Richard Tice 'actively considering' standing in Hartlepool by-election
17 March 2021, 23:02 | Updated: 17 March 2021, 23:06
Richard Tice: Reform UK "should win" Hartlepool by-election
Richard Tice is "actively considering" standing in the Hartlepool by-election, the Reform UK party leader has told LBC.
The British businessman's comments come after the town's MP Mike Hill resigned on Tuesday amid an ongoing investigation into allegations made against him of sexual harassment.
Iain Dale asked Mr Tice whether he was going to stand in the "Red Wall" in May seat after being the Brexit Party's candidate in the December 2019 general election.
"Obviously I think Reform UK should win the by-election in Hartlepool and let's wait and see," the party leader said.
"To answer your question Iain, yes, I am actively considering whether I should stand or whether some of our other Reform UK supporters and people should stand.
"So that's under consideration at the moment, let's wait and see.
"I'm not going to reveal exclusively, or whatever you might like me to do, on this show."
Asked why he was being so uncharacteristically coy by Iain, he replied: "Well, you know, just reflecting and considering.
"There are all sorts of things and there's a lot of elections going on that day all over the country, as you know, so we're actively considering the right decision."
The LBC presenter then asked SNP MP John Nicolson whether he takes interest in English by-elections.
"Well of course I do, I'm a political journalist by trade as you know. I can see Richard there in Hartlepool. I've heard that the guacamole dip in the chippies is absolutely delicious," he said.
"But the answer to the question is obviously I hope that Labour wins the seat because God knows we've got far too many Tories in the House of Commons at the moment with a huge majority, which is not healthy for democracy.
"Hartlepool needs a decent, left-of-centre, preferably anti-Brexit Member of Parliament."
The full list of candidates for the by-election has not yet been announced but the Labour Party has said it will have someone in place "quickly" and the newly-formed Northern Independence Party confirmed it will field its first-ever candidate in the vote.
