Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election, 2016

Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election, 2016

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Candidate Caroline Johnson Victoria Ayling Ross Pepper Party Conservative UKIP Liberal Democrat Popular vote 17,570 4,426 3,606 Percentage 53.5% 13.5% 11%   Candidate Jim Clarke Marianne Overton Party Labour Lincolnshire Independent Popular vote 3,363 2,892 Percentage 10.2% 8.8%
Location of Sleaford and North Hykeham within the parts of Lincolnshire which are within the Lincolnshire County Council area
MP before election Stephen Phillips Conservative Elected MP Caroline Johnson Conservative

Stephen Phillips
Conservative

Caroline Johnson
Conservative

The Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election was a by-election in England for the House of Commons constituency of Sleaford and North Hykeham held on 8 December 2016. It was triggered by the resignation of Conservative MP Stephen Phillips on 4 November 2016. It was the first by-election to be contested in Lincolnshire since the Lincoln by-election of 1973.

Phillips had backed Brexit at the 2016 referendum, but criticised the Conservative government under Prime Minister Theresa May for failing to consult Parliament sufficiently.

In his resignation letter to his local Conservative Association, Phillips set out three policy areas where he had fallen out with the Government, including: “its failure to appreciate the constitutional necessity of properly consulting Parliament” on leaving the EU; “the continued shirking of our responsibility for unaccompanied child refugees who have been forced to flee war and conflict;“ and, “the way in which international aid is now apparently to be used other than to assist some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.”

He then concluded, saying, "It has become clear to me over the last few months that my growing and very significant policy differences with the current government mean that I am unable properly to represent the people who elected me".

In the Richmond Park by-election that was held one week before the Sleaford vote, the Liberal Democrats won the seat from former Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith on a substantial swing.