The Conservative Party faces yet another 'Blue Wall' by-election challenge from the Liberal Democrats after Neil Parish resigned as the MP for Tiverton & Honiton for watching pornography in the House of Commons in April. Boris Johnson retained the Brexit-backing safe seat during his landslide 2019 General Election victory with a thumping majority of 24,239. Despite finishing in a distant third-place, Sir Ed Davey remains bullish about the Liberal Democrats' prospects.<\/p>\n
Sir Ed Davey said: The momentum is with the Liberal Democrats as we enter the final week of the campaign.<\/p>\n
People across Devon are sick of having a liar and law breaker as a Prime Minister, seeing their health services driven into the ground and farming communities neglected.<\/p>\n
On every visit Ive heard loud and clear that people are ready for change.<\/p>\n
This election is a choice between Boris Johnsons candidate and a committed, passionate and hard-working local champion in Richard Foord.<\/p>\n
The future of our country is hanging in the balance.<\/p>\n
This week Devons towns and villages can get rid of Boris Johnson once and for all.<\/p>\n
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Mr Johnson's political capital took a tumble late last year when partygate hit the headlines.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister has since been issued with a fixed penalty notice by the Metropolitan Police for attending a lockdown-breaking birthday bash when Covid-curbing restrictions were in place and even saw off 148 Tory rebels earlier this month in a confidence vote.<\/p>\n
However, an emboldened Sir Ed Davey will also be buoyed by findings from an internal opinion poll released yesterday which put his party neck-and-neck with the Conservatives on 45 percent.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the internal poll, a Liberal Democrat spokesperson toldExpress.co.uk: We are now level pegging with the Conservatives and it comes down to these final days.<\/p>\n
Voters are fed up with being taken for granted by the Conservatives and are rallying behind the Liberal Democrats.<\/p>\n
We are the only party that can beat Boris Johnson's candidate.<\/p>\n
We're fighting hard for every vote and to bring real change to Devon.<\/p>\n
Sir Ed Davey, who replaced Jo Swinson after the Liberal Democrats failed to land a blow in the 2019 election, has enjoyed previous success in the so-called 'Blue Wall'.<\/p>\n
The Kingston & Surbiton MP and ex-Environment Secretary won in true blue Chesham & Amersham and North Shropshire in 2021.<\/p>\n
The Liberal Democrats also made significant inroads in recent local election contests across England, including in nearby Somerset.<\/p>\n
However, while the South West was once a bedrock of English liberalism, the party has seen its number of MPs drop from 16 in 2005 to just one in 2019.<\/p>\n
But internal polling shared withExpress.co.ukhas suggested the Liberal Democrats could mount a comeback resulting from a sense of neglect in rural England.<\/p>\n
A Savanta ComRes survey found 43 percent of rural Conservative voters think Mr Johnson's party has taken rural communities for granted.<\/p>\n
Among all adults living in rural communities the number rises to 49 percent.<\/p>\n
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Many agricultural communities have even voiced concerns about the UK's post-Brexit trade deals with Australia and New Zealand, which the National Farmers' Union fears could undermine the market with cheaper and lower quality products.<\/p>\n
North East Hampshire MP and Trade Minister Ranil Jayawardena, who voted to leave the EU in 2016, claimed farmers need not be concerned.<\/p>\n
Speaking toExpress.co.uklast month, Mr Jayawardena said: I genuinely do not believe that British farmers need to fear.<\/p>\n
In fact, I see it as a huge opportunity for British farmers, not just for the opportunity to sell quality British beef, British lamb to Australia but as a gateway to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which of course we are in the ascension process to join.<\/p>\n
However, farmers are also worried about the Direct Payments system being replaced by an Environmental Land Management Scheme in 2027.<\/p>\n
The swing away from the Tory Party could also help explain why Tiverton's Conservative candidate Helen Hurford was jeered at a hustings held last week.<\/p>\n
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See the original post: <\/p>\n
Sir Ed Davey urges voters to boot Boris Johnson out of No10 ahead of Tiverton by-election - Express<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Conservative Party faces yet another 'Blue Wall' by-election challenge from the Liberal Democrats after Neil Parish resigned as the MP for Tiverton & Honiton for watching pornography in the House of Commons in April. Boris Johnson retained the Brexit-backing safe seat during his landslide 2019 General Election victory with a thumping majority of 24,239. Despite finishing in a distant third-place, Sir Ed Davey remains bullish about the Liberal Democrats' prospects Continue reading