TV presenter Esther Rantzen will stand for Parliament in Luton South at the next General Election, she announced today.Rantzen had considered intervening on an anti-sleaze ticket since when Labour MP Margaret Moran was exposed using her Commons expenses to claim �22,500 to treat dry rot at a property in Southampton, 100 miles away from her constituency.

Graham Dines

TV presenter Esther Rantzen will stand for Parliament in Luton South at the next General Election, she announced today.

Rantzen had considered intervening on an anti-sleaze ticket since when Labour MP Margaret Moran was exposed using her Commons expenses to claim �22,500 to treat dry rot at a property in Southampton, 100 miles away from her constituency.

Although Moran has since announced she will not defend her seat at the next general election, Rantzen said today: “There is a feeling in the air that people want a choice - we are still feeling, all of us, angry and distressed about the expenses scandal.”

She added: “Every political pundit tells me I cannot possibly win, Britain never votes for independents. However, the people I meet are unanimous in saying that I should stand.”

She is attending the friendly football match between Luton Town and Manchester United this evening, wearing a Luton hat.