2022 Birmingham Erdington by-election

Labour has held Birmingham Erdington since the seat was re-established in 1974.^[1] Dromey had been the MP for the constituency since 2010, being re-elected in 2015, 2017 and 2019. He died suddenly in his Birmingham flat on the morning of 7 January 2022, according to a family statement. He had spoken in a House of Commons afternoon debate on the UK resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees the day before.^[2][3]

The writ was issued on 31 January. The deadline to register to vote was 00:00 GMT on 15 February, with applications for postal votes due by 17:00 GMT on 16 February.^[4]

The Labour Party candidate was Paulette Hamilton, who is Birmingham City Council's cabinet member for Health and Social Care. She was selected in a virtual hustings against Ashley Bertie, the former West Midlands deputy police and crime commissioner, receiving 82 votes to Bertie's 32.^[5]

The Conservative Party selected Robert Alden, who had contested the seat in the previous four general elections.^[6]

Reform UK (formerly the Brexit Party) selected Birmingham postman Jack Brookes.^[4]

The Liberal Democrats selected Lee Dargue, who works in the rail sector, occupational health and safety and environmental management.^[4]

The Green Party selected local businesswoman Siobhan Harper-Nunes as its candidate.^[7]

Michael Lutwyche stood as an independent. Lutwyche is a Justice-4-the-21 campaigner, supporting the victims of the Birmingham pub bombings.^[8]

Dave Nellist stood for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC). He was the Labour MP for Coventry South East from 1983 to 1992.^[9][10] Nellist received support from the Breakthrough Party, the Northern Independence Party and Left Unity, who joined the TUSC on 20 January 2022 in the PAL - People's Alliance of the Left.^[11]

David Bishop was a satirical candidate. He said he was standing for serious policies, such as scrapping HS2 and saving public lavatories, as well as less serious ones, like legalising brothels with a 20% discount for pensioners.^[12][13] This would be the last by election contested by David Bishop before his death in December 2022.^[14]

Near the end of the campaign, remarks made by Paulette Hamilton in 2015 were uncovered by GB News where she suggested she was torn between a democratic vote and an uprising to enable black people to get what "we really deserve in this country".^[15] The comments led to calls from some Conservative MPs for her to be suspended by the Labour Party, who responded saying the remarks were taken out of context.^[16]

• 2022 Birmingham City Council election