South East · England · 74,301Boundary · 2023

Faversham & Mid Kent

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Dispatch
Apr 2026

A marginal seat — won by just 1,469 votes (3.2%) in 2024. Covers Maidstone, Faversham and Bearsted. Population 101,028.

Whately's most prominent recent controversy centres on her role as Shadow DWP Secretary, where comments linking ADHD, anxiety, and mental health conditions to benefits claims drew significant public backlash in late 2025 -- with critics accusing her of misrepresenting data to undermine disability welfare entitlements. She has continued this line of attack into 2026, generating sharply negative coverage. On the other side, she has been visibly active on local issues: launching a petition against housing targets in Faversham and Mid Kent, and welcoming a long-campaigned-for infrastructure investment at Blue Bell Hill.

A 99.7% party-line voter, Whately is effectively a loyalist -- but with one notable conscience deviation: in June 2025 she voted against her party majority on abortion, opposing a clause that would have required in-person medical consultations before women could receive abortion medication. Her voting record otherwise tracks Conservative opposition orthodoxy closely -- supporting Lords amendments to block Labour's Pension Schemes Bill powers and resisting changes to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Her stance profile shows strong opposition to employer NI increases and high alignment with parliamentary scrutiny, while sitting notably below her party average on climate action. Her 69% participation rate is below the Commons average.

336
Commons votes
This parliament
£30k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
74.3k
Electorate
2024 GE

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§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Whately’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.350 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Whately has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Taxation
84
Economy
64
Employment
37
Education
31
Crime & Policing
27
Pensions
21
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Crime and Policing Bill Report Stage: New Clause 10617 Jun 2025
No
§ 08The local picture.14 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
AbbeyCharles Alexander Gibson435Liberal
Bearsted DownswoodCiaran Dominic Oliver1,013Green Pa
Bearsted DownswoodDenis Charles Spooner1,021Conserva
Bearsted DownswoodVal Springett1,200Conserva
Boughton CourtenayAlastair Gould1,122Green Pa
Boughton CourtenayRich Lehmann1,123Green Pa
Boxley DownsStephen Roy Thompson810Green Pa
Boxley DownsVanessa Ann Jones1,026Independ
East DownsTerry Conrad Thompson423Green Pa
Harrietsham Lenham North DownsJanetta Sams1,515Independ
Harrietsham Lenham North DownsKathy Cox923Independ
Harrietsham Lenham North DownsTom Sams1,455Independ
Population (2021 Census)
101,028
Electorate 74,301 · 2024 register
Median income
£29,500
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
13.0%
England average 20.0%
Schools
50
38 primary · 5 secondary
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More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.