Middlesbrough by-election candidate list

The Middlesbrough by-election was triggered by the death of sitting Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell.

Sir Stuart, who won the seat at the 1983 general election, died after a short illness last month.

The by-election will take place on 29 November.

Nominations for candidates have now officially closed. The candidates are:

• RICHARD ELVIN - UK Independence Party

• PETER FOREMAN - British National Party

• MARK HESLEHURST - Independent

• BEN HOUCHEN - Conservative

• IMDAD HUSSAIN- The Peace Party

• JOHN MALCOLM - Trade Union and Socialist Coalition

• ANDY MCDONALD - Labour

• GEORGE SELMER - Liberal Democrats

Find out more about each of these candidates below.

RICHARD ELVIN - UK Independence Party

Richard Elvin said it was time for change in Middlesbrough

UKIP candidate Richard Elvin lives in Hetton le Hole, Sunderland, with his partner Kay. Mr Elvin is originally from Lincolnshire and studied in Newcastle.

He served for eight years as a parish councillor and was UKIP's candidate for Houghton and Sunderland South at the general election in 2010. Mr Elvin believes "the old parties have failed".

"It is time for radical new policies which are only offered by UKIP," he said.

Mr Elvin said "prosperity and a better life for all" were UKIP's aims and that he wanted to put an end to "political posturing" where, he said, MPs appeared more concerned about keeping their "gravy trains" than representing their constituents.

PETER FOREMAN - British National Party

Peter Foreman said a vote for the BNP would send a "clear message"

Peter Foreman, the British National Party candidate, has previously stood for election as a councillor in South Tyneside.

Mr Foreman said he was "sick and tired" of Labour councils "wasting money on translation services and treating our own people like second-class citizens".

"I believe that the English have the right to recognition. I believe in a better Britain," he said.

Mr Foreman's priorities include "British jobs for British workers", holding a referendum on membership of the European Union, stopping "mass immigration" and prioritising the housing needs of local people.

MARK HESLEHURST - Independent

Mark Heslehurst wants more affordable housing in the town

Mark Heslehurst, who is standing under the banner of Independent Labour, was born in the North Ormesby area of the town.

Mr Heslehurst has pledged to be a visible MP and hold surgeries on a weekly basis.

He wants to create a "positive image for Middlesbrough" and attract new investment to the town to help reduce unemployment.

Mr Heslehurst supports a referendum on membership of the European Union.

BEN HOUCHEN - Conservative

Ben Houchen said Labour had failed local businesses

Conservative candidate Ben Houchen is a councillor in Stockton and works as an employment solicitor in Middlesbrough.

Mr Houchen said it was a "dream come true" to be selected in his hometown and pledged to offer local people something different.

He said: "For too long Labour has taken the town for granted. Labour has failed local business and the people of Middlesbrough for decades and it cannot be allowed to go on."

Mr Houchen said he understood the challenges facing the town's constituents and promised to campaign hard to succeed.

IMDAD HUSSAIN - The Peace Party

Imdad Hussain believes education should be free for all at every stage

The Peace Party candidate Imdad Hussain is a councillor in Bradford. He is married with three young children and also has three grown-up children.

Mr Hussain was elected as a Labour councillor but resigned from the party on 5 November. He said The Peace Party, a secular organisation, shared his values.

Mr Hussain said: "So many injustices take place around us which is so sad to see and therefore we must learn to look for ways to change this by promoting the message of peace."

His policies include closing down the military, exiting Afghanistan and abolishing the Trident replacement scheme. Other priorities include jobs and the NHS.

JOHN MALCOLM - Trade Union and Socialist Coalition

John Malcolm has promised to be a full-time MP if elected

Mental health nurse John Malcolm is standing for the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition. He is a trade union branch secretary and his party opposes all public sector cuts, offering a socialist alternative.

Mr Malcolm said: "As a health service worker, I see first hand how the policies of the coalition and Labour before them are destroying the NHS by allowing private companies to cherry pick services in order to make themselves massive profits."

He has pledged to fight to "save the NHS" and promised to accept the average wage of a skilled worker in Middlesbrough if elected.

ANDY MCDONALD - Labour

Andy McDonald said the government's policies were causing "real pain"

Labour's Andy McDonald lives with his wife Sally in the Linthorpe area of the town and works as a solicitor for a trade union law firm.

He is a former Middlesbrough councillor and chair of Labour's local government committee.

Mr McDonald said he was "proud of the town" and wanted to help build a prosperous future for the area.

He said: "The fight for jobs will be a priority for me. This Tory-led government is completely out of touch with the lives of people here in Middlesbrough."

GEORGE SELMER - Liberal Democrats

George Selmer said he would be a "local champion" in Parliament

Liberal Democrat George Selmer was brought up in Middlesbrough and still lives on Teesside with his wife.

Mr Selmer has experience of helping people get back to work and believes the Redcar constituency provides a good example of a Lib Dem MP working hard for the area.

He said: "Middlesbrough needs an MP who will fight tooth and nail to bring more jobs and investment to the town, to turn around the decades of Labour neglect.

"I am the candidate best qualified to do just that. For the past decade my job has been to help young people and the long-term unemployed back into work."