North Thanet`s MP Sir Roger Gale, first elected to Parliament in June 1983, has been re-selected to fight the seat at the next General Election.
A general meeting of the North Thanet Conservative Association on Friday (September 22) decided unanimously and by secret ballot that the sitting Member should be invited to contest the seat again.
Sir Roger said: “I regard it as an honour to be invited to once again carry my Party’s standard into the next General Election, whenever that may be called. Do I anticipate an election in the near future or before 2022? No, I do not. Are we ready to fight an election whenever it may take place? Yes, most certainly we are!
“In today`s terms I am still relatively young, enjoy reasonable health and am as mentally agile as ever – although I accept that that latter point is a matter for individual interpretation!
“I have unfinished work to see though and projects to be brought to fruition in Herne Bay and in Thanet. We face, particularly, the restructuring of the healthcare in East Kent that is so vital to my constituents and that, if we are to get to where we need to be, is likely to be a protracted and expensive process that will require the political will to do what is right, not what is populist or expedient.
“We will also be facing the fall-out from the Brexit negotiations and I believe that those of us currently in the House have a duty, if allowed to do so, to see this through to a satisfactory conclusion.
“We have to create a United Kingdom in which our children and our grandchildren can live in safety, harmony and prosperity and in good health and I am pleased to be afforded the opportunity to be part of that process.”
Sir Roger also paid tribute to his wife, Suzy, who continues to work by his side.
He said:“ Suzy has been, and remains, a tower of strength . We are a partnership and together and with our team we shall continue to offer those that I have been elected to represent, the best possible service for the foreseeable future.”
The South Thanet meeting date has not yet been announced.
