Holland with Boston by-election, 1937
Encyclopedia
The Holland with Boston by-election, 1937 was a parliamentary by-election
held on 24 June 1937 for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Holland with Boston
.
(1884 – 10 May 1937) died.
He was first elected as the constituency's MP at the Holland with Boston by-election, 1929
, caused by the death of the Conservative
MP Arthur Dean
. Blindell overturned a Conservative majority of nearly 5,000 to win with a majority of 3,706. His victory was the last Liberal by-election gain until Torrington in 1958
.
Blindell was re-elected as a Liberal at the 1929 general election
, but in 1931 he was one of the Liberal MPs who broke with their party to support Ramsay MacDonald
's National Government
, eventually forming the National Liberal Party
.
He was re-elected as a National Liberal at the 1931 general election
and at the 1935 general election
. In both elections, the Conservatives (who also supported the National Government) did not field a candidate against him, and he was returned with large majorities.
1. The National Liberal Party candidate, supporting the National government, was Herbert Walter Butcher
(12 June 1901 - 11 May 1966). After winning the by-election he retained the seat until he retired in 1966, shortly before he died.
2. Representing the Labour Party was E.E. Reynolds. He had previously contested Holland with Boston in the 1935 general election.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on 24 June 1937 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 Holland with Boston
Holland with Boston (UK Parliament constituency)
Holland with Boston was a county 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 system of election.-History:...
.
Previous MP
The seat had become vacant when the constituency's National Liberal Member of Parliament (MP), Sir James BlindellJames Blindell
Sir James Blindell was a Liberal Party politician in the United Kingdom, who served as the Member of Parliament for Holland with Boston from 1929 until his death....
(1884 – 10 May 1937) died.
He was first elected as the constituency's MP at the Holland with Boston by-election, 1929
Holland with Boston by-election, 1929
The Holland with Boston by-election, 1929 was a by-election held on 21st March 1929 for the British House of Commons constituency of Holland with Boston in Lincolnshire....
, caused by the death of the 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...
MP Arthur Dean
Arthur Dean (UK politician)
Arthur Wellesley Dean was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Holland with Boston at a by-election in July 1924 and re-elected at the general election in November 1924. He held the seat until his death in early 1929...
. Blindell overturned a Conservative majority of nearly 5,000 to win with a majority of 3,706. His victory was the last Liberal by-election gain until Torrington in 1958
Torrington by-election, 1958
The Torrington by-election of 1958, in Devon, England, was the first gain by the British Liberal Party at a by-election since Holland with Boston in 1929....
.
Blindell was re-elected as a Liberal at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, but in 1931 he was one of the Liberal MPs who broke with their party to support Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
's National Government
National Government 1931-1935
See also First National MinistryThe United Kingdom's National Government was composed of members of the following parties:*National Labour*Conservative Party*Liberal Party*Liberal Nationals...
, eventually forming the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
.
He was re-elected as a National Liberal at the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
and at 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...
. In both elections, the Conservatives (who also supported the National Government) did not field a candidate against him, and he was returned with large majorities.
Candidates
Two candidates were nominated. The list below is set out in descending order of the number of votes received at the by-election.1. The National Liberal Party candidate, supporting the National government, was Herbert Walter Butcher
Herbert Butcher
Sir Herbert Walter Butcher, 1st Baronet was an English Conservative and National Liberalpolitician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1937 to 1966....
(12 June 1901 - 11 May 1966). After winning the by-election he retained the seat until he retired in 1966, shortly before he died.
2. Representing the Labour Party was E.E. Reynolds. He had previously contested Holland with Boston in the 1935 general election.
Votes
See also
- Holland with Boston constituencyHolland with Boston (UK Parliament constituency)Holland with Boston was a county 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 system of election.-History:...
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- United Kingdom by-election recordsUnited Kingdom by-election recordsUK by-election records is an annotated list of notable records from UK Parliamentary 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...
Sources
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
- Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)
- Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume IV 1945-1979, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1981)