People living in North West Leicestershire have said they believe a by-election should be called - now that their MP, Andrew Bridgen, has joined Laurence Fox's Reclaim Party.

Controversial figure Mr Bridgen was kicked out of the Conservative Party for a tweet which appeared to compare the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines to the Holocaust.

He won a landslide victory at the 2019 General Election, and has sat as the area's Tory MP since 2010.

Mr Bridgen announced on Wednesday that he was joining Reclaim, which was started by the actor Laurence Fox - and says its focus is on free speech and freedom.

The move has seen him become Reclaim's first Member of Parliament.

We went to Coalville today (Thursday) to gather reactions to Mr Bridgen's switch, and ask voters if they thought he was still the man for the job.

Coalville MP Andrew Bridgen joined Reclaim this week. Photo: BBC

Those who spoke to us told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that a by-election should be called to let them choose which party represents them.

Richard Allen, 77, has lived in North West Leicestershire for 46 years, and said: "A by-election is definitely needed.

"I voted Conservative last time, and didn't necessarily vote for him, I voted for the party. And I will vote Conservative again, not for him."

Wayne Butterfield, 52, said: "If I wanted to vote for Reclaim, I would've done, if they stood at the election, but I don't want to vote for them.

"I think there are bigger issues than just talking about free speech in this country, and I voted for Bridgen because I wanted Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, not just for him.

"He should stand down now and have a by-election.

"But I guess that's a reflection on the electoral system we use in this country, we voted for a Tory government and Boris in 2019, not for him.

"I don't think he will win the next election here. People vote for the party, not the individual.

"If you ask local people what the biggest issue round here is, it isn't freedom of speech, it's the cost of living what's important."

But not all residents we spoke to were keen for an election.

A 43-year-old mum, who did not want to be named, said: "I've lived in Coalville all my life and, in all honesty, I don't mind him, and I think a lot of people like him.

Mr Bridgen has joined forces with actor Laurence Fox at the Reclaim Party. Photo: Dreamstime

"He was very popular at the last election, so why not keep him as he's been here for a while, and we can see at the next one.

"I don't think people will be that bothered about the party if he can still help the area, but we'll see at this next election if they like him or if they like a different party. I can't imagine he'll win the next one, mind."

Wilson Redfern, 58, said he was worried that Mr Bridgen's move would now split the local Tory vote.

He said: "If people think he's a good MP, they might follow him, so he'll end up splitting the Conservative vote up, which will make the next election interesting.

"I vote Tory no matter what, so I'd vote for him if he was still a Tory. Party politics matters more than the person."

Controversy has surrounded Mr Bridgen in recent months, due to his criticism of Covid-19 vaccinations, which he said had led to deaths which had not been acknowledged by the Government.

Trevor Murray, 67, said, however, that he thought some of Mr Bridgen's points might be accurate.

"I don't want to just doubt him, a lot of what he has said may be correct," he said. "The Government are probably sitting on a lot of information that'll come out way down the line.

"I don't think he's talking a load of total rubbish, he uses science to back it up - he isn't a stupid man and knows a bit. A lot of people have died, I've suffered with it myself since having the jabs.

"I've had the vaccines, but won't have them again."