PIRATES are trying to take Worcester.

The Pirate Party’s Andrew Robinson, aged 41, is campaigning for the Worcester vote in the general election.

He is one of eight candidates to have already indicated they wish to stand – with two weeks left until the closing date.

As leader of the fledgling party, which came into existence at the end of July last year, he hopes to put the Pirates on the map.

Mr Robinson, who moved to Worcester from Dagenham in Essex, said: “I decided to stand here because this is where I’ve lived for a year-and-a-half and I felt it was important to represent the people.”

The graphic designer admitted he had not really been interested in politics until his attention was caught by the Pirate Party, which was started in Sweden in 2006 but now has branches across the world.

Standing to reform copyright and patent law, end excessive surveillance and ensure everyone has real freedom of speech, the Swedish Pirate Party now has two MEPs in the European parliament.

Mr Robinson said: “I’ve always been interested in copyright law because I am a bit of an amateur musician. I naively assumed they would stand in the European elections in the UK last time.

“When they didn’t, I got interested.”

Confirmed as party leader after an online vote in January, Mr Robinson is now passionate about getting the party’s voice heard in the 10 constituencies in which its candidates are standing.

He said: “The main thrust of the party is that we need to fix a lot of laws which have become outdated with the rise of the internet. But there are other benefits in voting for the Pirate Party. The biggest advantage is that we are not left or right wing, which gives us the freedom to do exactly what the people of Worcester want us to do. I’m here to listen.” The other candidates standing in Worcester are Mike Foster, Labour; Robin Walker, Conservative; Jackie Alderson, Liberal Democrat; Louis Stephen, Green; Jack Bennett, UKIP, and independents Andrew Christian-Brookes and Peter Nielsen.