Croydon North West by-election, 1981

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Conservative Member of Parliament Robert Taylor died on 18 June 1981. This created a by-election in his constituency of Croydon North West in South London.

The Conservative Party selected John Butterfill, then vice-chairman of Guildford Conservative Association. Labour, the runners-up at the 1979 general election, selected a local councillor, Stanley Boden. The Liberal Party had come a distant third in 1979, but the by-election came shortly after the formation of the Social Democratic Party, with both other major parties suffering in the polls. It was therefore expected that the election would provide a platform for Shirley Williams of the SDP to return to Parliament, having lost her seat in 1979. However, the National, Regional and Local Liberal parties insisted on their own candidate and selected the lesser known Bill Pitt who had stood in the seat for the previous three general elections and at the time was the London Regional Party Chair.

Nick Griffin stood in his first election in Croydon North West, representing the National Front.

In total, twelve candidates stood, a record number - one more than in the Lambeth Central by-election, 1979. This record would be broken at the Chesterfield by-election, 1984.

The election took place on 22 October 1981. Pitt duly won the seat on the surge of support for the Alliance and a 24% swing, strengthening the Liberals' hand in negotiations with the SDP.

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[edit] Results

By-election 1981
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Bill Pitt 13,800 40.0 29.5
Conservative John Butterfill 10,546 30.5 -18.9
Labour Stanley Boden 8,967 26.0 -14.1
National Front Nick Griffin 429 1.2
Independent Pro-Life Marilyn Gillies Carr 340 1.0
Ecology John Foster 155 0.4
Constitutional Movement Suzan McKenzie 111 0.3
Disabled War Pensioners Association Lawrence Brooks 81 0.2
Democratic Monarchist, Public Safety, White Resident Bill Boaks 51 0.1
Family Law Reform Party George Major 31 0.1
London Federation of Self-Employed Josef Joseph 20 0.1
Anti-Common Market - Free Trade Stephen Done 11 0.0
Majority 3,254 9.5
Turnout 34,542 62.5 -10
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing

[edit] General Election result, 1979

General Election 1979: Croydon North West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Taylor 19,928 49.4
Labour Stanley Boden 16,159 40.1
Liberal Bill Pitt 4,239 10.5
Majority 3,769
Turnout 40,326 72.5
Conservative hold Swing

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