He was a parliamentary candidate for Lincoln in 1966 and again in 1970, but he was not chosen by the right-wing local party to fight the by-election of 1973.
He was a parliamentary candidate for Lincoln in 1966 and was elected to Nottinghamshire County Council in 1967. After fighting Lincoln again in 1970, he was not chosen by the right-wing local party to fight the byelection of 1973.