2016 Batley and Spen by-election

UK parliament by-election July 2026 2016 Batley and Spen by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Batley and Spen constituency no 2015 United Kingdom general election 2015 2017 United Kingdom general election 2017 20 October 2016 25.8% 38.6 pp Tracy Brabin 150x150px Labour and Co-operative Party 17,506 85.8% 42.6 pp Thérèse Hirst 3x4.svg English Democrats 969 4.8% New MP Jo Cox Labour Party (UK) Tracy Brabin Labour and Co-operative Party A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Batley and Spen was held on 20 October 2016, triggered by the murder of incumbent Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP), Jo Cox, on 16 June of that year. The Labour candidate, Tracy Brabin, won with 85.8% of the vote. Out of respect for Cox, all other parties with parliamentary representation did not stand candidates. Nine candidates entered, primarily far-right figures and activists contested against Labour, and none reached the 5% threshold to keep their deposit. It took place on the same day as the 2016 Witney by-election, which was held to fill former Prime Minister David Cameron's seat. Candidates The Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats, UKIP and the Green Party all declined to contest the election, as a mark of respect.https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jo-cox-death-conservatives-will-not-contest-murdered-labour-mp-seat-batley-spen-thomas-mair-a7087246.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jo-cox-death-conservatives-will-not-contest-murdered-labour-mp-seat-batley-spen-thomas-mair-a7087246.html 1 May 2022 subscription live Jo Cox death: Parties stand down in killed Labour MP's seat as Corbyn and Cameron call for unity Jon Stone The Independent 17 June 2016 17 June 2016http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/major-parties-will-not-contest-jo-cox-s-seat-1-7969733 Major parties will not contest Jo Cox's seat Kate Proctor 17 June 2016 The Yorkshire Post dead https://web.archive.org/web/20160618091604/http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/major-parties-will-not-contest-jo-cox-s-seat-1-7969733 18 June 2016 15 July 2024 Brendan Cox, Jo Cox's widower, also ruled out standing for the seat.Adam Withnall https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jo-cox-died-for-her-political-views-says-husband-brendan-cox-in-first-interview-a7093856.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jo-cox-died-for-her-political-views-says-husband-brendan-cox-in-first-interview-a7093856.html 1 May 2022 subscription live Jo Cox 'died for her political views', says husband Brendan Cox in first interview Independent Print Limited The Independent 21 June 2016 21 June 2016 Labour began selecting a candidate on 14 September.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-37361980 Jo Cox death: Labour opens Batley & Spen by-election selection BBC News BBC 14 September 2016 14 September 2016 The Batley-born actress Tracy Brabin and the Keighley-basedhttp://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/news_elections/general_election_2010/constituencies/217.keighley/candidates/569._jane_thomas/ Jane Thomas, Labour, Keighley The Telegraph and Argus 3 October 2016 campaigner, Jane Thomas, were shortlisted for selection on 19 September.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/sep/19/actor-tracy-brabin-frontrunner-win-jo-cox-batley-spen-jane-thomas Former actor Tracy Brabin is frontrunner to win Jo Cox's seat Halliday Josh 19 September 2016 The Guardian Guardian Media Group 20 September 2016 Brabin won the selection on 23 September.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-37451237 Soap star Tracy Brabin to stand in Jo Cox by-election BBC News BBC 23 September 2016 23 September 2016 She had campaigned for Cox at the 2015 election, and had been told by her that "you should be an MP".Perraudin Frances Tracy Brabin: 'I hope I can build on Jo Cox's legacy' https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/sep/30/tracy-brabin-i-hope-i-can-build-on-jo-coxs-legacy 22 October 2016 The Guardian 30 September 2016 On 18 July, the English Democrats announced that its deputy chairman, Thérèse Hirst, a former leader of Veritas, would be its candidate.http://www.batleynews.co.uk/news/local/english-democrats-put-up-candidate-to-fight-for-jo-cox-s-seat-1-8021349 English Democrats put up candidate to fight for Jo Cox's seat Batley and Birstall News 19 July 2016 12 August 2016 Hirst (as Therese Muchewicz) stood in Bradford West at the 2015 general election, but came last with 98 votes (0.2%). She was again its candidate for West Yorkshire in the 2016 Police and Crime Commissioner elections, where she again had the least support, with 20,656 votes (3.9%). She had previously stood for Veritas in Bradford South in 2005.Booth Phil http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/english-democrats-contest-election-jo-11630183 English Democrats to contest by-election for Jo Cox's Batley & Spen seat with "pro-leave" candidate Huddersfield Daily Examiner Trinity Mirror 18 July 2016 18 July 2016 The British National Party (BNP) chose David Furness, who had earlier that year received 0.5% of votes in the London mayoral election.Lavigeur Nick Who are the candidates in the Batley and Spen by-election? http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/who-candidates-batley-spen-election-11952570 22 October 2016 The Huddersfield Daily Examiner 29 September 2016 The National Front chose the veteran campaigner Richard Edmonds, a perennial candidate for them and the BNP who came last with 49 votes in Carshalton and Wallington in the 2015 general election. On 18 June 2016, Liberty GB announced that Jack Buckby, a former BNP politician, would be its candidate in the by-election.https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dead-murdered-labour-mp-batley-and-spen-by-election-bnp-politician-jack-buckby-a7089966.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dead-murdered-labour-mp-batley-and-spen-by-election-bnp-politician-jack-buckby-a7089966.html 1 May 2022 subscription live Jo Cox: Former BNP politician Jack Buckby to contest by-election for murdered MP's Batley and Spen seat 20 June 2016 20 June 2016 The Independent Liberty GB registered the description "No to terrorism, yes to Britain", which appeared on the ballot paper instead of the party name.http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP2032 Liberty GB registration details The Electoral Commission 3 October 2016 Neil Humphrey stood for the English Independence Party as Corbyn Anti (and so was listed as "Anti Corbyn" on the ballot paper);http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP4231 English Independence registration details The Electoral Commission 3 October 2016 this new party supported English nationalism.Tom Gordon http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14709282.Party__39_s_anti_Indyref_slogan_rejected_as__quot_offensive_quot_/ Party's anti-Indyref slogan rejected as "offensive" The Herald 28 August 2016 3 October 2016 Waqas Ali Khan stood as an independent;http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/17/lib-dems-and-ukip-will-not-contest-by-election-caused-by-jo-cox-death-5951273/ Jo Cox: Lib Dems and Ukip will not contest Batley and Spen by-election Metro 17 June 2016 3 October 2016- Glover Chloe UKIP member to stand as independent in Batley and Spen by-election http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/ukip-member-stand-independent-batley-11707936 6 August 2016 Huddersfield Daily Examiner 5 August 2016 he was the UKIP candidate for Shipley at the 2015 general election, coming third of six candidates.Shipley https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000925 22 October 2016 BBC News Garry Kitchin previously stood for the Green Party in local elections.http://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=51&RPID=502138967 Election results for Batley West Kirklees Council 5 October 2016 He was the only candidate registered to an address in the constituency. A London-based musician, Ankit Love, stood for the One Love Party, which campaigns against air pollution. He contested several elections earlier in the year, including the London mayoral election.Joshi Amita London Mayor hopeful Ankit Love lives up to his name as musical past uncovered in romantic pop music video http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/london-mayor-hopeful-ankit-love-11175236 22 October 2016 My London 12 April 2016 Result The result was declared at 1:45 am at Cathedral House in Huddersfield. Brabin held the seat for Labour on one of the lowest turnouts for a parliamentary by-election since the end of the Second World War. All other candidates polled less than 5% of the vote and lost their deposits. Brabin was heckled by some of the other candidates as she delivered her speech at the declaration of the result. In her speech she said, "Tonight is a bittersweet occasion for me. That this by-election had to take place at all is a tragedy. Whether you voted for me, voted for other candidates or didn't vote at all, I give you my word, I will be equally strong for each and every one of you."Gildea Samantha Batley and Spen by-election: Labour's Tracy Brabin elected as new MP http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/batley-spen-election-labours-tracy-12057279 22 October 2016 The Huddersfield Daily Examiner 21 October 2016 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20161021194612/http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/batley-spen-election-labours-tracy-12057279 21 October 2016 She thanked the parties who chose not to contest the election and declared a victory for "unity and hope". Cox's widower, Brendan, was pleased that the far-right candidates lost their deposits.Jo Cox's husband welcomes lost deposits of far-right candidates https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/21/labour-tracy-brabin-batley-and-spen-byelection-witney-robert-court 22 October 2016 The Guardian 21 October 2016 By-election 2016: Batley and SpenKirklees Metropolitan Borough Council http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/voting-and-elections/pdf/batley-and-spen-201016-persons-nominated.pdf Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll 27 September 2016 12 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161012044041/http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/voting-and-elections/pdf/batley-and-spen-201016-persons-nominated.pdf dead- Election results for Batley and Spen http://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=161&RPID=502428457 Kirklees Council 22 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161022030839/http://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=161&RPID=502428457 22 October 2016 dead Labour Party (UK) Tracy Brabin 17,506 85.8 +42.6 English Democrats Thérèse Hirst 969 4.8 n/a British National Party David Furness 548 2.7 n/a Independent politician Garry Kitchin 517 2.5 n/a English Independence Corbyn Anti 241 1.2 n/a Liberty GB Jack Buckby 220 1.1 n/a Independent politician Henry Mayhew 153 0.8 n/a Independent politician Waqas Ali Khan 118 0.6 n/a National Front (UK) Richard Edmonds 87 0.4 n/a One Love Party Ankit Love 34 0.2 n/a 16,537 81.0 +69.0 20,393 25.8 –38.6 171 Labour Party (UK) n/a 2015 result General election 2015: Batley and SpenElection Data 2015 http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt Electoral Calculus 17 October 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt 17 October 2015- Batley & Spen https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000548 BBC News 13 May 2015 Labour and Co-operative Party Jo Cox 21,826 43.2 +1.7 Conservative Party (UK) Imtiaz Ameen 15,769 31.2 –1.8 UK Independence Party Aleks Lukic 9,080 18.0 n/a Liberal Democrats (UK) John Lawson 2,396 4.7 –11.1 Green Party of England and Wales Ian Bullock 1,232 2.4 +1.3 Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition Dawn Wheelhouse 123 0.2 n/a Patriotic Socialist Karl Varley 53 0.1 n/a 6,057 12.0 50,479 64.4 Labour and Co-operative Party +1.7 See also 2021 Batley and Spen by-election, another by-election for the constituency 2022 Southend West by-election, another by-election which was held under similar circumstances List of United Kingdom by-elections (2010–present) References 30em Batley and Spen by-election Batley and Spen by-election Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in West Yorkshire constituencies Jo Cox Batley and Spen by-election Category:2010s in West Yorkshire