Peterborough by-election: Candidate for new party promising to scrap Brexit claims he is best option for Remain supporters

Pierre Kirk, the 42-year old chairman of the UK EU Party, said: “As the only UK party to stand for revoking Article 50, it is essential that the views of the UK EU Party be heard in Westminster.

“We are the best equipped party to represent the views of anyone who would like to see this country remain in the EU. But that’s not all. We also stand for bringing decency, kindness and moderation back to British politics.

“Many people are appalled by the extreme directions the Tories and Labour are pulling in, and the unsavoury views of the Brexit Party and UKIP.”

In Peterborough, nearly 61 per cent of voters backed Leave at the 2016 EU referendum, but Mr Kirk said: “I have spent a fair bit of time in Peterborough in the last week, speaking to members of the public here.

“I do not believe the area is a hard Brexit region. In fact, there are supporters from both sides, including a number of European communities who are appalled by the direction Brexit is taking us.

“As a party which prides itself on fielding over 50 per cent of our candidates in the upcoming European elections who were born overseas, we believe we are well equipped to represent these communities.

“As well as loving Europe, we are a centrist, moderate party which a lot of people can relate to.”

The new party, which is now just a month old, was founded by supporters of the People’s Vote March and some of the six million people who signed a petition calling on the Government to revoke Article 50.

It has put forward nine candidates for the EU elections on May 23 in London, the South East and North East of England.

The by-election is being held on Thursday, June 6 after Fiona Onasanya became the first MP to be removed by her constituents under a Recall Petition.

The petition was signed by 19,261 of her constituents (27.64 per cent), passing the 10 per cent threshold needed to trigger a by-election.

The full list of candidates can be found here.