Epsom by-election, 1928

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The Epsom by-election, 1928 was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Epsom, Surrey on 4 July 1928.

Vacancy

The by-election was caused by the resignation of the sitting Unionist MP, Sir Rowland Blades. He had been MP here since winning the seat in 1918.

Election History

Epsom had been created in 1885 and won by a Unionist at every election since. The Unionists even won comfortably in 1923, when there was no Liberal candidate standing. The result at the last General Election was

1924 General Election: Epsom

Electorate 37,515[1]

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir George Rowland Blades 20,017 79.5
Labour Philip Butler 5,149 20.5
Majority 14,868 59.0
Turnout 67.1
Unionist hold Swing

Candidates

  • The Epsom Unionist Association chose 41-year-old Comdr. Archibald Southby as their candidate to defend the seat. He served in the Royal Navy and, in the period following the First World War, took part in the demilitarization of Heligoland.[2]
  • The Epsom Constituency Labour Party selected Miss Helen Keynes as their candidate to challenge for the seat. She was a member of the Fabian Society.[3]
  • The Epsom Liberal Association, who had not put forward a candidate since the General election of January 1910, intervened with Parnell Kerr as their candidate. He had twice contested the neighbouring seat of Guildford, coming second in 1923 and third in 1924. He had been Private Secretary to the leading Liberal, Sir Herbert Samuel and the Insurance Commission. He was a Barrister.[4]

Campaign

Polling Day was set for 4 July 1928.

Result

The Unionists held the seat, but the feature of the result was the Liberals pushing Labour into third place.

Epsom by-election, 1928

Electorate 43,292[5]

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Archibald Richard James Southby 13,364 60.3 -19.2
Liberal S Parnell Kerr 5,095 23.0 n/a
Labour Miss Helen M Keynes 3,719 16.8 -3.7
Majority 8,269 37.2 -21.8
Turnout 51.2 -5.9
Unionist hold Swing n/a

Aftermath

Southby held the seat at the following General Election, against a further challenge from Kerr, who managed a swing of 1.9% to the Liberals. Keynes did not fight the seat, contesting Horsham and Worthing instead and finishing third. The result at the following General Election;

1929 General Election: Epsom

Electorate 63,268[6]

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Archibald Richard James Southby 24,720 57.8 -2.5
Liberal S Parnell Kerr 10,422 24.3 +1.3
Labour Rev. Stanley James W Morgan 7,662 17.9 +1.1
Majority 14,298 33.5 -3.7
Turnout 67.7 +16.5
Unionist hold Swing -1.9

References

  1. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  2. ↑ The Times, 16 January, A Visit To Heligoland, Archibald RJ Southby
  3. ↑ The Times House of Commons, 1929
  4. ↑ The Times House of Commons, 1929
  5. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  6. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949

See also

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