AN aspiring MP who changed his name to None of the Above in protest at mainstream politicians will break election law if he stands, according to one political rival.

Dr Geoffrey Seeff, who is hoping to win the Chingford & Woodford Green parliamentary seat at the next election, believes the former Adam Osen will mislead voters if his new unusual name appears on the ballot paper.

Mr Above, a father-of-two of Woodberry Way, Chingford, changed his name by Deed Poll in protest at the MPs’ expenses scandal order to attract attention for his campaign to enter parliament as an independent.

But Dr Seeff has warned that he intends to log a complaint with the returning officer about the move.

He said: “ I, and am sure other mainstream party candidates, will be obliged to make an objection to the returning officer because, while voters are not taken in that easily, he will be attempting to mislead them in a way that is contrary to the Representation of the People Act (RPA).

“While he would have them believe that by marking the ballot paper against his name they are rejecting all candidates, they will in fact be voting for a candidate.

“If voters really want to spoil their ballot papers they seem to find countless means of doing so on their own without being encouraged.”

Conservative Iain Duncan Smith holds the seat with a majority of more than 10,000 votes.

A spokesman for Mr Duncan Smith said the MP was “relaxed” about Mr Above's name and would not be raising any objections.

Mr Above said he was surprised that Dr Seeff was intending to make a complaint.

He said: “I find it hard to believe and I can't understand what his motivation is.

“Voters are at liberty to find out whatever information about the candidates they wish to find, I will be making sure I distribute as much information about myself as I can, but we can't legislate for people getting the wrong idea.”

The RPA states a person shall be guilty of undue influence if “by abduction, duress or fraudulent device, he impedes....the free exercise of the franchise..”

The Home Office has said that powers exist for courts to rule out the use of names which are intended to mislead the electorate.

Any complaint against Mr Above can't be submitted until he officially submits papers notifying the returning officer of his intention to stand.

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