(please note this is a Microsoft clip art cartoon of a sheriff, freely available for download throughout the world and is highly unlikely to be considered as threatening by any police force anywhere – if it is, best take it up with Microsoft – we are assured that no real guns were used in the drawing of this cartoon which depicts a cartoon gun with no real bang and no ability to hurt anyone at all anywhere and it has no connection whatsoever with any prophets anywhere)
We already knew that several Tory councillors have been “de-selected” from the East Devon Conservatives’ list of candidates for the May 7 election, for refusing to toe the party line.
Now we hear from several reliable sources that warning letters have also been sent to another group of cowering Conservatives telling them to “pull their socks up” – or else!
The bearer of this unwelcome news? None other than the weighty Phil “I’ve never whipped anyone in my life” Twiss.
Readers will remember that Cllr Twiss was widely ridiculed last year for complaining to the police that Independent Claire Wright had a comment on her blog calling for – yes!- a cull of East Devon Tories.
East Devon Watch 
We must assume from now to the Election all those Councilors will be under a lot of pressure now they are realizing their seats are all under threat, and are becoming nervous and panicky as this perhaps this is the first time of being in a Conservative Council, they are having such scathing criticism for so much complacency over this last year or so.
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Many of them will also be extremely complacent, believing that they will be re-elected in any event – their skins being so thick that they are oblivious to any criticism. Hopefully, their eyes will be opened the day after election day when they become ex-coucillors!
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This reply is for the benefit of Alec who seems a reasonable sort of bloke who deserves the truth, not lies from the fantasist imaginings from the author of this article.
There were just under to 80 people from a variety of ages and backgrounds wishing to be considered as Conservative candidates in this forthcoming EDDC elections who were then approved and subsequently selected by the respective Conservative branch members or Executive council/s ( Tiverton & Honiton Conservative Association or East Devon Conservative Association) with no part in this process being played by EDDC Conservative Group members so as to be fair, transparent and open to all candidates on a level playing field.
All candidates either new to the process or current sitting members are very clear from the start in that no ward the seat at EDDC should be regarded as “their property” and if there is an “over supply” of candidates in their preferred ward of choice they will each be interviewed, a vote taken and the candidate scoring the most votes selected to stand. Not all wards actually required a “run off”.
A number of sitting Conservative Councillors are retiring having done their bit and a very small number of sitting Councillors were not successful in the selection process described above. I prefer to use the word selected rather than de-selected as the ward seat each sitting Councillor has is only in their care for the duration of the council so how can you be de-selected from something that has come to an end? (A different process applies to sitting M.P.s. where this would be a more appropriate use of the word).
No sitting Councillors were de-selected for refusing to toe the party line (whatever that might mean in an East Devon context) and no warning letters/E Mail or any other form of communication have been sent to anyone them to “pull their socks up” (pause to dry the tears of laughter from my eyes!!). You or the author of the article should free to obtain a copy of any such letter or E Mail communication and publish anywhere you choose with names or other personal detail redacted that might identify them (which won’t of course happen as there aren’t any such communications).
Alec; get in touch direct if you want anything else, I don’t actually bite! (E Mail probably best as I am on the road quite a bit and details on the EDDC web site)
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Immaterial – all yesterday’s men and women!
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