THE Torridge and Tavistock constituency’s sitting Conservative MP has confirmed that he is standing again at in the coming general election.

Lawyer Sir Geoffrey Cox has represented the constituency, formerly called Torridge and West Devon since 2005, when he won the seat with a majority of 24,992.

Announcing his decision to stand again, Sir Geoffrey said: “At this election, the country will face a straight choice between a Conservative Government that has navigated our economy through the most turbulent peacetime period since the Second World War, which is now turning the corner with the fastest growth in the G7 and lower inflation than the US and the EU, and, on the other hand, a Labour Government, with no clear plan and no convictions, that will take us back to square one in an increasingly uncertain and unstable world. 

He added: “There is no greater honour than to represent the people of Torridge and Tavistock as I have done for nearly 20 years and I am proud to have been selected again as the Conservative candidate for Torridge and Tavistock, where my children have been brought up and which has been my family home for a quarter of a century.”

A total of five candidates will be standing in the constituency in the poll on July 4.

The others are: Isabel Saxby (Labour), Phil Hutty (Lib Dem), Judy Maciejowska (Green), Andrew Jackson (Reform).

The Torridge constituency has had a name change since the last election, from Torridge and West Devon to Torridge and Tavistock. The constituency boundaries have changed slightly, with the southern wards of Burrator and Buckland Monachorum being transferred to the South West Devon constituency.

A General Election is to be held this summer, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced last Wednesday afternoon. Voters will go to the polls on Thursday, 4 July.

During his speech Mr Sunak said the last five years have seen the country fight through the most challenging times since World War Two with the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Europe, adding: “it’s easy to forget the scale of what we’ve been through.”