Freddie Mercury impersonator Harry Hamilton — stage name Flash Harry — firmly entered the political arena last night when he was nominated to fight for a seat on Craigavon Borough Council.

His name was put forward by his Ulster Unionist Party, who are grooming him to contest the Westminster seat of Upper Bann DUP MP David Simpson.

The Ulster Unionists and DUP failed to co-opt Tradional Unionist Voice hopeful David Calvert to the council seat vacated by party colleague Mark Russell, so a by-election is set for the Lurgan Ward in the new year.

It follows the fiasco a fortnight ago when only five members turned up for a co-option meeting, failing to create a quorum and the meeting was abandoned.

At last night’s meeting nobody would second Calvert, a firebrand former DUP man who was on the council for 15 years and proposed by Independent Unionist David Jones.

The DUP insteadv proposed the name of local community worker Bruce Kidd, who has no party alliance.

But the UUP turned him down, proposing Hamilton. The DUP objected, and the by-election was called.