A Thanet resident has organised a hustings event for the Kent County Council by-election in the Cliftonville electoral division taking place next week.
Nico Macdonald, who lives in Cliftonville, says he has organised the event to facilitate local democratic engagement. He said: “We need to discuss local issues and question those who seek to represent us and this is opportunity for us, the voters, to take responsibility for those to whom we will give political power.”
In 2024, Nico organised and chaired a successful hustings for the East Thanet Parliamentary constituency.
The poll for the division at Cliftonville, which also includes a section of Broadstairs, was sparked after the former council member for Cliftonville, Daniel Taylor, was jailed for 12 months for coercive behaviour towards his wife.
Candidates taking part or invited to take part are:
- Joanne Janet Bright, Labour Party (confirmed)
- Lucy Gray, Independent
- Charlie Leys, Conservative and Unionist Party
- Marc Lee Rattigan, Reform UK
- Dr Mo Shafaei, Liberal Democrats
- Rob Yates, Green Party (confirmed)
Charlie Leys has indicated he is not available and has been asked to share a 2-minute video for the introduction
Dr Mo Shafaei, Liberal Democrats, has indicated he is not available, and will be represented by the chair of Thanet Liberal Democrats Jeremy de Rose; Dr Shafaei has been asked to share a 2-minute video for the introduction
The hustings event will take place on the evening of Tuesday, 7 April, at 7pm at the ARK Cliftonville cultural space in Albion Road, and there is no cost to take part. Voters and local residents can attend on the evening, or register and submit questions in advance at: https://bit.ly/CliftonvilleElection2026
The focus of the event will be on hearing from the candidates, and asking them questions. Discussions may cover Kent County Council’s responsibilities and the broader challenges for the county; the candidates’ priorities and vision for the county; the candidates’ principles, and suitability for public office, and how they make decisions; and community and democratic issues.
Nico is keen to emphasise that the event is not affiliated with or underwritten by any organisation. He said: “I hope such debates can bring together the community in Cliftonville and beyond to inform and hold to account our political representatives.”
If you have any questions please email: [email protected]
Voting in the by-election will take place on Thursday, 9 April. To find your polling station, enter your postcode on the Thanet District Council Find my polling station page.
The result will be announced following the count on April 10.
I wouldn’t vote for Rob Yates (Green Party), as he was elected as a Labour Cllr and therefore has no respect for democracy.
I wouldn’t vote for Marc Lee Rattigan (Reform UK), as he was elected as a Conservative Cllr and therefore has no respect for democracy.
I wouldn’t vote for Joanne Janet Bright (Labour Party), as she refuses to publicly state whether or not she agrees with Mahmood’s proposed immigration reforms (and anyway, her old man is already a Cllr on two different Councils).
I wouldn’t vote for Charlie Leys (Conservative) as he’s a scruff. Have a shave – and buy a suit!
I wouldn’t vote for Dr Mo Shafaei (Liberal Democrats), for the simple reason that he appears to confuse the roles of District and County councils.
I wouldn’t vote for Lucy Gray (Independent), as I don’t actually live in Cliftonville. But if I did, she’d get my vote (probably!).
Peace & Love to All.
I agree on the party switching. It’s a huge turn off for voters. Just over six months ago Yates was proudly wearing a red rosette and was in the Labour Cabinet. Now we’re all expected to believe he has Green blood running through his veins because he knows Labour are totally cooked both locally and nationally ? At least with Rattigan there’s a closer ideology between the Tories and Reform.
So PC, you don’t live in Cliftonville and your support is already committed ,so no need to waste your time on a “hustings”, which is an 18th century convention but just up your retrograde mindset.
Rather than hustings or debates about matters that are nothing to do with local services, I just wish people would get off their backsides and vote.
From the vox pops prior to the start, I am not hopeful of a progressive candidate winning.
Do you live in Cliftonville?
No you don’t, yet somehow you expect us to believe your opinion counts more than mine.
Well, I do live in the Cliftonville Division so will be voting for my excellent fellow ward councillor, Joanne Bright.
Party loyalty aside, what don’t you like about Lucy Gray?
Probably that she isn’t a Tory pretending to be a socialist & would appear from her history to be the only person that is doing it mostly to actually make a difference for people, rather than for themselves.
As you say, two of them just jumped parties for their perceived personal benefit-not the first in Thanet of course, because the right have jumped from Tories to Tory Reform-supporting the same old Tory grifters that messed everything up since 2010 & the left have jumped from The Tory of this revolting incarnation of Labour to the Greens to find some socialism/decency that Keir (I admire Maggie) Starmer, Mandy the best pal of Epstein as he was paying him, Morgan (I can’t find my incriminating phone) McSweeney, Tim (not the guy from Home Improvements, but I look & behave like Sir Humphrey Appleby) Allan etc eradicated the last several years.
Liebour councillor votes for fellow Liebour councillor shocker
The Labour Party are undermining the rights of women and girls to have safe protected spaces. I would not vote for Labour who want men in womens toilets, who want men in womens changing rooms, who want men in womens sport, who want men in rape crisis centres.
A vote for Labour is not a vote for women.
I thought it was Labour who clarified the rules?
I for one think it’ll be fun to change the colours of politics, only to keep the same loathsome narcissists in control.
It would be nice to see an orange and teal striped party or one resembling old deck chairs.
No need for policies, just keep the lunches going.
A bit of a pointless exercise as the polls open Thursday morning. However, let’s clear up one point. The Tory/Reform thing about gender is a total lie. LABOUR supports the High Court that the definition of a woman is an adult human female with no Y chromosomes. This was the definition Richard Dawkins came out with over ten years ago and is scientifically correct. Having men who have been through the boys teenage growth spurt competing against women in sports like boxing, tae kwon do and rugby is not only unfair but potentially very dangerous- so let’s dispose of that canard. Reform and the Tories have always voted against funding women’s refuges, expanded childcare facilities and equal pay legislation so the idea,that these misogynistic bigots stand up for women + girls is a sick joke. This by-election is of course caused by a Reform member seriously maltreatment his partner!