More than half the Tory candidates in East Devon for the county elections on May 1 are describing themselves as “local Conservatives” rather than “Conservative party candidates”.

(It’s one of twelve Tory descriptions registered with the Electoral Commission)

A third of those describing themselves as “local” are clearly not.

Is the national Tory image that toxic than they feel they have to distance themselves from it? 

This attempted re-brand doesn’t convince Owl.

The leader among them is Ben Ingham. He’s been a Conservative; an Independent; an Independent who formed a coalition with the “Build.build, build” Conservative minority in EDDC; then he went back to the conservatives.

He lives on the Lympstone edge of Exmouth and is contesting the Seaton & Colyton division, so how can he possibly describe himself as a “Local Conservative”?

[Truth is there’s probably not much love for him in Exmouth party circles as he once took a pop at ousting that old stalwart Cllr Christine Channon for the Exmouth and Budleigh Coastal Division in 2021 but failed. Significantly he failed to be selected for either of the two seats in the Exmouth Division or the seat Christine Channon is vacating.]

Another “crosser of the aisle” is Stuart Hughes, a one time member of the “Monster Raving Loony” party and cabaret act. He is the councillor who, as DCC cabinet member for highways management, failed to fix the potholes when the sun was shining in 2021

He was a notorious member of the “Build, build, build” EDDC council (described as the “Blue Kremlin” in a Guardian article). In 1989 he formed the breakaway “Raving Loony Green Giant Party” and finally(?) defected to the Conservatives in 1997.

As Chair of EDDC he cancelled the May 2020 elections in a crude attempt to deny a democratic transfer of power as Ben Ingham’s coalition fell apart. This disgraceful attempt failed as did the recent attempt by the Tories in County to cancel the elections this May, 2025.

Then there is Jenny Brown of Honiton, also stressing her “local” credentials, yet set to contest Axminster.

Cunningly, the Tories added “Local Conservative” to their list of twelve descriptions registered with the electoral commission in 2019.

It’s all subterfuge. Tories  disguising  themselves as: “local people trying to do the best for their communities, after all local elections shouldn’t be about national politics”. Don’t be fooled by it.

Only two Conservatives in the rest of the county feel the need to use this description.

Here is the  list of Tory candidate in East Devon claiming to be “local”:

BROWN Jenny, Local Conservatives (Axminster)

TWISS Phil, Local Conservatives. (Feniton and Honiton)

CARTER Paul Richard, Local Conservatives (Otter Valley)

INGHAM Ben, Local Conservatives (Seaton and Colyton)

HUGHES Stuart, Local Conservatives. (Sidmouth)

CHUBB Iain, Local Conservatives (Whimple and Blackdown)