The big local news this week has been the decision by Derek Wyatt, our Labour MP, not to stand at the next election. He has been MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey since 1997, although he only held on in 2005 with a majority of 79. He has said it is for family reasons following his divorce and I think the fact that he has to defend a tiny majority against what looks like will be a nasty Conservative campaign was too much.
Like most MPs he got hit by the expenses scandal and his decision to take the second home allowance and not live in this area. He put his foot in it by saying this was because he found the commute from Sittingbourne to Westminster very exhausting. I quite agree, Derek, as I have been doing it for five years - as do hundreds of others!
By all accounts Derek Wyatt has been a good and hard working constituency MP, but unfortunately for him he has the word 'Labour' attached and hence is associated with our dire government.
On the eve of the county council elections, the Conservatives did a mail shot detailing Derek Wyatt's expenses - a rather unnecessary and negative attack in my opinion. The Tory candidate has promised not to claim the second home allowance - that will be interesting.
It is almost certain that the Conservative party will pick up this seat at the next election - then we in Sittingbourne will have a Tory borough council, a Tory county council and a Tory MP under a probable Tory government. Won't we be the lucky ones?
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