He pulled off one election upset - can Richard Taylor do it again?

Dr Taylor shocked Westminster when he became MP for Wyre Forest in 2001. Not only did voters reject the sitting Labour MP, but they also rejected the Conservative opposition and voted instead for an untested independent.

The result reflected the importance of health services to voters and the level of anger at plans to downgrade the local hospital.

More recently, Government health reforms have prompted fears about the future of the NHS across the country. And while Ministers would argue these concerns are unfounded, there's no doubt that they are real and deeply felt by some people.

That doesn't mean the new National Health Action will make an impact. There have been plenty of well-meaning single issue parties over the years, but they don't generally win seats in Parliament.

Nonetheless, Dr Taylor has shown himself to be a canny campaigner in the past.

And whether the party wins seats or not, it will ensure NHS reforms are on the agenda at the next election.