Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS
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G DE A C ZI E N MB E E – R FR ’S EE S O IN SI D
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West Kent College on ‘lockdown’ as man arrested for brandishing axe By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk
GIVING: Karen Collins (centre) and the Mayor’s Toy Appeal team need help to save Christmas for more than 200 children. P5
New poll gives Conservatives a clean sweep but shows swing to Lib Dems By Richard Williams ACCORDING to an influential poll the Tories are set to clean up across the region at the General Election. The only poll to accurately forecast the results of the 2017 General Election predicts that Conservative candidates will comfortably take Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks, Wealden and Maidstone and the Weald. The YouGov MRG poll commissioned by the Times national newspaper, models constituencies across the 632 seats in Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland) based on more than 100,000 interviews. While subsequent polls this week have shown a narrowing of Boris Johnson’s lead over the Labour Party, the MRG analysis shows Toies are on course to win a 68-seat majority on December 12 with 359 MPs, compared to
Labour’s 211, the SNP’s 43 and the Lib Dem’s 13. The model, which the pollsters admit does come with a large margin for error, shows Greg Clark will comfortably win in Tunbridge Wells next Thursday.
‘With Labour out of contention, Tunbridge Wells is a clear two-horse race’ Liberal Democrats It also suggests that Tom Tugendhat in Tonbridge & Malling is set to equal his 63 per cent of the vote from 2017, but with the Liberal Democrats [18 per cent] overtaking Labour [14 per cent] to come second. There is a similar picture in Wealden with Nus Ghani expected to take another 61 per cent – the same as she
managed in 2017 – with the Lib Dems [21 per cent] also overtaking Labour [14 per cent] for second. Helen Grant in Maidstone can expect to nearly equal her 2017 result by taking home 56 per cent of votes, while Laura Trott is expected to take Sevenoaks but not do as well as her predecessor, Michael Fallon, with his 63 per cent reduced to 55 per cent. In Tunbridge Wells, Greg Clark will also see his majority reduced. According to YouGov, Mr Clark is set to take 51 per cent share of the vote. This is down on his 2017 result of 57 per cent, which secured the Conservative a 16,495 majority. Based on the same turnout it would see the former cabinet minister still beat his nearest rival by around 12,000 votes.
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A MAN has been arrested after allegedly threatening a group of students with an axe outside West Kent College. The incident happened yesterday morning [Tuesday], when a man got out of a car outside the gates of the college on Brook Street, Tonbridge, brandishing an axe. A student at the scene told the Times: “West Kent was on lockdown this morning. “A man had an axe on the ground. I’m not sure if it was a student or someone trying to hurt a student. No one is said to be hurt, but a police riot van turned up.” She added: “Security went into panic mode, locking everyone in and not letting anyone else enter.” Police could not confirm whether the man was a student, parent or somebody else but a spokesman said: “Kent Police was called at 9.25am on December, 3 to reports of a disturbance in a car park at West Kent College, Tonbridge. “It is alleged a man got out of a vehicle and threatened a person with a weapon, described as resembling a small hand axe. Officers attended and at around 11.10am a 31-year-old man presented himself to a police station. “He was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and remains in custody.” West Kent issued a statement saying: “The incident was managed in accordance with the college procedures by the staff with the support of the police and no one was injured. The matter is now being handled by the police.”