Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1943
Encyclopedia
The Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1943 was a parliamentary by-election
held in Scotland
on 11 February 1943 to elect a new Member of Parliament
(MP) for the House of Commons constituency
of Midlothian and Peebles Northern
.
It was notable for the strong showing of the Common Wealth Party
candidate.
, to take up the post of Governor of Bombay. He had held the seat since the 1929 general election
.
, the parties in the Coalition Government
had agreed not to contest by-elections in seats held by other coalition parties, and many wartime by-elections were therefore unopposed.
The Unionist Party nominated Sir David King Murray
, the Solicitor General for Scotland
, who may have expected to be returned unopposed. The Labour
, Liberal
and National Liberal
parties upheld the agreement, but other parties who disagreed with the truce could not be prevented from standing as independent candidates, and nor could other minor parties. In this case the newly-formed Common Wealth Party
nominated as its candidate Tom Wintringham
, one of party's founders.
, but with a massively-reduced majority. At the 1935 general election
, the Unionist majority over the Labour Party
candidate had been 25.8% of the votes, but Wintringham cut that to 3.8%.
, when he stood down to be a Senator of the College of Justice
and a Lord of Session.
Wintringham stood in Aldershot at the 1945 general election, but without success. His wife Kitty contested Midlothian and Peebles in 1945, but won only 6.4% of the votes and lost her deposit
.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on 11 February 1943 to elect a new 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) for the House of Commons 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 Midlothian and Peebles Northern
Midlothian and Peebles Northern (UK Parliament constituency)
Midlothian and Peebles Northern was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1950...
.
It was notable for the strong showing of 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:...
candidate.
Vacancy
The vacancy was caused by the resignation in January 1943 of the constituency's Unionist MP, John ColvilleJohn Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir
David John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir PC GCIE was a Scottish Unionist politician, and industrialist...
, to take up the post of Governor of Bombay. He had held the seat since the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
.
Candidates
During World War IIWorld 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 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 by-elections in seats held by other coalition parties, and many wartime by-elections were therefore unopposed.
The Unionist Party nominated Sir David King Murray
David King Murray
Sir Thomas David King Murray, known as David King Murray, Kt KC LLD MA BSc LLB FRSE was a Scottish politician and judge....
, the Solicitor General for Scotland
Solicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
, who may have expected to be returned unopposed. The Labour
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...
, Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and National Liberal
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...
parties upheld the agreement, but other parties who disagreed with the truce could not be prevented from standing as independent candidates, and nor could other minor parties. In this case the newly-formed 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:...
nominated as its candidate Tom Wintringham
Tom Wintringham
Thomas Henry Wintringham was a British soldier, military historian, journalist, poet, Marxist, politician and author. He was an important figure in the formation of the Home Guard during World War II and was one of the founders of the Common Wealth Party.-Early life:Tom Wintringham was born 1898...
, one of party's founders.
Result
The result was a victory for the Unionist candidate, Sir David King MurrayDavid King Murray
Sir Thomas David King Murray, known as David King Murray, Kt KC LLD MA BSc LLB FRSE was a Scottish politician and judge....
, but with a massively-reduced majority. 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...
, the Unionist majority over the 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...
candidate had been 25.8% of the votes, but Wintringham cut that to 3.8%.
Aftermath
King Murray held the seat only until the post-war general election in May 1945United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, when he stood down to be a Senator of the College of Justice
Senator of the College of Justice
The Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
and a Lord of Session.
Wintringham stood in Aldershot at the 1945 general election, but without success. His wife Kitty contested Midlothian and Peebles in 1945, but won only 6.4% of the votes and lost her deposit
Deposit (politics)
A deposit is a sum of money that a candidate must pay in return for the right to stand for election to certain political offices, particularly seats in legislatures.-United Kingdom:...
.
See also
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1929Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1929The Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1929 was a parliamentary by-election held in Scotland on 1 January 1929 to elect a new Member of Parliament for the House of Commons constituency of Midlothian and Peebles Northern....