The by-election was caused by the resignation of its Member of Parliament Denis MacShane after the House of Commons Standards and Privileges Committee found that he had submitted 19 false invoices "plainly intended to deceive" the parliamentary expenses authority,[1][2][3] an issue dating back to 2009 and a wider parliamentary expenses scandal in the UK.

[9][10] Local resident Jane Collins was the candidate for UKIP, who previously stood for the party in the 2011 Barnsley by-election where she achieved second place with 12.2% of the vote, beating both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Subsequent to being freed, she converted to Islam and has adopted a strong anti-Zionist position, saying "any Zionism in Respect would be hunted down and kicked out".

Simon Copley, a charity fundraiser and church leader, stood as an Independent candidate saying he offered a "moderate alternative".

The decision attracted widespread criticism from across the political spectrum, including from the Labour leader Ed Miliband[17] and Conservative Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove.

[21] In May 2013, Rotherham council apologised and said that communication about the decision gave the incorrect impression that it related solely to the couples UKIP membership.

For Respect, Yvonne Ridley obtained the party's third best by-election result, surpassed only by her own performance in Leicester South in 2004 (fourth with 12.7%), and George Galloway's gain of Bradford West in March 2012.