Another candidate has announced they will contest the Swindon South parliamentary constituency at the general election.

And the candidate, well-known political activist Martin Costello, has also said he will work with the independent candidate in Swindon North Debbie Hicks.

Announcing he would stand Mr Costello said: “I am a proud Swindonian and hardworking father who is totally disillusioned with party politics and have decided to stand as an Independent to give a voice to all of those who are tired of the stale red and blue duopoly that have merged into the same blob.

"I am not a politician but someone deeply concerned about the direction of our country, the poor value we as taxpayers get.

"While we welcome genuine refugees, mass immigration is an elephant in the room that is not being addressed. It is driving down wages and our quality of life, we need a fair system for all.

“The banging of the drum of war by the red and blue uni-party is extremely alarming too, there is too much accusation and not enough dialogue.

“I want to see my taxes spent on local issues instead of disappearing overseas. We are extremely “concerned by tensions in Ukraine and Gaza where the blood flows but the diplomacy does not.

"We are lucky to have such a great diverse community but we want to see less segregation and more integration being a Swindon family where everyone is included."

And while he and Ms Hicks say they come from different parts of the political spectrum, they said they will work together.

In a joint statement, the pair said: “We both feel that we have reached a crisis point in the UK where the two main parties offer us and our children a grim and terrifying future of war, division and control. We feel that the only way forward is to break party politics and work alongside people from different political backgrounds.

“We are proud to put any old differences aside and work together to provide much-needed scrutiny of the main political parties at this election.”

“We have both received offers from other parties to run as candidates but we have declined as we strongly feel that we can only speak truth and work for change as independents.” 

The pair say they are both disturbed and horrified by the war in Gaza: “With the death toll reaching 39’000 people and the horrific scenes from Rafah where refugee camps with families and children are being bombed, we call on all political candidates and incumbents in Swindon to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for negotiations for peace.”

The full ratified list of candidates standing will be published at 5pm on Friday June 7.

So far other declared candidates for Swindon North are Conservative - Justin Tomlinson; Labour- Will Stone;  Green Party - Andy Bentley and Reform - Les Willis.

In Swindon South other candidates are Conservative - Robert Buckland, Labour - Heidi Alexander, Green Party - Rod Hebden and Liberal Democrats - Matt McCabe.