Lib Dem candidate quits over Brexit row

Kirsten Johnson's comments were branded as 'disgraceful'

The Liberal Democrat candidate for North Devon has quit after getting involved in a Brexit storm.

In a recent interview, Dr Kirsten Johnson implied the area voted to leave the EU because people there are almost all white and don’t travel much.

She told BBC Radio 4: “Demographically it’s 98 per cent white, people aren’t exposed to people from other countries, they don’t travel a lot and I think there is a slight disconnect that North Devon being isolated, being rural and low income perhaps hasn’t appreciated the advantages of being in the European Union.” 

She says her words were interpreted in ways she didn’t intend, but the area's Conservative MP Peter Heaton-Jones called the comments “disgraceful”.

In her resignation statement, Dr Johnson said: "I am acutely aware that my comments in the recent Radio 4 interview caused offence, and I reiterate my sincere apologies. Whilst I have had many very good interviews, on this occasion I totally lost the thread of what I was saying, which was interpreted in ways that I certainly did not intend or believe about the people of North Devon."

The Lib Dems now need a new candidate to face Mr Heaton-Jones, whilst the Conservatives have to find people to stand for Exeter and East Devon.