Ribble Valley by-election, 1991

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The Ribble Valley by-election, in Lancashire, England, was called in 1991 following the elevation of United Kingdom MP David Waddington to the House of Lords.

The seat was a safe Conservative constituency, based largely on the market town of Clitheroe, but at the time the controversial Margaret Thatcher government policy of "Poll Tax" was used by opposition parties as a policy against the Conservative candidate.

The then young Liberal Democrats had only been formed three years earlier, but had scored by-election "scalps" by winning formerly safe seats, although these were rarely held at subsequent general elections. Indeed, despite their victory at Ribble Valley, the LibDems lost the seat less than a year later at the the next election

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[edit] Votes

Ribble Valley by-election, 1991
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Michael Carr 22,377 48.5 +27.1
Conservative Nigel Evans 17,776 38.5 -22.3
Labour Josephine Farrington 4,356 9.5 -8.3
Independent Conservative David Brass 611 1.3
Green Halldora Ingham 466 1.0
Monster Raving Loony Screaming Lord Sutch 278 0.6
Liberal Simon Taylor 133 0.3
Independent - Corrective Party Lindi St Claire 72 0.2
Raving Loony Green Giant Clitheroe Kid Stuart Hughes 60 0.1
Majority 4,601 10.0
Turnout 46,129 71.1
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing


[edit] Notes on Candidates

  • Nigel Evans regained the Ribble Valley seat for the Conservatives in the 1992 election and has held it ever since.
  • Michael Carr remains the only successful Liberal Democrat MP in the current boundaries of Lancashire
  • The BBC Radio comedian Jimmy Clitheroe had a long-running series under the name The Clitheroe Kid during the 1950s and 1960s. Clitheroe is the main town in the constituency.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also