Deadline for Henley nominations

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Nominations have closed for candidates in the by-election for Boris Johnson's seat, Henley in Oxfordshire.

Conservative MP Mr Johnson announced he was stepping down on 4 June after being elected as mayor of London.

The frontrunners for his seat are John Howell for the Conservatives, Stephen Kearney for the Lib Dems and Richard McKenzie for Labour.

Twelve candidates have submitted nomination forms for the by-election on 26 June.

The Conservatives will be hoping to capitalise on their recent by-election victory in Crewe and Nantwich - a seat they took from Labour, the party's first gain at a by-election since 1982.

Mr Johnson was first elected as MP for Henley in 2001 - where he succeeded the Conservative former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine, with a majority of 8,458.

He was re-elected in 2005 with an improved majority of 12,793 - a 53% share of the vote.

Some questions have been raised about postal votes ahead of the election.

Henley resident Cate Teideman, 30, received her polling card on Monday afternoon but was annoyed to be told on Tuesday morning there was not time for her to register for a postal vote as the deadline was 1700 BST on Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for South Oxfordshire District Council said the deadline for postal votes was set by legislation, but said postal votes forms had been available to download online - to send or fax back.

She added: "If they missed the postal vote deadline, there is the option of applying for a proxy vote and there's one week to do that."

The list of candidates nominated, according to the returning officer, are:

<li>Chris Adams, UK Independence Party</li><li>Derek Allpass, English Democrats</li><li>Louise Cole - Independent (Miss Great Britain Party)</li><li>Amanda Harrington - Independent (Miss Great Britain Party)</li><li>John Howell - Conservatives</li><li>Stephen Kearney - Liberal Democrats</li><li>Richard McKenzie - Labour</li><li>Bananaman Owen - Monster Raving Loony Party</li><li>Timothy Rait - British National Party</li><li>Dick Rodgers - The Common Good</li><li>Mark Stevenson - Greens</li><li>Harry Bear, The Fur Play Party</li>

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