Leyton by-election, 1965

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The Leyton by-election, 1965 was a parliamentary by-election held on 21st January 1965 for the British House of Commons constituency of Leyton in East London.

The seat had become vacant when the constituency's long-serving Labour Member of Parliament (MP), Reginald Sorensen, was made a life peer 15 December 1964. An MP for over thirty years, his elevation to the peerage was intended to create a vacancy in a safe seat for the Foreign Secretary, Patrick Gordon Walker, who had been defeated in the 1964 general election in his Smethwick constituency.

The result of the contest was not as planned: the Conservative Party candidate, Ronald Buxton, won with a majority of 205 votes, a swing from Labour of 8.7%. Gordon-Walker regained the seat for Labour at 1966 general election.

[edit] Votes

Leyton by-election, 1965
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ronald Buxton 16,544 42.9 +9.4
Labour Patrick Gordon-Walker 16,339 42.4 −8.0
Liberal Alistair H Mackay 5,382 14.0 −2.2
UK & Commonwealth Party Jeremiah Lynch 157 0.4 N/A
Disarmament George Delf 156 0.4 N/A
Majority 205 0.53
Turnout 38,578 57.7 −12.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.7

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