Louisa's son in election move

The son of a 106-year-old woman evicted from her Black Country care home plans to stand as a councillor – prompted by a council's controversial decision to close it.

Derek Watts will stand as an independent candidate for Wolverhampton's Ashmore Park in next year's local elections in the city.

Mr Watts, who will be 78 when he goes on the campaign trail, spearheaded the battle to keep Underhill House in Bushbury, his mother Louisa's home of four years, open.

The fight led him to the Court of Appeal in London and made headlines around the world, including Australia where his sister-in-law rang to say Louisa had made the local Sydney paper.

He said: "I've always been a Tory but I've changed my politics because what they did to the old people of Underhill House was disgusting."

The great-grandfather, of Parker Road, Wednesfield, found himself an unwitting people's champion when the authority first mooted a shutdown. It was claimed the home no longer met government standards and £24,000 a year would be saved by its closure.

After the Appeal Court threw out the campaigners' bid for a judicial review the council turned down millionaire businessman Trevor Beattie's offer to keep it open for another year. Louisa, who moved into Underhill aged 102, was finally evicted with the remaining four other residents, earlier this month and relocated to Sycamores Nursing Home, Blakenhall.

Today he said: "When I attended council meetings for the debates on Underhill House, I couldn't say anything because I was in the public gallery. But as a councillor I would be a voice for others and my voice would be heard. I am standing for all of the old people in Wolverhampton. I'll make sure they listen to me because what they have done to the old people is a disgrace to humanity."