Following boundary changes at the 1997 general election, Sykes contested the redrawn seat of Scarborough and Whitby, but lost to the Labour candidate, Lawrie Quinn, by 5,124 votes.
Following changes to constituency boundaries at the 1997 general election, Sykes contested the newly redrawn Scarborough and Whitby seat but was defeated by Labour candidate Lawrie Quinn with a margin of 5,124 votes.