NIGEL FARAGE’S Brexit Party has revealed its candidate for the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election at an event in Crickhowell.

Retired police superintendent Des Parkinson, a UKIP candidate at the 2016 Welsh Assembly elections who also stood for the Conservative Party at the 2017 Powys County Council elections, will fight the seat for the party that topped the poll at the recent European Parliament elections.

Mr Parkinson, who grew up in Brecon and now lives in Llandrindod Wells, said the party isn’t campaigning on a single issue ahead of the by-election that will take place on Thursday, August 1.

At the campaign launch at the Manor Hotel in Crickhowell, which was attended by Brexit Party MEP Nathan Gill and members of its Welsh Assembly group who recently defected from UKIP including Mark Reckless AM, Mr Parkinson outlined a series of issues he would fight the seat on.

He said his priority, if elected, would be to ensure Britain leaves the European Union by October 31 but said his other key issues, some of which he acknowledged are devolved, are funding for schools, local accident and emergency care, opposition to windfarms, which he said should be off shore, and local government funding.

On Chris Davies, whose conviction for submitting a false expenses claim has brought about the by-election, Mr Parkinson said: "Integrity is key in public life. Our past MP has sadly compromised himself and let himself down, his family, the Conservative Party and this constituency."

But Mr Parkinson defended the decision to stand against Mr Davies, who remains the Conservative candidate, and who consistently voted in favour of Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement.

Mr Parkinson criticised the withdrawal agreement and said if the Brexit Party contesting the seat split the leave vote it would be a matter for constituents.

During the EU election the Brexit Party was criticised for not having a manifesto but the launch was told its manifesto would be decided on at its rally this weekend in Birmingham.

The other candidates set to stand in the by-election are Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrats) and Tom Davies (Labour) while the Official Monster Raving Loony Party is expected to field candidate Lady Lily the Pink.

Nominations close at 4pm on Friday, July 5.