Under torrential rain Prime Minister Rishi Sunak started the six-week stopwatch for the general election that we now know will be held on July 4.

Parliament will be prorogued (suspended) on 24 May and dissolved on 30 May with the vote taking place 25 working days later.

This process was carried out in accordance with the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act, which in 2022 replaced the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011.

The South Hams is served by two constituencies: the newly renamed South Devon (formerly Totnes) and South West Devon.

There have also been some boundary changes designed to keep constituencies roughly the same size in terms of the number of voters with the Charterlands Ward of the South Hams joining South Devon and some streets in Paignton moving into the Torbay constituency.

If you currently live in the West Devon wards of Burrator and Buckland Monachorum, you will be voting for a Member of Parliament in South West Devon. This means Clearbrook, Milton Combe, Yelverton, Walkhampton, Horrabridge, Meavy, Crapstone and Dousland will move across.

The declared candidates so far are in South Devon Anthony Mangnall (Conservative), Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat), Robert Bagnall (Green) and Michael Bagley (Reform UK)

In South West Devon the candidates are Rebecca Smith (Conservative), Julian Brazil (Liberal Democrats), Georgia Nelson (Green) and Stephen Horner (Reform UK).

The Labour Party have so far fielded no candidates in either constituency.

Candidates have to get their nominations in 19 working days before an election..