Meet your candidates for North Devon

With the general election approaching on July 4, it's important to meet the candidates who could represent North Devon in Parliament.

Nigel James - Reform UK:

My name is Nigel James and I am standing for Parliament on behalf of Reform UK North Devon.

At the next general election the people of North Devon have a simple choice. 

Do they vote for change or do they vote for more of the same? Change is long overdue but that needn't mean choosing from the same old stagnant pool of career politicians and party place-men and women.

There is little difference between Labour and Conservative any longer, they have finally, and inevitably, met in the centre which is precisely where they want to be.

Indeed, Keir Starmer's only appeal to conservatives, from the platform at the Labour party conference, was vote for us because we won't be quite as ineffectual as them. 

Not much of a choice is it?

Reform will do what it says on the tin. 

It means real change. 

Common sense. 

It means saving Britain from crackpot wokeism, out of control spending, swingeing taxation, Net Zero madness, uncontrolled mass immigration, both legal and illegal, the interfering European Court of Human Rights and the cosy consensus on all of this which we see at Westminster today and which has cost us the real Brexit the majority of people voted for in this constituency

I have made my home in North Devon with my wife of 52 years, a family man who knows what it's like raise two children, both now in their forties.

I've been campaigning for over a year now, talking to people of North Devon on their doorsteps as well as involving myself in the local community from where I am seeing the challenges and the issues that concern them.

North Devon needs an MP who follows through on those issues rather than using their platform to campaign prolifically on a single issue. 

30 years in the motor trade in General Management and Aftersales for BMW where my customer care skills experience suits the role of solving problems in the wider aspect of constituency matters.

I've voted Conservative all my life, but I no longer recognise the party it once was, aswell as loosing any confidence that they would deliver  on what they say.

North Devon needs a bold representative who is returned to parliament to get results. 

Who is there to protect our rural and agricultural areas from rampant over-development? 

People are telling me that they have been let-down and have little confidence in any of the main parties. There is an alternative

If you really want a determined representative who believes in getting results, then put your cross next to Reform UK on polling day.

Selaine Saxby - Conservatives:

Having had the honour of being your MP since 2019 I am standing again to be your voice in Westminster.

I come from a family of teachers and my father was head of a large coastal comprehensive.

State school educated myself, with a first from Cambridge in Mathematics and Management Studies, I am passionate about ensuring all children have access to an excellent education. 

I went on to set up my own retail business and experienced the highs and lows a small business presents.

I started my political journey young.

As a child, I wrote to my local MP, and neighbour, Ian Gow about issues in my life.

I loved his detailed responses and commitment to his community – even those not old enough to vote.

I strive to replicate this in my responses to letters and questions from school children and students.

I was home the morning Ian was murdered by the IRA in July 1990.

I heard the car bomb go off; my father was with him when he died.

There is no doubt this event has shaped much of who I am, what I do and how seriously I take politics. 

Politics is a serious business; MPs are legislators who make life changing decisions and

complex legal changes. 

I work hard and would like us all to have serious conversations about policy and the future of our country and community.

I was an environmentalist before I was a Conservative. 

I have helped secure wins in how our bathing waters are tested, increased hedgerow regulation, highly protected marine areas designated into English waters, and banning numerous single use plastics.

Recently having joined the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee I am keen to get back to work there, supporting our farmers and improving our food security, alongside championing our precious environment.

Since 2019 when you elected me for the first time, I have helped deliver for North Devon. 54% of homes now have Gigabit Broadband, up from 3% in 2019. 

I helped secure millions in investment across North Devon in the Future High Street Fund and for the Ilfracombe Watersports Centre. 

Two new wards at North Devon Hospital and work now starting on the first phase of the Redevelopment.

Labour have said they will reassess all projects with capital expenditure, leaving this hard won battle for further redevelopment at risk without a Conservative government.

My team and I have dealt with over 38,000 pieces of casework, solving many issues for many people which involved writing over 10,000 letters and having logged over 65,000 emails.

My Puppy Smuggling Bill almost made it into law. 

If elected, I will of course fight to take this Bill forward to become law.

Yes, mistakes have been made nationally, and by me locally; we are all human, but I hope you will put your trust in me again on July 4th to continue the work I have started to make North Devon an even better place to live, work, and bring up a family.

Nicky Edward’s - Labour:

I’m Nicky Edwards, Labour’s candidate for North Devon. I’m honoured to stand as a Labour candidate in this election. It’s clear that the people of North Devon are ready for change after 14 years of Tory chaos. 

I’ve had a long career in communications, policy, and campaigning, working largely with charities and not-for-profit organisations. 

I am also a published author, and have written three novels. 

My key priorities for North Devon are: 

• Helping families hit by the cost-of-living crisis, which has been worsened by Tory mini-budget bungling. Labour’s first step in government will be to deliver economic stability with tough spending rules so we can grow our economy, making life more affordable and creating good jobs with a real living wage. 

• Establishing genuinely affordable homes for people in North Devon. Labour will deliver the biggest boost to affordable housing in a generation, and our plan includes investment in social and family housing with proper infrastructure. 

• Delivering clean power via Great British Energy, a publicly-owned energy company, that will lower bills, create jobs and help businesses to grow in North Devon, while boosting our energy independence. 

• Fixing the neglected NHS by delivering more NHS dentist, hospital and doctor appointments in North Devon.

• Giving our children the best start in life, by supporting a Labour government that will recruit 6,500 new teachers and deliver 100,000 new nursery places. 

Good water quality is hugely important to North Devon’s vital tourism industry, and to the health and well-being of people who like to enjoy our beautiful coastline.

Unacceptably, the Tories have turned a blind eye to illegal sewage dumping. Labour has pledged to put failing water companies under tough special measures to force them to clean up their toxic mess and protect people’s health.

I am motivated to stand in North Devon because I’ve seen first-hand the urgent need for change. People who live here have been badly let down by the Conservative Government over the last 14 years. 

If elected, I will be a strong voice for North Devon in Parliament and work together with other MPs in the South West to ensure that the needs of the region are addressed by the new Government. 

I will address the biggest challenges facing our community, including the cost-of-living crisis, lack of affordable housing, overstretched schools, unacceptably long NHS waiting lists, the need for clean water and sustainable, affordable energy. Labour has a long-term, serious plan to change Britain which will bring huge benefits to the people of North Devon. 

As your MP, I will be accountable to constituents at the ballot box. Between elections, I will welcome the scrutiny of local media and engage with public meetings and events in the constituency.

I also look forward to meeting with constituents and responding to their individual concerns, and view this as one of the most important parts of the job. 

Ian Roome - Liberal Democrats:

We all know that July’s general election is going to be crucial for North Devon and the UK. 

So it’s an honour for me to have been chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate for North Devon.

I love this area and feel lucky to have brought up my family here after being posted to Chivenor by the RAF in 1989. 

I’m a Yorkshireman who has made Barnstaple my home for the last 35 years, during which time I’ve served my community through work, local politics and fundraising.

I came here by chance but I’ve stayed here by choice.

I’m hoping to represent the people of North Devon in Westminster and to make their voices heard. 

Having worked in healthcare and housing, I understand the pressures that people face.

My number one priority is fixing the broken parts of our NHS. The NHS has been there at all the important times in my life. 

From the birth of my daughters to the death of my brother, NHS staff have always been there to help me through.

We nearly lost some of our hospital services here in North Devon six years ago, thanks to Conservative government cuts.

I was heartened at the way our community rallied behind the campaign to keep our hospital services here. 

Now, the health services seem to me to be in crisis once again. It’s time to fight for them again.

We will give everyone the right to see a GP within seven days, or within 24 hours if they urgently need to, with 8,000 more GPs to deliver on it.

The Lib Dems will guarantee access to an NHS dentist for everyone needing urgent and emergency care, ending DIY dentistry and ‘dental deserts’.

We will also improve early access to mental health services by establishing mental health hubs for young people in every community and introducing regular mental health check-ups at key points in people’s lives when they are most vulnerable to mental ill-health.

As part of our commitment to the NHS we will boost cancer survival rates and introduce a guarantee for 100% of patients to start treatment for cancer within 62 days from urgent referral.

The other key issue for me is the sewage being pumped into the area’s rivers and coast, this has to stop.

Nowhere is the Conservatives’ lack of care for the environment clearer than the national sewage scandal.

They are letting water company bosses get away with paying themselves millions of pounds in bonuses while dumping millions of tonnes of raw sewage into our rivers, lakes and coastal areas. 

Just one in seven of England’s rivers are in good ecological health, and every single one is below chemical pollution standards.

We can end the sewage scandal by transforming water companies into public benefit companies, banning bonuses for water bosses until discharges and leaks end, and replacing Ofwat with a tough new regulator with new powers to prevent sewage dumps.

For too long North Devon has been ignored and taken for granted, it really is time for change. 

Vote for me and I will be North Devon’s voice in Westminster, not Westminster’s voice in North Devon.

Cas Lay - Green:

I have grown up in North Devon. 

I’m 20 years old and I happily admit I’m new to politics.

Last year I ran for district council. 

A big part of that was about hope and particularly for young people who feel like they haven’t got any say in politics.

While some might see my lack of experience as an obstacle, others will see it as a benefit.

There’s a lot wrong with our political system, but one good thing is anyone can get involved in politics.

I’m the proof, and I hope other people will see me and be inspired to get involved themselves.

The Green Party’s elected politicians are not whipped to a party line. 

That means that if I am elected, I can make decisions based on conversations with those who live in the North Devon constituency.

The regions is filled with people who know their stuff around the issues affecting us – what works, what isn’t working, what could be done to improve things. 

I’m not going to pretend I have the answers, but I do intend to use my energy to ask questions that need asking.

In this campaign, the big thing for me is speaking up for people in North Devon who feel like they haven’t got a voice. 

Young people for sure.

They don’t feel represented AT ALL. 

But it’s not just young people, it’s people of all ages who feel let down by politicians.

Aside from this, three issues which I feel particularly passionate about are:

We all know that housing costs have gone haywire and the availability of cheap housing, to buy and rent, for locals is in short supply. 

That’s not healthy for our local economy or our communities. 

We need work harder to find real ‘affordable’ homes for local people and think more creatively about housing models that can help alleviate this issue.

I am not the only candidate who is talking about sea and river pollution in this campaign.

The Green Party supports taking utilities – like water - back into public ownership to provide more accountability. 

But in the short term we need to increase funding for testing and monitoring, penalising polluters and putting more profits into improving infrastructure.

I live next to a farm so I’m aware of some of the struggles farmers face – one farmer told me he spends almost as much time on paperwork as he does actually farming. 

The Green Party stands for promoting food security, strong local food chains and protection from corporate exploitation – issues farmers know all about.

These are tough times for everyone and many people feel paralysed by a sense of helplessness. 

The country is in a mess and North Devon has its issues. 

All the political parties will make promises about how they can solve things. 

There are no easy fixes, but working together, talking more and listening more would be a good start.

Steve Cotten - Independent:

"Parachute a Local Into Westminster"

I run a pub on Exmoor that is completely green, net zero and off grid – no mains electric, gas, water or phone and miles from the nearest neighbour. 

Most people know me for doing stunts and making jokes to attract customers but make no mistake I am totally serious about representing the voters of North Devon. 

I am one of the thousands of people who are completely fed up with politicians and all the political parties. 

If you feel like that, I am offering you a unique chance to make a protest against the system by electing a direct democracy representative.  

Unlike party candidates a direct democracy MP does not have to follow party policy (influenced by party donors from business, the unions, or millionaires).  

With modern technology it is quick and simple to ask voters directly for their instructions and guidance. 

This puts power into the hands of normal people where it belongs. 

Just think about the many common sense and local issues where all the parties ignore you. Vote for me and I will stop that in North Devon.

Obviously, the “experts” will say that ordinary people can’t understand complex issues, but this is not true. 

The widely validated theory of the “Wisdom of Crowds” argues against it and – anyway – most really complex issues do not have a scientifically provable right or wrong answer and everyday issues such as “should we repair potholes” can be decided by anyone. 

Unlike 85% of MPs, who have a degree, and a comfy middle-class life, I am one of the majority of voters who lead normal lives on a low income. 

That’s my best qualification. 

I also have a strong team behind me, and I listen to lots of people when forming my opinions. 

The North Devon Manifesto which is on my website: www.stevecotten.org.uk, is based on ideas given to me by voters. 

They include things like: a delivery tax on online shopping to spend on saving our town centres, a 1% tax on supermarket alcohol sales to subsidise the local pubs that our villages and towns are losing, a public transport rebate for (North Devon has no tubes, airports, ferry terminals, trams etc) so we need it to pay for private transport, and most of all, finding a way for local people to afford to live here, many of who do vital work in care, health, hospitality, retail and trades on scandalously low pay. 

We all know that none of the parties can be trusted. 

They have had more than enough chances to do something, and they haven’t. 

I realise people are scared to vote for independent candidates, but this is different.

No matter who North Devon chooses, Labour is coming to power, so you have a free vote. You have a chance to send a message to all the parties that they have let you down. Instead of staying at home or “spoiling your ballot paper”, why not vote for Steve Cotten?