Liverpool Walton by-election, 1991

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The Liverpool Walton by-election was held on 4 July 1991, following the death of the Labour Party Member of Parliament Eric Heffer for Liverpool Walton, on 27 May.

The constituency had become a safe Labour seat under Heffer, who was known as a left-wing MP. During the 1980s, the Trotskyist Militant Tendency, operating within the Labour Party, had gained control of Liverpool City Council. Following a confrontation with the Conservative government over cuts to their budget and the Council's refusal to set a rate, the Liverpool 47, included all the Militant councillors, were surcharged and disqualified in 1986.[1] They were also roundly criticised by Labour leader Neil Kinnock.

While the Liverpool 29 left-wing councillors, including many Militant members, were subsequently elected to the Council, in 1990 they were later expelled from the Labour Party as part of a general policy to curtail Militant's activities. They formed the "Broad Left" group on the Council.

When Heffer announced his retirement, Lesley Mahmood, a "Broad Left" councillor and a member of Militant, stood for the Labour nomination. She was narrowly beaten by Peter Kilfoyle, who was highly critical of Militant and had been appointed by the NEC to lead the 1986 inquiry identifying Militant-supporting members of the Labour Party. Kilfoyle was strongly supported by Kinnock, [2] but despised by Militant. Mahmood stood as a "Walton Real Labour" candidate. However, some of Militant's leaders, Ted Grant and Rob Sewell, remained convinced of the merits of entrism and argued privately against Mahmood standing. [3]

Attitudes on the far left to Mahmood's candidature varied. It was supported by the Socialist Workers Party[1] and Workers Power.[4] Socialist Organiser opposed it, claiming that "a comparatively tiny breakaway such as theirs can only result in making the Liverpool Labour Party safe for the Kinnockites", and calling instead for a vote for Labour.[2] The Revolutionary Communist Party opposed a vote for any candidate.[3]

Several other candidates stood. The Liberal Democrats stood Paul Clark, a local councillor and the Liberal Party candidate in the previous general election. The Conservatives, who had little support in the constituency, despite having held it until 1964, stood Berkeley Greenwood. Screaming Lord Sutch stood for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, and George Lee-Delisle stood on a platform advocating proportional representation.

Kilfoyle was able to win the election, taking a majority of the votes cast, although significantly down on Heffer's result in the 1987 election. The Liberal Democrats gained from the division in the Labour Party and increased their vote to come second. Mahmood was only able to take a distant third place. The Conservatives were beaten into fourth, for the first time in Britain since the Bermondsey by-election, 1983, and lost their deposit. They did not place fourth in an English by-election again until the Hartlepool by-election, 2004.

Kilfoyle held the seat at the 1992 UK general election and at each subsequent election.

For Militant, the candidacy was a key moment in their turn to an open party. They stood candidates in the 1992 election in Liverpool, and also in Glasgow (as Scottish Militant Labour). This led Ted Grant to form a minority tendency, and ultimately to his expulsion from Militant to form Socialist Appeal. The remainder of Militant later founded the Socialist Party (England and Wales) and the Scottish Socialist Party, Mahmood eventually leaving in 1998.

Liverpool Walton by-election, 1991
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Kilfoyle 21,317 53.1 −11.3
Liberal Democrat Paul Clark 14,457 36.0 +14.8
Walton Real Labour Lesley Mahmood 2,613 6.5 N/A
Conservative Berkeley Greenwood 1,155 2.9 −11.5
Monster Raving Loony Screaming Lord Sutch 546 1.4 N/A
Independent George Lee-Delisle 63 0.1 N/A
Majority 6,860 17.1 −26.1
Turnout
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1987: Liverpool Walton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Eric Heffer 34,661 64.4
Liberal Paul Clark 11,408 21.2
Conservative I. Mays 7,738 14.4
Majority 23,253 43.2
Turnout 73.6
Labour hold Swing

[edit] References

  1. ^ Taaffe, P. & Mulhearn, T. (1988) Liverpool: A City That Dared to Fight London:Fortress
  2. ^ See, e.g., Politicos' books.
  3. ^ Taaffe, P. (1995) The Rise of Militant Militant Publications: London pg.437
  4. ^ Livingstone Factor - Retrieved 30/08/07