There was immediate speculation that Michael Portillo, the most high-profile casualty of the 1997 general election, would use it to return to frontline politics.

Portillo was selected as Conservative candidate but faced demonstrations organised by gay rights group OutRage!

and its principal campaigner Peter Tatchell who protested against his vote for an unequal age of consent for gay and straight sex, and support for the ban on homosexuality in the UK armed forces while Secretary of State for Defence.

The Labour Party selected Robert Atkinson, who had fought the 1997 election and was a local councillor.

Because of the prominence of the by-election in central London and the big political name, there were a wide variety of fringe and minor party candidates.