Hamilton by-election, 1978
Encyclopedia
There was a by-election
for the United Kingdom House of Commons in Hamilton
on Wednesday 31 May 1978. It was caused by the death of Labour Party
Member of Parliament
Alexander Wilson
.
The by-election was the last in the UK to date not held on a Thursday. This was because the opening game of the 1978 FIFA World Cup
was on Thursday 1 June.
The Labour candidate was George Robertson
, who defeated a strong SNP candidate Margo MacDonald
, with an increased majority.
It was one of a series of significant Labour victories over the SNP in 1978 which halted their rise at that time.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for the United Kingdom House of Commons in Hamilton
Hamilton (UK Parliament constituency)
Hamilton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.- History :...
on Wednesday 31 May 1978. It was caused by the death of Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
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,...
Alexander Wilson
Alexander Wilson (Scottish politician)
Alexander Wilson was a British Labour Party politician.Wilson's first parliamentary contest was the Hamilton by-election of 1967, in which he lost to the Scottish National Party candidate Winifred Ewing. However, Wilson was able to gain the seat from her at the 1970 general election.Wilson held...
.
The by-election was the last in the UK to date not held on a Thursday. This was because the opening game of the 1978 FIFA World Cup
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
was on Thursday 1 June.
The Labour candidate was George Robertson
George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen
George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, is a British Labour Party politician who was the tenth Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and early January 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana in that position...
, who defeated a strong SNP candidate Margo MacDonald
Margo MacDonald
Margo MacDonald MSP is a Scottish politician and former Scottish National Party MP and Deputy Leader...
, with an increased majority.
It was one of a series of significant Labour victories over the SNP in 1978 which halted their rise at that time.
See also
- Hamilton (UK Parliament constituency)Hamilton (UK Parliament constituency)Hamilton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.- History :...
- List of United Kingdom by-elections (1950–1979)