Sir Mel Stride · Conservative and Unionist Party
South West, England
: 75,385
Won by just 61 votes — a 0.1% margin.
MP News Approval i
+36
Mel Stride
Conservative and Unionist PartyThe Rt Hon Sir Mel Stride is the Conservative MP for Central Devon, and has been an MP continually since 6 May 2010. He currently undertakes the role of Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.
MPs voted on the Third Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill — the final Commons vote on whether to pass the assisted dying legislation in its amended form. Passing Third Reading sends the Bill to the House of Lords.
MPs voted on whether to give the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill its Second Reading, which would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to legally request assistance to end their lives under strict safeguards. This was a landmark free vote on one of the most ethically contested issues in recent parliamentary history.
MPs voted on whether to give the Tobacco and Vapes Bill its Second Reading, advancing legislation that would create a 'smoke-free generation' by progressively raising the legal age for buying tobacco so that anyone born after 2009 could never legally purchase cigarettes, while also cracking down on vaping among young people.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Central Devon has been mixed for Mel across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Labour has broken Britain and it's driven everyone hopping mad” — EXPRESS
“Jobless families on benefits handed £6k boost as tax bomb hits middle class” — AOL.com
A Con seat since 2010, held for 5 consecutive elections. Covers Okehampton, Crediton and Bovey Tracey. Population 99,652, notably older (median age 49 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 54% below the national average.
Landlady calls time at unique pub after 30 years
Devon Live · 8 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£27,700
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£36,900
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
5,715
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
55
44 primary, 3 secondary, 8 other
Total Income Tax▼
£290m
from 51,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,680
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£5,650
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
45.2
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
65.7%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 3 towns, 18 villages, rural areas — 94,929 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
38 councillors across 23 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashburton Buckfastleigh | Liberal Democrats | Jack Anthony Major | May 2024 |
| Bovey | Conservative and Unionist Party | Martin Phillip Smith | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Sally Angela Morgan | May 2023 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Staurt Webster | May 2023 | |
| Cadbury | Conservative and Unionist Party | Rhys Roberts | May 2023 |
| Chagford | Green Party of England and Wales | Jane Elliott | May 2023 |
| Chudleigh | Liberal Democrats | Richard Michael Keeling | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Suzanne Sanders | May 2023 | |
| Crediton Boniface | Liberal Democrats | Jim Cairney | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | John Morris Downes | May 2023 | |
| Crediton Lawrence | Liberal Democrats | Frank William Letch | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Guy Cochran | May 2023 | |
| Drewsteignton | Green Party of England and Wales | Steven William Guthrie | May 2023 |
| Exbourne | Conservative and Unionist Party | Louise Sacha Watts | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Mike Casbolt | May 2023 | |
| Hatherleigh | Conservative and Unionist Party | Patrick John Derek Kimber | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Samantha Jane Wakeham | May 2023 | |
| Haytor | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Robert Howard Steemson | May 2023 |
| Kenn Valley | Liberal Democrats | Charles John Sinclair Nuttall | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | John Humphrey Parrott | May 2023 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Kevin Andrew Lake | May 2023 | |
| Moretonhampstead | Liberal Democrats | John Farrand-Rogers | May 2023 |
| Okehampton North | Liberal Democrats | George Dexter | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Kevin Ball | May 2023 | |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Tony Leech | May 2023 | |
| Okehampton South | Green Party of England and Wales | Malcolm William Calder | May 2023 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Paul Richard Vachon | May 2023 | |
| Sandford Creedy | Green Party of England and Wales | Helen Marie Tuffin | May 2023 |
| Green Party of England and Wales | Mark Jenkins | May 2023 | |
| Silverton | Liberal Democrats | Josh Wright | May 2023 |
| South Tawton | Green Party of England and Wales | Lynn Christine Daniel | May 2023 |
| Taw Vale | Liberal Democrats | Steve Keable | May 2023 |
| Teign Valley | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Swain | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Stephen John Kinross Purser | May 2023 | |
| Upper Yeo Taw | Liberal Democrats | Alex White | Mar 2024 |
| Way | Conservative and Unionist Party | Polly Colthorpe | May 2023 |
| Yeo | Conservative and Unionist Party | Martin David Binks | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Sandy Chenore | May 2023 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 16,831 | 31.5% |
| Lab | 16,770 | 31.4% | |
| LD | 8,232 | 15.4% | |
| Ref | 7,784 | 14.6% | |
| Green | 3,338 | 6.3% | |
| Ind | 477 | 0.9% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 32,095 | 55.3% |
| Lab | 14,374 | 24.8% | |
| LD | 8,770 | 15.1% | |
| Green | 2,833 | 4.9% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 31,278 | 54.1% |
| Lab | 15,598 | 27.0% | |
| LD | 6,770 | 11.7% | |
| Green | 1,531 | 2.6% | |
| Ind | 1,326 | 2.3% | |
| Ind | 871 | 1.5% | |
| Ind | 470 | 0.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 28,436 | 52.2% |
| Ind | 7,171 | 13.2% | |
| Lab | 6,985 | 12.8% | |
| LD | 6,643 | 12.2% | |
| Green | 4,866 | 8.9% | |
| Ind | 347 | 0.6% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 27,737 | 51.5% |
| LD | 18,507 | 34.4% | |
| Lab | 3,715 | 6.9% | |
| Ind | 2,870 | 5.3% | |
| Green | 1,044 | 1.9% |
Mel Stride appeared in 13 national articles across 3 topics (14 Apr 2026 – 15 Apr 2026)
Mixed (+0.29)Ranked #19 of 286 MPs mentioned in national coverage
Effectively criticises government economic performance and positioning Conservatives as alternative, though limited personal political achievement highlighted.
Stride effectively uses the IMF downgrade to attack the government's economic record, presenting the Conservative opposition as offering scrutiny and alternative direction.
The article includes his opposition criticism blaming Reeves' policies for high inflation and economic difficulties, positioning the Conservatives as critics of the government's economic record.
Stride is presented effectively criticizing government economic management, though as opposition his comments are expected political attack rather than demonstrating personal achievement.
Stride is quoted making opposition criticism but plays no substantive role in the economic developments being reported.
19 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Sandy Wonnacott, landlady of The Three Little Pigs pub in Crediton for 30 years, is selling the business to national brewery chain Punch. The quirky local pub, which recently won community support against council action on outdoor seating, represents the end of an era for this well-loved Devon establishment.
Teignbridge Council is establishing the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CaRF) to help local families facing financial hardship, replacing earlier support schemes that ended in March. The fund will direct government money to low-income households experiencing unexpected expenses or income drops, with particular concern about rural communities affected by soaring heating oil prices.
An opinion piece criticising Labour's economic policies and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, citing rising costs and tax increases as evidence of governmental failure. Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride is quoted attacking the government's fiscal choices, particularly regarding council tax and 'stealth taxes' in April.
The Conservative Party, led by Kemi Badenoch, has criticised the government's decision to lift the two-child benefit cap, warning that it will cost £3.5 billion and be funded by tax increases on working families. Central Devon's MP Sir Mel Stride, as Shadow Chancellor, has voiced opposition to the policy, arguing it represents unfair 'benefits payday' funded by struggling workers.
Labour has lifted the two-child cap on benefits, providing £6,000 annually to 186,000 workless households, funded by tax increases on middle-class families including stealth taxes and rising council/utility bills. Sir Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor and Central Devon's MP, has written an opinion piece criticising the policy as unfair and unaffordable.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is holding a press conference to address cost of living concerns amid rising fuel and energy prices triggered by Middle East tensions. The article discusses government support measures, including a £117 energy bill reduction, but forecasts significant price cap increases later in the year, with Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride calling for Conservative energy policies.
A man from Chudleigh was sentenced to an additional 18 months in prison for making 17 phone calls to his ex-partner from Erlestoke Prison in Wiltshire, breaching a restraining order. The case highlights failures in prison security protocols and was heard at Exeter Crown Court, with the judge criticizing the prison's inability to prevent the calls.
Promise School in Okehampton, which teaches children with special educational needs, has reopened across three temporary sites one month after a devastating fire destroyed the original building on 22 February. All 85 pupils have resumed learning in converted spaces at Okehampton College, Wardhayes Sixth Form Centre, and Okehampton Primary School, with staff praising the temporary arrangements and community support.
A new endurance running event, the Dartmoor Beast, is launching in September 2026 on Dartmoor, offering 20-mile and 14-mile trail routes starting from Okehampton. The event raises funds for Hospiscare, a Devon charity providing end-of-life care across Exeter, central and east Devon, including North Dartmoor.
The article reports that over 33,000 hospitality businesses closed in the 15 months following Chancellor Rachel Reeves' October 2024 Budget, with Sir Mel Stride (the MP for Central Devon and Tory shadow Chancellor) criticising Labour's economic policies for stagnant growth and increased borrowing. Stride argues the closures demonstrate the damage of Labour's tax and spending policies independent of external factors like the Middle East conflict.
A seven-vehicle pile-up on the A380 near Ideford injured four people, with one hospitalised with serious injuries. The incident occurred during poor weather conditions and forced temporary road closures affecting traffic in the Newton Abbot area of Central Devon.
Dame Sarah Mullally, who was Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter from 2015, has been installed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. She brings extensive NHS and church reform experience to the historic role.
A 19-year-old agricultural contractor from Copplestone, Crediton in Devon died after being struck by a burst pipe while working at Brittledown Farm near Cheriton Bishop. An inquest hearing was opened on March 24 at Exeter County Hall, with a full inquest to follow at a later date.
A former Devon and Cornwall Police officer charged with child sexual assault offences died at his home in Ogwell, Devon, the day before his court appearance scheduled for Newton Abbot Magistrates' Court. The case has been withdrawn following his death, which is not being treated as suspicious.
A former Devon and Cornwall Police officer accused of indecently assaulting children has been found dead in Newton Abbot, resulting in the withdrawal of charges against him. The officer, Simon Knott, faced four charges relating to incidents between 1990 and 2013, but died before his scheduled court appearance.
A three-vehicle collision on the M5 northbound near Exeter caused significant traffic delays during rush hour on a weekday morning. No injuries were reported, but the incident disrupted commuter traffic in the Central Devon area.
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