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| UKIP leader Paul Nuttall to stand in Stoke Central by-election | UKIP leader Paul Nuttall to stand in Stoke Central by-election |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UKIP leader Paul Nuttall will stand in the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election on 23 February, the party has said. | UKIP leader Paul Nuttall will stand in the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election on 23 February, the party has said. |
| A by-election was triggered earlier this month when Labour MP Tristram Hunt quit to become the director of London's Victoria and Albert Museum. | A by-election was triggered earlier this month when Labour MP Tristram Hunt quit to become the director of London's Victoria and Albert Museum. |
| The seat is traditionally a safe Labour one, but the party's majority has fallen from 20,000 in the 1997 general election to about 5,000 in 2015. | The seat is traditionally a safe Labour one, but the party's majority has fallen from 20,000 in the 1997 general election to about 5,000 in 2015. |
| Labour is due to choose its candidate on Wednesday. | Labour is due to choose its candidate on Wednesday. |
| Stoke-on-Trent, at just under 70%, recorded one of the highest proportions of Leave votes anywhere in the UK in last summer's EU referendum, despite Labour's policy backing Remain. | Stoke-on-Trent, at just under 70%, recorded one of the highest proportions of Leave votes anywhere in the UK in last summer's EU referendum, despite Labour's policy backing Remain. |
| Politics post-Brexit | Politics post-Brexit |
| Mr Nuttall was confirmed as the UKIP candidate after the 10 other people on the shortlist withdrew to make way for their leader. | Mr Nuttall was confirmed as the UKIP candidate after the 10 other people on the shortlist withdrew to make way for their leader. |
| He replaced Nigel Farage as leader of UKIP in November, after serving six years as deputy leader. | He replaced Nigel Farage as leader of UKIP in November, after serving six years as deputy leader. |
| The by-election could shed light on UKIP's level of support after Mr Farage's leadership, as well as the shape of politics post-Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn's performance as opposition leader. | The by-election could shed light on UKIP's level of support after Mr Farage's leadership, as well as the shape of politics post-Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn's performance as opposition leader. |
| The only other candidate for the seat to have thrown their hat into the ring so far is Godfrey Davies, from the Christian Peoples Alliance. | The only other candidate for the seat to have thrown their hat into the ring so far is Godfrey Davies, from the Christian Peoples Alliance. |
| Mr Nuttall is striving to become UKIP's second MP, joining Douglas Carswell who became its first MP in 2014. | Mr Nuttall is striving to become UKIP's second MP, joining Douglas Carswell who became its first MP in 2014. |
| It will be Mr Nuttall's fifth attempt to win a seat in Parliament. | It will be Mr Nuttall's fifth attempt to win a seat in Parliament. |
| Nuclear move | Nuclear move |
| The by-election will be held alongside a separate poll in the Cumbrian seat of Copeland, triggered by the resignation of another Labour MP, Jamie Reed. | The by-election will be held alongside a separate poll in the Cumbrian seat of Copeland, triggered by the resignation of another Labour MP, Jamie Reed. |
| Mr Reed, a persistent critic of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, announced that he was standing down as an MP to take up a position at the Sellafield nuclear power plant. | Mr Reed, a persistent critic of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, announced that he was standing down as an MP to take up a position at the Sellafield nuclear power plant. |
| Labour has selected former hospital doctor Gillian Troughton to stand to replace him. | Labour has selected former hospital doctor Gillian Troughton to stand to replace him. |
| Labour's majority over the Conservative Party was cut to 2,564 votes at the last general election. | Labour's majority over the Conservative Party was cut to 2,564 votes at the last general election. |
| UKIP has chosen Fiona Mills, a pro-nuclear power candidate who works in the NHS, to fight the Copeland by-election. | UKIP has chosen Fiona Mills, a pro-nuclear power candidate who works in the NHS, to fight the Copeland by-election. |
| Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election: Candidates list | |
| Copeland by-election: Candidates list |