A disabled rights campaigner has said he has learned lessons after standing in today’s Corby by election.

Adam Lotun, from Tolworth, stood for the Northamptonshire seat vacated by former Tory MP Louise Mensch.

He was representing Democracy 2015, a political party dedicated to getting ordinary members of the public elected to Parliament.

He received 35 votes, and lost his £500 deposit coming in second last place.

Labour candidate Andy Sawford won with 17,267 votes - the first time since 1997 the party had taken a seat from the Conservatives in a by-election.

Mr Lotun, a father of three, said: “I was certainly hoping for more. I’ve learned some lessons here.

“I’ve learned a few things about what I have to do differently next time and marketing myself a bit more.

“If you’ve got the money you can put marketing everywhere. That’s what Labour did. They had the money and they flooded the place with people.”

Mr Lotun was not the only candidate to lose his deposit.

Liberal Democrat hopeful Jill Hope scored just 4.96 per cent of the electorate with her 1,770 votes, missing the five per cent target needed to claim back the £500.

Mr Lotun criticised the party for calling for recounts.

He said: “The Liberal Democrats were short of their deposit, and asked for a recount.

“The recount happened, they lost another vote and made it worse. Then they started arguing for a full recount and that’s when I left.

“I lost my deposit but I’m not screaming and shouting. I think Nick Clegg can afford it."