The constituency of Gillingham and Rainham is in North Kent and includes the communities of Hempstead, Parkwood, Twydall, Watling and Wigmore.

The towns form part of the Medway unitary authority, which also includes Rochester, Strood and Chatham.

Gillingham and Rainham have strong naval and military ties, and the Royal Engineers have been based in Medway for more than 200 years.

Gillingham is also famous for being the birth place of Will Adams, who was the first British sailor to travel to Japan in 1598, and it is the home of the Gillingham Football Club.