In order to resign from being an MP, Johnson accepted the post of Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead on 4 June 2008.

[14] The Liberal Democrats' candidate was Stephen Kearney, head of a development charity who had previously owned and ran a small business.

The UK Independence Party selected Chris Adams, Buckinghamshire County Organiser for the UKIP and also PPC for Aylesbury.

The Liberal Democrats attacked both the green-belt credentials of the Conservative candidate and his participation in the campaign to save the local hospital,[23][24] as well as producing leaflets which were alleged to imply that the previous MP, Boris Johnson backed their candidate and incorrectly asserting a local school's budget was under threat.

[25][26] The Conservatives in return threatened to sue,[27] claiming the allegations of non-involvement were untrue and played on the fact that the Liberal Democrat candidate was not local, but from Plymouth.

The Lib Dems responded by saying that their candidate had moved into the constituency and would remain there, the same way the former Conservative MP Boris Johnson had done when he stood.