Veteran candidate's by-election bid

Mr Wilmott formerly led Hucknall First Community Forum as a county councillor until he lost his seat in this year’s elections, after leaving the Labour party in March 2015.

He and fellow councillor Trevor Locke set up the new party after they were both de-selected as Labour candidates for Ashfield, despite having served on the council for a combined total of 40 years.

He said: “I’ve spent 27 years as a councillor for the area I love but my track record is about much more than that.”

He puts in a seven-day working week, helping with problems associated with the county and district councils, the police and the clinical commissioning group who are responsible for our doctor’s surgeries.

He has petitioned for a new walk-in surgery, new town centre toilets, as well as’ parking schemes and road resurfacing petitions.

Ashfield Independents leader, cllr Jason Zadrozny said: “People know him as ‘Mr Hucknall’ - after all, he’s given his life to helping so many residents and getting involved with events like the Byron Festival and the Hucknall Tourism and Regeneration Group.”