Bristol Central by-election, 1943
Encyclopedia
The Bristol Central by-election, 1943 was a by-election
held on 18 February 1943 for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Bristol Central
in the city of Bristol
. The seat had become vacant when the constituency's Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) Lord Apsley
had been killed on 17 December 1942, whilst on active service in World War II
. He had been serving under the Arab Legion
in Malta
.
The Conservative party candidate selected as its candidate Violet Bathurst, Lady Apsley
, who had married Lord Apsley in February 1942. During World War II
, the parties in the war-time Coalition Government
had agreed not to contest any by-elections which occurred in seats held by coalition parties. However other parties and independents were free to stand, and some local parties fielded their own candiadtes as "independents" despite the truce. In Bristol Central, the former ILP
MP Jennie Lee stood as an "Independent labour" candidate.
On a turnout less than half that of the 1935 general election
, Lady Apsley held the seat with a slightly increased majority.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on 18 February 1943 for the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
constituency
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of Bristol Central
Bristol Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Bristol Central was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Bristol. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in the city of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. The seat had become vacant when the constituency's Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) Lord Apsley
Allen Bathurst, Lord Apsley
Allen Algernon Bathurst, Lord Apsley, DSO, MC, TD, DL was a British Conservative Party politician.-Family:...
had been killed on 17 December 1942, whilst on active service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He had been serving under the Arab Legion
Arab Legion
The Arab Legion was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th century.-Creation:...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
The Conservative party candidate selected as its candidate Violet Bathurst, Lady Apsley
Violet Bathurst, Lady Apsley
Violet Emily Mildred Bathurst, Lady Apsley, CBE was a British Conservative Party politician. Upon the death of her husband Lord Apsley, she succeeded him as Member of Parliament for Bristol Central in a 1943 by-election...
, who had married Lord Apsley in February 1942. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the parties in the war-time Coalition Government
Coalition Government 1940-1945
Members of the War Cabinet are in bold face.-Source:* D. Butler and G. Butler, Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900–2000....
had agreed not to contest any by-elections which occurred in seats held by coalition parties. However other parties and independents were free to stand, and some local parties fielded their own candiadtes as "independents" despite the truce. In Bristol Central, the former ILP
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
MP Jennie Lee stood as an "Independent labour" candidate.
On a turnout less than half that of the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
, Lady Apsley held the seat with a slightly increased majority.
Votes
See also
- Bristol Central constituencyBristol Central (UK Parliament constituency)Bristol Central was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Bristol. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
- List of United Kingdom by-elections