Voters have elected David Ekinsmyth (Liberal Democrat) as the Cornwall Councillor for the Illogan seat quit by former Conservative councillor Terry Wilkins after he was outed as falsly claiming he was awarded an MBE.

Mr Wilkins claimed he was the victim of an "elaborate and malicious hoax", by an “aggrieved ex-colleague”, and also , has admitted that a 'pending' degree from the Open University was also not true.

Mr Wilkins, a Cornwall councillor since 2009, hasd been using the title MBE in emails and his profile on the Cornwall Council included the false claim.

The results of the by election held on Thursday, 10 July were : David Raymond Ekinsmyth(Liberal Democrat) 277; Stephen Anthony Richardson (Mebyon Kernow The Party for Cornwall) 217; Adam Nicholas Philip Desmonde (The Conservative Party Candidate) 215; Clive Edward Polkinghorne (UK Independence Party (UKIP) 156; William Trevor Chalker ( Labour Party) 129; Paul Thomas Holmes ( Liberal Party In Cornwall) 121; Jacqueline Norma Merrick ( Green Party); 50 The turnout for the by election was 32.4%