PEOPLE in Chester who 'don't usually vote' are being urged to "vote unusually" in next week's by-election, according to the leader of the Monster Raving Loony Party.

Veteran party leader Alan 'Howling Laud' Hope, who has stood in dozens of by-election and general election contests across England since 1999, will be seeking City of Chester votes for the first time.

He is the only Monster Raving Loony Party candidate to have been elected to public office, first elected to Ashburton Town Council in Devon in 1987, eventually being made Mayor in 1998. He has been leader of the party since 1999.

It is not the first time the Monster Raving Loony Party has stood in the City of Chester constituency, as candidate Ian Sanderson vied for votes in the 1997 General Election. He won 204 votes, 0.4% of the vote share.

In an appeal to Chesters, 'Howling Laud' Hope said: "I am ‘Howling Laud’ Hope your candidate; the party leader, in fact the longest serving party political leader in Great Britain.

"We are the party that’s on everyone’s side, no matter what their political persuasion may be.

"Yes, just like you, we have seen it all before, heard it all before, and still don’t believe it. We want you to vote for us, just to make the others sit up and think, 'where are we going wrong?'.

"Just to save our deposit, let alone win, would achieve this.

"Remember, the only wasted vote is one that is not used. So if you don’t usually vote, then vote unusually, vote for me.

"Voting for the Lab Lib Con trick, you're only voting for the very same people who need shaking up.

"Between us we can make Chester very proud, the wonderful town that changed the face of modern day politics. You’ve got nothing to lose."

A record nine candidates are standing in the December 1 by-election for the City of Chester constituency – likely to be the last held under the current electoral boundaries.

The seat was vacated by Labour's Chris Matheson, who resigned following an independent panel's findings of serious sexual misconduct.

The other candidates standing are:

  • Labour – Samantha Dixon MBE
  • Conservatives – Elizabeth (Liz) Wardlaw
  • Liberal Democrats – Rob Herd
  • UK Independence Party – Cain Griffiths
  • Green Party – Paul Bowers
  • Rejoin EU – Richard Hewison
  • Freedom Alliance – Chris Quartermaine
  • Reform UK – Jeanie Barton
  • The Standard will be providing coverage of the by-election count on the night of December 1.