[4] The Labour Party, which last held the seat, selected its candidate on 5 November 2015[5] from a shortlist of four: Mohammed Azam, National Executive Committee member and former local councillor; Jane East, who contested the seat of Colne Valley unsuccessfully at the 2015 general election; Failsworth East councillor Jim McMahon, leader of Oldham Council; and Chris Williamson, former MP for Derby North.

[11] Others talked about as potential candidates were Paul Nuttall, the UKIP deputy leader,[12] and Steven Woolfe, both MEPs for North West England.

[13] The Conservative Party came a close third to UKIP at the 2015 general election and selected James Daly, a solicitor and Bury councillor,[14] who contested the Bolton North East constituency in 2015.

"[26] However, others in UKIP downplayed the allegations,[27] with deputy chairman Suzanne Evans saying the party risks sounding like "bad losers".

[24][20] Nuttall wrote an open letter to Greg Clark, the Secretary of State for the Department for Communities and Local Government, raising concerns about postal voting processes.