WEST Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox has been unanimously re-selected to stand as the Conservative candidate for the area in the 2015 General Election.

The announcement came at a meeting last Friday for the local district and county council Conservative councillors, providing the opportunity for them to discuss issues of importance within their wards.

Mr Cox said: 'It is a great privilege to represent the people of Torridge and West Devon, and I am extremely grateful to the members of the Conservative Association for re-selecting me.

'The recently announced new deal for our schoolchildren, the campaign for assisted area status for a large part of Torridge that we are so close to achieving, the freezing of council tax, real improvements in pensions and the discount on our water bills in the South West, are some of the practical local help that the Government has delivered already.

'I am very much looking forward to working with the committed and hard working Conservative councillors across the area as we set our sights on May 2015.'

James Morrish, chairman of the Torridge and West Devon Conservative Association, said: 'Geoffrey is well known to local people as a caring and compassionate MP who will work with everyone and fights very hard for our communities here and at Westminster.

'The Association is delighted that he was unanimously selected by the members once again to stand to represent the constituency in parliament where he is a respected, experienced and strong voice for us.'