County election candidate tortured by the Taliban vowing to repay 'debt he owes Britain'

Roh Yakobi is standing in The Wrekin in next month’s General Election in a seat that has been held by the Conservatives’ Mark Pritchard since 2005.

However, according to opinion polls and bookmaker odds, it looks like Mr Yakobi will give him a good run for his money.

“The only poll that counts is when people vote, and I never take anything for granted,” he said.

“I understand people’s anger when they say they won’t vote, but I’ve lived in countries where, if you dare criticise the leader, you get tortured.

“Democracy is a fragile thing, but I hope I can convince as many people as possible to give me an opportunity to serve.

“People have been telling me they have not had a representative in Parliament who will represent them and the current incumbent is a part-timer who they never see and is invisible.

“When I last looked, he had four side jobs. These things do harm people because they think they’re in it for themselves.

“The odds are against us, but I’ve been fighting against the odds all my life and I’m not someone who gives up.”