A Manchester Metropolitan law student is standing for UKIP in the general election

Avatar photo

By Katie King on

His campaign clashes with his final year exams

Ian Bond‏ pictured alongside UKIP leader Paul Nuttall

A final year studying law at Manchester Metropolitan University has announced he will be standing for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) in next month’s general election.

Ian Bond is hoping to win the votes of Oldham East and Saddleworth residents, who in the last election voted for Labour MP Debbie Abrahams. Given that 61% of the constituency voted to leave the European Union last June, Bond could be in with a shot of election victory, but will his final year law exams stand in the way?

Father-of-four Bond, 30, is hopeful they will not. He told Legal Cheek:

[T]he early stages of a campaign can be easily fitted around my exams. I have friends who have been pulling all-nighters at the library but my way is a few hours each day.

A law student or lawyer with UKIP allegiances is unusual. A Legal Cheek snap election survey revealed that just 1.27% of our readers are planning on voting for the Paul Nuttall-led party. More survey respondents opted for ‘Spoilt ballot’ (2.63%), while 2.14% said they wouldn’t vote at all.

While the party choice may not scream ‘law student’, it’s worth noting there are a lot of lawyer MPs out there for Bond to pally up with.

Well-known names include Keith Vaz, who represents Leicester East and used to be a solicitor at various London councils. MP for Bromley and Justice Committee chairman Bob Neill used to be a criminal law barrister, as did shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer. Then there’s Labour politicians Chuka Umunna and Emily Thornberry: he’s an ex-Herbert Smith Freehills solicitor, she practised as an international law barrister at the now defunct Tooks Chambers.

Aside from the big political players, there are many more ex-lawyers on the green leather-clad benches.

Take South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa, who used to be a solicitor in both England and Scotland, and Banbury MP Victoria Prentis, a barrister with a Cambridge degree. Cardiff Central Labour MP Jo Stevens studied law at Manchester University and used to work at Thompsons Solicitors; Bolton South East’s representative Yasmin Qureshi was a prosecutor; and Conservative MP Ed Vaizey was a family law barrister.

There’s definitely a lot of lawyer MPs out there; we wonder if Bond will be the next.

For all the latest news, features, events and jobs, sign up to Legal Cheek’s weekly newsletter here.