The Stratford and New Town by-election, caused by a combination of malice and incompetence among Newham’s Labour leadership, will be held on Thursday 7th May – the same day as the general election.
If you’re interested in standing:
Nomination papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer, Town Hall, Barking Road, London, E6 2RP on any day after the date of this notice, on Monday to Friday 9.30 a.m. to 5 pm (excluding bank holidays) but no later than 4 pm on Thursday, 9th April 2015.
So far Labour have confirmed that Charlene McLean will be their candidate to recapture the seat they took off her last month and the Conservatives have selected Matthew Gass. He stood in the same ward last May and came fourth (behind the three Labour nominees) with 777 votes.
The newly-resurgent Newham Green Party are due to announce their candidate this week. I’ve heard nothing from the other parties.
UPDATE (8 April): The Greens have announced their candidate:
Isabelle Anderson, 29, is Newham Green Party’s candidate for Stratford and New Town.
Anderson’s family moved to Newham when she was 12 years old from South West London. She now lives in Stratford and New Town with her partner and their son.
“As a young family with a modest income we struggle with the spiralling cost of housing. I believe that Newham Council should be working harder to provide decent affordable homes for all. Newham Council’s failure to provide sufficient social housing pushes vulnerable people out of London and breaks up families and communities. By electing me as your councillor for Stratford and New Town you will ensure that Labour’s unwillingness to stand up for the vulnerable and the marginalised will not go unchallenged.
“The Green Party offers a real alternative – a party that fights inequality and prioritises the needs of the many above the profit of the few. If I am elected I will campaign for social housing; for measures to improve the toxic air quality that kills 4000 Londoners a year; and for community initiatives that will address social issues such as crime, inequality, unemployment and poverty, and improve wellbeing.”
forestgatedotnet 
I for one hope that Charlene gets re-elected and is a thorn in the side of the old guard. As a former chair of the old Newtown Ward Labour Party, it saddens me to see the lack of backbone in the majority of Newham councillors and I hope Charlene can bring back the integrity that is so obviously missing.
There is a large part of me that shares that hope. But a small bit still thinks it would serve them right if Labour lost the seat. Rough on Charlene McLean, but a valuable and salutary lesson to the Dear Leader and his chums.