TORRIDGE and West Devon Labour Party have selected local man, Cllr Mike Sparling, to be their candidate in the General Election. Mike Sparling comes from near Tavistock. He currently represents Stoke Ward on Plymouth City Council. Mr Sparling said: 'It is a real privilege to be selected to stand for where I grew up. My family own a local waste business and I know just how important it is that we get people back into work.  'We have nine months until the General Election and in that time I will be working to give people in West Devon a viable alternative to choosing between two coalition parties who have let down West Devon.' David Brenton, chair of Torridge and West Devon Labour Party, said: 'We had a very high calibre field of candidates to choose from in this selection which goes to show how many people are turning to Labour to fight for their communities. 'Mike is a local man and we are all so proud we have someone from the area fighting to represent us in West Devon. The campaign starts here and it is going to be an intense nine months. The choice between the parties has never been starker and with Mike Sparling as our candidate I know that voters have a credible, local and energetic alternative to the Tories and the Lib Dems.' Mr Sparling works in travel and has stood in borough and county elections within the West Devon and Torridge constituency. He has worked in the constituency office of former Treasury minister Kitty Ussher and supported the work of various peers, including former Under Secretary of State for International Development, Rt Hon Lord George Foulkes of Cumnock PC.