FORMER Winchester MP Mark Oaten has spoken about his reasons for stepping back into the world of politics as he prepares to stand in the upcoming local elections. 

Mr Oaten is hoping for election for the Lib Dems in the Severn Vale ward in South Gloucestershire, a Conservative-led council, where he now lives. 

He said: "It’s not much of a story. I feel happy in the community I live and would like to start helping people.

"I don’t miss Westminster but I have missed helping and taking up casework so I decided to stand for the local council.

"It’s a Conservative-held seat. I just hope I can win by more than two votes."

READ MORE: Ex-Winchester MP Mark Oaten has denied rumours of a shock political comeback

Those two votes was the famous winning margin when Mr Oaten won the Winchester seat in the 1997 election, beating the MP Gerry Malone. He left Parliament in 2010 after being caught by the News of the World liaising with a male sex worker in 2006.

He had been a rising star in the Liberal Democrats. The expose by the News of the World happened during the Lib Dem leadership contest in 2006 in which he was a candidate.

He even published a book about his experiences in 2009 called 'Screwing Up'. 

Mr Oaten is standing against current councillors Keith Burchell and Matthew Riddle from the Conservatives. 

He is also standing with Charlotte Carroll and Abigail Curtis also for Labour, as well as Tony Williams from the Liberal Democrats. 

The Lib Dems came second in the seat at the last elections in 2019.