Helen Whately · Conservative and Unionist Party
South East, England
: 74,301
Con held for 5 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+46
Helen Whately
Conservative and Unionist PartyHelen Whately is the Conservative MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, and has been an MP continually since 7 May 2015. She currently undertakes the role of Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
Vote on New Clause 106, which sought to require women to have an in-person medical consultation before receiving abortion medication, as a safety measure. This was debated alongside New Clause 1, which would have decriminalised abortion for women, making it a free vote on conscience issues around abortion law reform.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Faversham and Mid Kent has been mixed for Helen across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“'There's no way it will cope': Shock as busy junction upgrades axed” — Kent Online
“Green light for Blue Bell Hill improvements as part of £4BN investment” — Kent Online
Critical coverage
“Shadow DWP wet wipe Whately just attacked remote PIP assessments to shit on disabled people again” — The Canary
A marginal seat — won by just 1,469 votes (3.2%) in 2024. Covers Maidstone, Faversham and Bearsted. Population 101,028.
Truck driver admits killing Kennigton football coach in M20 crash
BBC · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£29,500
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£39,500
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
4,300
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
50
38 primary, 5 secondary, 7 other
Total Income Tax▼
£333m
from 52,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£3,000
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£6,370
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
42.8
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
59.1%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
2 citys, 1 large town, 5 towns, 3 villages, rural areas — 98,854 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
26 councillors across 14 wards · Last elections: Sept 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey | Liberal Democrats | Charles Alexander Gibson | Dec 2023 |
| Bearsted Downswood | Green Party of England and Wales | Ciaran Dominic Oliver | May 2024 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Denis Charles Spooner | May 2024 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Val Springett | May 2024 | |
| Boughton Courtenay | Green Party of England and Wales | Alastair Gould | May 2023 |
| Green Party of England and Wales | Rich Lehmann | May 2023 | |
| Boxley Downs | Green Party of England and Wales | Stephen Roy Thompson | May 2024 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Vanessa Ann Jones | May 2024 | |
| East Downs | Green Party of England and Wales | Terry Conrad Thompson | May 2023 |
| Harrietsham Lenham North Downs | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Janetta Sams | May 2024 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Kathy Cox | May 2024 | |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Tom Sams | May 2024 | |
| Park Wood Mangravet | Labour Party | Daniel Robert Wilkinson | May 2024 |
| Labour Party | Hilary Victoria Jenkins-Baldock | May 2024 | |
| Priory | Liberal Democrats | Alex Eyre | Sept 2024 |
| Senacre | Labour Party | Malcolm James McKay | May 2024 |
| Shepway | Labour Party | Joanna Lisa Wilkinson | May 2024 |
| Labour Party | Maureen Cleator | May 2024 | |
| Labour Party | Sarah Barwick | May 2024 | |
| St Anns | Labour Party | Carole Jackson | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Kieran Joseph Michael Golding | May 2023 | |
| Teynham Lynsted | Conservative and Unionist Party | Julien Peter Speed | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Lloyd Bowen | May 2023 | |
| Watling | Liberal Democrats | Ben J Martin | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Claire Martin | May 2023 | |
| West Downs | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Monique Bonney | May 2023 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 14,816 | 31.8% |
| Lab | 13,347 | 28.6% | |
| Ref | 9,884 | 21.2% | |
| Green | 4,218 | 9.1% | |
| LD | 4,158 | 8.9% | |
| Ind | 171 | 0.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 31,864 | 63.2% |
| Lab | 9,888 | 19.6% | |
| LD | 6,170 | 12.2% | |
| Green | 2,103 | 4.2% | |
| Ind | 369 | 0.7% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 30,390 | 61.1% |
| Lab | 12,977 | 26.1% | |
| LD | 3,249 | 6.5% | |
| Ind | 1,702 | 3.4% | |
| Green | 1,431 | 2.9% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Con | 24,895 | 54.4% |
| Ind | 8,243 | 18.0% | |
| Lab | 7,403 | 16.2% | |
| LD | 3,039 | 6.6% | |
| Green | 1,768 | 3.9% | |
| Ind | 297 | 0.7% | |
| Ind | 158 | 0.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Con | 26,250 | 56.2% | |
| LD | 9,162 | 19.6% | |
| Lab | 7,748 | 16.6% | |
| Ind | 1,722 | 3.7% | |
| Green | 890 | 1.9% | |
| Ind | 542 | 1.2% | |
| Ind | 398 | 0.8% |
Helen Whately has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
5 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
A truck driver has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving after a fatal M20 crash near Lenham, Kent in November 2025 killed football coach Arran McManus. The incident has impacted the local Kennington Football Club community.
Road closures on Bearsted Road near Maidstone are occurring as part of a £10.8m junction improvement scheme that will expand the road to four lanes, add cycling infrastructure, and improve access to Newnham Court Shopping Village. The work is expected to continue until January 2025.
A fire broke out at a flat on Bensted Grove in Faversham on Tuesday evening, requiring two fire engines and emergency services. One person was treated for smoke inhalation and discharged at the scene.
Wild rabbits are disappearing from rural areas across Kent, possibly due to a deadly viral haemorrhagic disease (RHD2) that has caused some breeders to lose dozens or hundreds of rabbits. Animal welfare experts warn the disease spread could have cascading effects on the local food chain, potentially pushing predators like foxes towards domestic livestock.
Residents of Langley Park estate near Maidstone are being charged £70 each (totalling £33,000) for replacement trees that developer Taylor Wimpey was contractually obligated to plant and maintain under planning conditions. MP Helen Whately has intervened, describing the situation as an example of 'fleecehold' — where new-build residents face unfair charges — and has called a meeting to resolve the dispute.
A lifestyle article praising Faversham as an attractive commuter town, highlighting its affordable house prices (averaging £357,905), excellent rail links to London (30-minute frequency, 1 hour 17 minute journey), local amenities, and community attractions like the Hop Festival and Faversham Pools. The piece presents the town positively for those seeking rural living with urban accessibility.
A 49-year-old youth football coach from Rainham died by suicide after battling anxiety and depression, with an inquest finding he had been under stress from his family business role. The incident highlights mental health struggles in the local community and the tragic loss of a dedicated family man and community volunteer.
Reform UK's control of Kent County Council is being criticised as a 'horror show' with aggressive management, broken election promises on council tax cuts, and no tangible improvements for residents. The party's flagship Dolge efficiency project (inspired by Elon Musk's DOGE) has failed to deliver meaningful savings, and multiple councillors have quit, raising concerns about how a Reform government would govern nationally.
A train struck a tree near Faversham this morning, causing significant disruption to rail services between Faversham and Dover, and later also between Faversham and Ramsgate. Southeastern Railways initiated emergency response with replacement buses and alternative travel arrangements for affected passengers.
A major drug trafficking operation centred on Maidstone has been dismantled, with three Albanian nationals convicted of supplying cocaine across the area. The 'Vito Line' network was linked to approximately 100 cocaine deals, with the ringleaders sentenced to between 3.5 and 5 years in prison.
A 33-year-old man was arrested and charged after police discovered a cannabis farm with over 70 plants at a property in Greenhithe, which is within the Faversham and Mid Kent constituency. The suspect appeared in court and was remanded in custody pending trial.
A man was found with stab wounds on St Paul's Avenue in Faversham on March 5 and subsequently died in hospital on March 12. Police are investigating the incident with no arrests made so far.
A major cocaine distribution network called the 'Vito Line' operating in the Maidstone area was dismantled following the arrest of Albanian drug dealer Vitlum Hasanaj at Stansted Airport in June, with two brothers and an accomplice convicted and imprisoned for supplying Class A drugs connected to approximately 100 cocaine transactions.
The Stag pub in Maidstone has closed after its freeholder ended the tenant's lease, with the previous operator Lee Gaul facing criticism from police over assault reporting failures at another Kent pub. The freeholder is now seeking a new tenant for the 200+ year old establishment.
Ninety-five households at Sandling Park in Maidstone have been without water since Friday due to a damaged distribution pipe that the property management company Prime Property Management failed to address for four months. The MP Helen Grant has contacted the management company demanding urgent action, while residents criticise the slow response and inadequate water provision during the outage.
Planning officers have recommended approval for outline plans to build at least 370 homes on the edge of Faversham on London Road, including a care home, childcare facility, and commercial workspace. The application from Hallam Land has been objected to by Faversham Town Council, with a final decision expected in early April.
Maidstone Borough Council has appointed Cllr Paul Wilby to chair the Local Plan Steering Group responsible for producing the next Local Plan. The article discusses the complexity of the Local Plan process, which requires councils to plan 15 years ahead and review every five years, with Maidstone's process likely to be disrupted by upcoming local government reorganisation.
Swale Borough Council has ruled that a proposed 240-home housing development at Abbeyfields in Faversham—33% larger than a previously rejected 2023 scheme—is unlikely to require a formal Environmental Impact Assessment despite being only 200 metres from a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest. Local councillors and residents oppose the plans, arguing they prioritize development over environmental protection and local infrastructure concerns.
A trackside fire between Sittingbourne and Faversham caused major disruption to Southeastern rail services across East Kent, resulting in cancellations, delays of up to an hour, and replacement bus services. The incident directly affected rail commuters in the Faversham and Mid Kent constituency during afternoon rush hour.
Planned upgrades to Brenley Corner, a critical junction linking the A2, M2 and A299 near Faversham, have been axed from the government's Road Investment Strategy despite long-standing congestion issues. The cancellation is particularly significant as two major housing developments (2,500 homes at Duchy of Cornwall and 1,800 in Dunkirk) were approved on the assumption these upgrades would proceed, and now only a limited interim scheme by developers themselves will occur.
The government has approved Blue Bell Hill (A229) improvements as part of a £4 billion southeast roads investment programme, with Kent County Council committing to begin construction before March 2029. MP Helen Whately welcomed the decision, stating she has campaigned for years on this issue and called the upgrade essential given future housing development and the proposed Lower Thames Crossing.
A meningitis B outbreak centred on Canterbury has affected 29 people across Kent universities and London, with two deaths. Helen Whately MP comments on the need for government and UKHSA to assess outbreak risk and consider catch-up vaccination campaigns for young people.
An inspection of HMP Maidstone found the prison is well-led with improvements, but Home Office delays in deportation decisions are causing significant anxiety among inmates and undermining effective release planning. The facility, which specialises in housing foreign national prisoners, faces challenges including illicit drugs, poor infrastructure, and inconsistent interpretation services.
Article provides guidance on preparing for PIP (Personal Independence Payment) assessments, noting that remote assessments currently dominate but face-to-face assessments will increase from April. Helen Whately, shadow work and pensions spokesperson, questioned the low proportion of face-to-face assessments, prompting the DWP Minister's response detailing plans to increase in-person assessments from 5% to 30%.
Helen Whately, Shadow DWP Secretary, criticised remote PIP assessments on GB News, claiming higher approval rates constitute 'gaming the system'. The article challenges her analysis, arguing that higher remote approval rates reflect better accessibility for disabled people rather than fraud, and highlights that DWP approval rates have actually declined despite remote assessments.
A meningitis B outbreak in Kent has resulted in two deaths and 20 confirmed cases, prompting extended vaccinations across the region. Local MP Helen Whately confirmed one victim was a year 13 pupil from Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Faversham, and the article provides public health guidance on symptoms and prevention.
A House of Commons debate addressed the crisis of water supply constraints blocking housing development in Kent, particularly affecting Tonbridge and Malling. Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, highlighted that her constituency faces similar pressures with 20,000 homes planned but severe water shortages already causing outages, calling for the government to reconsider housing targets for rural areas.
Eleisha Skinner, a 21-year-old from Faversham who was crowned Miss Faversham in 2022, died in a tragic accident in January while at university in High Wycombe. Her family has launched fundraising efforts in her memory, raising over £7,000 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance and planning further charity challenges to honour her legacy and support the emergency services that assisted her.
This article reports on recent planning applications submitted across Swale, including proposals for holiday chalet upgrades, housing developments in Upchurch, and historic cottage restoration works in Throwley near Faversham. Multiple applications are listed across various locations within the constituency and surrounding areas.
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