Candidate list

Elwyn Watkins (Liberal Democrat)
Born and bred in Rochdale, the 47-year-old now lives in Delph.

A former Rochdale councillor, he has worked for manufacturing businesses in Germany, the Middle East and the UK and as a business and financial adviser for a Saudi Arabian sheikh.


Kashif Ali (Conservative)
Born and brought up in Oldham, the 31-year-old barrister studied law at Oxford and Cambridge. A volunteer board member of Creative Support Ltd, a national housing charity for people with mental health problems and learning difficulties.


Debbie Abrahams (Labour)

A Newhey resident for 24 years, the mother-of-two was born in Sheffield.

The 49-year-old public health consultant is the former chairman of Rochdale primary care trust. Involved in creating Oldham’s Integrated Care Centre.

Paul Nuttall (UKIP)

UKIP’s North West Euro-MP and a former university lecturer from Merseyside. The Liverpool-born 34-year-old is married with a six-month old baby. Represents Oldham East and Saddleworth in Europe.


Peter Allen (Green)
An advice worker in Manchester, the 50-year-old is a member of the UNITE union. He lives in Glossop where he has been involved in an active anti-war group and helped establish the campaign to re-open the Woodhead Tunnel for rail use.


Stephen Morris (English Democrats)
The English Democrat Party’s North-West chairman, he is 44 and married with three children. He lives in Bury and has worked for Metrolink in Manchester for 10 years. A branch official for the Unite union for the past eight years.


Loz Kaye (Pirate Party)

The leader of the Pirate Party, he is a teacher at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. The 40-year-old lives in Manchester, and is also a freelance composer and musician. Works for the Rossendale-based Horse and Bamboo Theatre Company.


Nick Delves (Monster Raving Loony Party)
Standing under the name of Nick Delves, the Flying Brick, the 45-year-old is party treasurer. He is a house-husband and lives in Derbyshire, where he has stood in elections since 1997.


David Bishop (Bus-Pass Elvis Party)
Party leader since he founded it in 2001, he has stood in six previous by-elections across the country.

He lives in Nottingham.


Derek Adams (BNP)

A Manchester publican, he is a former landlord of the old 160-year-old Ace of Diamonds pub, which was in Oldham Road.