2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election predecessor from 1987 until his resignation brought about the by-election, stood as the official Conservative Party candidate. He fought the campaign on the theme David Davis for Freedom. The English Democrats Party selected Joanne Robinson as its candidate. She previously stood as the United Kingdom Independence Party candidate for the same constituency in the 2001 general election. Blackpool based Hamish Howitt was one of two pub landlords who announced intentions to stand under the "Freedom to Choose" label, opposing the smoking ban in England. Shan Oakes was the Green Party candidate. She is also the party's candidate in the 2009
Church of the Militant Elvis Party was heckled while campaigning. The party gained 116 votes and again came in last place. Bishop stood again as one of 26 candidates in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election, 2008, on a platform of overthrowing the capitalist state, due to it turning Elvis into a "fat media joke". He argued that George W. Bush is the anti-Christ, and campaigned to imprison Cherie Blair to prevent her reporting details of her sex life, and to place CCTV in the bedroom of Nick Clegg. He came 17th with 44 votes (0.2%). Campaign pledges for the 2010 general election for Kettering included filling