I'M not a political person at all, I haven't got time," says campaigning hardware shop owner Liz Denton from Honiton. READ DEFRA INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTBULBS >>

I'M not a political person at all, I haven't got time," says campaigning hardware shop owner Liz Denton from Honiton.Yet she is so fired up by the support her petition to save the traditional 100 watt lightbulb has generated that she is now standing as the UK Independent Party's Honiton candidate in St Paul's ward, for the forthcoming Devon County Council elections.After manning her Bridport shop on Thursday she was off to The Knowle, Sidmouth, to collect a pack of information on standing as a candidate, and has the backing of UKIP's Tiverton and Honiton branch chairman, Tony McIntyre."Things have snowballed quite a bit. "I want to get to the bottom of it," said Liz, 47, of RKL Tools, High Street Honiton."I've done nothing political at all," she says, but describes herself as "gobby" and well able to put across her views.She claims, during a recent radio interview, she got Plymouth MP Alison Seabeck to admit energy saving lightbulbs cost more to run than 100 watt bulbs.Her lightbulb campaign began after an elderly customer complained she needed three energy saving bulbs on in place of one 100 watt one, to see her way to the bathroom at night."That seems wrong in this day and age that an 80-year-old can't switch a light on and get instant light. Are we saving the planet?As a retailer she has seen many EU regulations come in relating to what people can and cannot buy, including creosote."It is health and safety gone crazy. I can't even put a plug on an appliance for people, and it all stems back to Europe."It is ridiculous and the public just roll their eyes at you, they know it is because of the EU and they are fed up with it."Having voted for the Green Party in the past, Liz says many people say they don't bother to vote "because they [parties] are all as bad as each other".Now that she is standing for election, Liz hopes customers will support her.Mr McIntyre said: "She is deeply upset by the EU legislation which is going through."He confirmed suggesting she stand as a county councillor "to make the issue public" and said UKIP was fed up with EU regulations being "foisted on us" in Britain.As a candidate the party is offering Liz advice, support and help with distributing campaign literature.

READ DEFRA INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTBULBS >>