A Strood man dubbed "White Van Dan" after the front of his home was tweeted by a senior Labour politician - forcing her resignation - is backing the Conservatives.

Dan Ware, 37, a father of four, ignored the Rochester & Strood by-election in November but was thrust onto the front pages of national newspapers and dominated TV coverage following Emily Thornberry's picture of his St George's flags and white van outside.

He did not bother voting then but today he has told the Sun he will be backing the Conservatives this time.

Urging wavering voters not to "waste a vote" on Ukip, the car trader told the tabloid he had been swayed by the PM's backing for small businesses.

The paper has quoted him as saying: "It's clear the Tories care more about hard workers who put something back into UK."

"I've not voted a lot in the past. But then the Emily Thornberry thing happened and that swayed it a bit" - Dan Ware

He also said he did not trust the Labour party, going onto explain: "As a self-employed person, I'd be concerned if Ed Miliband became Prime Minister.

He added: "I've not voted a lot in the past. But then the Emily Thornberry thing happened and that swayed it a bit."

When the Medway Messenger contacted him at the weekend, Mr Ware was reluctant to discuss his allegiances, pending today's story in The Sun.

The row in November sparked a furore with political opponents and commentator suggesting the then shadow attorney general's tweet demonstrated how out of touch Ed Miliband’s party was with the nation’s working class.

Reporters were desperate to know more about the mystery man who owned the house with the the van parked outside.

And within hours they had arrived outside the unsuspecting football supporter’s home in.

From then on Mr Ware was at the centre of a blitz of publicity, his story and picture featured in most tabloids, including the front page of The Sun for two days running.

Seven months on, and with the general election less than two weeks away, and he is feeling a sense of deja vu.

Mr Ware, who works in the motor trade and property maintenance and is a cage fighter, said: “The phones have not stopped ringing from newspapers, radio and television. They all seem to want to revisit me another time round.

“I really can’t see what all the fuss is about.

“I only put the flags up for the World Cup and just did not take them down, two have now gone because they were looking a bit tatty. But I’ve still got one up and have no intention of taking it down."