Peter Stringfellow Threatens Nick Clegg Contest

Stripclub owner Peter Stringfellow has suggested he could stand against Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in the General Election due to be held in 2015.

The 72-year-old has twice been singled out by the Liberal Democrat leader as someone who does not deserve state-funded pensioner benefits.

Sheffield-born Mr Stringfellow said that at his age he had "done everything a guy would probably like to do ... and I might take a serious view of moving into politics".

Asked by LBC radio's James Whale about the chances he might stand in Mr Clegg's Sheffield Hallam constituency, he said: "I think 'why not?'. It has opened my mind to the possibility and the idea of going back to my home city and taking him on would be my first choice.

"Everybody knows my clubs are full of beautiful girls taking their clothes off. I don't want to be Hugh Hefner ... so a bit later on in life I like the idea of going into politics and I think I could contribute the reality."

The millionaire nightclub owner has been angered by the Deputy PM using him to highlight his fight to take the winter fuel payment from wealthy pensioners, a move opposed by Prime Minister David Cameron.

"You cannot ask people to take big cuts in their ... benefits, and say it's ok for Peter Stringfellow and Alan Sugar to be given a whole bunch of free benefits when they don't need it, paid for by other taxpayers," he has said.

Mr Stringfellow is a Tory supporter but acknowledged he would probably have to stand as an independent because of his business interests.

And he added that he would live in the South Yorkshire city, saying: "My God, do you know how cheap those bloody big houses are up there."