Local Conservative Party members will choose a new candidate for Tunbridge Wells after Greg Clark announced last week that he would be stepping down after 19 years as the town’s MP.

On Tuesday evening the LBC presenter Iain Dale said he was leaving his show to attempt to be selected to run for the Conservatives. He ran once before for the Tory party in Norfolk and lost.

Then on Friday (31st) morning Iain Dale announced on LBC that he had given up his bid to become one of the 3 candidates to go before local members. 

That followed the discovery of comments about Tunbridge Wells that Iain Dale made in one of his own podcasts two years ago that he “never liked the place” and “would happily live somewhere else”. He has lived in the area since 1997.

Speaking live to LBC on Friday morning, Iain Dale explained his past dissatisfaction with life in Tunbridge Wells by saying the main road from Pembury (where he lives) to the town had suffered constant traffic delays due to roadworks. A friend had also been mugged in the town.

Greg Clark’s decision not to compete in the July 4th General Election came as a surprise.

In his departure letter, Greg Clark said that he thought the time was now right to “hand the baton” to someone else, but gave no specific reason for his decision.

His letter continued: “To stand at the election involves a five-year commitment.” That statement was also true, though, in December 2022, when Greg Clark told me in a radio interview that he “absolutely” wanted to stay on and stand for election once again.

The local Conservative Party is now desperately trying to find a suitable alternative candidate before the nomination cut off date of Friday 7th June.

Conservative Central Office will send a list of 3 approved candidates to the local Conservative Association and a secret ballot of all local members at a special meeting will choose who will stand.

The Liberal Democrats were given a boost by the recent local council elections, which saw the party take overall control of Tunbridge Wells Borough.

The Liberal Democrat candidate to be the next Tunbridge Wells MP, Mike Martin (pictured below), said the decision of Greg Clark to step down reflects what we are seeing across the country.

Mike Martin continued: “The people who are most surprised by the election being called seem to be the Tory MPs and it is notable I think that Michael Gove, John Redwood – and now Greg Clark – are standing down in seats where the Liberal Democrats are the challengers to the Conservatives.”

Meanwhile, Labour’s parliamentary candidate Hugo Pound (pictured below) said he understood Greg Clark’s decision, stating: “He clearly is a much more moderate One Nation Tory than many of the others who have been in government – and who would be in government – if they were to win the next election.”

Hugo Pound said he hoped the Conservatives would now not bring in a candidate from outside the area, continuing: “What I would much rather see is another local candidate, like myself, who has lived here – in my case for 30 years..brought my children up here.  I think that is a better representation for Tunbridge Wells and what is needed now.”

There is more reaction on my Youtube channel:

The decision of the LBC presenter Iain Dale to throw his hat in the ring comes nine years after he lost as a Conservative General election candidate in the North Norfolk consituency.

Talking live on air on Tuesday 28th May, Iain Dale (pictured below) told his listeners: “You know how much politics means to me. And if you’ve listened for any length of time, you know I’ve always had two ambitions in life. One was to be a radio presenter and the other was to be an MP.

“Last time I tried, the electorate fought back, in quite a major way it has to be said. But now I am putting my hat in the ring again to be a candidate at the General Election.

“Whatever the result, I feel I can play a role in restoring trust and honesty in politics. There are no guarantees I will be selected, let alone elected, but I know that I would forever kick myself if I didn’t at least have a go.

“Even if you don’t share my politics, I hope at least that’s something you can respect.

“Now, under broadcast rules I could technically carry on presenting this show until Friday but I’m going to step aside now. It just feels the right thing to do.

“I want to thank everyone at LBC and Global for their support, friendship and love and for their understanding…

“Most of all, whoever you are, wherever you are in the world, however often you listen, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your loyalty, your calls, your messages and friendship over the last 15 years. This is the best job I have ever had.

“This won’t, I hope, be the last you hear of me on LBC, but for now that’s it. Thank you and goodbye.”

Iain joined LBC in 2010 and has presented four LBC General Election Night Shows, two American Presidential Election shows, the station’s Scottish and Brexit referendum night shows, as well as the station’s evening show.

Broadcast rules mean candidates in the General Election aren’t allowed to present radio shows.