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Rantzen will run for Parliament Rantzen will run for Parliament
(30 minutes later)
TV presenter Esther Rantzen has said she will stand for election as MP for Luton South at the next general election - expected in 2010. TV presenter Esther Rantzen has said she will run for Parliament at the next general election - expected in 2010.
She has been considering it since the Daily Telegraph began running a series of stories about MPs' expenses. She will attempt to win the Luton South seat, in the wake of revelations about the outgoing Labour MP Margaret Moran's expenses claims.
It emerged the constituency's current Labour MP Margaret Moran claimed £22,500 treating dry rot at her second home - 100 miles from Luton. Ms Rantzen, the former host of the BBC's That's Life, said standing for Parliament would be an "adventure".
She announced she would be standing down after public anger at her claims. Many people were annoyed Ms Moran had claimed £22,500 to treat dry rot at her second home - 100 miles from Luton.
Former That's Life presenter Mrs Rantzen said the welcome she had received in Luton South, when she visited "impelled by the rage many others were feeling at the time" about the MPs' expenses scandal, had persuaded her to stand. She announced she would be standing down at the next election shortly before Labour's own inquiry ruled she could not run again for the party.
"They were tremendously welcoming, people in the street really took me by the and and basically asked me to stand," she said. 'Crazy to stand'
Ms Rantzen said the welcome she had received in Luton South, "impelled by the rage many others were feeling at the time" about the MPs' expenses scandal, had persuaded her to stand.
"They were tremendously welcoming, people in the street really took me by the hand and basically asked me to stand," she said.
"Political experts have told me I would be crazy to stand, that I haven't a hope in hell ... but the people have said: 'Go for it'.""Political experts have told me I would be crazy to stand, that I haven't a hope in hell ... but the people have said: 'Go for it'."
Although she would not be running against Ms Moran, and would be giving up "broadcasting opportunities" to run, she told the BBC she felt being an MP was "one of the most important jobs you can do in Britain". She said she would be giving up "broadcasting opportunities" to run, she told the BBC, adding that being an MP was "one of the most important jobs you can do in Britain".
"I'm not for one moment thinking this is going to be be easy on any level, no adventure ever is but if it's worthwhile achieving I think it's worth the risk."
She added she was "old enough, ugly enough and tough enough to stand a bit of humiliation" should she lose.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has to call the next general election by next June.
At the 2005 general election Labour MP Ms Moran won with a majority of 5,650.