SOUTH Devon has been making history pioneering the primary selection system to select the next Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate.

And supporters have praised it as a great example of democracy.

The unique exercise in Parliamentary democracy will see the 69,000 voters in parts of Torbay and South Hams have the chance to choose who they want to fight their corner on the Tory side at the General Election.

On Saturday, the three finalists took to the stage to face 400 constituents in a hope they will be chosen to replace Totnes MP Anthony Steen.

After the meeting, hopefuls Nick Bye, Torbay's elected mayor; Cllr Sara Randall Johnson, who leads East Devon Council and Dr Sarah Wollaston, a GP in South Devon, all praised the primary system saying it had been a great way to better engage with people.

Veteran political analyst and Times columnist Matthew Parris and Heather Burwin, chairman of the Totnes Conservatives' Association, echoed their views.

After the meeting, Mr Parris said: "This idea of primaries is a good idea which should be promoted across all parties.

"It was interesting to see so many people, and not all were Conservatives, ask pertinent questions.

"Here are three strong candidates. I can imagine any one of them representing the Totnes constituency at Westminster."

Mrs Burwin added: "It went exceptionally well. I never thought it would go so smoothly.

"We will be reporting back to David Cameron as he has asked to be kept informed on how the open primary process went."

Ms Randall Johnson said: "I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was nice to have the opportunity to be heard by so many people and for them to ask me questions.

"I hope this process of open primaries will become the normal process for the other parties."

About engaging young people she added: "I think we ought to move into internet voting."

Dr Wollaston confessed that facing a large crowd had been daunting process.

She said: "I never expected to be selected and to get that far. It has been a huge learning process for me. I met some wonderful people.

"It was really daunting and I'm not sure I would have put myself forward if I had known it was going to be an open primary.

"I still think it went extremely well."

Nick Bye added: "It was a great experience. People have the choice between three great candidates. We all made some very interesting points.

"Of all the candidates, I'm the one with a political track record in this area. I have a profile a new candidate would find difficult to establish."

Ken Ritchie, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, welcomed the Conservatives' decision to give electors more say through a primary in Totnes, but warned that without a change in the electoral system primaries will do little to make the Government more accountable and parliament more representative.

He said: "If we want a parliament that better represents the electorate, which is a more effective debating chamber and which is better able to hold the Government to account, then we need a change in voting system. Primaries should not be a diversion from the reforms which are really needed."