Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston loses seat after party switch

Sarah Wollaston

Sarah Wollaston was elected as a Conservative in 2017 but switched parties over Brexit

Former Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, who joined the Liberal Democrats earlier this year, has lost her Totnes seat.

It has been held by the Conservatives, with Anthony Mangnall elected.

Dr Wollaston was elected as a Tory in 2017 but switched allegiances to Change UK in February, before joining the Liberal Democrats in August.

Her agent, councillor John Birch, said she encountered "quite a lot of hostility" during the campaign.

He said one resident said he wanted to "see Sarah's head on a pike".

"I was completely shocked by what he said. It's just appalling," he added.

Dr Wollaston said she joined the Liberal Democrats because it was the best way for her to fight for the UK to remain in the EU.

She received 15,027 of the votes, which trailed the Conservatives on 27,751.

Elsewhere in the county, the Conservatives held East Devon - despite a BBC exit poll suggesting early on that Independent candidate Claire Wright was on track to break the 150-year Tory hold.

In Plymouth, Johnny Mercer was re-elected for a Conservative win in Plymouth Moor View while Labour held Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport with Luke Pollard re-elected. Gary Streeter was also re-elected in the South West Devon seat.

Kevin Foster held his Conservative seat in Torbay as did Newton Abbot's Anne Marie Morris and Torridge and West Devon's Geoffrey Cox.

In North Devon, Selaine Saxby became the first female MP to win the constituency's seat.

Labour's Ben Bradshaw held his seat in Exeter while Tiverton and Honiton and Central Devon saw their Conservative MPs re-elected.

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