With the Herts police and crime commissioner election coming up in May, the Green Party have chosen a candidate – but he faces not being able to put himself forward unless he raises £5,000 in two months.

Alex Longmore, a former police officer who was medically retired in 2012 after he developed multiple sclerosis, has tried crowdfunding but had no success so far.

For any nomination to be valid, the £5,000 deposit must be submitted by the 4pm on April 7, along with the signatures of 100 ‘subscribers’ – voters from the police area.

Alex’s first attempt to raise funds attracted a total of only £310 from six backers, but he is not giving up.

“That my first crowdfunder failed isn’t surprising as it was around Christmas,” he said.

“I will start another. I’m also considering abseiling. £5,000 to enter is ludicrous, an exorbitant amount.”

The £5,000 deposit dwarfs the £500 one must put up to stand for parliament, and as in a general election a candidate who wins less than five per cent of votes will lose his deposit.

Alex is not the only observer who thinks £5,000 is a big ask.

County councillor Chris White, who will represent the Liberal Democrats in the election, said: “It is a really huge amount, but it’s not a problem for us. We do not intend to lose our deposit.”

Frank Radcliffe, a councillor in North Herts for Labour – who have not yet named a candidate – said: “I think the party will pay our deposit.

“It is a lot and it probably stops people from applying, but you need it fairly high to stop the Screaming Lord Sutches of this world.”

David Lloyd, the Conservative incumbent, said: “Like any candidate for any election, this goes through the constituency associations. I hope to get enough votes that the deposit will be returned.”

The UKIP candidate Mark Hughes said his £5,000 would come from his own pocket. He added: “It is a shame that the cost for standing is so high as the more people that engage in the democratic process the better.”

An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said that the £5,000 deposit was set by government legislation.

She said: “In a report last year we recommended that deposits be abolished for all elections, since we do not think it appropriate to put a financial barrier in the way.”

When the Comet asked the Home Office and the Cabinet Office why the deposit was £5,000, each said the other was responsible.