Lib Dem’s prospective candidate resigns after ‘bigoted’ interview blunder

The Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for North Devon Dr Kirsten Johnson has resigned after Dr Johnson appeared to link North Devon’s ethnic demographic to its reason it voted for Brexit. UNN brought you these developments on Monday. Dr Johnson stated in her interview with BBC Radio 4’s the world This week. “Demographically it’s 98% white. We don’t have a lot of ethnic minorities living in North Devon. People aren’t exposed to people from other countries, they don’t travel a lot and so I think there is a slight disconnect that North Devon being isolated, being rural and being low income perhaps hasn’t appreciated the advantages of being in the European Union”. 

Dr Johnson apologised for her comments on Twitter. Dr Johnson said “I apologise for the offence my comments have caused. I misspoke and these comments do not reflect my views or that of my party”. The Brexit Party prospective parliamentary candidate Dawn Westcott has responded to these developments. Mrs Westcott stated in her blog “No political party should ‘think for the people’, or we are sailing into dangerous, undemocratic, authoritarian, ‘illiberal’ waters. In this country, democracy must prevail – it forms the very foundation of our society. One person, one vote. We have chosen to retain sovereignty, self-governance and control of our laws, borders, defences, trading and future. And that is what we must do”. It is clear that Mrs Westcott firmly rebuts Dr Johnson’s assumptions. 

It would also appear that Mrs Westcott appears passionate about North Devon and its constituents. When asked for comments by UNN on Monday Mrs Westcott said “One thing is for sure, people of North Devon are not thick, ignorant, racist, engaging in hate crimes, untravelled or unexposed to people from other countries. The imperious disdain and high-handed arrogance being shown to North Devonians by the Liberal Democrats is going down like the proverbial lead balloon.”

Mrs Westcott recognised that standing as a parliamentary candidate in 2019 was not for the thin-skinned, she emphasised the importance of freedom and democracy writing: “Standing as a PPC, especially in this current political climate, is not for the faint-hearted. But it’s also a critical time when we are standing up for our Freedom, Democracy and Future. Some political parties want to override all that and keep us entangled in an increasingly authoritarian, remote and controlling EU. The Brexit Party doesn’t and I don’t and I will continue to campaign with everyone else as strongly as I can to get us out and steer us towards a great future as a powerful, globally-outward thinking, friendly, democratic nation. Where there is acceptance and tolerance of everyone and we continue to unite people across the political, racial and social spectrums – not divide them.” 

Given the fact that the current incumbent Peter Heaton-Jones voted for Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement, it is looking likely that the voters of North Devon will get a clear choice at the next general election.

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