Tory youth star found dead at 21 was UK’S youngest councillor
Clarissa Slade was just 18 when she won council seat in the same year as her father and mother
BRITAIN’S youngest councillor – a Conservative youth leader who had a “bright future” in politics – has been found dead at her university accommodation.
Clarissa Slade, 21, who was 18 when she was elected to Mid Devon district council and to Tiverton town council, was found in bed by one of her housemates on Monday morning.
Her parents, who are also both Conservative councillors, are said to be in “shock” after her “unexplained” death.
Colin Slade, her father, said: “We are still pretty much in the dark as to the circumstances. She had a bright future ahead, she was very keen on politics and she was a very bright young councillor, the youngest in the country when she was elected.
“She was looking to possibly pursue a career in politics. She was very active in the Conservative Party.”
Ms Slade was a leading light in the Conservative youth movement and had been the chairman of Devon Conservative Future at the age of 16.
Her social media profiles contain photographs of her alongside Theresa May, Sajid Javid and Jacob Rees-mogg and she had been due to carry out work experience at the Westminster office of Neil Parish, her local Tiverton and Honiton MP. Police are treating her death as unexplained.
The third year classics student at Winchester University was born with a heart defect and though doctors had told her she could live a normal life, in recent weeks she had complained of pains and attended hospital. Doctors found no cause for alarm, it is understood.
Mr Slade said: “It is such a shock. She was due to come back to visit yesterday and the first thing we knew was when she was not on the train.”
Ms Slade was elected to Mid Devon District Council and Tiverton Town Council in May 2015 at the age of 18 years, 2 months, 1 week and 6 days – making her the youngest councillor in Britain at the time. Her mother, Elizabeth, was elected the same year and her father was re-elected.
Stephen Walford, the chief executive of Mid Devon district council, said: “This is clearly a great shock to everyone at the council and will affect all those who worked with Clarissa and the community she served.”
Clive Eginton, the council leader, said: “Clarissa worked hard for her residents... On the national stage she had also made her mark with her involvement in youth politics.”