Not an auspicious day to announce the Tory candidate to contest the new Exmouth & East Exeter as the LibDems win Somerton & Frome taking 55% of vote. Tories share of vote crashes to 26%.

In retrospect was Simon Jupp’s chicken run towards LibDem country wise? Out of the frying pan into the fire?

Owl understands there was a short list of three: David Reed, a former Marine; Cllr Sophie Richards and Toby Williams who once worked for Hugo Swire.

Which prompted this wry commiseration to Sophie4Devon: