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Smeaton to stand for parliament Smeaton pledges to 'badger' MPs
(about 4 hours later)
Glasgow Airport terror attack hero John Smeaton is to stand as an independent candidate in a Westminster by-election, he has confirmed. One of the men who helped foil the Glasgow Airport terror attack is to stand as an independent candidate in a Westminster by-election.
Mr Smeaton said he would fight the Glasgow North East parliamentary seat which was vacated by former Commons Speaker Michael Martin. John Smeaton said he would fight the Glasgow North East seat vacated by former Commons Speaker Michael Martin.
The former baggage handler tackled a suicide bomber during the airport attack in 2007. He urged people to "vote for change or stop complaining".
His campaign to win the seat has been backed by the Jury Team movement. At his first election press conference in a Glasgow hotel he pledged to "badger" MPs and "bring a storm down on Westminster" if elected.
Mr Smeaton, 33, told the Scottish Sun newspaper he was "ready to rock the boat" at Westminster. "The Labour Party have had 30 years to bring investment and jobs into Glasgow North East," he said.
He will be the first candidate selected by Jury Team to stand for a seat in the House of Commons. "I haven't noticed much difference and I know from strolling round the constituency that folk living there haven't noticed many changes either.
Jury Team, which was founded earlier this year by the former director-general of the Conservative Party, Sir Paul Judge, backs independent candidates to parliament. "Well I can. And, if I'm elected, you'd better believe it: I will. I'll bring a storm down on Westminster, knock down doors and badger them until they listen. No messing."
[Mr Smeaton] is very, very well-known in Glasgow, nationally and internationally Austin Compton BradfordJury Team I'm angry and I'm fed up by the way politicians have been behaving. Like everybody I was shocked by the fiddling by the MPs John Smeaton
Mr Smeaton is the first candidate selected by Jury Team to stand for a seat in the House of Commons.
Jury Team, which was founded earlier this year by the former director-general of the Conservative Party, Sir Paul Judge, backs independent candidates to public office.
It selected 59 candidates and won about 80,000 votes during this year's European elections.It selected 59 candidates and won about 80,000 votes during this year's European elections.
Jury Team spokesman Austin Compton Bradford said Mr Smeaton, who will speak at a media conference on Friday, will "make a real difference" to UK politics. Speaking about his decision to stand, Mr Smeaton admitted he had never thought he would enter politics.
But he said he changed his mind after he was approached by the Jury Team.
Explaining why he decided to stand, he said: "I'm angry and I'm fed up by the way politicians have been behaving. Like everybody I was shocked by the fiddling by the MPs.
'Real difference'
"I reckon most of you shared the same disbelief as we watched them try to excuse their greed over expenses. It really made my blood boil."
Jury Team spokesman Austin Compton Bradford said Mr Smeaton would "make a real difference" to UK politics.
He added: "The candidate is very, very well-known in Glasgow, nationally and internationally.He added: "The candidate is very, very well-known in Glasgow, nationally and internationally.
"We are all very tired of the system in parliament where people's voices aren't heard."We are all very tired of the system in parliament where people's voices aren't heard.
"We want to bring the voices of the ordinary person into parliament and get real people who are part of the community to stand.""We want to bring the voices of the ordinary person into parliament and get real people who are part of the community to stand."
Mr Smeaton will agree to a series of "principles" outlined by Jury Team, which govern standards of behaviour and underline a commitment to the community, Mr Compton Bradford said.Mr Smeaton will agree to a series of "principles" outlined by Jury Team, which govern standards of behaviour and underline a commitment to the community, Mr Compton Bradford said.
The by-election, which will happen later this year, was triggered when Mr Martin stood down in June in the wake of the row over MPs expenses.The by-election, which will happen later this year, was triggered when Mr Martin stood down in June in the wake of the row over MPs expenses.
Other candidates who have already been selected to run for the seat include William Bain for Labour, David Kerr for the SNP, Ruth Davidson for the Scottish Conservatives and Eileen Baxendale for the Scottish Liberal Democrats.Other candidates who have already been selected to run for the seat include William Bain for Labour, David Kerr for the SNP, Ruth Davidson for the Scottish Conservatives and Eileen Baxendale for the Scottish Liberal Democrats.