A dog is standing in the Cheadle constituency for the next general election on 4 July. 

Well, sort of. 

Bruno the dog is the 'presenter' of Alp 33, the political movement. As electoral rules don't allow animals to stand, Bruno has "asked [his] walking mate Marcus Farmer to put his name down instead". 

Mr Farmer will stand as an independent candidate, representing the Alp 33 movement for which Bruno is the figurehead.

A statement from Bruno on the Alp 33 website reads: "As long as I get to present the films, which is the first time in UK politics such an application has been presented this way, I will be happy."

According to the campaign, Bruno is the presenter to allow ideas to be spread in a different way.

"We don't need to worry about our clothes, our hair or our faces. 

"As the body language of presentation becomes irrelevant, we can concentrate on our ideas without having to bother about how our egos and images are perceived."

Alp 33 derives its name from a Latin acronym - Aequitas (fairness), Libertas (liberty), and Pax (peace). 

The 33 is included because "[it is] a master number in spirituality and philosophy, which resonates with the energies of creativity, compassion, inspiration, integrity, honesty, discipline, and courage to name just a few."

The movement claims to take 80% of its ideology from "the best parts" of other parties. The other 20% comprises "core principles of fairness, liberty of the individual and the strive for peace, together with a holding ideology of connected spirituality". 

Ideologically, the movement aims to redress what it perceives as a 'collapse' in the centre ground of politics, and seeks to prioritise the environment, institutions, and arts. Read more on the Alp 33 website HERE. 

Also standing in the Cheadle constituency for the 2024 general election are: 

• Alex Drury (Green)
• Kelly Fowler (Labour)
• Tanya Manzoor (Workers Party of Britain)
• Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrats)
• Mary Robinson (Conservatives)
• Steve Speakman (Reform)

Alternatively, you can read more about all the candidates in our article HERE.

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