Peter Heaton-Jones selected as Conservative Party's parliamentary candidate for North Devon

A FORMER BBC journalist who currently sits on Swindon Borough Council has been nominated as the Conservative party's candidate for North Devon at the next general election.

Peter Heaton-Jones, who has presented the news on BBC Radio Essex, 5 Live and BBC Swindon, will stand against current North Devon MP Nick Harvey in the election, which will take place in 2015.

Mr Heaton-Jones, who was also head of marketing at Australian radio station ABC, was selected by local Conservative party members after a three week interview process.

The 49-year-old, who was born in Surrey, was one of seven candidates chosen by three local members who travelled to London to review an extensive pile of CVs of people who wished to be considered for the role.

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Those seven then travelled to North Devon last weekend and were whittled down to just four candidates. And those four remaining candidates returned again on Saturday, when Mr Heaton-Jones was selected as the candidate by around 70 local Conservatives.

Councillor Des Brailey, the Conservative former leader of North Devon Council, said he was pleased with the decision.

"They were all good candidates," said Mr Brailey, "and any one of them could have been a good candidate.

"But I'm happy the right choice has been made and I'm confident Peter will do very well."

Mr Heaton-Jones said he was delighted to have been selected.

“It’s a big honour,” he said. “I’m really pleased to have come out on top.

“I’m determined to win and the work starts right now."