Tessa Tucker has been selected as the Conservative Party candidate for Exeter with a promise to support local businesses, tackle transport chaos and campaign for more affordable housing for local people.
Tessa, 40, is married with three children. She is a Communications Consultant in the electric vehicle industry, having previously worked for defence company Babcock. She grew up in Weston-super-Mare and has lived and worked in and around Exeter for nearly 20 years.
She is campaigning to ‘Get Exeter Moving’ and end the near gridlock caused by the Labour-run Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC). Tessa is calling for the removal of all Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) until the community can be properly consulted. She has also raised concerns that the introduction of LTNs without proper community consent may be a step toward the imposition of policies like London’s deeply unpopular ULEZ in Exeter.
Following her selection, Tessa said: “I am thrilled and hugely honoured to be selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Exeter. I want to represent this great city because I am passionate about Exeter and will be a strong advocate for everyone who lives here.
“I refuse to stand by, and watch Labour take Exeter for granted any longer. The Labour-run city council is millions in debt, anti-social behaviour is rife, and people can’t move around without getting stuck in a traffic jam.
“Labour have also shown how little they care about local issues and local people by selecting a Parliamentary Candidate who is a Councillor in Hackney, London. In Hackney, the Labour administration introduced 17 LTNs across the area causing congestion and more pollution.
“I am worried about what it would mean for Exeter and our local economy if he were to bring Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ to our city, making it more expensive and even harder for people who live and work here to get around. The answer to tackling pollution and congestion in Exeter is better public transport, not further measures that punish residents.
“A thriving Exeter means a brighter future and more opportunities for everyone. I know what it is like to run a business in this city and am focused on growing our local economy by attracting new businesses, supporting existing enterprises and creating jobs.”
