Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Exmouth & Exeter East

The Local Party Executive of Exmouth & Exeter East Liberal Democrats invite applications for selection as the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency of Exmouth & Exeter East.

Applications must be received by the Returning Officer no later than 9am on 12/3/2026.

To apply applicants must email the Returning Officer:

• Election Artwork (such as a political cv/manifesto) of no more than one side of A4 in PDF format, which will be used for the member mailing and e-ballot;
• Their contact details;
• A signed Candidate Statement & Diversity Form available here

Returning Officer: James Tattersall

Email: libdems@hobwood.com 

It is the responsibility of applicants to check that their applications have been received by the Returning Officer before the close of applications at 9am on 12/3/2026.

The draft Candidate Compact is available from the Returning Officer.

Exmouth and Exeter East represents one of the most exciting opportunities for the Liberal Democrats in the South West. The constituency, known by the Local Party as ‘EEE’, is made up largely of the old East Devon constituency, which covered the western parts of East Devon and much of the eastern fringe of Exeter; prior to the last General Election, it picked up an additional ward in Exeter, as well as rural Exe Valley, on top of a very significant amount of growth in existing areas on the edge of Exeter – including the first new town in Devon for a century.

The constituency is a vibrant mix of coastal beauty, pristine countryside, and large urban areas – with a commensurate diverse mix of political challenges. East Devon wards within the constituency are currently held mostly by Liberal Democrats since the May 2023 elections, having been dominated by the Conservatives for the majority of the last fifty years; Exeter wards are largely held by Labour councillors; and county council divisions largely by Reform following the May 2025 elections, which saw Labour wiped out in Exeter.

Following the 2024 General Election, the seat is a three-way marginal; we secured a powerful third-place finish with over 11,000 votes, sitting only three thousand behind a Conservative incumbent and Labour in an extremely close second, buoyed by their national success and particularly strong Labour votes in the Exeter wards and the new town of Cranbrook. The political climate is thus complicated – particularly with all-up elections in East Devon, and probably Exeter, due in May 2027 – but offers a significant opportunity to build on the 2024 result, pitching the party and its candidate as the credible anti-Reform choice.

Applicants may also contact Todd Olive libdemtodd@gmail.com for more information on the Local Party.

The selection rules are available here