AN overhaul of the current political system is what is needed, according to the Wessex Regionalists' candidate.

Colin Bex, who is one of 14 candidates contesting the Eastleigh by-election on February 28, is also the co-founder of the party.

He wants to see a decentralisation of Government with a bottom up rather than top down approach through proportional representation, getting rid of control from Westminster and Brussels.

The party wants the country to be split into its traditional regions, like Wessex, East Anglia, Kent and Mercia, which would be self-governing, giving them the sort of powers that Scotland, Wales and Cornwall currently aspire to.

Regions would then decide how they want to spend their money.

There would be parish, county and regional level authorities, instead of a “diktat from Westminster”.

Mr Bex said: “We believe that there is a better world possible and we know also that for such a world to be realised there has to be radical change and that will include deconstruction of the existing establishment because reform is not an option.”

The party would also get rid of the “debt based economy” and that there should be “financial security for 99 per cent not just one per cent”.

Getting rid of the benefits system, parishes would have a 'hole in the wall' system which everyone in the parish could by right draw what they need so everyone has sufficient, Mr Bex said.

Although Mr Bex describes himself as a “friendly outsider”, but says he does understand local concerns.

“I have experience of issues that happen all over the place,” he said.

“I don't know particularly the issues here, no.

“I can imagine what they might be - I'm here trying to sell an idea.

“I'm offering them an opportunity that's all I'm doing, coming here and saying look at this and see what you think.

“If I was elected I would be down here stopping central Government damaging this area.”

This is not Mr Bex's first election campaign.

The 73-year-old previously contested seats in Dorset, Berkshire and most famously against David Cameron in Witney, Oxfordshire, in 2010, where Mr Bex says he challenged the Prime Minister about the war in Iraq at the count.

Born in Surrey, he spent the first 20 years of his life in Surrey and then the next 20 years living in Berkshire.

The batchelor splits his time between London and Winchester.

He enjoys music, particularly singing in chamber choirs, and has recently taken part in his first opera, but also dinghy sailing and watching rugby.

Mr Bex won a choral scholarship to Ely Cathedral, in Cambridgeshire, when he was 10, and automatically became a pupil at a school in Ely where he boarded.

He went on to study architecture in London for four years before a 46-year career as an architect.

Mr Bex does not have a television, home or mobile phone, though he does use email.

He said he cut out the television because when he had one he found he watched it all the time because there was always something to watch.

He said with phones it was about the cost, protecting his privacy and not being available 24 hours a day if someone wants to contact him, though said if he were to win the seat that he would probably have to reconsider this and embrace the technology.