TV comic Lee Nelson pulls out of race for David Miliband's former Parliamentary seat

The real Simon Brodkin, English comedian (Micha Theiner)

TV comedian Lee Nelson has withdrawn his nomination to stand in the South Shields by-election.

He announced earlier today that he was entering the race but when the official list of candidates was announced by South Tyneside Council it stated that he had withdrawn.

A total of nine candidates are standing in the May 2 poll, sparked by Labour MP David Miliband's decision to quit British politics.

They are Karen Allen for the Conservatives; Hugh Annand for the Liberal Democrats; Lady Dorothy MacBeth Brookes for the British National Party; Phil Brown for The Independent Socialist Party; Thomas Faithful Darwood as an Independent; Richard Peter Elvin for the UK Independence Party; Howling Laud Hope for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party; Ahmed Khan as an Independent; and Emma Lewell-Buck for Labour.

PA