United Kingdom by-election records

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)

UK by-election records is an annotated list of notable records from United Kingdom by-elections. A by-election occurs when a Member of Parliament resigns, dies, or is disqualified or expelled, and an election is held to fill the vacant seat. A constituency is the seat or division that member represented.

Prior to 1945, electoral competition in the United Kingdom exhibited features which make meaningful comparisons with modern results difficult.

Among the most significant were:-

  • Frequent interventions and withdrawals of parties in different seats.
  • Frequent Coalitions between parties, splits within parties and floor-crossing by members.
  • Uncontested elections and truces between parties, in particular during both World Wars.
  • Generally more significant competition from independent candidates and minor parties.
  • Multi-member seats and University seats.
  • Higher frequency of by-elections.
  • Generally higher turnouts, although several wartime elections exhibited the lowest recorded turnouts.
  • Generally higher variation in size of constituency electorates.

Since 1945, the evolution of a stable 3-party system has tended to negate each of the above features so that, broadly speaking, elections are more comparable.

In Northern Ireland, as ever, the pattern of party competition is completely different from that on the mainland and comparisons remain problematic.

Hence, unless otherwise stated records are based on results since the 1945 General Election, and earlier exceptional results are listed separately.

For comparison purposes the following definitions have been adopted.

  • Gain - victory by a party which was not victorious at the immediate previous election.
  • Loss - defeat of a party which was victorious at the immediate previous election.
  • Hold - victory by a party which was victorious at the immediate previous election.
  • Win - victory by a party. Ambiguous term that could mean either a gain or a hold.
  • Incumbent - the party which held the seat at the immediate previous election, irrespective of any intervening change of candidate or candidate's change of party.
  • Third Party - In England, since 1922, the "third party" has been the Liberal party and its successors up to the present day Liberal Democrats. Additionally, in Scotland and Wales the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru are also considered to be Third Parties. Prior to 1922, the third party was the Labour party.
  • Minor Party - parties smaller than the Third Party
  • Uncontested - an election where only one candidate is put forward. No votes are actually cast and the candidate is by definition the victor.

Contents

[edit] Numerical records

For more information about what is meant by the term "swing", see Swing (politics)

[edit] Largest swings

Election Swing (%) From To
Liverpool Wavertree by-election, 1935 30.0 Conservative Labour
Dudley West by-election, 1994 29.2 Conservative Labour
South East Staffordshire by-election, 1996 22.1 Conservative Labour
Dagenham by-election, 1994 23.1 Conservative Labour
Barking by-election, 1994 22.0 Conservative Labour
Walsall North by-election, 1976 22.6 Labour Conservative
Dudley by-election, 1968 21.2 Labour Conservative
Ashfield by-election, 1977 20.9 Labour Conservative

[edit] Largest fall in percentage share of vote

A party's share of the vote at a general election is not always matched at subsequent by-elections, but given the five-year maximum term of a Parliament, reductions of 20% or more are unusual.

Election Reduction in Share Party Notes
Christchurch by-election, 1993 -32.5 Conservative Liberal Democrat gain
Rochdale by-election, 1958 -31.7 Conservative Labour gain
Dudley West by-election, 1994 -30.2 Conservative Labour gain
North Down by-election, 1995 -29.9 Conservative UKU gain from Popular Unionist
Paisley by-election, 1961 -29.5 Conservative Labour hold
Newbury by-election, 1993 -29.0 Conservative Liberal Democrat gain
West Lothian by-election, 1962 -28.3 Conservative Labour hold
Torrington by-election, 1958 -27.7 Conservative Liberal Party gain
West Derbyshire by-election, 1962 -25.2 Conservative Conservative hold
Bermondsey by-election, 1983 -37.5 Labour Liberal Party gain
Birmingham Ladywood by-election, 1969 -33.4 Labour Liberal Party gain
Hamilton by-election, 1967 -29.7 Labour SNP gain
Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election, 2004 -29.6 Labour Labour hold
Brent East by-election, 2003 -29.4 Labour Liberal Democrat gain
Caerphilly by-election, 1968 -28.7 Labour Labour hold
Hamilton South by-election, 1999 -28.7 Labour Labour hold
Clitheroe by-election, 1979 -14.2 Liberal Party Conservative hold
Epsom and Ewell by-election, 1978 -13.8 Liberal Party Conservative hold
Kinross and West Perthshire by-election, 1963 -07.7 SNP Conservative hold
Swansea East by-election, 1963 -05.3 Plaid Cymru Labour hold


Pre-1945:
-49.7% (Liberal Party) at the Southwark South East by-election, 1921. Labour gained the seat.
-47.7% (Conservative Party) at the Westminster St George's by-election, 1921. The Anti-Waste League gained the seat.
-46.7% (Conservative Party) at the Liverpool Wavertree by-election, 1935. Labour gained the seat.



[edit] Other parties

-51.3% for the Independent Labour Party at the Glasgow Camlachie by-election, 1948. The Conservatives gained the seat from an ILP member who had defected to Labour.
-22.4% for the Ulster Unionist Party at the Belfast South by-election, 1982. The Ulster Unionists held the seat.
-22.2% for the Ulster Unionist Party at the South Antrim by-election, 2000. The DUP gained the seat from the Ulster Unionists.
Pre-1945:
-59.6% for the Independent Labour Party at the Merthyr by-election, 1934. Labour gained the seat. In the 1931 general election the ILP had been a part of the Labour Party, although ILP candidates were not fully endorsed, but by 1934 the two parties had separated and now fielded separate candidates.

[edit] Largest increase in percentage share of vote

Election Increase in Share Party Notes
Bristol West by-election, 1951 22.5 Conservative Conservative hold
Walthamstow East by-election, 1969 20.8 Conservative Conservative hold
Ashfield by-election, 1977 20.8 Conservative Conservative hold
Dudley West by-election, 1994 28.1 Labour Labour gain
Mid Staffordshire by-election, 1990 24.3 Labour Labour gain
Bermondsey by-election, 1983 50.9 Liberal Party Liberal Party gain
Paisley by-election , 1961 41.4 Liberal Party Labour hold
Glasgow Govan by-election, 1988 38.4 SNP SNP gain
Glasgow Govan by-election, 1973 31.6 SNP SNP gain
Caerphilly by-election, 1968 29.3 Plaid Cymru Labour hold
Merthyr Tydfil by-election, 1972 27.4 Plaid Cymru Labour hold
Carmarthen by-election, 1966 27.4 Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru gain
Pre-1945:
29.6% at the Southwark South East by-election, 1921, gained by Labour.

If seats in which the nationalist party had not stood in the general election are included, the best results are:

51.4% at the Motherwell by-election, 1945, gained by the Scottish National Party.
43.2% at the Paisley by-election, 1948, held by Labour.

[edit] Largest winning share of the vote

election Share (%) Party
Middleton and Prestwich by-election, 1940 98.7 Conservative
North Antrim by-election, 1986 97.4 Democratic Unionist
Leeds North East by-election, 1940 97.1 Conservative
Leeds South East by-election, 1929 95.8 Labour
Glasgow Central by-election, 1915 95.3 Conservative
Strangford by-election, 1986 94.2 Ulster Unionist
South Antrim by-election, 1986 94.1 Ulster Unionist

[edit] Lowest winning share of the vote

Winning shares of the vote below 35%, since 1918:
The Stockport by-election, 1920, was held to elected two MPs. The winners' shares of the total vote were 25.6% and 25.1%. However, as each voter could cast two votes, the situation is not readily comparable to other by-elections in this period.

[edit] Lowest share of the vote

[edit] Major parties winning 2% or less of the vote

Since 1918:
The worst Conservative performance was in the North Down by-election, 1995, where they took 2.1% of the votes cast.

[edit] Candidates winning fewer than ten votes

Since 1918:1
1 F. R. Lees, a Temperance Chartist, won no votes in the Ripon by-election, 1860, as his supporters mistakenly believed that he had withdrawn.
2 Bevan made a mistake when filling out his nomination paper and put his occupation ("Systems Designer") in the space labelled 'description' which was then printed on the ballot paper.

[edit] Smallest majorities

All majorities of less than 1,000 since the Second World War. Bold entries indicate a new record.

57 votes Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, 1973, gained by the Liberals
62 votes Walthamstow West by-election, 1967, gained by the Conservatives
100 votes West Derbyshire by-election, 1986, held by the Conservatives
205 votes Leyton by-election, 1965, gained by the Conservatives
219 votes Torrington by-election, 1958, gained by the Liberals
220 votes Central Norfolk by-election, 1962, held by the Conservatives
264 votes Ashfield by-election, 1977, gained by the Conservatives
289 votes Birmingham Northfield by-election, 1982, gained by Labour
293 votes West Dumbartonshire by-election, 1950, held by Labour
359 votes Combined English Universities by-election, 1946, gained by the Conservatives
395 votes Glasgow Camlachie by-election, 1948, gained by the Conservatives
430 votes Southend East by-election, 1980, held by the Conservatives
437 votes Brighouse and Spenborough by-election, 1950, held by Labour
452 votes Heywood and Radcliffe by-election, 1946, held by Labour
460 votes Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election, 2004, held by Labour
478 votes Swindon by-election, 1969, gained by the Conservatives
517 votes Paddington North by-election, 1969, held by Labour
520 votes Grimsby by-election, 1977, held by Labour
552 votes Penrith and The Border by-election, 1983, held by the Conservatives
556 votes Hamilton South by-election, 1999, held by Labour
557 votes Manchester Gorton by-election, 1967, held by Labour
559 votes Brecon and Radnor by-election, 1985, gained by the Liberals
571 votes Glasgow Govan by-election, 1973, gained by the SNP
633 votes Bromley and Chislehurst by-election, 2006, held by the Conservatives
641 votes Bolton East by-election, 1960, held by the Conservatives
657 votes Taunton by-election, 1956, held by the Conservatives
666 votes Brighouse and Spenborough by-election, 1960, gained by the Conservatives
704 votes South Dorset by-election, 1962, gained by Labour
705 votes Falkirk West by-election, 2000, held by Labour
740 votes Bassetlaw by-election, 1968, held by Labour
799 votes Newcastle-under-Lyme by-election, 1986, held by Labour
806 votes Mid Ulster by-election, 1955, held by Sinn Féin
815 votes Kensington by-election, 1988, held by the Conservatives
822 votes South Antrim by-election, 2000, gained by the DUP
865 votes South Norfolk by-election, 1955, held by the Conservatives
913 votes Belfast West by-election, 1950, held by the Unionists
917 votes South Northamptonshire by-election, 1962, held by the Conservatives
946 votes Ripon by-election, 1973, gained by the Liberals
971 votes Dumfriesshire by-election, 1963, held by the Conservatives
973 votes Blackpool North by-election, 1962, held by the Conservatives

[edit] Highest turnout

Highest turnout in any by-election since 1918:

[edit] Lowest turnout

Lowest turnout in any by-election since 1918:
  • South Poplar by-election, 1942: 9.2%
  • Harrow by-election, 1941: 10.7%
  • North Camberwell by-election, 1944: 11.2%

During the Second World War the electoral register was not kept up to date despite significant population movements, especially in the London area (which contains all three constituencies listed above). Consequently only those eligible to vote in the constituency at the outbreak of war were eligible to vote in the by-elections and many voters were physically unable to as they were located elsewhere; in addition the major parties did not compete against each other. The lowest turnout in peacetime since 1918 was 19.9% at the Leeds Central by-election, 1999.

[edit] Most candidates

Any number of candidates can be nominated for election under current UK electoral law. There are no restrictions, with the only required stipulation (other than residency rules) being the valid nomination of ten electors from the constituency. By-elections often attract "fringe" or novelty candidates, single-issue candidates, or independents. As with nominations in a general election, candidates must pay a £500 deposit which is only refunded if the candidate wins 5% of the votes cast.

All by-elections with more than ten candidates are listed. Those which created a new record number are shown in bold.

Year Number of candidates Election
1993 19 Newbury
1999 18 Kensington and Chelsea
1984 17 Chesterfield
2003 16 Brent East
1988 15 Kensington
1993 14 Christchurch
2004 Hartlepool
1990 Mid Staffordshire
1989 Vauxhall
1996 13 South East Staffordshire
1981 12 Croydon North West
2003 Ealing Southall
1999 Hamilton South
2008 Henley
1997 Wirral South
2006 11 Bromley and Chislehurst
1986 Hammersmith and Fulham
1978 Lambeth Central
2004 Leicester South
2007 Sedgefield
1990 Upper Bann
1997 Uxbridge
1989 Vale of Glamorgan
1981 Warrington
1977 10 Birmingham Ladywood
1990 Bradford North
1977 City of London and Westminster South
2008 Crewe and Nantwich
1994 Dudley West
1996 Hemsworth
1995 Littleborough and Saddleworth
2005 Livingston
2002 Ogmore

[edit] Fewest candidates

[edit] Uncontested by-elections since 1945

  • Armagh by-election, 1954
  • North Down by-election, 1953
  • Antrim North by-election, 1952
  • Londonderry by-election, 1951
  • Hemsworth by-election, 1946 (The last such mainland UK by-election)

[edit] Most recent by-elections with two candidates

1 Four of the eight straight fights were between the Unionist incumbent and a "paper candidate" using the name "Peter Barry", the name of the then Irish Foreign Minister.

[edit] Most recent by-election with three candidates

[edit] Candidate records

[edit] Durable by-election candidates

Former Labour cabinet minister Tony Benn contested no fewer than four by-elections during his career, topping the poll on each occasion: Bristol South East in 1950, Bristol South East in 1961, Bristol South East in 1963 and Chesterfield in 1984. His first and last by-election victories were 33 years and 3 months apart.

Former cabinet minister and European Commissioner Roy Jenkins fought two different by-elections for the SDP only eight months apart. He narrowly failed in the Warrington by-election, 1981 before winning the Glasgow Hillhead by-election, 1982. He had been first elected as a Labour MP almost 34 years previously in the Southwark Central by-election, 1948.

Former Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd finally secured election at her third by-election attempt at the West Bromwich by-election, 1973. She had previously failed in the Leicester South East by-election, 1957 and the Nelson and Colne by-election, 1968 as well as the General Elections of 1959 and 1970.

Fringe candidates Bill Boaks, Screaming Lord Sutch of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and Tom Keen of the Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain contested numerous by-elections without success.

Pre-1945

Arthur Henderson was distinguished in being successful in no fewer than five by-elections in different seats, in Barnard Castle, Widnes, Newcastle-upon-Tyne East, Burnley, and Clay Cross.

Joseph Gibbins is the only person in modern times to gain the same seat twice in two different by-elections. He triumphed for Labour in the Liverpool West Toxteth by-election, 1924 and the Liverpool West Toxteth by-election, 1935.

William O'Brien won four by-elections, in Mallow in 1883, North East Cork in 1887 and then Cork City in 1904 and 1914. On these last two occasions, he was re-elected having resigned the seat.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill contested five by-elections in his long career:-

  • Oldham by-election, 1899 in which he was not elected
  • Manchester North-West by-election, 1908 where he was defeated
  • Dundee by-election, 1908 where he was elected
  • Dundee by-election, 1917 where he was re-elected.[1]
  • Westminster, Abbey by-election, 1924 in which he was unsuccessful

John Wilkes won the Aylesbury by-election, 1757, and was then elected in the Middlesex by-elections of February, March and April 1769, on each occasion being subsequently expelled from the House of Commons.

[edit] Former MPs making a comeback at a by-election

Notes:

1 by-election gain lost at the subsequent General Election

2 by-election gain held at the subsequent General Election

[edit] Former MPs failing in a by-election

[edit] Shortest-serving by-election victors

[edit] Since 1945

Notes

  • 1 died
  • 2 defeated at next general election
  • 3 disqualified (Beattie was never elected. He was awarded the seat on the disqualification of his predecessor, only to be found to be disqualified himself)
  • 4 retired at next general election (seat abolished by redistribution and failed to secure alternative seat)
  • 5 retired at next general election due to personal difficulties
  • a returned to Parliament at a subsequent election
  • b had served previously as an MP

[edit] Pre-1945

  • 1 died
  • 2 defeated at next general election
  • 3 retired at next general election, succeeded by her husband Hugh Dalton
  • 4 retired at next general election, upon succession to a peerage
  • 5 assassinated by IRA
  • a returned to Parliament at a subsequent election
  • b had served previously as an MP

[edit] Youngest by-election victors

[edit] Babies of the House elected at by-elections

See Baby of the House of Commons

[edit] Oldest by-election victors

  • James Patrick Mahon was 79 when he held the Clare by-election, 1879 and 87 when he held the County Carlow by-election, 1887 for the Irish Nationalists.
  • Enoch Powell was 73 when he successfully defended his seat at the South Down by-election, 1986, although he had been an MP almost continuously since 1950.
  • Sir George Reid was 70 when he held the St. George's, Hanover Square by-election, 1916 for the Conservatives. He was a former Prime Minister of Australia.
  • Arthur Salter was 70 when he held the Ormskirk by-election, 1951 for the Conservatives. He had served previously as MP for Oxford University 1937-50.
  • John Evans was 70 when he held the Ogmore by-election, 1946 for Labour.
  • David Hardie, the half-brother of Keir Hardie, was thought to be about 70 when he held the Glasgow Rutherglen by-election, 1931 for Labour.
  • George Edwards was almost 70 when he gained the South Norfolk by-election, 1920 for Labour. He was an agricultural labourer.

[edit] First women by-election victors

The first woman to be elected in a by-election was Nancy Astor, who succeeded her husband at the Plymouth Sutton by-election, 1919, becoming the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons.

The first woman to gain a seat in a by-election was Susan Lawrence who won the East Ham North by-election, 1926, although she had previously sat for the same seat between 1923-4.1

The first woman to gain a seat ab initio in a by-election was Jennie Lee who won the North Lanarkshire by-election, 1929, at the same time becoming the first woman Baby of the House of Commons.

Note 1Mabel Philipson succeeded her husband at the Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, 1923. He had been elected as a National Liberal. She won as a Conservative so this could arguably be classed as the first gain by a woman.

[edit] First ethnic minority by-election victors

Whilst the first ethnic minority Members of Parliament were elected as early as the 1890s, it would be almost 100 years before one was returned at a by-election.

The first ethnic minority candidate to be elected in a by-election was Ashok Kumar who gained the Langbaurgh by-election, 1991 for Labour.

The first by-election in which all three major-party candidates were from the ethnic minorities was the Ealing Southall by-election, 2007, held by Labour.

[edit] First by-election victors from specific religions

When the UK Parliament was established in 1801, non-Anglicans were prevented from taking their seats as MPs under the Test Act 1672. However, Methodists took communion at Anglican churches until 1795, and some continued to do so, and many Presbyterians were prepared to accept Anglican communion, thus ensuring that members of these creeds were represented in the Parliament.[3] Some Unitarians were also elected.

The first Roman Catholic by-election victor in the UK Parliament was Daniel O'Connell in the Clare by-election, 1828. He was not permitted to take his seat until the following year.

David Salomons was the first Jewish by-election victor, at the Greenwich by-election, 1851.

Parmjit Singh Gill became the first Sikh by-election victor, at the Leicester South by-election, 2004.

[edit] By-elections losers awarded seats on disqualification of winner

[edit] Two or more former MPs contest by-election

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Frequency and duration records

[edit] Longest period without a by-election

All periods of over a year between by-elections are listed:

Notes. 1992 and 1998 are the only calendar years in history without a single by-election. Since 1992 was nonetheless a General Election year, 1998 stands as the only year in British history without any parliamentary election.

[edit] Longest period without a seat changing hands

The longest period without a seat changing hands in a by-election was the 5 years between the Conservative victories in the Glasgow Camlachie by-election, 1948 and the Sunderland South by-election, 1953.

During the short Parliaments of 1910, 1950-1 and 1974 no seats changed hands in a by-election.

[edit] Longest period between by-election gains for a party

The Liberal Party endured 29 years without a single by-election gain between the Holland and Boston by-election, 1929 and the Torrington by-election, 1958. It did not win a single by-election in the thirteen years between holding the Middlesbrough West by-election, 1945 and gaining Torrington.

Until the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008, the opposition Conservative Party had not gained a seat in almost 26 years, the last being the Mitcham and Morden by-election, 1982, which occurred during the unique cirmcumstances of the Falklands War and the sitting Labour MP defecting to the Social Democratic Party and seeking re-election under his new party label. The Conservatives' last gain while in Opposition was 30 years previously at the Ilford North by-election, 1978.

Labour's longest lean stretch was almost 18 years, between gaining the Brecon and Radnor by-election, 1939 and the Lewisham North by-election, 1957.1

Note 1 The Labour Party were the official opposition in the Parliament elected in 1935, but after the major parties agreed an electoral truce on the outbreak of war in 1939, they did not contest any Conservative or Liberal seats for the remainder of the Parliament, a period of six years, and were members of the wartime coalition government between May 1940 and May 1945.

[edit] Longest period between by-election holds for a party

The Conservatives did not successfully defend a single by-election in the eight years between their holds of the Richmond by-election, 1989 and the Uxbridge by-election, 1997, losing a record 15 consecutive seats where they were the incumbents.

Labour's worst run was in losing 4 by-elections on the trot, which has occurred three times since 1945:

between holding the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central by-election, 1976 and the Grimsby by-election, 1977.

between holding the Manchester Gorton by-election, 1967 and the Sheffield Brightside by-election, 1968.

between holding the Rhondda West by-election, 1967 and the Manchester Gorton by-election, 1967.

[edit] Longest period without an opposition gain

For a period of 11 years, until the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008, the principal opposition Conservative Party failed to register a by-election gain against the incumbent Labour Government. This is the longest period of such failure since records began, and more than twice the previous record of the 5 years it took the then Labour opposition to gain the Lewisham North by-election, 1957.

Apart from the brief parliaments of 1910, 1950-1 and 1974, the parliaments of 1951-5 and 1997-2001 are the only occasions when the Government did not lose a by-election.

[edit] Most by-elections in one day

The largest number of by-elections held on a single day occurred on 23 January 1986 when 15 simultaneous contests were held in Northern Ireland. The elections had been engineered by the incumbent Unionist parties as a protest against the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985. They intended the results to be interpreted as a referendum on the treaty. The elections were boycotted by the main Nationalist parties except in four seats where they had a reasonable prospect of victory. In the event, the Social Democratic and Labour Party gained one seat, Newry and Armagh, from the Ulster Unionist Party.

Apart from the above example, it is common for UK mainland parties to schedule several by-elections on the same day. Motivations include attempting to divide opponents' resources and getting bad news (expected losses) out of the way. Since 1945, the largest number of simultaneous mainland by-elections has been 6, held on 16 November 1960. On four occasions, 5 by-elections have been held on the same day, most recently on 9 June 1994. Groupings of two or three are very common.

[edit] Most by-election losses in one day

The largest number of by-elections lost on a single day is three, when the Labour party lost Acton, Dudley and Meriden on 28 March 1968, all to the Conservatives.

Occasions since 1945 when two seats have fallen are:

[edit] Seats with more than one by-election in a single Parliament

[edit] Other seats with by-elections less than five years apart

[edit] By-election days

Currently, all British Parliamentary elections are invariably held on a Thursday. The last by-election not held on a Thursday was the Hamilton by-election, 1978, held on Wednesday 31 May due to a World Cup opening match on the Thursday evening.

Due to an administrative oversight, the Manchester Exchange by-election, 1973 was held on Wednesday 27 June 1973. Prior to that, the last by-elections not held on a Thursday were the Saffron Walden by-election, 1965 held on Tuesday 23 March, and the Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election, 1965 held the following day.

Until the mid-1960s, it was common to hold by-elections on any day of the week (other than Sunday).

[edit] Causes of by-elections

[edit] By-elections prompted by assassination

[edit] By-elections prompted by otherwise unnatural death

[edit] By-elections prompted by posthumous election of MP

[edit] By-elections prompted by scandal

[edit] By-elections prompted to provide seat for seat-less personality

[edit] By-elections prompted by party splits or disputes

  • Bermondsey by-election, 1983: Robert Mellish, disenchanted with the left-wing takeover of his Constituency Labour Party (CLP), obtained a job with the London Docklands Development Corporation, left the Labour Party and then resigned to force a byelection.
  • Lincoln by-election, 1973: Dick Taverne sought re-election as an Independent 'Democratic Labour' candidate after being deselected by his CLP; he was successful.
  • Southwark by-election, 1972: Ray Gunter resigned from the Labour Party in disagreement with its stance opposing EEC entry, and then from Parliament because he had been elected as a Labour candidate.
  • Liverpool Garston by-election, 1957: Victor Raikes resigned the Conservative whip over the withdrawal from Suez, and then resigned from Parliament on obtaining a business appointment in Southern Rhodesia.
  • Wednesbury by-election, 1957: Stanley Evans, a supporter of the Conservative government's Suez policy, resigned after being asked to by his Constituency Labour Party.
  • Melton by-election, 1956: Anthony Nutting resigned in protest at government policy on Suez.

[edit] By-elections prompted to honour a pledge or principle

[edit] By-elections prompted by Election Courts

[edit] By-elections prompted by disqualification of the sitting Member

[edit] By-elections prompted by expulsion from the House

[edit] By-elections prompted by death of member on wartime active service

[edit] Second World War

Notes: The above list is of those members either mentioned as having died on War Service in a written Commons answer from Prime Minister Winston Churchill on 19 January 1945, or who appear in the House of Commons Book of Remembrance unveiled in 1949.
a Mentioned in the written Commons answer, but does not appear in the House of Commons Book of Remembrance.
b Not mentioned in the written Commons answer, but does appear in the House of Commons Book of Remembrance.
NB:- The above list does not include the names of three members who deaths on active service were overtaken by the 1945 General Election. For a complete list see Records of members of parliament of the United Kingdom#Second World War

[edit] First World War

  • Prestwich by-election, 1918
  • Bath by-election, 1918
  • Ross by-election, 1918
  • Manchester South by-election, 1918
  • Wisbech by-election, 1917
  • Spalding by-election, 1917
  • East Clare by-election, 1917
  • Henley by-election, 1917
  • Winchester by-election, 1916
  • Tewkesbury by-election, 1916
  • St. Austell by-election, 1915
  • Cardiff by-election, 1915
  • Uxbridge by-election, 1915
  • Heywood by-election, 1915
  • Kilmarnock by-election, 1915
  • Mid-Antrim by-election, 1915
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Miscellaneous records

[edit] Incumbents fall directly from first place to third place

1 Bruce Douglas-Mann had been re-elected as Labour MP for the seat in the 1979 General Election. In 1981, along with several other MPs, he defected to the newly-formed Social Democratic Party. Against his new colleagues' advice, he honoured a pledge to face his electors under his new party colours and precipitated a by-election. He came second in the by-election which was won by the Conservatives. The new Labour candidate finished third.
2 the Liberal MP, Lt-Commander the Hon. Joseph Montague Kenworthy, defected to Labour and sought re-election under his new colours. He was successful, and the new Liberal candidate lost his deposit.

[edit] Incumbent Governments gain seats

These records show the rare occasions when the Government won a seat they had not won at the previous General election.

[edit] Conservative

1 Seat awarded by Election Court to Conservative runner-up because Labour victor deemed ineligible.
2 An arguable gain; Stockport was a two-member seat; in the 1918 general election it was won by two supporters of the Coalition Government, one a Liberal and one a Labour member. After a death and a resignation, a by-election was held for both seats. The seats were again won by two Coalition Government supporters, but this time a Conservative and a Liberal, while a Labour candidate who did not support the government was unsuccessful.

[edit] Labour

1 Uncontested gain from Irish Nationalist.
2 Liberal MP defected to Labour and was re-elected as Labour at a by-election the Liberals did not contest.

[edit] Principal Opposition loses seats

These records show the rare occasions when the official Opposition failed to hold onto a seat they had won at the previous General election.

[edit] Conservative

1A confused situation, where the victorious Empire Free Trade Crusade candidate was effectively a right-wing unofficial Conservative, who subsequently took the whip and was re-elected as official Conservative candidate.

[edit] Labour

1seat awarded by Election Court to Conservative runner-up because Labour victor Viscount Stansgate was deemed ineligible.
2Sir Owen Thomas had been elected as Independent Labour, took the whip for a while, before reverting to Independent Labour.

[edit] By-election holds overturned at next general election

By-elections usually see the high-water mark of any challenge to the incumbents. On rare occasions a party has failed to overturn an incumbent in the by-election yet has gone on to gain the seat at the subsequent general election.

  • South Down by-election, 1986, held by the Ulster Unionists; gained by the Social Democratic and Labour Party in 1987.
  • Darlington by-election, 1983, held by Labour; gained by the Conservatives in 1983.
  • Dundee East by-election, 1973, held by Labour; gained by the Scottish National Party in February 1974.
  • Bolton East by-election, 1960, held by the Conservatives; gained by Labour in 1964.

[edit] By-election victors had not contested previous general election

It is unusual for a political party which has not contested a seat at a general election to take it at a subsequent by-election. Many of the parties which have done so were founded after the general election. Independent candidates are not included.

Notes:

1 the victor was the sitting MP, who had left the Labour party.

[edit] Incumbent party did not contest

[edit] Major party did not run

The main British parties have generally not stood in seats in Northern Ireland. The by-election exceptions are the Upper Bann by-election, 1990 (Conservatives and continuing SDP) and the North Down by-election, 1995 (Conservatives). Prior to the 1970s the Ulster Unionists were effectively the local Conservatives, whilst the Liberals contested some but not all seats.
The Conservative Party did not run a candidate in the Bristol South East by-election, 1963, the Carmarthen by-election, 1957, the Paisley by-election, 1948 or the Ogmore by-election, 1946.
The Labour Party did not run in the City of London by-election, 1945, the Kensington South by-election, 1945 or the Combined English Universities by-election, 1946.
The last by-election without an official Liberal Democrat, Liberal or SDP candidate was the Newham North East by-election, 1994; the Lib Dems nominated a candidate, but he joined the Labour Party before the election. The last by-election in which no official Liberal candidate was nominated was the Glasgow Central by-election, 1980. The last such in England were the Westhoughton by-election, 1973 and the West Bromwich by-election, 1973, both held on 24 May 1973.
The last Scottish by-elections without official Scottish National Party candidates were the Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election, 1965 and the Rutherglen by-election, 1964.
The last Welsh by-elections without official Welsh Nationalist candidates were the Abertillery by-election, 1950, the Pontypool by-election, 1946 and the Monmouth by-election, 1945.
The more fluid nature of politics in Northern Ireland makes it harder to define all major parties. In addition many by-elections have not been contested by parties holding other seats in the House of Commons, whether due to agreements with other parties, poor organisation in the constituency or the particular circumstances on the by-election. However for the period since 1981 (which saw the first by-elections in twelve years, during which time several major political realignments had occurred) the main parties are usually considered to be the Democratic Unionist Party, Sinn Féin, the Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Ulster Unionist Party.
The last by-elections without official Democratic Unionist candidates were the North Down by-election, 1995 and the Upper Bann by-election, 1990. They also did not stand in the twelve seats held by other Unionist parties in the 15 by-elections in 1986.
The last by-election without official candidates from either Sinn Féin or the Social Democratic and Labour Party was the the North Down by-election, 1995. Both parties also declined to stand in the eleven Unionist majority seats in the 15 by-elections in 1986. The SDLP also did not contest either the April or August 1981 by-elections in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
The last by-elections without official Ulster Unionist candidates were North Antrim, East Belfast, Mid Ulster and North Down in the 15 by-elections in 1986.

[edit] Victories by minor parties

Victories by independent and minor party candidates since 1945. For a complete list, see the list of UK minor party and independent MPs elected.

[edit] Minor parties other strong performance

[edit] Miscellaneous notable results

  • The drop in the Conservative share of the vote, 11.1%, at the Bromley and Chislehurst by-election, 2006 was their worst result in a Conservative-held seat while in opposition since 19301. At the same by-election, the Labour Party's fall from second to fourth place was the first time the party had suffered such a reverse in an English seat.
  • At the Blaenau Gwent by-election, 2006, held on the same day as Bromley, the Conservative Party's fifth-place ranking equalled the worst-place achieved by a major party in England or Wales, a feat the Conservatives had first achieved in the same seat in the 2005 General Election. The Blaenau by-election victor, Dai Davies was the first independent to hold a seat previously occupied by an independent since Sir C.V.F. Townshend held The Wrekin in 1920.
  • The Conservative party fell from second place to fourth place in the Bermondsey by-election, 1983, the first time they had suffered such a reverse since at least 1945.
  • At the Walsall North by-election, 1976, the Liberal Party could take only fifth place. Beaten by an independent and a minor party candidate, this was the worst placing for any major party in an English by-election since at least 1945.
  • The Conservative party fell from third place to fourth place in the Newham South by-election, 1974, at the time their worst ranking in an English by-election since at least 1945.
  • The last time time the Liberals lost a by-election they were defending was at the Carmarthen by-election, 1957, defeated by the former Liberal MP turned Labour candidate, Lady Megan Lloyd-George. The Liberal parliamentary contingent was thus reduced to five MPs, its lowest ever level.

Notes 1Excluding the Westminster, St.George's by-election, 1931 and the Paddington South by-election, 1930, which were essentially intra-Conservative contests, the previous worst result was, ironically, the Bromley by-election, 1930

[edit] By-elections having national significance

[edit] Firsts and lasts

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Roy Jenkins Churchill (Macmillan, 2001), page 325 ISBN 0-333-78290-9
  2. ^ Since the Reform Act 1832; of those whose age can be verified.
  3. ^ Chris Pond, Parliament and Religious Disabilities
  4. ^ A verdict of accidental death was recorded at the inquest. Clitherow was a Medical Doctor and had taken seven barbitone tablets, described by the pathologist as a "bold dose". See The Times, 19 June 1947, p. 2.
  • 'Who's Who of British MPs: Volume IV, 1945-1979' by Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees (Harvester, Brighton, 1979) ISBN 0-85527-335-6