UKIP fights Crewe by-election

The UK Independence Party is contesting the by-election in the Crewe and Nantwich constituency caused by the death of Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody. The UKIP candidate is Mike Nattrass, who is the MEP for the West Midlands.

Mr Nattrass said that he had been an admirer of Mrs Dunwoody both for her independent spirit and for her strongly Euro-sceptic views.

Born a Yorkshireman with Black Country roots on his mother's side, he has lived in Birmingham for more than 25 years. He is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a former senior partner of Nattrass Giles, which he established in 1980, and a former director of a fireplace manufacturer.

Witnessing at first hand the unnecessary red tape of the European Union and its effect on small business, he began to campaign against Britain's membership of the EU.

He joined UKIP in 1997 and was elected the West Midlands MEP in 2004, representing, he says, the growing majority of people who want the UK to leave the EU.

There are nine other candidates in the constituency. They are: Edward Timpson, Conservative; Paul Thorogood, Cut Tax on Diesel and Petrol; avid Roberts, English Democrats; Robert Smith, Green Party; Gemma Garrett, Independent; Mark Walklate, Independent; Tamsin Dunwoody, Labour; Elizabeth Shenton, Liberal Democrat; The Flying Brick, The Official Monster Raving Loony Party.