door on Howard Flight

Howard Flight's hopes of a return to Parliament have suffered a significant setback after West Worcestershire - a seat in which he has a home - turned his application down.

Mr Flight's inclusion on the A-list was seen as compensation for his expulsion as an MP before the last General Election but the chances of any seat selecting him must now be in doubt.  He was also rejected by a poll of ConservativeHome readers.

Mr Flight was, of course, 'expelled' by Michael Howard and Iain Dale reveals the three finalists for the former Tory leader's Folkestone & Hythe seat.  They are Harriett Baldwin, Laura Sandys and Damian Collins.

F&H shortlist is all A-list

ConservativeHome has learnt that Folkestone & Hythe Conservative Association (Tory majority of 11,680) has drawn up a shortlist of six in the race to succeed Michael Howard.  All six are A-listers:

1. Harriet Baldwin - fought Stockton North in 2005
2. Damian Collins - fought Northampton North in 2005
3. Chris Heaton-Harris - Eurosceptic MEP for the East Midlands *
4. Brandon Lewis - Leader of Brentwood Borough Council
5. Kulveer Ranger - Senior management consultant, who wrote about the A list here
6. Laura Sandys - Political consultant, involved with openDemocracy and the Centre for Defence Studies

* Selected for Daventry

Adam Rickitt seeks to succeed Michael Howard

Today's Kent on Sunday reveals that former soap star and gay icon Adam Rickitt hopes to succeed Michael Howard as Tory MP for Folkestone & Hythe.  At the last General Election Mr Howard doubled the seat's Tory majority to 11,680.

A F&H source told Kent on Sunday: "He's a very good-looking boy and anyone between the ages of 18 and 25 will find him deeply vote-able for."

The source also reveals that "a good sprinkling of councillors", "some local applicants" and "some quite high profile celebrity applicants" are also in the chase.   One of those local councillors is reportedly Julie Rook (an A-lister who has also been connected with Thanet South).

Constituency chairman Jonathan Holborow told KoS:

"We have received the list of applicants and there is now a sifting process.  Later in June there's a full executive council meeting at which the last six appear.  We hope to have it at the middle of July."

***

If you would like to report on this or any other constituency selection race please email [email protected].