A newly formed political party hopes to be a ’vehicle for change’ ahead of its official registration.

The Working People’s Party met this week to approve its constitution, policies and its leadership.

Organiser Devon Watson said: ’Despite the fact we haven’t registered yet, there are about 220 people who are interested in the party, we have several dozen people who are organising on various platforms and we have about 40 people who want to sign up as direct members.

’In terms of growth it’s pretty unprecedented for what you’ve seen in the island before.

’I’m really hopeful that as the message comes out and saying there’s an alternative to the way the political system works and there’s an alternative to the way the current economic system works people are going to be looking towards that.’

He believes there are a number of benefits to be had from forming a party.

’It allows voters, regardless of where they are in the island, to coordinate their party preferences and to then push change in a coordinated fashion,’ he said.

’The second benefit is your MHK sometimes becomes completely unreachable after the point of election.

’If your MHK takes a departmental role in let’s say Treasury and you dislike what Treasury is doing, you don’t have the ability to call out your MHK because they aren’t going to respond because they have got that dual role.

’If they are put into power by a party they are going to be accountable to a party. If the party is put into power by ordinary people that’s going to be accountable to ordinary people.’