Julian Knight makes shock announcement he will fight Solihull election as an independent

Julian Knight has announced he wants to be re-elected as Solihull ’s MP in a shock move. The 52-year-old was previously elected as a Conservative MP but has sat in the House of Commons as an independent since 2022 after having the whip removed.

That followed allegations made against Mr Knight about his behaviour - but he always maintained his innocence. The whip was never restored by the party despite police later clearing him. A year ago Mr Knight had said he would not be standing in the next general election but in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, (May 31), he announced the U-turn.

“After discussions with family, conservative members and constituents I have decided to run as an independent in the forthcoming election,” Mr Knight said. “Solihull deserves more than a whips appointed candidate who doesn’t get the issues.

READ MORE: Mystery surrounds who will be the Tory candidate for Julian Knight’s Solihull seat

“It's important that having been forced out of the party after an entirely false allegation, which is now being investigated by police for perversion of the course of justice, it’s important to make a stand. People should not lose their position because of a false allegation.”

Mr Knight won Solihull as a Tory with a majority of 21,273 in the 2019 general election - but is now distancing himself from the party he is forecasting to lose. "I will be campaigning on local issues,” he said.

“The election is over and Rishi has proven a disastrous campaigner so in a parliament dominated by Labour, Solihull would be best served by an independent.” Earlier this week Mr Knight shared a letter he had sent Prime Minister Rishi Sunak which appealed for a “full and independent investigation” into the conduct of the Whips Office which he accused of carrying out a “sustained campaign of bullying and harassment”.

He added: “The British public deserves to know the truth”. The Conservatives are yet to announce a candidate for the seat which, following boundary changes, will be contested as the new Solihull West and Shirley seat on July 4.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) previously approached Solihull Borough Conservative Association to ask who their candidate will be and when they are being announced - but have had no response. Former West Midlands mayor Andy Street, who had been rumoured to stand for the Conservatives, ruled himself out earlier this week.

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