By-elections - 29th November 2012
Croydon North By election
Caused by the death of Labour MP and former Minister Malcolm Wicks from cancer on the 29th September 2012. The by-election was held on the 29th November. There was initial speculation that Respect could pick up significant support from the large black population here, having selected Ken Livingstone`s former race advisor Lee Jasper. In the event they received little support and Labour easily held the seat, with the Conservatives in second place.
Result
| Steve Reed | (Labour) | 15892 | 64.7% (+8.7%) |
| Andrew Stranack | (Conservative) | 4137 | 16.8% (-7.3%) |
| Winston McKenzie | (UKIP) | 1400 | 5.7% (+4%) |
| Marisha Ray | (Liberal Democrat) | 860 | 3.5% (-10.5%) |
| Shasha Khan | (Green) | 855 | 3.5% (+1.5%) |
| Lee Jasper | (Respect) | 707 | 2.9% (+2.4%) |
| Stephen Hammond | (Christian Peoples) | 192 | 0.8% (n/a) |
| Richard Edmonds | (National Front) | 161 | 0.7% (n/a) |
| Ben Stevenson | (Communist) | 119 | 0.5% (+0.2%) |
| John Cartwright | (Loony) | 110 | 0.4% (n/a) |
| Simon Lane | (911 was an inside job) | 66 | 0.3% (n/a) |
| Robin Smith | (Young Peoples) | 63 | 0.3% (n/a) |
| MAJORITY | 11755 | 47.9% | |
| Turnout | 26.5% (-34.1%) |
Candidates
Steve Reed (Labour) Born 1963. Educated at Sheffield University. Former book publisher. Lambeth councillor since 1998. Leader of Lambeth council.
Andrew Stranack (Conservative) Former local government officer and charity worker. Contested Camberwell and Peckham 2010. Has cerebral palsy.
Winston McKenzie (UKIP) Born 1953, Jamacia. Former amateur boxer and hairdresser. Formerly ran a bar and gym in Thornton Heath. Serial party member, having been a member of the Labour party, the Liberal Democrats, Veritas, Conservatives, his own Unity party and UKIP. Contested Brent East by-election 2003 as an Independent, Croydon North for Veritas in 2005, London mayoral election 2008 as an Independent, Tottenham 2010, Croydon and Sutton 2012 London election for UKIP. Contested UKIP leadership election in 2010.
Marisha Ray (Liberal Democrat) Born Stamford Brook. Educated at Cambridge University. Business analyst. Former Islington councillor.
Shasha Khan (Green) Born Islington. Director in a family business and runs a dance music record label. Contested Croydon North 2005, 2010.
Lee Jasper (Respect) Born 1958, Manchester. Educated at Manchester Polytechnic. Race relations activist and former senior advisor to Ken Livingstone.
Stephen Hammond (Christian Peoples) Ordained lay minister. Works in property finance and management. Contested GLA elections 2004, 2008. Contested West Ham 2005.
Richard Edmonds (National Front) Born 1943, Hounslow. Educated at Southampton University. Former deputy chairman of the BNP. Contested Deptford Oct 1974 for the National Front, Lewisham East 1983, Bethnal Green and Stepney 1992 for the BNP, Havering and Redbridge 2012 London assembly elections for the National Front.
Ben Stevenson (Communist) Born 1984, Derby. Educated at King Edwards VI Aston school. National secretary of the Communist party. Contested Croydon North 2010.
John Cartwright (Loony) Born 1968. Educated at Trinity School and Royal Holloway College. Perennial candidate in Croydon local elections and by-elections. Contested Ealing Southall by-election 2007, Bromley & Chislehurst by-election 2006, Croydon Central 2001, 2005, 2010. OMRLP shadow minister for chocolate.
Simon Lane (911 was an inside job)
Robin Smith (Young Peoples) Economist. Former Wokingham councillor. Contested Wokingham 2010 as an Independent.
Middlesbrough By election
Caused by the death of veteran Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell from pancreatic cancer on the 13th October 2012. The by-election was held on the 29th November 2012. There was initial speculation that the Independent mayor of Middlesbrough, Ray Mallon, may stand in the by-election and cause an upset, but in the event he declined to do so and the election was a straightforward Labour hold. UKIP managed to come second in both this and the Rotherham by-election held the same day, only the second time they had done so.
Result
| Andy McDonald | (Labour) | 10201 | 60.5% (+14.6%) |
| Richard Elvin | (UKIP) | 1990 | 11.8% (+8.1%) |
| George Selmer | (Liberal Democrat) | 1672 | 9.9% (-10%) |
| Ben Houchen | (Conservative) | 1063 | 6.3% (-12.5%) |
| Imdad Hussain | (Peace) | 1060 | 6.3% (n/a) |
| Peter Foreman | (BNP) | 328 | 1.9% (-3.9%) |
| John Malcolm | (TUSC) | 277 | 1.6% (n/a) |
| Mark Heslehurst | (no description) | 275 | 1.6% (n/a) |
| MAJORITY | 8211 | 48.7% | |
| Turnout | 25.9% (-25.5%) |
Candidates
Andy McDonald (Labour) Solicitor. Former Middlesborough councillor.
Richard Elvin (UKIP) Former teacher. Runs a travel company. Contested Houghton and Sunderland South 2010
George Selmer (Liberal Democrat) Works in employment services
Ben Houchen (Conservative) Solicitor. Stockton councillor
Imdad Hussain (Peace) Bradford councillor, originally elected as Labour
Peter Foreman (BNP)
John Malcolm (TUSC) Mental health nurse
Mark Heslehurst (no description) Born Middlesbrough. Businessman. Campaigning for the return of his son, currently with his wife in Cambodia.
Rotherham By election
Caused by the resignation of Denis MacShane after the Standards and Privileges Committee found he had submitted false invoices intended to deceive the parliamentary expenses authority. MacShane was immediately suspended from the Labour party and was appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds on 5 November 2012, vacating his seat. The by-election was held on the 29th November 2012. During the campaign it was reported in the press that two UKIP party members living in the seat had had the children they were fostering removed on account of their UKIP membership, leading to a surge of publicity for the party and a strong performance in the final result. The Liberal Democrats finished eighth, their lowest position in a by-election.
Result
| Sarah Champion | (Labour) | 9866 | 46.3% (+1.7%) |
| Jane Collins | (UKIP) | 4648 | 21.8% (+15.9%) |
| Marlene Guest | (BNP) | 1804 | 8.5% (-1.9%) |
| Yvonne Ridley | (Respect) | 1778 | 8.3% (n/a) |
| Simon Wilson | (Conservative) | 1157 | 5.4% (-11.3%) |
| David Wildgoose | (English Democrats) | 703 | 3.3% (n/a) |
| Simon Copley | (Independent) | 582 | 2.7% (n/a) |
| Michael Beckett | (Liberal Democrat) | 451 | 2.1% (-13.9%) |
| Ralph Dyson | (TUSC) | 261 | 1.2% (n/a) |
| Paul Dickson | (Independent) | 51 | 0.2% (n/a) |
| Clint Bristow | (no description) | 29 | 0.1% (n/a) |
| MAJORITY | 5218 | 24.5% | |
| Turnout | 33.9% (-25.1%) |
Candidates
Sarah Champion (Labour) Educated at Sheffield University. Chief executive of a childrens hospice.
Jane Collins (UKIP) Born 1962. Regional organiser for Godfrey Bloom MEP. Contested Scunthorpe 2010, Barnsley Central by-election 2011
Marlene Guest (BNP) Former Liberal Democrat. Appeared in 2008 Sky documentary “BNP Wives”. Contested Rotherham 2005, 2010.
Yvonne Ridley (Respect) Born 1958, Stanley. Journalist. Cpatured by the Taliban while reporting in Afghanistan in 2001, subsequently converted to Islam. Contested North East England 2004 European elections, Leicester South 2005
Simon Wilson (Conservative) Businessman. Former Wakefield councillor.
David Wildgoose (English Democrats) Educated at Oakwood Comprehensive and Hull University. Contested Rotherham 1992, 1994 by-election, 1997, Wentworth 2001 for Liberal Democrats. Contested Yorkshire and Humberside in 2009 European elections, Sheffield Hallam 2010 for the English Democrats
Simon Copley (Independent) Charity fundraiser
Michael Beckett (Liberal Democrat) Educated at Goldsmiths College. Self employed business development contractor. Contested Dudley North 2010.
Ralph Dyson (TUSC) Teacher and union representative
Paul Dickson (Independent) Self-employed businessman
Clint Bristow (no description) Former soldier. Local organisation for the English Defence League. Jailed for seven days in 2011 for using threatening behaviour.
