He had previously organised events to raise awareness of an issue related to his estranged partner and son,[9] which involved walking 500 miles to Downing Street.

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidate John Malcolm was 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,[11] but did not submit his candidacy.

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.

The result was also notable as the first time the Peace Party had ever retained their deposit at a parliamentary election and their highest percentage of vote share in a single constituency.