The Conservatives picked
Robert Courts, a barrister and
West Oxfordshire District Councillor since 2014, from a shortlist of three candidates; he defeated Natasha Whitmill, a former aide to Cameron, and John Cotton, the leader of
South Oxfordshire District Council. Though Witney voted in favour of remain in the
EU referendum on 23 June 2016, Courts is a "Brexiter", which means that he supports Brexit. The Labour Party selected Duncan Enright as their candidate. He serves as a West Oxfordshire District Councillor and stood in Witney at the
2015 general election, finishing second behind Cameron. The Liberal Democrats selected Liz Leffman, a West Oxfordshire District Councillor (for Charlbury and Finstock) and local businesswoman, as the party's candidate. She stood in Witney in the
2005 general election, finishing second to Cameron. He served in the army in Oxfordshire's local Regiment, The
Royal Green Jackets, before becoming Head Porter at
Oriel College, Oxford, and stood in
Banbury in 2015, coming third. The Green Party named
Larry Sanders, a former Oxfordshire County Councillor and brother of US Senator
Bernie Sanders. He came fifth in the 2015 general election in the neighbouring constituency of
Oxford West and Abingdon. The
National Health Action Party (NHA) selected Dr Helen Salisbury, a GP and lecturer at
Oxford University Medical School. Salisbury was their candidate in Oxford West and Abingdon at the 2015 general election.
Winston McKenzie, a former professional boxer and a
perennial candidate, was named as the candidate of the
English Democrats. He came third in
Croydon North at the previous general election. Independent candidate Adam Knight endorsed the Liberal Democrat candidate, Leffman, during the campaign. Overall, fourteen candidates stood in the by-election. ==Result==