North Shropshire by-election: Monster Raving Loony Party throws its hat into the ring
The Monster Raving Loony Party has put forward a candidate in the North Shropshire by-election.
Howling Laud Hope has been named as the seventh person to come forward in a bid to become the constituency's new MP.
Alan Hope took over as party chairman from its founder, Screaming Lord Sutch after his death in 1999.
He was the first Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate to be elected to public office when he was elected unopposed to a seat on Ashburton Town Council in Devon in 1987, and became the Mayor of Ashburton in 1998.
A fellow member of the party, Nick Delves - known as Nick the Incredible Flying Brick - was at Shirehall in Shrewsbury today to register the 10 nominations Howling Laud Hope needed to be allowed to stand.
Nick himself stood in the Hartlepool by-election in May. He said he was delighted to be in Shropshire to register his party chairman, who was looking forward to spending time in North Shropshire in the run-up to the election.
"I was inspired to join the party after hearing all about it at school and then speaking to Howling Lord Hope in 1994," he said.
The by-election was called following the resignation of former MP, Owen Paterson.
Other parties standing are Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens, Reform UK and The Party Party.
The election will be held on December 16.
