Reform UK candidate Chris Harrison on South Norfolk campaign

But a Eurovision-loving, self-declared "Europhile", plant-based food pioneer is standing for the party in South Norfolk. 

Chris Harrison spent a week at the music competition in Sweden while waiting to find out whether he would be chosen as a parliamentary candidate, having been selected to bid for the seat after the party's original choice, Richard Lines, was forced to step down due to "pressing family and work commitments".

Mr Harrison, one of the founders of vegan food company Novo Farina, said the last few weeks had been a "bit of a whirlwind". 

Chris Harrison at the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden (Image: Chris Harrison)

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Mr Harrison said he did not think the UK's score at the Eurovision Song Contest - a dreaded 'nul points' - had anything to do with Brexit. 

"They don't hate us as much as they used to," he added. "I'm not anti-European and I'm a Europhile in many ways."

The father-of-one was previously a member of Broadland Council but left the Conservative Party amid the fallout of Liz Truss' short-lived premiership, describing the succession of Rishi Sunak as his "final straw". 

Mr Harrison, who lives in Brundall, said he thought his former party should be "worried" about Reform UK winning over voters in South Norfolk.

With Tory Richard Bacon, who has held the seat since 2001, not standing, the constituency will get a new MP when voters go to the polls.

Mr Harrison said: "I'm not just a name on a page - I think it's going to be a close race."

He is standing against the Lib Dem's Chris Brown, independent candidate Paco Davila, Labour's Ben Goldsborough, Reform UK's Chris Harrison, SDP candidate Jason Maguire, the Green's Catherine Rowett and the Conservative's Poppy Simister-Thomas.