After boundary changes agreed in 2006, the Vale of York constituency was divided up leaving no obvious successor; the seat most closely associated was Thirsk and Malton which was the successor to Ryedale, held since 1987 by John Greenway.
Following the death of UK Independence Party candidate John Boakes, the 2010 election in Thirsk and Malton was delayed until 27 May, some three weeks after the rest of the country.