Preston by-election, 1940
Encyclopedia
The Preston by-election, 1940 was a parliamentary by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Preston
in Lancashire
on 29 September 1940. The seat had become vacant on the death of the Conservative
Member of Parliament Adrian Moreing
, who had held the seat since the 1931 general election
.
During World War II
, the parties in the war-time coalition government had agreed not contest by-elections where a seat held by any of their parties fell vacant, so the Conservative candidate, Randolph Churchill
(son of Prime Minister Winston Churchill
), was returned unopposed. He represented the constituency until his defeat at the 1945 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 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 Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
on 29 September 1940. The seat had become vacant on 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...
Member of Parliament Adrian Moreing
Adrian Moreing
Adrian Charles Moreing was an English Conservative Party politician. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Preston at the 1931 general election, and held the seat until his death in 1940. In the resulting by-election, Randolph Churchill was returned unopposed.- External links :...
, who had held the seat since 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...
.
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 had agreed not contest by-elections where a seat held by any of their parties fell vacant, so the Conservative candidate, Randolph Churchill
Randolph Churchill
Major Randolph Frederick Edward Spencer-Churchill, MBE was the son of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Preston from 1940 to 1945....
(son of Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
), was returned unopposed. He represented the constituency until his defeat at the 1945 general election
United 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...
.
See also
- Preston (UK Parliament constituency)Preston (UK Parliament constituency)Preston is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
- Preston, Lancashire
- Preston by-election, 1903
- Preston by-election, 1915
- Preston by-election, 1929Preston by-election, 1929The Preston by-election, 1929 was a parliamentary by-election held in England for the House of Commons constituency of Preston on 31 July 1929...
- Preston by-election, 1936Preston by-election, 1936The Preston by-election, 1936 was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Preston on 25 November 1936...
- Preston by-election, 1946Preston by-election, 1946The Preston by-election, 1946 was a parliamentary by-election held on 31 January 1946 for the British House of Commons constituency of Preston in Lancashire. The seat had become vacant when the Labour Member of Parliament John Sunderland had died on 24 November 1945...
- Preston by-election, 2000Preston by-election, 2000The Member of Parliament for Preston, Audrey Wise, died on 2 September 2000.A by-election to fill the seat was held on 23 November.The Labour vote share declined, but with the main beneficiaries being fringe parties they held the seat comfortably....
- List of United Kingdom by-elections