OXFORD: The UK Independence Party will not field a candidate in the North ward by-election next month, after failing to get enough people to nominate one.

The deadline to register as a candidate for the election on September 19 was Thursday, but no UKIP candidate has been nominated.

Party spokesman Ian Macdonald said last night: “We didn’t manage to get enough valid signatures so won’t have a candidate.”

Under election rules, candidates must secure 10 signatures from people living in the contested ward they are standing in to sign a nomination form.

In the election, which is being held because former Lord Mayor Alan Armitage stood down, Tim Bearder will stand for the Lib Dems, Sushila Dhall for the Greens, Louise Upton for Labour and John Walsh for the Tories.