The Uxbridge by-election, 1997 was a parliamentary by-election held in July 1997 to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Uxbridge in London, England.The vacancy was caused by the death of the Conservative MP Sir Michael Shersby, who died unexpectedly on 8 May 1997, just seven days after his being returned to the House of Commons at the 1997 general election, although that election saw the end of 18 years of Conservative rule as Labour won by a landslide. It was the first by-election of the 1997-2001 parliament.