Fareham by-election, 1939
Encyclopedia
The Fareham by-election, 1939 was a parliamentary by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Fareham in Hampshire
on 6 October 1939. The seat had become vacant when Sir Thomas Inskip
, the constituency's Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
had been ennobled as Viscount Caldecote
on 6 September and appointed as Lord Chancellor
. Inskip had held the Fareham seat since a by-election in 1931.
The Conservative candidate, Dymoke White
, was returned unopposed. During World War II
, unopposed by-elections were common, since the major parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other parties; contests occurred only when independent candidates or minor parties chose to stand, and the Common Wealth Party
was formed in 1942 with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
However, this was the first by-election since the start of the war, and no other candidates were nominated. The last unopposed by-election had been Portsmouth South in July 1939.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held 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 Fareham in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
on 6 October 1939. The seat had become vacant when Sir Thomas Inskip
Thomas Inskip, 1st Viscount Caldecote
Thomas Walker Hobart Inskip, 1st Viscount Caldecote CBE, PC, KC was a British politician who served in many legal posts, culminating in serving as Lord Chancellor from 1939 until 1940...
, the constituency's Conservative Party
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,...
had been ennobled as Viscount Caldecote
Viscount Caldecote
Viscount Caldecote, of Bristol in the County of Gloucester, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1939 for the lawyer and politician Sir Thomas Inskip so that he could sit in the House of Lords and serve as Lord Chancellor...
on 6 September and appointed as Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
. Inskip had held the Fareham seat since a by-election in 1931.
The Conservative candidate, Dymoke White
Dymoke White
Sir Dymoke White, 2nd Baronet was a Conservative Party politician in England who served as Member of Parliament for Fareham in Hampshire from 1939 to 1950....
, was returned unopposed. 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...
, unopposed by-elections were common, since the major parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other parties; contests occurred only when independent candidates or minor parties chose to stand, and the Common Wealth Party
Common Wealth Party
The Common Wealth Party was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom in the Second World War. Thereafter, it continued in being, essentially as a pressure group, until 1993.-The war years:...
was formed in 1942 with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
However, this was the first by-election since the start of the war, and no other candidates were nominated. The last unopposed by-election had been Portsmouth South in July 1939.
See also
- Fareham (UK Parliament constituency)
- Fareham by-election, 1931
- The town of FarehamFarehamThe market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
- List of United Kingdom by-elections