Dear Owl,  

I’ve read with interest your articles inEast Devon Watch regarding Exeter City Council elections being cancelled. I firmly believe that these elections must go ahead.

In my opinion, if any politician switches allegiances, a by-election should also automatically be triggered.  

The MP for Exmouth and Exeter East and different councillors in his constituency have also been critical of Exeter Labour wanting to cancel the planned city council elections. I’m rather cynical because they’ve been less vocal about the need to have by-elections in cases where councillors have “crossed the aisle” after their election. 

In September 2025, we read that the elected Reform UK Limited Devon County Councillor for Pinhoe and Mincinglake was expelled from his political party. 

On Devon County Council website, he’s now listed as Independent with no political grouping. 

But he appears to do the social media for Advance UK Limited – Exeter Branch and is critical of Exeter City Councillors. 

Perhaps he should call a by-election as he was NOT elected to be an Independent county councillor with political allegiances to Advance UK?  

In September 2025, we read that the elected Reform UK Limited Devon County Councillor for Wonford and St Loyes resigned from her political party.  

On Devon County Council website, she’s also listed as Independent with no political grouping. 

She hasn’t been vocal on social media about Exeter City Council elections being cancelled, but apparently she has had talks with Advance UK. Constituents might be grateful if she could call a by-election as she’s no longer a member of Reform UK Limited.  

In December 2025, we read that the Conservative Exeter City Councillor for St Loyes ward defected to Reform UK Limited. 

This councillor stood as a candidate for UKIP in 2015 and 2019 in this ward in Exeter City Council elections, but was unsuccessful in being elected. In 2023, she stood as a Conservative candidate and the former Conservative MP for East Devon posted pictures of them leafletting together. She was elected as the Conservative councillor for St Loyes in May 2023. 

Since her defection, on social media her Conservative MP for Exmouth and Exeter East hasn’t called for a by-election in this ward. However, he has been vocal about the Exeter City Council elections being cancelled. 

On social media, the Branch Chair of Exmouth and Exeter East Reform UK Limited, who is also a Devon County Councillor for Exmouth acknowledged the Exeter City Councillor for St Loyes defection but didn’t call for a by-election to be called for that ward. However, she has been critical of Labour Exeter City Councillors voting to cancel the local elections in May. 

In September 2025, Danny Kruger, MP for East Wiltshire defected from Conservatives to Reform UK Limited. Last week, Robert Jenrick, MP for Newark defected from Conservatives to Reform UK Limited. On Sunday, Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford defected from Conservatives to Reform UK. If the voters would have wanted a Reform UK Limited MP, they’d have voted for one. 

Here are the formal results for each of these three constituencies: 

Newark General Election – July 2024: 

East Wiltshire General Election – July 2024: 

Romford General Election – July 2024: 

By not calling a by-election, these MPs have little regard to their constituents.  

The Conservative MP for Exmouth and Exeter East hasn’t mentioned these defections on his social media.  However, the Conservative MP for Meriden and Solihull East has posted the petition for requesting by-elections to be called automatically when an MP defects. 

Please sign this petition if you believe that by-elections should be automatically triggered when MPs switch their political parties/allegiances.  

Yours sincerely,  

A cynical correspondent.