The Liberal Democrats have put forward businessman Jai Singh as the party candidate for East Thanet.
The party says: “Jai has over 30 years’ business experience in helping small and mid-sized UK companies grow, advising them globally, not just while working for an international bank for a decade but, over the last 20 years, also in small advisory companies (including his own), to service clients strategically. Jai operated with limited budgets and resource constraints.
“He financed his education at the University of Pennsylvania with debt and scholarship, which he paid back over 10 years. As a married man, having raised two children, who are now in British universities, he understands the pains and challenges of parents in East Thanet trying to create a future for themselves and their children under tremendous budgetary constraints, disorganised local planning, and a cost-of-living crisis thrust upon them because of poorly managed foreign and energy policies.
“He witnessed the impact of Covid policy first hand, having to care for his mother, who was abroad, while not being able to travel to see her.
“It is this lived experience of Jai, his previous jobs, and business-friendly agenda, that he would bring to East Thanet as its MP.
“Specifically, he supports the reopening of Manston Airport, with a cargo-led strategy, as a regional hub; the rejuvenation of Ramsgate Port with private partnerships (stopping the losses accruing to an already impoverished Labour-led council: the savings can be used to improve other local services); the restoration of the Winter Garden as a nationally-recognised venue; the optimisation of the area’s business parks and trading estates, and new industries coming into East Thanet, whilst supporting the Liberal Democrat policy of lowering business rates and taxes for SMEs and entrepreneurs.
“All of this is part of creating higher-paying jobs and countering higher rents, particularly for young people, while we focus on ensuring we do not build over our farmland, and any new builds are affordable, and available to Thanet residents as a matter of priority.
“Jai has an interest in sport and culture. He has a sense of fairness and believes in inclusiveness and growth for all, which is seen in him having played representative county cricket in the over-50 championships (amongst the highest batting averages in 2022). He still plays league cricket when he can and is proud to be a member of the Lord’s Taverners, the charity that brings sport to disadvantaged and disabled children, providing aspiration and growth for a society facing unprecedented challenges, both in Thanet and throughout the nation.
“He speaks conversational Italian and can also speak Hindi, Urdu and Bengali.”
At the next Parliamentary General Election, the current South Thanet and North Thanet constituencies will no longer exist; the boundaries were updated by the Boundary Commission and the new constituencies will be known as the East Thanet constituency and the Herne Bay and Sandwich constituency.
Westbrook, Birchington, Garlinge, Thanet villages wards and Westgate form part of a Herne Bay and Sandwich County Constituency while East Thanet takes in Ramsgate, Broadstairs and most of Margate.
Other candidates for East Thanet are Polly Billington (Labour) Steve Roberts (Green) Helen Harrison (Conservative and Unionist Party) Reform- yet to be officially announced.
The General Election takes place on July 4.
You must register to vote before 11:59pm on Tuesday 18 June
You must apply for postal vote before 5pm on Wednesday 19 June
You must apply for proxy vote before 5pm on Wednesday 26 June
You must apply for free voter ID before 5pm on Wednesday 26 June
