A NEW political party aimed at “cleaning up politics” is being set up by a multi-millionaire businessman. Sir Paul Judge, a former Tory grandee, believes the power of the internet and disillusionment with sleaze make the time right for a party dedicated to independent thought and open governance.

Judge hopes the new party will act as a lightning rod for voters alienated by Westminster’s tribal divisions and endemic scandals. It aims to field a full complement of 72 candidates in the European elections in June as a prelude to campaigning in the next general election, which must take place by June 2010.

The party has no specific policies and no manifesto. Instead, it will select its candidates by public vote from anyone who puts themselves forward, provided they are committed to the principles of good governance, including selflessness, integrity, openness and honesty.

Nominees will have their details and interests published online; the public will then vote by text message, X-Factor-style, to choose the party’s election candidates.

Judge said: “These days the party selection processes of candidates are about as undemocratic as it gets. We think independent people can make good decisions. We use that model for juries. If you put a group of sensible people together and show them the facts, they’ll make good decisions.” Hence his name for the new party: the Jury Team.

“We hope anyone who cares about an issue will stand. We will support them and help to pair them with voters who are interested in the same issues, using our website, whether it’s heritage or international development or climate change.

The aim is to attract prominent figures such as Shami Chakrabarti, head of the human rights group Liberty, who has campaigned against the controversial introduction of ID cards.“We are offering people the chance to make a difference,” said Judge. “If you stand with us you won’t be whipped [in the way parties make MPs toe the line], and all the money we raise will be invested in supporting our candidates’ campaigns.

“We will ask people to investigate candidates to make sure they follow the rules and are of good character. The web is very powerful in that respect.”

Judge, a director-general of the Conservative party under John Major, is estimated to be worth £30m and is bankrolling the new party with three other financiers. The likely impact of their initiative is unclear, though some observers predict it may cause more damage to the Tories than Labour, at least in the European elections.

Martin Bell, the former BBC journalist who became an independent MP after campaigning against sleaze, said he supported the idea. “It’s the right time for it,” he said. “We can’t go on as we have been, with cash for laws, cash for questions, the John Lewis list and so on. People are beyond angry with politicians. Westminster needs fresh people.”

Last month it emerged that Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, had claimed more than £116,000 in Commons expenses for a second home while in effect lodging with her sister in London.

Bell said he wouldn’t rule out standing for election as a Jury Team candidate: “We’ll have to see. Never say never.”

Baroness Kennedy, who headed the Power Inquiry into revitalising democracy, said: “There is a serious problem about trust in the system, which is why people are not voting nor joining political parties. What the public like is authentic voices and independent-minded people.”

Lord Butler, the former cabinet secretary who criticised Tony Blair’s style of “sofa” government, is also understood to support Judge’s campaign to restore parliament’s authority.

The Jury Team will offer its candidates the support of campaigning experts and a press team to raise their profiles.

The movement aims to harness the same communications technology credited with energising Barack Obama’s campaign for the US presidency. The party will announce an initial list of candidates next week. Its website, www.juryteam.org, will then go live, allowing the public to begin voting for candidates in the run-up to the European elections in June.

The party’s rules prevent financial donors from giving more than £50,000, meaning the party will rely on Obama-style grassroots funding.

In YouGov polls commissioned by Judge 55% of people said they would vote for an independent if they thought the person stood a reasonable chance of being elected.

Anthony King, professor of government at Essex University, is sceptical. “The idea that a non-party party could get very far is farfetched.”

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