Exeter candidate standing elsewhere

He is hoping to be elected in Winchester as well

An Exeter Conservative election candidate is also hoping to be elected 100 miles away.

Harry Johnson-Hill is the Tories’ hopeful for Duryard & St James in next week’s Exeter City Council election.

However, he’s also seeking election to Winchester City Council’s Alresford & Itchen Valley ward, around a two-and-a-half-hour drive away.

The University of Exeter student is legally allowed to stand in both areas as he has separate home and term-time addresses, but one of his Exeter rivals has questioned the move.

Lib Dem Michael Mitchell, who hopes to be re-elected in the seat, told the Hampshire Chronicle: “From a personal point of view, what is disappointing is that none of this is explained to the electorate at either end and in effect it is a con on the electorate.

“How can you pretend to want to represent people in two different areas without having the decency to tell people that you’re standing in two different areas?”

David Blagden (Labour) and Simon Egan (Green) are also standing in Duryard & St James.

On their website, the Exeter Conservatives say Mr Johnson-Hill “has long been invested in the local community and will be an exciting new voice in Duryard & St James as well as the wider city.”

However, on a Tory election leaflet in Hampshire, he says: “I love living and working in Alresford and the Itchen Valley and I want to keep this area a great place to live, work and visit.”

Mr Johnson-Hill told DevonLive: “I have addresses in both Winchester and Exeter, and ties to both communities. I would of course welcome the opportunity to serve as a councillor and make important contributions for the community.

“Conservative representation is important at council level to hold the current administration to account.”

Mr Johnson-Hill and Exeter Conservatives group leader Anne Jobson have been asked for further comment.

A third of Exeter’s 39 seats are up for grabs on Thursday, in line with the usual cycle, with Labour, Conservatives, Greens and Liberal Democrats contesting every seat.

The council’s current makeup consists of Labour (25), Conservatives (5), Green (5), Liberal Democrats (2), Independent (2).