Leader change for Devon’s Liberal Democrats after election surge

Devon’s Liberal Democrats have appointed Julian Brazil as their leader, marking a change atop the group after its election surge.

A vote at the weekend put Cllr Brazil (Kingsbridge) in charge of the party, which secured the most seats of any single group in the Devon County Council elections last week.

The Lib Dems tripled the number of seats they hold, after entering the election with nine and emerging with 27.

However, the party is short of an overall majority – which would have been 31 out of the total 60 seats – partly because of the significant performance by Reform UK, which is now the second largest party at County Hall with 18 seats.

The change means that Councillor Caroline Leaver (Barnstaple South), who took the reins of the county council’s Lib Dem group off Cllr Brazil in January last year, will no longer be heading the party.

Cllr Leaver said she was “so proud” to have led the party in Devon to such a “stunning increase” in councillors.

“It’s a huge achievement,” she said.

“A few weeks ago I decided that I would stand down as leader of the Lib Dems after the election, for a host of reasons, and have every confidence in our new leader in sorting out the mess at County Hall left after 16 years of Conservative rule.

“There are many longstanding and complex problems to address, which will require the whole council to work together to solve.”

Alongside Cllr Brazil, the deputy leader is now Councillor Paul Arnott (Seaton & Colyton), who is the leader of East Devon District Council.

“The decision about the leader and deputy leader was taken via a vote of group members and it was quite close, but we emerged victorious,” Cllr Brazil said.

Asked whether the party would adopt a formal tie-up with the Green Party, Cllr Brazil said that was something that was yet to be decided, but he felt the “mood music suggested there might not be a formal coalition or agreement”.

“But that is a decision for the group,” he added.

“It is slightly daunting [to become leader] but it is incredibly exciting and it’s why you come into politics, to make a difference and now we hope to do just that.”

Cllr Brazil said he and his party had a “massive challenge” given what he deemed a “protest” vote by some of the electorate.

“We have heard it and so we have got to step up and get on with the job,” he added.

At South Hams District Council, where Cllr Brazil is leader, the Lib Dems have an outright majority yet members of other parties hold cabinet posts.

Whether this will be replicated at Devon County Council now is uncertain.

Cllr Brazil said it would be his group that would decide who to appoint to which posts but that he would be “encouraging them to give as much responsibility to other parties as possible”.