The former MP, Owen Paterson of the Conservatives, resigned his seat on 5 November 2021 when faced with suspension from the Commons for a breach of advocacy rules and the consequent possibility of a recall petition.

[4] The area is rural and north of Shrewsbury, west of Newcastle-under-Lyme in the Stoke-on-Trent conurbation, south of Cheshire and Wrexham, having five small towns (in size order): Oswestry, Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Wem and Ellesmere.

Paterson resigned as an MP in November 2021 for breaching Commons lobbying rules while working for two firms as a consultant.

[7] A by-election was held on 16 December 2021, triggered by the resignation and was won by Helen Morgan for the Liberal Democrats with a 34% swing.

Oswestry and Wrekin prior to 1983 Class War originally selected Al Derby as a candidate here, but he changed to Wolverhampton North East.