Wednesday, January 13, 1999 Published at 13:45 GMT
Loonies wanted for Scottish Parliament
Lord Sutch: "Scotland is a loony kind of place"
The Monster Raving Loony Party is putting out calls for more candidates to stand in the elections to the Scottish Parliament.
Party leader Screaming Lord Sutch said: "We want to recruit loony candidates, and we think we have a lot to offer.
"I will personally be standing in one of the Scottish cities but I haven't decided which one yet.
"I love Scotland and I have always had a good reception up there standing in by-elections. It's a loony sort of place."
Lord Sutch is a veteran campaigner and has stood for election more times than anyone else and lost more deposits than he cares to remember.
His flagship policy for Scotland is to set up a Parliament on wheels.
He said: "If the building was mobile and could travel around that would stop all the arguments over where it should go and keep everyone happy."
Other measures include turning the Isle of Skye into a tax haven and building a tunnel to it. Members of the Scottish Parliament would also be required to wear a kilt at all times.
Would be loony candidates, Lord Sutch says, should be good talkers. "The ideal candidate would be like Andy Stewart, a great entertainer and that's what they need in the Scottish Parliament."
Party Chairman Alan Turner says the party hopes to field around 20 candidates but said: "The problem is always deposits. Lots of people are keen on the idea of standing as a loony - until they realise it will cost them a few hundred pounds."
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