The Sittingbourne and Sheppey Conservatives have officially launched their election campaign.

Tory candidate for the election, Gordon Henderson, gave a speech to fellow members at the top of the Conservative Club in Broadway, Sheerness, at 10am today (Wednesday).

He then headed over to the Conservative Club at Milton Regis to launch his campaign on the mainland at 1pm.

Supported by his wife Louise, Mr Henderson, who lost out in the 2005 election by just 79 votes, told the party that the forthcoming election is about trust and about change.

They then set off hundreds of blue balloons to signal the start of the party’s campaign trail, to cheers from the gathered crowd.

He was keen to stress that if elected, he will not be taking advantage of the MPs’ expenses system and will only be making legitimate claims.

He also said he will not have a second home in London but will commute like many constituents do.

As far as Mr Henderson is concerned, it is many of the older voters who are cynical and disillusioned and the younger people he speaks to are very engaged.

He said: “In their time, the older people will have had MPs who actually had honour and integrity and I think it has shocked them that so many MPs have let the side down.

“People who are 18 and voting for the first time will only remember a Labour government.

“From their point of a view, it’s a great opportunity for change.”

With a view to the Conservatives’ campaign, Mr Henderson said local people can expect a lot of hard work, and hopefully an exciting build up to the election.

Mr Henderson said: “I am working hard and I have been working hard for the last seven years to get our message over and it’s quite a positive message locally – it’s about cleaning up politics.

“I am determined that if I’m elected, those things I have said I will stick by.
“It’s very important that if someone says they are going to do something then they do it.

“I think it’s going to be a long tough campaign.”

Although he will be campaigning long and hard (in the 24 hours since the election was announced the Conservatives have delivered 15,000 leaflets to homes in Sheppey and Sittingbourne) Mr Henderson thinks many voters are influenced by national events.

He added: “I think my opponents and me can only do so much locally to influence the vote.

“I’m a realist and I know most people will go out and vote based on who they want to be their prime minister.

“The end message I’ve got is that if you want change, there’s only one candidate to vote for.”

Gordon Henderson, who said he hopes the campaign will be an exciting one, is competing for the Sittingbourne and Sheppey seat against UKIP’s Ian Davison, Labour’s Angela Harrison, Lib Dem’s Keith Nevols and Monster Raving Loony Mad Mike Young.

Sitting Labour MP Derek Wyatt is stepping down after 13 years.

Talking about his opponents, Mr Henderson said: “I think we are lucky this year compared with in 2005 in as much as the standard of all the candidates is actually very high.

“I have worked with Angela over many years on Swale council and I have a great deal of respect for her.

“One thing I will not be doing is bringing personalities into the election as it demeans politics.

“You won’t be seeing any negative campaigning from me.”