2011 Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election

none April 2022 2011 Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency no 2010 United Kingdom general election 2010 2015 United Kingdom general election 2015 13 January 2011 48% ( 13.2 pp) Debbie Abrahams x160px Labour Party (UK) 14,718 42.1% 10.2 pp Elwyn Watkins x160px Liberal Democrats (UK) 11,160 31.9% 0.3 pp Kashif Ali Con Conservative Party (UK) 4,481 12.8% 13.6 pp Paul Nuttall x160px UK Independence Party 2,029 5.8% 1.9 pp MP Subsequent MP Phil Woolas Labour Party (UK) Debbie Abrahams Labour Party (UK) A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Oldham East and Saddleworth was held on 13 January 2011, following its 2010 general election result being declared void by an election court. Labour Party candidate and incumbent MP Phil Woolas was found to have knowingly made false statements attacking his Liberal Democrat opponent Elwyn Watkins's personal character, and a re-run of the election in the seat was ordered. Debbie Abrahams, also of Labour, held the seat for her party with an increased majority over the Liberal Democrats. This was the first by-election of the 2010–2015 parliament, and the first to be caused by a court overturning the previous result since the 1997 Winchester by-election. Background right|thumb|Election leaflet by Phil Woolas used during the general election and ruled to contain deliberate false statements attacking Elwyn Watkins' character. 2010 general election In his 2010 re-election campaign, Labour candidate Phil Woolas's campaigning methods were heavily criticised by his Liberal Democrat opponents and the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK (MPACUK).http://www.mpacuk.org/story/040510/woolas-attempts-smear-mpacuk-imaginary-death-threats.html Disgusting Islamophobia: Woolas Smears MPACUK with Fake 'Death Threat' Leaflet MPACUK 30 November 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101021201329/http://www.mpacuk.org/story/040510/woolas-attempts-smear-mpacuk-imaginary-death-threats.html 21 October 2010 Critics accused him, among other things, of "inflaming racial tensions" in an area that had already experienced race riots.Hope Christopher https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7678172/General-Election-2010-Immigration-minister-Phil-Woolas-accused-of-inflaming-racial-tensions-in-seat.html General Election 2010: Immigration minister Phil Woolas accused of inflaming racial tensions in seat The Daily Telegraph 5 May 2010 13 August 2010 London live https://web.archive.org/web/20100508204507/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7678172/General-Election-2010-Immigration-minister-Phil-Woolas-accused-of-inflaming-racial-tensions-in-seat.html 8 May 2010 Trevor Phillips, head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and former Labour politician, described some of the language used in the party's leaflets as "not helpful."http://www.saddleworthnews.com/?p=2140 Equality Commission Chief Criticises Woolas Leaflets 6 July 2010 live https://web.archive.org/web/20110715223736/http://www.saddleworthnews.com/?p=2140 15 July 2011http://www.thestraightchoice.org/constituencies/oldham_east_and_saddleworth https://web.archive.org/web/20100509113157/http://www.thestraightchoice.org/constituencies/oldham_east_and_saddleworth dead 9 May 2010 Election leaflets delivered in Oldham East and Saddleworth The Straight Choice 13 August 2010 Woolas and his agent, Joseph Fitzpatrick, were also responsible for photo manipulation of images in his election addresses. In one case, they manipulated an image to show his Liberal Democrat candidate Elwyn Watkins in front of armed police, allegedly to imply Watkins had been arrested.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7999018/Phil-Woolas-the-toxic-claims-that-turned-tide-for-former-minister.html London The Daily Telegraph Gordon Rayner Phil Woolas: the 'toxic' claims that turned tide for former minister 13 September 2010 live https://web.archive.org/web/20101113004959/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7999018/Phil-Woolas-the-toxic-claims-that-turned-tide-for-former-minister.html 13 November 2010 subscriptionhttp://www.electionleaflets.org/leaflets/6100/ Woolas Examiner p1 (election leaflet published by The Labour Party) ElectionLeaflets.org 14 September 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100906195245/http://www.electionleaflets.org/leaflets/6100 6 September 2010 This was a composite image, consisting of a portrait of Watkins and a photograph of armed police patrolling London. The Metropolitan Police insignia was also airbrushed from a female officer's jacket. Woolas narrowly won the election with a majority of just 103 votes ahead of Watkins—down from 3,590 in 2005.http://menmedia.co.uk/oldhamadvertiser/news/s/1239681_drama_as_woolas_vote_goes_to_wire?rss=yes Drama as Woolas vote goes to wire Oldham Advertiser MEN Media 12 May 2010 13 August 2010 live https://web.archive.org/web/20121112161219/http://menmedia.co.uk/oldhamadvertiser/news/s/1239681_drama_as_woolas_vote_goes_to_wire?rss=yes 12 November 2012 Election court case On 28 May 2010, Watkins issued an election petition against the result7 May 2010 Lib Dem to issue legal challenge over Parliamentary election result (Elwyn Watkins and Oldham East & Saddleworth Liberal Democrats) http://elwynwatkins.co.uk/news/000181/lib_dem_to_issue_legal_challenge_over_parliamentary_election_result.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100706211001/http://elwynwatkins.co.uk/news/000181/lib_dem_to_issue_legal_challenge_over_parliamentary_election_result.html 6 July 2010 13 August 2010 ElwynWatkins.co.uk28 May 2010 Candidate challenges Woolas win https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10181693 BBC News under section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983,Archived copy http://www.oldham.gov.uk/election-petition-may2010-part1.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120118061432/http://www.oldham.gov.uk/election-petition-may2010-part1.pdf 18 January 2012 2010-06-30Archived copy http://www.oldham.gov.uk/election-petition-may2010-part2.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120118053539/http://www.oldham.gov.uk/election-petition-may2010-part2.pdf 18 January 2012 2010-06-30Archived copy http://www.oldham.gov.uk/election-petition-may2010-part3.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120118032021/http://www.oldham.gov.uk/election-petition-may2010-part3.pdf 18 January 2012 2010-06-30 which makes it illegal to make false statements of fact about a candidate. He claimed that leaflets issued by Woolas falsely portrayed Watkins as taking unlawful foreign donations, and linked him to Islamists.30 June 2010 Court examines Labour Muslim slur election leaflet https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10468410 13 August 2010 BBC News During the court case, held in public at Saddleworth Civic Hall, a number of emails between Woolas and his campaign team emerged. In one, Fitzpatrick emailed Woolas and Steven Green, the MP's campaign adviser, to say: "Things are not going as well as I had hoped ... we need to think about our first attack leaflet."Rayner Gordon 13 September 2010 Phil Woolas: the 'toxic' claims that turned tide for former minister https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7999018/Phil-Woolas-the-toxic-claims-that-turned-tide-for-former-minister.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20101113004959/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7999018/Phil-Woolas-the-toxic-claims-that-turned-tide-for-former-minister.html 13 November 2010 5 November 2010 The Daily Telegraph London A reply from Fitzpatrick said: "If we don’t get the white vote angry he's gone."Rayner Gordon 6 November 2010 Digraced Phil Woolas and the plot to get 'angry white votes' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8114201/Digraced-Phil-Woolas-and-the-plot-to-get-angry-white-votes.html subscription The Daily Telegraph During the course of the court case, both Woolas and Fitzpatrick were cautioned by the presiding judge in respect of possible criminal charges relating to election offences. The court hearing finished in September 2010.17 September 2010 Court reserves judgement over Phil Woolas re-election https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11342423 live https://web.archive.org/web/20100921000416/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11342423 21 September 2010 BBC News On 5 November 2010, the court ruled that Woolas was guilty of knowingly making false statements which breached section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983,5 November 2010 Watkins v Woolas 2010 EWHC 2702 (QB) http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2010/2702.html 5 November 2010 British and Irish Legal Information Institute and ordered a re-run of the 2010 general election in his constituency.Curtis Polly 5 November 2010 Phil Woolas immigration leaflets case: high court orders election rerun in Oldham East https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/nov/05/phil-woolas-immigration-leaflets-oldham-east-rerun 5 November 2010 The Guardian London5 November 2010 Judges order election re-run https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11699888 live https://web.archive.org/web/20101105045100/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11699888 5 November 2010 BBC News In addition, Woolas was removed from office with immediate effect and banned from holding public office for three years.Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101108/debtext/101108-0001.htm House of Commons Hansard, 8 November 2010 : Column 1 Publications.parliament.uk 2010-11-30 Woolas applied for a judicial review of the decision:https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/nov/05/phil-woolas-immigration-leaflets-oldham-east-rerun Phil Woolas immigration leaflets case: high court orders election rerun in Oldham East Curtis Polly The Guardian 5 November 2010 London 5 November 2010 his initial application was rejected, but he entered a second request for a review.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11708723 Woolas makes fresh effort to overturn ban from politics BBC News 8 November 2010 Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow stated that a date for the by-election would not be set until all legal proceedings were complete.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11719438 Harriet Harman faces Labour anger over Woolas comments BBC News 9 November 2010 Woolas's second request for review was heard at the High Court on 16 November 2010;http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1371233_phil_woolas_ive_been_humbled_by_support_ Phil Woolas: I've been humbled by support Manchester Evening News 15 November 2010 17 November 2010 15 November 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101117004702/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1371233_phil_woolas_ive_been_humbled_by_support_ dead the Court of Appeal announced on 3 December 2010 that, although one of the three statements on which the election court had found Woolas guilty was not within the Act, the other two were and so the judgment was upheld,http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2010/3169.html R on the application of Woolas v The Parliamentary Election Court and others (2010) EWHC 3169 (Admin) British and Irish Legal Information Institute 3 December 2010 3 December 2010 after which Woolas declared "That's it – I'm out", conceding defeat and leaving the way open for the by-election.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11904630 Phil Woolas says legal fight has hit 'end of the road' BBC News 3 December 2010 3 December 2010 By parliamentary convention, the party who last held the seat moves the writ for the by-election, and it was rumoured that Labour planned to call the election for 3 February 2011.Note this convention is not always followed and the Speaker is required to accept a writ correctly moved from any source. For example, the writ for a by-election in Cardiff North West in 1983 was moved by a Plaid Cymru MP despite the seat having been vacated on the death of its Conservative MP. (The by-election was then superseded by the 1983 general election and thus never held.)House of Commons Library 13 May 2009 Election Timetables 21 http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/lib/research/rp2009/rp09-044.pdfhttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/woolass-exit-paves-way-for-bnp-to-stand-in-byelection-2150767.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/woolass-exit-paves-way-for-bnp-to-stand-in-byelection-2150767.html 1 May 2022 subscription Woolas's exit paves way for BNP to stand in by-election The Independent 4 December 2010 10 December 2010 London However, a writ for the election was instead moved for 13 January by the Liberal Democrats.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12003985 Oldham East by-election to be held on 13 January BBC News 15 December 2010https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12007067 Row over Oldham by-election date as campaigning begins BBC News 16 December 2010 14 January 2011 Candidates The Labour Party had more than eighty members apply to be their candidate in the election. Initial frontrunner Afzal Khan was not shortlisted, and the party instead selected Debbie Abrahams from a shortlist of three. Abrahams had unsuccessfully fought to retain the Colne Valley seat at the 2010 general election following the retirement of Kali Mountford, where Labour fell from first to third place, and is married to the former Lancashire cricket captain John Abrahams.http://www.saddleworthnews.com/?p=4811 Three On Labour's Saddleworth Shortlist Saddleworth News 10 December 2010 The Liberal Democrats again selected Elwyn Watkins to fight the by-election; Watkins is a former Rochdale borough councillor who had previously worked as a business advisor to a Saudi Arabian sheikh.http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/38994/watkins-resigns-from-council Watkins resigns from council Oldham Evening Chronicle 30 March 2010 The Conservative Party also reselected their general election candidate, Kashif Ali, a barrister from Higginshaw.http://www.saddleworthnews.com/?p=4873 Kashif Ali Confirmed As Tory Candidate Saddleworth News 14 December 2010 Two other parties who stood in the general election confirmed new candidates for the by-election. The British National Party at first announced that their candidate would be party leader Nick Griffin, who had stood in neighbouring Oldham West and Royton in 2001. However Griffin was replaced by former Manchester pub landlord Derek Adams, who had contested Blackley and Broughton at the 2010 general election. The UK Independence Party nominated their new deputy leader, Paul Nuttall, who was, at the time, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for North West England.http://www.ukip.org/content/latest-news/1997-nuttall-steps-up-for-oldham-east Nuttall steps up for Oldham East 16 November 2010 9 January 2011 UK Independence Party Three further smaller parties which had not fought the general election put up candidates. The Green Party chose Peter Allen, from nearby Glossop; he works in an advice centre in Manchester.http://www.oldhamgreens.org.uk/#/about-peter-allen/4546565953 About Peter Allen 9 January 2011 Oldham Greens https://web.archive.org/web/20101224103138/http://www.oldhamgreens.org.uk/#/about-peter-allen/4546565953 24 December 2010 dead Stephen Morris, an official of Manchester Metrolink and trade union branch official, was announced as the candidate for the English Democrats; he is also chairman of the party.http://www.voteenglish.org/english-democrats-candidate-for-the-oldham-east-saddleworth-by-election-2/ English Democrats candidate for the Oldham East & Saddleworth By-election 18 December 2010 9 January 2011 English Democrats Party Musician, composer and teacher Loz Kaye, who had recently become leader of the Pirate Party, was also nominated.http://www.pirateparty.org.uk/party/candidates/loz-kaye/ Loz Kaye: Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Oldham East & Saddleworth 9 January 2011 Pirate Party UK Two further fringe candidates had less serious agendas. Nick Delves, who had acquired the nickname "the flying brick" after a paragliding accident, became the Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate,http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/politics/s/1402417_could_the_flying_brick_become_a_monster_raving_loony_mp_in_oldham_east_and_saddleworth Could 'The Flying Brick' become a Monster Raving Loony MP in Oldham East and Saddleworth? Greer Stuart Manchester Evening News 21 December 2010 9 January 2011 while artist and poet David Bishop (founder of the Church of the Militant Elvis Party) offered himself to the electors as a 'Bus Pass Elvis' candidate.http://grumpyoldelvis.co.uk/howden-manifesto/ Oldham and Saddleworth By-election 9 January 2011 Church of the Militant Elvis Party https://web.archive.org/web/20101226020459/http://grumpyoldelvis.co.uk/howden-manifesto/ 26 December 2010 dead Campaign thumb|right|A selection of campaign materials delivered to constituents for the by-election As the first by-election since the establishment of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, there was interest in whether the two parties would form a pact. Prime Minister David Cameron publicly wished Watkins well at the start of the campaign,George Parker https://www.ft.com/content/3e8319d4-09f1-11e0-8b29-00144feabdc0 Cameron wishes Lib Dems well in Oldham Financial Times 17 December 2010 but both parties officially rejected the idea that there was a pact, with Vince Cable of the Liberal Democrats claiming that the Tories had no chance of winning the seat,https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12032356 Cable denies by-election pact with Tories BBC News 19 December 2010 and Cameron later reminding voters that it had been a three-horse race in 2010.Michael White https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/jan/06/david-cameron-denies-oldham-byelection-pact David Cameron denies Oldham byelection pact claims The Guardian 6 January 2011 London Both former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy and Labour Party leader Ed Miliband claimed that it was the first opportunity for voters to make their views known on the coalition, although David Cameron argued that it was instead about the actions of Woolas. Woolas himself claimed that his disqualification would help the Labour Party, as voters would object to courts overturning the election result.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12169992 Former MP Phil Woolas says court case will help Labour BBC News 12 January 2011 The Labour Party complained that the date of the by-election would make it difficult for students to vote, as they would not yet have returned to their studies in the constituency. However, the Liberal Democrats claimed that this would be outweighed by the number of students at their parents' houses during their holidays from universities elsewhere.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12007067 Row over Oldham by-election date as campaigning begins BBC News 16 December 2010 Leaders of all three major parties campaigned in the seat in the run-up to the election,https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-12107497 Ed Miliband campaigns in Oldham ahead of by-election BBC News 3 January 2011 David Cameron noted that he was the first prime minister to campaign in an English by-election since 1997, when Tony Blair campaigned in the Uxbridge by-election – Gordon Brown had campaigned in 2008 for the Glenrothes by-election in Scotland.Andy McSmith https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-out-on-the-stump-ndash-but-does-he-really-want-to-win-2178070.html Cameron out on the stump – but does he really want to win? The Independent 7 January 2011 London 7 September 2017 4 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304211519/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-out-on-the-stump-ndash-but-does-he-really-want-to-win-2178070.html dead On 6 January, a week prior to the by-election, The Times endorsed the Liberal Democrats and their candidate Elwyn Watkins.http://www.libdemvoice.org/the-times-advice-to-voters-in-oldham-they-should-vote-lib-dem-22668.html The Times endorse the Lib Dems Liberal Democrat Voice 6 January 2011 7 January 2011 On the last weekend of the campaign, Liberal Democrat MP and government minister Andrew Stunell issued a party press release hailing a government scheme to reuse empty homes. The scheme was only officially unveiled on the following Monday, and shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office Jon Trickett wrote to the Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell questioning whether Stunell's actions had broken the rules on election period 'purdah'. O'Donnell wrote back on 12 January explaining that Stunell "recognises with hindsight" that his party press release could have been linked by the public with a government spending announcement, and that Stunell had apologised for the mistake.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wintour-and-watt/2011/jan/13/oldham-east-and-saddleworth-liberaldemocrats Liberal Democrat minister apologises after sailing close to wind on byelection rules Watt Nicholas 13 October 2011 The Guardian 14 October 2011 London Two opinion polling companies released constituency polls for the by-election on 8 January. ICM and Populus used sample sizes of 340 and 772, respectively (excluding those who refused to respond or did not specify a party).http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/2938 UK Polling Report UK Polling Report 2011-01-08 2011-01-14http://www.icmresearch.co.uk/pdfs/2011_jan_mos_oldham_poll.pdf ICM Poll for the Mail on Sunday 2011-01-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20110112173607/http://www.icmresearch.co.uk/pdfs/2011_jan_mos_oldham_poll.pdf 2011-01-12 dead http://www.lordashcroft.com/pdf/08012011_oldham_east_and_saddleworth_2011_fullpolltables.pdf Populus Poll 2011-01-14 ICM's figures of Labour 44%, Liberal Democrats 27% and Conservatives 18% represented a sharp percentage decrease of 8% for the Conservatives, contrasted with a sizable 12% increase for Labour and a modest 5% decline in Liberal Democrat support since the 2010 general election, indicating a secure Labour victory in the constituency.Toby Helm, Paul Gallagher Mark Townsend amp https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/jan/09/miliband-urges-voters-send-message Polls point to convincing Labour win in byelection | Politics | The Observer Guardian 9 January 2011 2011-01-14 London Populus' figures uncovered similar trends, recording voting intention as Labour 46%, Liberal Democrats 29% and Conservatives 15%, representing percentage changes since May 2010 of −11% for the Conservatives, +14% for Labour and −3% for the Liberal Democrats. A telephone poll by Survation reported voting intention figures of Labour 31%, Liberal Democrats 30%, Conservatives 6% and undecided 23% (note the ICM and Populus poll figures exclude undecideds), on a sample size of 293 (excluding those who refused to respond).http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/2939 UK Polling Report UK Polling Report 2011-01-08 2011-01-14http://survation.com/2011/01/oldham-east-saddleworth-survey-results/ Oldham East & Saddleworth Survey Results 2011-01-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20110112070831/http://survation.com/2011/01/oldham-east-saddleworth-survey-results/ 2011-01-12 dead Result Having only narrowly retained the seat at the general election eight months earlier, Labour retained it once again but this time with a vastly increased majority, with the Liberal Democrats finishing second. By-election, 2011 2010 result voided on petition http://www.saddleworthnews.com/?p=5080 Ten Candidates To Fight By-Election 23 December 2010 Saddleworth News 12 December 2010http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/oldhameastandsaddleworth Oldham East and Saddleworth UKPollingReport dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110715224416/http://www.saddleworthnews.com/?p=5080 2011-07-15Jennifer Lipman http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/42157/bnps-nick-griffin-bid-phil-woolas-oldham-seat https://web.archive.org/web/20101206073522/http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/42157/bnps-nick-griffin-bid-phil-woolas-oldham-seat dead 6 December 2010 BNP's Nick Griffin in bid for Phil Woolas' Oldham seat The Jewish Chronicle 3 December 2010 9 December 2010http://www.saddleworthnews.com/?p=4811 Three On Labour's Saddleworth Shortlist 10 December 2010 Saddleworth News 12 December 2010http://www.omrlp.com/ Official Monster Raving Loony Party Homepage Official Monster Raving Loony Party 14 January 2011 72,788 34,930 48.0 –13.1 3,558 10.2 +10.0 hold 5.0 Liberal Democrats (UK) Labour Party (UK) Debbie Abrahams Labour Party (UK) 14,718 42.1 +10.2 Elwyn Watkins Liberal Democrats (UK) 11,160 31.9 +0.3 Kashif Ali Conservative Party (UK) 4,481 12.8 –13.6 Paul Nuttall UK Independence Party 2,029 5.8 +1.9 Derek Adams British National Party 1,560 4.5 –1.2 Peter Allen Green Party of England and Wales 530 1.5 New Nick "The Flying Brick" Delves Official Monster Raving Loony Party 145 0.4 New Stephen Morris English Democrats 144 0.4 New Loz Kaye Pirate Party UK 96 0.3 New David Bishop Bus-Pass Elvis Party 67 0.1 New General election 2010 https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/d44.stm Election 2010 – Oldham East & Saddleworth BBC News 2011-01-14http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge10/i17.htm UK General Election results May 2010 Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources 24 December 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20140924044232/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge10/i17.htm 24 September 2014 dead 72,557 44,520 61.2 +4.4 103 0.3 –10.2 hold 5.1 Labour Party (UK) Liberal Democrats (UK) Phil Woolas Labour Party (UK) 14,186 31.9 –10.7 Elwyn Watkins Liberal Democrats (UK) 14,083 31.6 –0.5 Kashif Ali Conservative Party (UK) 11,773 26.4 +8.7 Alwyn Stott British National Party 2,546 5.7 +0.8 David Bentley UK Independence Party 1,720 3.9 +1.8 Gulzar Nazir Christian Party (UK) 212 0.5 New See also List of United Kingdom by-elections Opinion polling for the 2015 United Kingdom general election Notes References 30em External links Oldham Council – Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election Oldham East and Saddleworth By-Election Declaration – YouTube Candidate websites Debbie Abrahams – Labour Party candidate Kashif Ali – Conservative Party candidate Peter Allen – Green Party candidate Loz Kaye – Pirate Party candidate Stephen Morris – English Democrats candidate Paul Nuttall – UKIP candidate Elwyn Watkins – Liberal Democrats candidate Oldham East and Saddleworth Oldham East and Saddleworth Oldham East and Saddleworth 2011 Oldham East and Saddleworth 2011 Category:2010s in Greater Manchester Category:January 2011 in the United Kingdom