West Bromwich by-election, 1941
Encyclopedia
The West Bromwich by-election, 1941 was a parliamentary by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency
of West Bromwich
in Staffordshire
on 16 April 1941. The seat had become vacant on the resignation
of the Labour
Member of Parliament Frederick Roberts, who had held the seat since the 1935 general election
; he died later that year.
The Labour candidate, John Dugdale
, was returned unopposed. Most by-elections during World War II
were unopposed, 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 with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
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 West Bromwich
West Bromwich (UK Parliament constituency)
West Bromwich was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1974. It was based around West Bromwich, in the West Midlands...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
on 16 April 1941. The seat had become vacant on the resignation
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
of 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...
Member of Parliament Frederick Roberts, who had held the seat since 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...
; he died later that year.
The Labour candidate, John Dugdale
John Dugdale (Labour politician)
John Dugdale was a British newspaper journalist and politician. Well-connected with the Labour Party establishment, he worked as Private Secretary to Clement Attlee and was appointed a Minister in his post-war government....
, was returned unopposed. Most by-elections 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...
were unopposed, 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 with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
See also
- West Bromwich (UK Parliament constituency)West Bromwich (UK Parliament constituency)West Bromwich was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1974. It was based around West Bromwich, in the West Midlands...
- West Bromwich by-election, 1963West Bromwich by-election, 1963The West Bromwich by-election, 1963 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of West Bromwich in Staffordshire on 16 May 1963. It was won by the Labour Party candidate Maurice Foley.- Vacancy :...
- West Bromwich by-election, 1973West Bromwich by-election, 1973The West Bromwich by-election of 24 May 1973 was held after the appointment of Labour Member of Parliament Maurice Foley to the European Commission...
- The town of West BromwichWest BromwichWest Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
- List of United Kingdom by-elections