The leader of the UK Pirate Party plans to stand for Parliament in a by-election later this year, Managing IP can reveal.
The by-election will be caused if the sitting MP for the Manchester Central constituency, Tony Lloyd, is successful in his bid to become an elected police commissioner for Manchester.
Labour MP Lloyd said last week that he would stand for the newly created post, and if he wins election on November 15 he would have to resign from Parliament. That could prompt a by-election before the end of this year.
The UK Pirate Party did field some candidates in the 2010 General Election, without winning any seats. But its counterparts elsewhere in Europe have been more successful, and there are two Pirate Party MEPs.
On Saturday, the Pirate Party helped organise protests against ACTA and Kaye said such initiatives attract interest: “We have several hundred members in the UK and are launching a membership drive.”
He also confirmed that the party will field candidates in local elections in May: “A lot of people can relate to these issues on a local level.”