Uxbridge by-election, 1972

The Uxbridge by-election was held on 7 December 1972 after Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Curran had died on 16 September of the same year. The seat was retained by the Conservatives by Michael Shersby. Shersby would hold the seat until his sudden death just days after the 1997 general election.

The by-election was contested by seven candidates, with each of the three major parliamentary parties offering candidates, three others coming from extra-parliamentary right-wing groups and a final candidate who was effectively an independent.

John Clifton was the candidate for the far-right National Front. He was the party's organiser for South-West London and was also close to the local branch of the Monday Club.

Dennis Herbert Harmston ran for the Union Movement, a far-right pro-European unity party led by Oswald Mosley. Known as "Big Dan", Harmston, who worked in the management of Smithfield Market, was a long term supporter of Mosley. He later became known as a supporter of Enoch Powell, leading the Smithfield porters in a pro-Powell march following the Rivers of Blood speech.

Another fringe rightist party, the National Independence Party, also stood with Clare Macdonald as their candidate. Macdonald had been a member of the National Front but had switched allegiance when former Front leader John O'Brien was forced out of the group.

Michael Shersby was the candidate for the Conservative Party. He had worked in industry for a number of years with the sugar company Tate & Lyle whilst also serving as a Conservative member of Westminster City Council.

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