A 32-year-old woman who works with disabled people has been selected by the Labour Party to fight West Devon and Torridge at the general election. Rebecca Richards, who fought the Okehampton ward for Labour in the county council elections four years ago, was chosen at a meeting in the town. Born and brought up in Heavitree, Exeter, she studied at the University of Keele, obtaining a degree in human resource management, industrial relations and education. She returned to Devon and bought a house in Okehampton five years ago. She said: ?I am delighted that the Labour Government has delivered so much for the people of West Devon and Torridge. Investment in local schools, the new hospital in Okehampton, the Sure Start programme in Bideford and the extension of Tavistock College show how our community has gained from a commitment of spending and investment on the things that really matter to all of us, health and education.? And she praised last week?s Government announcement on measures to help first-time buyers enter the housing market. ?The raft of new government measures announced by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will particularly help council and housing association tenants in West Devon and Torridge buy shares in their accommodation, whilst publicly-owned land could be made available to developers to build low-cost housing,? she said. Ms Richards, who is disabled and sometimes has to use an electric scooter, works as a mentor with disabled people in the south west. She was chair of the constituency Labour Party for four years and as prospective candidate succeeds David Brenton, of Bideford, who fought the seat four times. At the 2001 general election he polled 10.7% of the vote. The seat is held by Liberal Democrat John Burnett with a majority of 1,194. He is not seeking re-election.
