Ramsgate Marina.  Just one of many beautiful South Thanet locations.

South Thanet is in East Kent and includes the towns of Broadstairs, Ramsgate, and Sandwich, and a number of villages of varying size including Minster, Ash and Wingham.

The largest employer is Pfizer but other significant employers include Sericol, SAGA, Grupo Antolin, Thorley Taverns and Manston Airport, which is owned by Infratil.

About 22% of South Thanet's population are retired.

80% of South Thanet is in the Thanet District Council area and 20% in the Dover District Council area. The whole constituency falls within Kent County Council.

A large part of the constituency receives support from the European Union via Objective II funding and support to industry from the UK Government because it is has tier 2 Assisted Area Status. The UK Government also gave about £10million through the Single Regeneration Budget to the area.

The main road to London is now of a very high standard although some local improvements (known as East Kent Access) on the outskirts of Ramsgate are needed to complete the project. Some of these improvements are already underway and the remaining work will begin in 2009.

Infratil now operates Manston Airport currently providing a largely freight service. Some limited passenger/holiday services began in May 2006.

The best rail journey time to London is about 1hr 45minutes, most services are around 2 hrs, and improving the rail-line and service is one of the Labour Party's highest priority campaign issues. The franchise for operating the rail service is now held by South Eastern Trains and they are contractually committed to operate a high speed service on the CTRL Domestic lines from the end of 2009. The Government has already ordered the new trains and they are currently under construction in Japan.

Check the following page for further information:

The political situation in South Thanet