“VOTE for me if you are sick of the lot of them.”

That is the campaign message of independent candidate Stuart Bower.

The former policeman, who is standing for Brighton and Hove City Council in the Hangleton and Knoll ward in the May elections, has previously been a member of the Green Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and Ukip.

Mr Bower said: “All elections do is to substitute one group of incompetent politicians for another lot equally as bad.

“I found my political home in Ukip, not because I am racist but because I firmly believe that Britain’s best governed by a British Parliament.

“I resigned from Ukip following the EU referendum.

“I did not anticipate that our elected MPs would treat the electorate with contempt then turn stupidity and incompetence into an art form.

“They have divided the country and caused as much damage as a full-scale civil war.

“They have set friend against friend, neighbour against neighbour, family against family.

“So if you feel the same way, vote for me, and make your feelings known.”

Mr Bower, who has described himself as the “sick of the lot of them candidate”, has been involved in politics for more than 20 years.

In 2014 he claimed Brighton and Hove City Council breached the human rights of a councillor who was disciplined over her comments in support of golliwogs.

And in 2018, he lost a legal case again the council after claiming parking restrictions that cracked down on commuters were against the law.

He has twice stood as a parliamentary candidate and “many times” as a council candidate.

Mr Bower said this attempt would be his last.

He said: “If elected I will fight for the issues that matter to the public – policemen back on the beat, action to protect and help the homeless.

“And I will also campaign to reverse the anti-commuter parking restrictions on Wish and Westbourne that has move the problem on to us in Hangleton.

“Most important, if elected, I will work to force the council to realise once and for all, it is there to serve the people, not the other way round.”

The local election is taking place on May 2. He will be hoping to unseat the current incumbents in the ward, Conservatives Dawn Barnett, Tony Janio and Nick Lewry.