In this period of rebellion in the ballot box, the incumbent East Devon Member of Parliament may be expecting to have a battle on his hands at the next election, less than twelve months’ from now  (May 2015). As signalled in our earlier post, one very popular, Independent, County and District Councillor, a signatory of the EDA Charter, has today declared her intention to stand against him, and others may of course follow ( We’ll keep you informed).  This was how Councillor Roger Giles, the long-standing and much respected District Councillor for Ottery St Mary, introduced her to the assembly in Sidmouth:

“A very warm welcome to everyone. Welcome to the Dissenters’ Room, which was provided by Annie Leigh Browne. Annie Leigh Bowne is a local heroine who not only gave Sidmouth the Byes and the Cottage Hospital, but was also a leading suffragist who successfully led the national campaign for women`s representation in local government, which was achieved in 1907.

A very appropriate location for the launch of Claire`s parliamentary campaign!

Many of you will know of all the fantastic work that Claire has done whilst she has been an East Devon District Councillor. She has been a beacon in the cause of openness and transparency and fairness at EDDC – often in the face of animosity and hostility from conservative party councillors.

One of her great successes was to expose the undue influence of East Devon Business Forum members on EDDC`s planning policies, and also the undue influence in their own members` planning applications. The Chairman of EDBF was former Councillor Graham Brown.

When Claire raised this matter at the EDDC meeting on 25 July 2012, she was accused by senior Conservative Councillors of:

“impugning integrity”; of engaging in “speculation, misinformation and
innuendo”; “debating through the media”; and making “scurrilous”
allegations.

There never has been an apology. Not even after the Daily Telegraph exposure of March 2013.

Claire has been amazingly energetic and persistent. Just look at some of the things she has done:

* Successfully campaigned to retain maternity services at Honiton Hospital

* Provided the first play park at West Hill

* Pressed for better protection for trees

* Fought against the Government relaxation of planning policy (NPPF)

* Vigorously opposed unnecessary and damaging levels of development on
greenfield sites in East Devon

* Got EDDC to allow recording of its meetings

* Pressed for the creation of a cycleway from Feniton to Ottery to Tipton to
Sidmouth on the disused railway line

* Regularly engaged with and sought the views of people, young and old

* Communicated extensively with electorate by various means, including the
extensive use of her excellent blog

* Opposed planned cuts to local services, and is currently fighting to save
Ottery`s youth centre, childrens centre, and library

* Pressed for openness and transparency in planning at EDDC, demanding
that planning committee members reveal if they have been lobbied

* Fought EDDC`s vanity project to relocate its offices at a cost of millions
of pounds of taxpayers money at a time when EDDC is slashing the
services it provides to the public
That is an amazing level of energy and determination.

Claire`s work was recognised by the electorate of the Ottery Rural ward in the Devon County Council elections of May 2013. She obtained 74% of the vote. She got the biggest vote; the biggest share of the vote; and the biggest majority of any councillor in the South West.

We know what you have done Claire – and we thank you for it.

And we are delighted to come here today to endorse your campaign to be the next Member of Parliament for East Devon.

Ladies and gentlemen I give you Claire Wright – our next MP.”

More comment, with photographs of today’s campaign launch at http://susiebond.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/cllr-claire-wright-launches-her-campaign-for-a-seat-at-westminster/