2012 Middlesbrough by-election

The Middlesbrough by-election was a by-election for the Parliament of the United Kingdom's House of Commons constituency of Middlesbrough. The by-election was caused by the death of its Member of Parliament Sir Stuart Bell.[1] It was held on 29 November 2012,[2] the same day as by-elections in Croydon North and Rotherham.

2012 Middlesbrough by-election
29 November 2012
The Middlesbrough seat in the House of Commons
  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
Map showing the Middlesbrough Parliamentary constituency within the English county of Cleveland.
MP before election

Stuart Bell
Labour

 Subsequent MP

Andy McDonald
Labour

The deadline for nominations was 14 November.[3][4] The election returned a Labour member of parliament, with UKIP second and the Liberal Democrats third.[5]

Candidates

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 2009. The Liberal Democrats selected George Selmer, who works in employment services, as their candidate.[6] Stockton borough Councillor Ben Houchen was the Conservative candidate.[7]

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.[8]

Campaigner Mark Heslehurst launched his candidacy as a self-styled 'independent Labour' candidate.[9] He has no description on the ballot paper. Mark Heslehurst organises events to raise awareness of an issue related to his estranged partner and son,[10] which has involved walking 500 miles to Downing Street.[11]

The BNP candidate was Peter Foreman.

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidate John Malcolm is 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,[12] 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.[13]

Result

The Labour Party held the seat, with Andy 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 is also notable as the first time the Peace Party had ever retained their deposit at a parliamentary election.

Election Political result Candidate Party Votes % ±%
Middlesbrough by-election, 2012
Death of Sir Stuart Bell
Turnout: 16,866 (25.91%) −25.5		Labour hold
Majority: 8,211 (47.7%) +21.7
Swing: 3.3% from UKIP to Lab 		Andy McDonaldLabour10,20160.5+14.6
Richard Elvin UKIP1,99011.8+8.1
George Selmer Liberal Democrats1,6729.9−10.0
Ben Houchen Conservative1,0636.3−12.5
Imdad Hussain Peace1,0606.3New
Peter Foreman BNP3281.9−3.9
John Malcolm TUSC2771.6New
Mark Heslehurst no description2751.6New
General Election 2010
Turnout: 33,455 (51.4%) +2.7		Labour hold
Majority: 8,689 (26.0%)
Swing: 6.4% from Lab to Lib Dem 		Stuart BellLabour15,35145.9−11.7
Chris Foote-Wood Liberal Democrats6,66219.9+1.2
John Walsh Conservative6,28318.8+2.3
Joan McTigue Independent1,9695.9+5.9
Michael Ferguson BNP1,9545.8+3.3
Robert Parker UKIP1,2363.7+1.3

See also

References
  1. "MP Bell dies after cancer battle". Bradford Telegraph & Argus. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  2. Middlesbrough by-election date announced, by Robert Merrick, The Northern Echo, 2 November 2012
  3. Election Notice Middlesbrough.gov.uk
  4. By-election candidates confirmed Archived 2012-12-23 at Archive.today, Middlesbrough Council
  5. "Middlesbrough by-election: Labour's Andy McDonald wins". BBC News. BBC. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  7. More candidates announced for Middlesbrough's MP role Northern Echo
  8. Bradford councillor resigns from Labour party, Telegraph & Argus, 6 November 2012
  9. Mark Heslehurst Home Page
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2012-11-13.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. 500 mile walk to try and get son back ITV News
  12. Mayor Ray Mallon not ruling out Middlesbrough MP bid, BBC News, 19 October 2012
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-12-21. Retrieved 2012-12-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), Evening Gazette, 27 November 2012
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