This week polling company YouGov predicted that political independent Claire Wright will win the seat of Devon East which includes Exmouth, Sidmouth and parts of Exeter as well as Devon’s newest town of Cranbrook. The constituency has been Conservative since it was created in 1997.

Claire who stood for the first time in 2015 and came second has had a terrific campaign, she has been endorsed by Gina Miller’s Best for British campaign group as one of 25 key national political figures who can help stop extreme Brexit; she is the only Independent endorsed by Voting Site Tactical2017, her odds have steadily improved from 9/2 to 10/3 while her opponents’ have worsened and she is the only credible alternative to the Conservatives.

But it is out on the streets where her campaign has really taken off. Her crowd funding website has raised more than £12 000 in over 200 donations in less than four weeks, there are boards and posters and banners everywhere and people are coming up to Claire and her canvassers in the streets to wish her well. Her Facebook page is alive with support and encouragement and her army of 600 volunteers has been busy day and night to bring this home for Claire and the people of East Devon.

Claire has captured the mood of the moment – as the polls narrow nationally and the debate centres on health, education and elderly care Claire is here with a track record of working for people in local government, rather than relying on sound bites and hiding from the people as Prime Minister Theresa May has done.

The local conservative candidate Hugo Swire has been heavily criticised for being an absentee MP who has claimed (on his blog) that the role of MP isn’t a job and it is part time. This is costing him dear as many of his core voters look to Claire’s track record of action in the community.

Her appeal is broad and she has built a rainbow coalition with people from across the political spectrum getting behind her to send a strong message to politicians that if you want to represent us you must work for us.

Claire says:
“I’m over the moon at the level of support I’m getting and that the people of East Devon are realising they can be part of one of the biggest electoral upsets in UK history.

“On the streets of East Devon, in towns like Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton, there’s a real sense of excitement. People are coming up to me full of enthusiasm, asking for posters and boards to put up, taking copies of my manifesto to give to their friends. After a recent hustings in Exmouth dozens and dozens of people wanted to shake my hand. People are telling me they’re tired of the Tories, tired of attacks on pensioners, and angry with Hugo Swire’s complacency.

“I would love to have the chance to be MP for East Devon. I was born in Devon and I’ve lived in this constituency for most of my life. I love Ottery and East Devon and I want to take the voices of the people straight to Westminster. As an independent MP I won’t have to follow a ‘whip’ but I’ll be free to follow my conscience and that of my fellow Devonians.

The time for out of touch and arrogant tribal politics is over. Now more than ever people want someone honest and transparent and that is exactly what Claire is.

Claire is East Devon’s Macron, she isn’t tribal and she isn’t part of the party machine of either left or right.