VOTE for a man who really tried to raise Parliamentary standards to new heights - Guy Fawkes!

That was the message today from York's "deadliest" political party, which is set to throw its hat into the ring for the General Election.

York Dungeon is asking for volunteers to help get Guy Fawkes registered to stand as a candidate -- 400 years after his death.

The attraction and its two sister locations in Edinburgh and London have launched the Dungeon Death and Taxes Party, in a bid to liven up an election they believe voters are already weary of.

"We're going to be more outrageous, more entertaining and without doubt more honest than any of the main parties," said actor Damian Fleck, who is taking on the role of Fawkes for the election.

"Our ten-point manifesto guarantees, for example, that 90 per cent of revenue from taxation will fund a luxurious lifestyle for me and my fellow Dungeon Party MPs."

But before Mr Fawkes - who has a very particular brand of previous Parliamentary experience - can start campaigning proper, he needs ten residents in the City of York constituency to sign the relevant nomination forms.

"There must be plenty of local residents who'd love to see Guy Fawkes bringing a bit of irreverent mayhem to the election bandwagon," said Damian, whose agent is fellow gunpowder plot conspirator Robert Catesby, played by actor Mark Pollard.

"If you live in the constituency, are aged 21 or over and want to help liven up what otherwise promises to be a very dull and depressing election, please call us or drop by as soon as possible."

The ten nomination forms must be signed before the registration deadline on April 19.

The Dungeon Death and Taxes Party is to publish its full manifesto on April 20, and Fawkes is even planning to take his campaign door to door.

Guy Fawkes, an English conspirator in the plot to blow up King James I and members of both Houses of Parliament, was born in the Stonegate district of York, to a family of Protestant ecclesiastical lawyers. He was baptised at St. Michael-le-Belfry Church and educated at St Peter's School.

Updated: 09:46 Friday, April 15, 2005