Lembit Opik plans Parliament protest over self-defence expert ban

In his last bout in the ring in October last year Mr Opik, 47, was hospitalised after he took several blows to the face from Kade Callous.

He was eventually carried out on a stretcher by St John's Ambulance paramedics suffering from extreme winding, bruising and a couple of cracked ribs.

• Lembit Opik hospitalised in wrestling debut

Now he is thinking about going back into the ring outside the Houses of Parliament with team mate Iestyn Rees, a wrestler who 'saved' Mr Opik on his previous foray into the sport.

Mr Opik said he hoped to fight as a protest against Home Secretary Theresa May's decision to ban American self-defence expert Tim Larkin from Britain last year.

He said Mr Larkin only teaches self-defence and that the decision to ban him was 'ludicrous'. Mr Opik said he hoped the rematch will draw attention to how Mr Larkin's reality-based street fighting self-defence techniques were 'singled out' for banning, while three million Britons learn similar combat forms of martial arts, boxing or wrestling.

"Having the ring outside the houses of parliament is a possibility," said Mr Opik. "We are trying to overcome the logistics and legal barriers.

"This seems a good way to do it. The ban of Tim Larkin to the UK for promoting hand to hand self-defence needs highlighting.

"Tim Larkin helps people to defend themselves from thugs and robbers."

He added: "I am seeking a way to highlight the stupidity of it.

"This was a gross over-reaction. Is Mrs May going to ban the instructor of every martial art or combat sport in this country from taekwondo, hapkido, jujitsu, to kung fu, karate, judo, kickboxing or wrestling?"

Mr Opik organised a series of Skype conferences with Mr Larkin and MPs in the House of Commons last autumn where the American explained his 'peaceful way of the warrior' philosophy.

Mr Larkin spoke about how the decision to ban him was a 'complete misunderstanding'.