RESPECT CANDIDATE - LEICESTER SOUTH

RESPECT NAME CANDIDATE

A journalist held hostage by the Taleban in Afghanistan has been announced today as the latest candidate to stand in the Leicester South by-election.

Yvonne Ridley will represent Respect - the anti-war party founded by former Labour MP George Galloway - in the by-election on July 15.

The former Sunday Express journalist has converted to Islam since being held by the Taleban in September 2001. She was released after 10 days.

Ms Ridley said: "I'm delighted to be selected. As a party, we won over 8,000 votes in Leicester in the European elections.I'm not just fighting this seat to compete, I'm fighting it to win and I believe we can win."

Respect Party founder George Galloway said: "This is going to be the tightest and one of the most important by-elections in recent history.

You can see the first leaflet of their campaign HERE