Monmouth by-election, 1945
The Monmouth by-election, 1945 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Monmouth in Wales on 30 October 1945. The seat had become vacant on the death of the sitting Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Leslie Pym, and the by-election was won by the Conservative candidate Peter Thorneycroft.
Vacancy
The Conservative MP Leslie Pym had died at the age of 61 on 17 July 1945, only 5 days after polling in the 1945 general election, but 9 days before the declaration.[1] He was thus unusually declared elected posthumously. Pym had held the seat since a by-election in 1939.
Candidates
The Conservative candidate was 36-year-old Peter Thorneycroft, who had been the MP for Stafford from a 1938 by-election until his defeat at the 1945 general election.
The Labour Party candidate was A. B. L. Oakley, who had been the unsuccessful candidate at the general election in July.
Result
On a slightly reduced turnout, Thorneycroft held the seat for the Conservatives, a narrowly-increased majority of 2,139. He held the seat until his defeat at the 1966 general election, serving as a senior Cabinet in the government of Harold Macmillan.
Votes
Monmouth by-election, October 1945 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Peter Thorneycroft | 21,092 | 52.7 | +0.8 | |
Labour | A. B. L. Oakley | 18,953 | 47.3 | −0.8 | |
Majority | 2,139 | 5.4 | +1.6 | ||
Turnout | 40,045 | 39.8 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |||
General Election July 1945: Monmouth | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Leslie Pym | 22,195 | 51.9 | −8.2 | |
Labour | A. B. L. Oakley | 20,543 | 48.1 | +8.2 | |
Majority | 1,652 | 3.8 | −16.4 | ||
Turnout | 42,738 | 72.0 | +13.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −8.2 | |||
See also
- Monmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
- Monmouth
- Monmouth by-election, 1934
- Monmouth by-election, 1939
- Monmouth by-election, 1991
- List of United Kingdom by-elections (1931 - 1950)
References
Sources
- Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd edition ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.