Rhodes heads South in a bid to become MP

Stephen Rhodes

Award-winning tv and radio personality Stephen Rhodes yesterday quit the BBC to stand as an independent candidate in Luton South.

He will go head-to-head with another media darling, Esther Rantzen, and at least seven others in a bid to take the seat of disaffected Labour MP Margaret Moran.

Mr Rhodes, 59, said the plan and decision all came together in the last seven days and added that he had been given ‘great encouragement’ by people.

He has worked for Three Counties radio station for 15 years and has won seven Sony Awards. He quit his show after finishing his broadcast at 9am yesterday. He said: “I’ve given up 32 years of radio and TV for this.

That’s not to say I will never go back to them.” Explaining his decision to stand, he said: “Luton South has got some trying problems and things have been getting progressively worse for years, under both Labour and Conservative.

“I have been watching the contest for Luton South and listening to the policies of some of the candidates. I despair that they are not going to be offering anything new.

“We have a Conservative talking about the disastrous events under the Labour government. The fact is it hasn’t been disastrous. So is he toeing the party line?

“A Labour candidate who has a very strange take on the issues, a Liberal Democrat who seems to be saying very little and Esther, who hasf allen so much in love with Luton and has been in love for some little while but still lives in Southampton.

“If I had fallen so in love with a place, I would have moved there.”

Mr Rhodes lives in Dunstable with his 17-year-old son and said one of his policies would be looking at improving life for the youth of the town.

He said: “My overall plan is to put Luton first and to stand up for Luton. To look at relieving problems in an intelligent way. For example, the youth of the town.

“All this talk about wanting the police to pursue actively against anti-social behaviour, wouldn’t it be a better idea to give them something to do and make them feel better about themselves?

“And isn’t it about time that people felt proud to live in Luton?”

Talking about standing against Ms Rantzen, he said: “I have spoken to Esther a number of times. I know she has been wanting to know if I was standing but up until now I couldn’t help because I was working for the BBC.

“I think Esther and I are coming from very different places and very different attitudes.”
Mr Rhodes said he has been considering the idea since the expenses scandal came out. He said: “I felt even when Moran was an MP, Luton deserved better.

“I have always been interested in politics and used to present the region’s politics show.

“It’s not something I have always wanted to do and deep down inside I sometimes wonder why I’m giving up a good job for a less well-paid one. The motivation I guess is from thinking I just can’t sit on the fence any more.”

Despite stating his intentions later than others he thinks it will be enough time to run a campaign.

He said: “I think it’s the perfect length given that some people have already run out of steam.”

Ms Rantzen said: “Stephen and I had a conversation on Friday when he told me he was standing in Luton North and asked me to support him so together we would be a team.

“I’m surprised he has chosen Luton South as his constituency but I will continue my work in Luton and my ambition is to listen to Lutonians, work for them, and fight for them.”

There are now nine candidates running for MP in Luton South. They are: