Wakefield by-election: The candidate list and date for the Wakefield by-election after Imran Ahmad Khan's conviction

Khan had been the first Conservative MP to take the Wakefield seat in nearly 90 years, when he beat Labour's Mary Creagh during the 2019 election.

The 48-year-old, who has been jailed for a total of 18 months, previously said he was resigning so that he could focus entirely on clearing his name.

In a statement posted on Khan's social media, he said that due to “long delays in the legal process” which have left his constituents “without visible parliamentary representation for a year”, he would resign.

The date for the by-election has now been set to 23 June, with a list of candidates now running for the seat.

Here is the list of candidates running in the Wakefield by-election.

Full list of candidates for the Wakefield by-election

There are a total of 15 candidates for the Wakefield by-election, with eyes on Simon Robert Lightwood (Labour) to snatch the seat.

Simon Robert Lightwood, Labour Party

The NHS worker, who has lived in Wakefield and been a Labour member for 20 years, was chosen over trade unionist Kate Dearden by local members earlier this month.

Eyes are on Lightwood to win back the seat which Labour held for 89 years until the 2019 General Election.

Nadeem Ahmed, Conservative Party

Nadeem, who has been a district councillor since 2006, was selected by Tory members in the city last weekend.

“As someone born and bred in Wakefield, I am delighted to be selected as the Conservative candidate," Nadeem said.

“I fully understand what it is like to live and work in Wakefield and what needs to be done to ensure the people’s priorities are delivered."

David John Rowntree Herdson, Yorkshire Party

The Yorkshire Party has chosen former councillor David John Rowntree Herdson to stand in the by-election.

Herdson was previously a member of the Conservative Party but resigned in 2019 in protest of Boris Johnson’s policies and attitude.

He later joined the Yorkshire Party, calling it “a centrist, pragmatic party with a positive and ambitious vision of a stronger Yorkshire in a fairer UK”.

Other candidates

- Akef Akbar. Independent

- Paul Bickerdike. Christian Peoples Alliance

- Mick Dodgson. Freedom Alliance. Real People. Real Alternative

- Sir Archibald Stanton Earl 'Eaton. The Official Monster Raving Loony Party

- Jayda Fransen. Independent

- Jordan James Gaskell. UKIP

- Therese Hirst. English Democrats "Putting England First!"

- Christopher Richard Jones. Northern Independence Party - Nationalise Energy Companies

- Jamie Luke Needle. Liberal Democrats

- Ashley Theo Blue Routh. Green Party

- Ashlea Simon. Britain First - No to Immigration

- Chris Walsh. Reform UK