Glasgow Airport terror attack hero John Smeaton is to fight the Parliamentary seat vacated by former Commons Speaker Michael Martin.

It was confirmed on Friday that the former baggage handler, who tackled a suicide bomber during the 2007 Glasgow airport terror attacks, will stand as an independent candidate in the Glasgow North East by-election.

The by-election, which will happen later this year, was triggered when Mr Martin stood down in June in the wake of the row over MPs expenses.

The 33-year-old’s bid to win the key seat is backed by political movement Jury Team. He will be the first candidate selected by the group to stand for a seat in the House of Commons.

Founded earlier this year by the former director-general of the Conservative Party, Sir Paul Judge, Jury Team backs independent candidates to Parliament.

In the European Parliamentary elections, Jury Team selected 59 candidates and won approximately 80,000 votes. Jury Team believe all members of Parliament should be independent. They also stand for voters who are fed up with their politicians.

Some candidates have already been selected to run for the Glasgow North East seat include William Bain for Labour, David Kerr for the SNP, Ruth Davidson for the Scottish Conservatives and Eileen Baxendale for the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Austin Compton Bradford, a Jury Team spokesman, said: "The candidate is very, very well-known in Glasgow, nationally and internationally.

"We are all very tired of the system in Parliament where people's voices aren't heard. We want to bring the voices of the ordinary person into Parliament and get real people who are part of the community to stand."

Mr Smeaton will agree to a series of "principles" outlined by Jury Team, which govern standards of behaviour and underline a commitment to the community, Mr Compton Bradford said.