Former journalist and independent MP Martin Bell who famously won the Tatton seat from disgraced Tory MP Neil Hamilton made a speech in London this morning to publicise the Independent Network, an association supporting 47 independent candidates.

Bell was keen to emphasise that for many independents, the expenses scandal was not the main motivation for standing. Rather, the huge increase in independents at this election is a symptom of: "the sickness in our body politics, the ongoing scandal of our party system. If all was well we wouldn't see this number of non-party candidates."

Not every independent who applied to join the Independent Network was accepted, mostly owing to the group's emphasis on a candidates' code of conduct called The Bell Principles. This set of guidelines asks that candidates be swayed by their constituents instead of the whip, make decisions transparently and resist abuses of power and patronage. Bell believes "good character is paramount" in cleaning up politics.

Alice Dartnell, 23, is standing as an independent for Gravesham and has taken out a bank loan to fund her campaign. She says her motivation is the need for greater honesty, openness and local decision-making. She said: "People show a spark of interest when they hear I’m not from a party. They want decisions affecting the area to be made people who have lived here long enough to understand.”

When asked to spotlight two candidates, Bell chose Khizar Iqbal as the most likely to win a seat, and 18-year-old McDonald’s employee Luke Wilkins, as the most promising. You can see the Total Politics interviews with Khizar and Luke here.