THE man who fought West Devon and Torridge for the Tories at the last general election is to do battle again.
More than 200 Conservative members at a selection meeting in Merton's Clinton Hall last Thursday gave their overwhelming backing to 42-year-old barrister Geoffrey Cox.
He was selected from a three-strong shortlist, drawn up from an original 28 applications to fight the seat for the Tories.
Conservative association chairman James McInnes said: 'I'm very pleased that we went through a rigorous selection process and had three very good
candidates to put before the membership.
'Geoffrey received overwhelming support from the members to continue the excellent beginnings made over the last two years.
'We are delighted that he and his wife, Jeanie, have made West Devon and Torridge their family home and have become such a well known part of our community.'
Mr Cox said he was proud to have been selected again as the prospective parliamentary candidate.
He said: 'I am totally committed to carrying on the work we began over two years ago and to tackling the many problems we face in our part of Devon.
"I would like to say a very big thank you to the members for renewing their trust in me.'
Mr Cox, who lives with his family at Lamerton, fought West Devon and Torridge at last year's general election. He polled 40 per cent of the vote, just under 1.200 votes behind the sitting MP, Liberal Democrat John Burnett.
Mr Burnett's majority was reduced but both he and Mr Cox increased their party's share of the vote.
The unsuccessful candidates at last week's Conservative selection meeting were Mark Holdsworth, from Sussex, who fought a Glasgow seat for the Tories in the 1997 election, and Christopher Lewis, of Paignton.