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2012 Middlesbrough by-election

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The Middlesbrough seat in the House of Commons
Turnout	25.91%
First party Second party Third party   Candidate Andy McDonald Richard Elvin George Selmer Party Labour UKIP Liberal Democrats Popular vote 10,201 1,990 1,672 Percentage 60.5% 11.8% 9.9% Swing 14.6% 8.1% 10.0%   Fourth party Fifth party   Candidate Ben Houchen Imdad Hussain Party Conservative Peace Popular vote 1,063 1,060 Percentage 6.3% 6.3% Swing 12.5% New party
MP before election Stuart Bell Labour Subsequent MP Andy McDonald Labour

On 29 November 2012, a by-election was held for the UK House of Commons constituency of Middlesbrough. The by-election was caused by the death of its Member of Parliament, Sir Stuart Bell. It was held on the same day as by-elections in Croydon North and Rotherham.

The deadline for nominations was 14 November. The election returned a Labour member of parliament, with UKIP second and the Liberal Democrats third.

Candidates

Labour selected Andy McDonald, a solicitor born in Middlesbrough and former councillor for Westbourne ward from 1995 to 1999, for the seat. At the time, McDonald was chairman of Middlesbrough Labour Party Local Government Committee.

UKIP selected Richard Elvin, chairman of the North East Regional Committee, as their candidate. He contested the Houghton and Sunderland South seat for UKIP in 2010.

The Liberal Democrats selected George Selmer, who works in employment services, as their candidate.

Stockton borough Councillor Ben Houchen was the Conservative candidate. He would later go on to become Tees Valley Mayor.

In November 2012, Councillor Imdad Hussain, who had been suspended from the Labour Party for two years after failing to disclose he had been banned as a company director, resigned from the party and announced he would be standing for the Peace Party in the by-election.

Campaigner Mark Heslehurst launched his candidacy as a self-styled 'independent Labour' candidate. He had no description on the ballot paper. He had previously organised events to raise awareness of an issue related to his estranged partner and son, which involved walking 500 miles to Downing Street.

The BNP candidate was Peter Foreman.

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidate John Malcolm was the Tees, Esk & Wear Valley Health Unison branch representative.

Current independent Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon mooted the possibility of standing in the by-election, depending on the quality of other candidates, but did not submit his candidacy.

Hustings

Hustings were held at St Barnabas' Church on 26 November 2012, hosted by Friends of the Earth. The lively proceedings went well, with members of the audience asking over 20 questions on topics ranging from education and services to employment and the environment. Six of the eight candidates were invited.

Result

The Labour Party held the seat, with McDonald elected as the new MP. Along with other by-elections held on the same day, there were sharp declines in the vote for the governing coalition parties, although this was the only one of the three at which they both retained their deposit, and the only one at which the Liberal Democrats finished ahead of the Conservatives. UKIP finished in second place. Previously they had only come second in one other parliamentary election (the Barnsley Central by-election in 2011). They also came second in the Rotherham contest held on the same date as the Middlesbrough election.

The result was also notable as the first time the Peace Party had ever retained their deposit at a parliamentary election and their highest percentage of vote share in a single constituency.

See also

• 1878 Middlesbrough by-election
• List of United Kingdom by-elections
• Opinion polling for the 2015 United Kingdom general election

References

1. "MP Bell dies after cancer battle". Bradford Telegraph & Argus. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
2. Election Notice Middlesbrough.gov.uk
3. By-election candidates confirmed Archived 2012-12-23 at archive.today, Middlesbrough Council
4. "Middlesbrough by-election: Labour's Andy McDonald wins". BBC News. BBC. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
5. "Middlesbrough by-election date announced".
6. More candidates announced for Middlesbrough's MP role Northern Echo
7. Bradford councillor resigns from Labour party, Telegraph & Argus, 6 November 2012
8. Mark Heslehurst Home Page
9. "REunite! – Edward My Life | A father's epic fight to be reunited with his son". Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
10. 500 mile walk to try and get son back ITV News
11. Mayor Ray Mallon not ruling out Middlesbrough MP bid, BBC News, 19 October 2012
12. "Middlesbrough by-election hustings event - Local News - News - Videos & Pics - Gazette Live". Archived from the original on 21 December 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012., Evening Gazette, 27 November 2012

• By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Middlesbrough constituencies
• 2012 elections in the United Kingdom
• 2012 in England
• November 2012 events in the United Kingdom
• 2010s in North Yorkshire