EIGHT candidates are set to fight for the Clacton seat at the General Election on June 8.

The deadline for nominations was at 4pm today.

The candidates are: David Grace (Lib Dem), Nick Martin (Ind), Paul Oakley (Ukip), Tasha Osben (Lab), Caroline Shearer (Ind), Chris Southall (Green), Robin Tilbrook (English Democrats), Giles Watling (Con). 

Clacton will be electing a new MP after Douglas Carswell stepped down.

The former Conservative MP defected to Ukip in 2014 before quitting to become an independent in March.

He announced that he would not be seeking re-election after Prime Minister Theresa May called the snap election for June 8.

Conservative candidate Giles Watling, who is again standing for election, cut Mr Carswell’s majority from 12,404 votes at the Clacton by-election in 2014 to just 3,437 votes in 2015.

He is now the bookies’ favourite to win the Clacton seat.

London-based barrister and Ukip national executive committee member Paul Oakley was named as the party’s candidate on Tuesday.

His selection has upset some local Ukip members who wanted district councillor Jeff Bray as their candidate.

University researcher and political activist Natasha Osben will be standing for Labour.

The party previously won the Harwich Constituency, which then included Clacton, in 1997 and 2001.

Environmentalist Chris Southall will be standing for election in Clacton for the fourth time and is hoping to again increase his party’s popularity.

He increased the Green’s number of votes from 535 in the 2010 General Election to 1,184 votes in 2015.

Liberal Democrat candidate David Grace is hoping his party will bounce back after picking up just 812 votes two years ago.

Weapons awareness charity campaigner Caroline Shearer will be standing as an independent, as will 24-year-old finance graduate Nick Martin.

Also standing for election is the English Democrats' Robin Tilbrook, who will be campaigning for an independent England.