Independent politicians battle party machinery

A total of 28 independents are standing across the region, hoping to tap into public disillusionment with the main parties.

In Halifax, Diane Park was boosted by a visit from Martin Bell – the former BBC journalist who famously beat Tory Neil Hamilton on an anti-sleaze ticket in 1997 – last week and insists she is getting a "great response" from the public.

But without a massive single issue, such as the campaign to save his local hospital which propelled Dr Richard Taylor to Westminster in Wyre Forest in 2001, winning as an independent is difficult.

Ms Park, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Halifax for two years before quitting in frustration over the expenses scandal, said: "The worry is a lot of people have switched off from politics altogether. A few people said I made a mistake quitting as Liberal Democrat candidate but I didn't – I stood up for my morals and values.

"I believe an MPs' job is to serve the people, not to tell them what to do. My single issue is people are fed up with MPs telling them what to do."

Mr Bell believes this election could bring a raft of non-aligned MPs and has backed councillor Khizar Iqbal to beat junior Communities Minister Shahid Malik in Dewsbury, campaigning on local issues and unease over expenses claims.

In the Calder Valley, former North Yorkshire county councillor Tim Cole is one of two independents, pledging to remain neutral and represent the best interests of people in the area.