General Election 2024: Julian Knight to face as unbiased | Politics | News | EUROtoday

A former Conservative MP is about to run as an unbiased in opposition to the official Tory candidate. Julian Knight is anticipated to announce that he’ll stand within the July 4 basic election as an unbiased candidate for Solihull West and Shirley.

He was a Tory MP for Solihull from 2015-22, however misplaced the social gathering whip after police investigated allegations in opposition to him. However, each the Metropolitan Police and Essex Police ended their inquiries and he was by no means arrested.

He was then an unbiased MP till the General Election was referred to as.

Mr Knight, 52, has all the time insisted he was the sufferer of “false and malicious” accusations that did “untold damage” to his bodily and psychological well being. He was mentioned to be livid on the approach he was handled by the Conservative Party, which did not stand by him.

His resolution to face as an unbiased, with an announcement anticipated imminently, is the most recent blow to Rishi Sunak after one other former Tory MP, Mark Logan, introduced he was now backing Labour.

Despite his anger on the social gathering, Mr Knight’s election marketing campaign will concentrate on native points corresponding to policing and the necessity to get extra funding for Solihull.

He was planning to again Andy Street had the previous West Midlands mayor develop into the Conservative candidate. However, Mr Street has determined to not run for Parliament.

Instead, the Conservative candidate can be chosen on Friday. Contenders embody Nicola Richards, former MP for West Bromwich East, who’s in search of a brand new seat.

Mr Knight, who served as chairman of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, was the victorious candidate for Solihull in 2015 when the constituency switched from the Liberal Democrats to the Tories.

The new constituency of Solihull West and Shirley has been created this yr due to boundary adjustments.

It is unclear who the principle opposition to the Conservatives can be within the constituency. The anti-Tory vote could possibly be cut up between the Lib Dems, Labour and the Green Party, which have finished effectively in Solihull in some current native elections.

Mr Knight is claimed to be planning to make a proper announcement of his plan to face on May 31 round lunchtime.